Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a LBR (Laser Beam Recorder) (56) suitable for mastering a record carrier (60) by writing data in the record carrier in circular or spiral tracks and comprising: means (58) for rotating a record carrier; means (62) for moving a laser (61) over the record carrier (60) in a radial direction with reference to the rotation of the record carrier (60); means (65) for controlling the laser output power; and means (66) for synchronizing the rotation of the record carrier (60), the movement of the laser (61) and the laser output power. In accordance with the invention synchronizing the rotation of the record carrier 60; the movement of the laser 61 and the laser output power is performed such that at least a part of the data is written in at least one track comprising a different arrangement than circular or spiral. The present invention also relates to a Laser Beam Recorder.

Abstract: An optical disc (1) for storing digital data, comprising a first storage area (10) for storing a first type of digital data and a second storage area (20) for storing a second type of digital data. Each of the first and second areas comprises a user-data area (11, 21). Furthermore, the storage areas (10, 20) are logically independent. The second storage area (20) has a defect management area (22a, 22b) associated with the user-data area (21) of the second storage area (20) for storing defect management data.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a tilt of an optical pick-up head includes the steps of: moving the optical pick-up head to a first location and focusing on; obtaining a first focus control power and a first optimum tilt angle at the first location; moving the optical pick-up head to a second location and focusing on; obtaining a second focus control power and a second optimum tilt angle at the second location; calculating an optical sensitivity according to the first and second optimum tilt angles, and the first and second focus control powers; and when the head is moved to a specific location where the tilt of the head is to be adjusted, storing a focus control power corresponding to the specific location, and calculating a tilt angle corresponding to the specific location according to the focus control power and the optical sensitivity so that the tilt of the optical pick-up head can be appropriately adjusted.

Abstract: A disc changer is provided which can perform a disc check in a short time which involves checking whether or not each disc loaded in the disc changer is reproducible in loading CDs on the changer. File system data is selected from management data of a selected disc and reproduced by a file system data selector. The selected file system data is analyzed by a file system data analyzer, and a condition of the analysis is monitored by a reproducible file detector. When a reproducible file is detected, the analysis is suspended, a result of a disc check is generated, and a next disc may be checked.

Abstract: A control apparatus is provided for controlling a drive apparatus to access a rewritable information recording medium using a first file system. The control apparatus includes a first determination means for determining whether or not a matter which is not permitted in a second file system exists on the information recording medium; and a second determination means for determining that there is a possibility that the valid data in the first file system is recorded in a first file system space when it is determined that a matter which is not permitted in the second file system exists on the information recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for reproducing a recording medium which requires input of a code number only once when the code number is required to be input 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 (first control information) set therein for controlling reproduction of information belonging in the directory. Also, a file associated with the PlayList, which is one piece of information in the directory DVR, has a playback_control_flag (second control information) set therein for controlling reproduction thereof. In a case where the DVR_protect_flag is 1, reproduction is allowed only when a correct code number is input. 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 input for the DVR_protect_flag.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining the quality of data on an optical disc. The method comprises performing a quality scan resulting in quality information about at least part of the data on the optical disc; organizing the quality information in groups, each group comprising quality information corresponding to a predetermined zone on the optical disc; and computing a zone quality information parameter for each group based on the quality information corresponding to that group.

Abstract: An optical recording medium having a plural number of recording layers includes a n-th recording layer (23) (n?1), made up by a substrate (20) and a semi-reflective layer (21) carried by the substrate (20) and adapted for partially reflecting and partially transmitting the incident light, a (n+1)th recording layer (28), made up by another substrate (25) and a reflecting layer (26) carried by the substrate (25) and adapted for reflecting the incident light, and a light condensing layer (24) for condensing the light incident via the n-th recording layer (23) on the (n+1)th recording layer (28).

Abstract: An optical recording medium having a plural number of recording layers includes a n-th recording layer (23) (n?1), made up by a substrate (20) and a semi-reflective layer (21) carried by the substrate (20) and adapted for partially reflecting and partially transmitting the incident light, a (n+1)th recording layer (28), made up by another substrate (25) and a reflecting layer (26) carried by the substrate (25) and adapted for reflecting the incident light, and a light condensing layer (24) for condensing the light incident via the n-th recording layer (23) on the (n+1)th recording layer (28).

