Abstract: An information provision apparatus has a detachable information storage medium that stores information, an information storing portion that storing information read from the information storage medium, a processing portion that performs a reproduction processing of information stored in the information storing portion, an output portion that outputs information reproduced by the processing portion, and a clocking portion that counts an elapsed time since the information storage medium is detached from the information provision apparatus, wherein the processing portion stops the reproduction processing when the elapsed time exceeds a specified value.

Abstract: A BCA signal reproduction method for reading a BCA signal from a disc includes detecting a peak value of the BCA signal (peak detection value); detecting a bottom value of the BCA signal using a wide tracking bandwidth (first bottom detection value); detecting a bottom value of the BCA signal using a narrow tracking bandwidth (second bottom detection value); detecting a signal indicating whether the current portion is a no-signal portion where the BCA signal is not recorded or a signal portion where the BCA signal is recorded, on the basis of the peak detection value, the first bottom detection value, and the second bottom detection value; determining a slice level for binarizing the BCA signal on the basis of the detected signal and at least the peak detection value, the first bottom detection value, and the second bottom detection value; and binarizing the BCA signal.

Abstract: Described herewith is an optical disk manufacturing apparatus for reading recorded digital data from an optical disk, comprising an encryption unit (22, 23) for encrypting entered digital data according to a plurality of key information; an optical disk substrate manufacturing unit 2 for manufacturing an optical disk substrate 4 on which the encrypted digital data and key information are recorded in the form of physical form changes; a reflection film forming unit 41 for forming a reflection film on the optical disk substrate 4; and a key information recording unit 7 for recording key information on the optical disk substrate on which the reflection film is formed. The reflection factor of the optical disk is changed locally, thereby giving a jitter to the position information of each pit edge, and desired data is recorded additionally according to this jitter. Pits, etc.

Abstract: A recording method for an optical disk drive is implemented as follows. First, at least one of the level of the focusing error signal, the level of the tracking error signal, a wobble synchronization pattern loss, the error rate of demodulating a wobble signal, the frequency of buffer under-run occurrence, the temperature of the drive, the wobble jitter and the level of write power is detected. If at least one detected value exceeds the preset value, the recording will be ceased. Then, the rotation speed of the optical disk drive is decreased, and the recording is resumed with the decreased rotation speed. If at least one of the temperature of the drive, the wobble jitter and the estimated write power exceeds the reset value before recording starts, the rotation speed of the optical disk drive is decreased before recording.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus includes a control section. The control section performs a first search while the tracking control is in the off state. The first search is for searching for a plurality of sets of the focus positions of the light beam and the spherical aberration amounts such that an amplitude of the tracking error signal is greater than a predetermined value. The control section performs a second search while the tracking control is in the on state. The second search is for determining a set of the focus position of the light beam and the spherical aberration amount such that the reproduced signal quality index is substantially optimal, among the plurality of sets of the focus positions of the light beam and the spherical aberration amounts obtained in the first search.

Abstract: A method for multiphoton-ionizing an organic molecule supported by a solid carrier according to the present invention is a method characterized in that the carrier supporting an organic molecule is irradiated with a laser light having a pulse width of less than 1 nanosecond. As a laser having a pulse width of less than 1 nanosecond, such femtosecond lasers as titanium-sapphire lasers, fiber lasers and ytterbium-tungsten lasers are desirable.

Abstract: An optical scanning device for scanning a first optical record carrier, a second, different, optical record carrier and a third, different, optical record carrier, each record carrier having an information layer. The scanning device includes a radiation source system arranged to produce first, second and third radiation beams for scanning the first, second and third record carriers with first, second and third wavelengths, respectively; and a diffraction structure (34) arranged to introduce a first, second and third wavefront modification into the first, second and third radiation beams, respectively.

Abstract: Described herewith is an optical disk manufacturing apparatus for reading recorded digital data from an optical disk, comprising an encryption unit (22, 23) for encrypting entered digital data according to a plurality of key information; an optical disk substrate manufacturing unit 2 for manufacturing an optical disk substrate 4 on which the encrypted digital data and key information are recorded in the form of physical form changes; a reflection film forming unit 41 for forming a reflection film on the optical disk substrate 4; and a key information recording unit 7 for recording key information on the optical disk substrate on which the reflection film is formed. The reflection factor of the optical disk is changed locally, thereby giving a jitter to the position information of each pit edge, and desired data is recorded additionally according to this jitter. Pits, etc.

Abstract: A write-once optical disc, and a method and apparatus for recording management information on the write-once optical disc, are provided. The optical disc includes at least one recording layer, and at least one SRR entry. Each SRR entry corresponds to an SRR and includes at least one status field for indicating a recording status of the corresponding SRR. The status field includes a session start flag for indicating whether the corresponding SRR is a start of a session, the session