Abstract: A write-once-type recording medium (10) is provided with: a data area (11) to record therein record data; and a plurality of management areas in which a plurality of types of management information for managing the record data and index information for indicating newest management information can be recorded a plurality of times, each of the plurality of management areas having a setup area for recording therein a management information block including a plurality of types of management information constructed from the newest management information and the index information indicating the plurality of types of management information constructed from the newest management information.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, methods and apparatus are presented for testing a medium to determine whether it was non-commercially created involve determining if a drive comprises a recordable drive; if the drive comprises a recordable drive: determining whether a medium comprises a closed medium. If the medium does not comprise a closed medium, the medium comprises non-commercial medium. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract without departing from certain embodiments.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for digitally detecting a tracking error signal using multiple phase clocks. The apparatus includes a phase extractor receiving four divided outputs in response to light reflected from an optical disk and extracting four divided phases, respectively, a phase difference detector detecting phase differences between two phases among the four divided phases, a multiple phase clock generator generating a plurality of phase clocks in response to a predetermined clock signal, a phase error detector counting phase differences in response to each of the plurality of phase clocks, summing the counted phase differences, and detecting a phase error, and a tracking error output unit detecting the tracking error signal in response to the phase error and outputting the detected tracking error signal.

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.

Abstract: A servo control signal generation device for discriminating a kind of an optical disk, changing over between top and bottom envelope signals of an RF signal, and generating a defect signal and a mirror signal includes an RF generator for generating the RF signal from reflected light of an optical disk, a disk discriminator for discriminating a kind of the optical disk from the RF signal, and a top envelope generator and a bottom envelope generator respectively for generating the top and bottom envelope signals of the RF signal. If the disk has reflectance after recording which is lower than that before recording, the defect and mirror signals are generated respectively from the top and bottom envelope signals. If the disk has reflectance after recording which is higher than that before recording, the defect and mirror signals are generated respectively from the bottom and top envelope signals.

Abstract: Information is recorded on a multi-layered optical recording medium by irradiating it with a laser beam. The 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. At this time, if all the information recording layers other than the first information recording layer are either blank or have been completely recorded, then information is recorded on the first information recording layer. This allows for stabilizing the energy of a recording laser beam during recording and thereby providing improved recording quality.

Abstract: An optical recording medium, comprising a dye recording layer, wherein a recording mark portion is formed at the dye recording layer by use of a laser light having a wavelength of 640 nm to 680 nm, and a reflectance after recording with respect to the laser light at the recording mark portion is increased compared to a reflectance before recording.

Abstract: The invention provides a servo calibration mark detection circuit for use in an optical disk drive. In one embodiment, the servo calibration mark detection circuit comprises a summing processor, a slicing level generator, and a comparator. The summing processor sums an intensity of a light beam reflected from both an inner groove and an outer groove to obtain a first signal. The slicing level generator generates a slicing level. The comparator then compares the first signal with the slicing level to obtain a second signal, wherein the second signal indicates a first location of a first servo calibration mark recorded on the inner groove and a second location of a second servo calibration mark recorded on the outer groove.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus (1) comprises a recording means (11) for recording a data pattern on a recording medium (100), a reading means (11) for reading the data pattern to acquire a read signal, adding means (23, 24) for adding an offset signal to the read signal to acquire an offset-added signal, a measurement means (19) for measuring the jitter of the offset-added signal, and an adjustment means (21) for adjusting a recording condition so that the jitter satisfies a desired condition

Abstract: Provided are a method and an apparatus to prevent reproducibility of data with respect to an optical information storage medium. The method includes recording patterns with respect to the optical information storage medium using irradiated light so as prevent reproduction of the data. The patterns may cause an error or a malfunction when attempting to access the data of the optical information storage medium so as to prevent the reproduction of the data.

Abstract: There is provided a disc drive adopting a slot-in loading by which an optical disc (2) is loaded into or ejected out of the device body through a disc slot. The disc drive can have loaded therein a large-diameter optical disc (2A) and small-diameter optical disc (2B), different in outside diameter from each other. With the small-diameter optical disc being set on a turn-table (23a), an objective lens (25a) is retreated in a direction away from the signal recording surface of the small-diameter optical disc when a pickup moving mechanism (26) moves an optical pickup (25) between the outer and inner radii of the small-diameter optical disc.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus is provided which can write continuously a file of large-capacity at high-speed. A record area of HDD is provided with a disk cache area for temporarily storing data to be written. The disk cache area is defined as a area that is not used by a host apparatus (3) in an LBA space, and the disk cache area is disposed in an area with a high transfer rate such as an outer circumferential area of a disk (10). A file transferred from the host apparatus (3) is written in the disk cache area, and the file is transferred from the disk cache area to a usual user area during an idle period to release the disk cache area and prepare for next transfer data write.

Abstract: The number of the layers of a disk is determined based on focus search to be performed after at least two kinds of spherical aberration correction quantities are set.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus includes: an objective lens that condenses a first light beam, which is emitted from a light source and corresponds to a first optical disc, and that illuminates the first light beam to an unknown disc whose type is unknown; a driving section that drives the objective lens in a focus direction approaching or becoming distant from the unknown disc; a rotation section that rotates the unknown disc; a signal processing section that generates a first reproduction signal indicating a total amount of a first returning light beam generated by reflection of the first light beam from the unknown disc; and a detecting section that detects a first signal recording surface, which corresponds to the first optical disc, from the unknown disc on the basis of the first reproduction signal.

Abstract: An optical disk device includes an optical head unit, a drive means and a recording surface state determination means, and determines the type of an optical disk based on a state of the information recording surface. The information recording surface includes a management region on which management information is recorded and formed by a guiding groove or a prepit sequence and a data recording region on which a user data is recorded and on which a track formed by a guiding groove or a prepit sequence. The optical head unit irradiates a focused beam onto the information recording surface of an optical disk which rotates. The drive means drives to move the focused beam along a radial direction of the optical disk by driving the optical head unit. The recording surface state determination means determines a state of the information recording surface based on a reflected light of the focused beam.

Abstract: A method is presented for use in determining a degree of quality of a multi-layer optical data carrier in its at least partially recorded state. Predetermined first data is provided being indicative of a qualified, at least partially recorded multi-layer optical data carrier. This data corresponds to an optical response obtainable from a specific data carrier under predetermined conditions of an optical scan of the rotating data carrier. A data carrier being qualified is scanned by at least one optical beam under said predetermined conditions of the scan, and a first control signal from the data carrier is detected and data indicative of the detected control signal is generated. The so generated data is processed to determine a relation with said predetermined data. The determined relation is used for determining a degree of quality of said scanned data carrier.

Abstract: Optical disk players include a disk spinning system that is configured to spin an optical disk at a constant linear velocity and a burst cutting area decoding system that is configured to decode data in a burst cutting area of the optical disk, while the optical disk is spinning at the constant linear velocity. The burst cutting area data decoding system may be configured to determine a rotational frequency of the optical disk while reading the data in the burst cutting area, and using the rotational frequency that was determined to decode the data in the burst cutting area that was read.

Abstract: This invention directs to an optical disc assembly configured to receive an analyte which can be detected by a standard optical disc reader or an optical disc reader modified therefrom. The optical disc assembly may preferably be designed so that the optical disc reader can track the disc and detect the analyte concurrently and discriminably. The optical disc assembly contains or encodes optically readable features which are trackable by the optical disc reader and which have encoded speed information enabling the optical disc reader to rotate the optical disc assembly at a determinable speed. The optical disc assembly also includes an analyte section capable of receiving the analyte that can be detected by the optical disc reader.

Abstract: A dimple position detection device for detecting a position of a dimple formed on a load beam is provided with an illumination device, imaging device, and image processing section. The illumination device directs illumination light toward the dimple. The imaging device receives reflected light from the dimple. The image processing section binarizes an image obtained by the imaging device. The image processing section maximizes a binarization level, binarizes the reflected light image, determines whether an area of a light spot region or on-region above the binarization level has a predetermined value, reduces the binarization level when the area of the light spot region is less than the predetermined value, and calculates the gravitational position of the light spot region with the predetermined value reached by the light spot region area.

Abstract: An information-recording apparatus is disclosed wherein an area to be allocated to a new FS can be set when an area allocated to FSes has been all consumed. The information-recording apparatus includes a track division means. When a track set on a recording medium as a track allocated to FSes no longer has a free area, on the basis of a command, the track division means divides a track allocated on the recording medium in advance to files into an area to be used as a track allocated to FSes and an area to be used as a track allocated to files.

Abstract: The present invention provides an information recording apparatus capable of reproducing recorded recording information without giving strange feeling even in the case where it is necessary to switch a recording layer among multiple recording layers, and an information recording program for executing the information recording process. An information recording apparatus R for recording “recording information Sr” to an optical disk DK having a plurality of recording layers L0 and L1 has a CPU 4 for detecting the content of the recording information Sr during recording of the recording information Sr to the recording layer L0, on the basis of the detected content, switching the recording layer L0 to which the recording information Sr is switched to the recording layer L1, and continuing recording of the recording information Sr.

Abstract: A high-density multi-layer optical disc and a method for managing layer formatting thereof. A high-density multi-layer optical disc such as a Blu-ray disc rewritable (BD-RE) dual layer includes management information, additionally recorded in a lead-in area, needed for identifying formatting status of a plurality of recording layers. After the management information is referred to, at least one unformatted recording layer is automatically formatted. Optionally, the unformatted recording layer is formatted on the basis of a formatting method selected by a user. The multiple recording layers formed on the high-density multi-layer optical disc can be conveniently and effectively formatted.

Abstract: A method for generating a recovered table of contents (TOC) for an optical disc having an damaged TOC and a predetermined file system includes selecting a recovering session on the optical disc; determining a recovering session starting location corresponding to a first SRR starting location in the recovering session; determining if the recovering session is a closed session; and if the recovering session is a closed session: determining a data size of the recovering session; calculating a next session starting location immediately following the recovering session by adding the data size of the recovering session, a temp-leadout size of the recovering session, and a temp-leadin size of the next session to the recovering session starting location; and constructing the recovered TOC by including information of recovering session and the next session starting location.

Abstract: A recording and playback apparatus for recording data on a recording medium that allows additional writing includes a recording device configured to record first data on the recording medium; a random-number generator configured to generate a random number; and a calculator configured to calculate a first identification code indicating that the first data has been recorded on the recording medium by the recording and playback apparatus, by applying a predetermined function to data included in the first data recorded on the recording medium by the recording device, the data including second data that changes on each recording on the recording medium by the recording device and including the random value generated by the random-value generator. The recording device further records the random value generated by the random-number generator and the first identification code calculated by the calculator so that the random value and the first identification code are included in the first data.

Abstract: A side determination apparatus of an optical disc includes a light source illuminating one side of the optical disc having a data side and a non-data side obliquely; a sensor receiving a reflected light from the optical disc illuminated by the light source; and a determination unit determining that an incident light into the sensor is a reflected diffracted light from the data side of the optical disc based on a distribution of an output of the sensor onto a surface of the disc to determine the one side.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a chromatic aberration-correcting element which allows the adoption of BDs even when DVD/CD light beams are incident. The chromatic aberration-correcting element has a diffractive structure formed thereon, which can correct chromatic aberration in BD wavelength light beams in addition to adopting DVD/CD wavelength light beams. Also provided is an optical pickup device whose structure is simplified by employing the chromatic aberration-correcting element.

Abstract: A method for determining a kind of optical recording medium includes: performing focus searching and track searching on an optical recording medium; and determining a kind of optical recording medium according to an optical signal generated by the focus searching and an optical signal generated by the track searching.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for accurately converting a groove/land polarity upon a groove/land track change on an optical medium, by way of initially deciding a reference groove/land changing point or a decoded PID of any one specific sector formed on the optical medium. By counting a specific number of sectors from the reference groove/land changing point or the specific sector, a subsequent groove/land changing point will easily be approached for converting the groove/land polarity, and even the other oncoming track changing points on the optical medium also can be determined.

Abstract: A disk apparatus writes and rewrites data in a storage disk and reads data from the storage disk. A disk controlling apparatus that controls the disk apparatus includes an environment information creating unit creates environment information that is related to an environment of the disk apparatus, a storing unit that appends the environment information to the data that is to be written to the storage disk, and a rewrite process determining unit determines whether to execute a rewrite process based on the environment information in the data read from the storage disk.

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: A method for determining disc type in an optical disc device is provided. The device performs a disc initialization procedure for a disc loaded into the device, assuming that the loaded disc type is a preset disc type, and checks whether or not the initialization procedure fails. If the initialization procedure fails, the device performs a series of disc type determination operations to determine the loaded disc type. The device cumulatively stores the initialized disc type or the determined disc type, and updates the preset disc type using cumulative frequency distribution of the stored disc types. The user may also select the loaded disc type by manipulating a switch provided on the optical disc device. The device can quickly determine the loaded disc type, reducing the time the user must wait until a desired operation is performed.

Abstract: Information recording is conducted in the form of the simple format. When the simple format is indicated, the recording control data is not recorded in a lead-in area LIA, and after the information to be recorded is recorded in a data recording area DRA, the recording control data is recorded in a recording manager area RMA and a lead-out area LOA, in the data recording area DRA, recording manager area RMA, lead-in area LIA, and lead-out area LOA, which are predetermined according to the standard format. Further, when the finalizing processing is indicated, by recording again the recording control data according to the standard format to the information recording medium in which the information recording is conducted according to the simple format, the information recording medium which can be applied to the common information recording and reproducing apparatus, is easily realized.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an excellent optical recording method, an optical recording apparatus, and an optical recording medium that provide higher efficiency of recording and reproducing and are uninfluenced by the mismatch of optical axes of plural laser lights induced from accident errors of optical recording and optical reproducing apparatuses when carrying out recording or reproducing or control of focus or tracking by use of a laser light, and layer construction of the recording medium itself is simple.

Abstract: Provided is a new-type recordable DVD medium characterized in having medium characteristics not defined in the DVD-R standards and-having 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.

Abstract: A verify operation is the one that is carried out to further improve reliability of recorded data. Because recording and reproduction are made repeatedly, however, the same time is consumed for reproduction even if recording is made at a double-speed, for example, and recording is substantially equal to recording at a normal recording speed. The verify operation is effective for further improving reliability but reduces the substantial recording speed to a half. To improve recording performance by automatically turning ON and OFF the verify operation in accordance with disks, medium information called “media ID” unique to a disk is acquired in a read-in area of the optical disk. The existence/absence of the verify operation is determined on the basis of a matrix table of an existence/absence of the verify operation corresponding on the 1:1 basis to each media ID provided in advance to an optical disk drive.

Abstract: A method of controlling an optical disc drive in which determining an organic optical disc using a tracking control polarity (in-groove polarity) of the organic optical disc and a reflection amount characteristic (low to high characteristic) after recording and improving the determination speed of the optical disc is possible. The method of controlling an optical disc drive includes detecting a first average value and a second average value of a differential phase detection tracking error (DPD TE) signal of a loaded optical disc, and determining the type of the loaded optical disc by comparison between the first average value and the second average value of the DPD TE signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining a separation distance between radial locations on a data storage medium, such as an optical disc. A first number of channel bits are detected at a first radial location of the medium, and a second number of channel bits are detected at a second radial location. The radial separation distance therebetween is determined in relation to the respective first and second numbers. Preferably, the first radial location is a first track on the medium, and the second radial location is a second track on the medium. Preferably, a motor rotates the medium, a data transducer transduces readback signals from the first and second locations, and a processor determines the respective numbers of bits from the readback signals. The radial separation distance is preferably used to authenticate the medium.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and apparatus of identifying optical disk types according to the present invention can identify the type of an optical disk (e.g., DVD-RAM, DVD-RAM, or DVD+/?RW) based on comparisons between a plurality of signals. For example, comparisons between the magnitudes of DPD and DPP tracking error signals and their respective reference values can be used. If an optical disk is identified as DVD+RW or DVD?RW, embodiments according to the present invention can further determine whether the optical disk is DVD+RW or DVD?RW. For example, the frequency of a wobble signal resulting from the shape of tracks formed on the optical disk and variables that affect the wobble frequency (e.g., the rotational speed of the optical disk and the current track position) can be used.

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: By decoding a formatted 1-77PP signal 22 outputted from a BD-ROM formatter 20 at a high speed, comparing it with original data 34 in a comparator unit 30 and checking authenticity of data from the BD-ROM formatter 20 in real time, it is possible to carry out a check of data outputted from the RD-ROM formatter in real time when exposing the 1-77PP data from the BD-ROM formatter.

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.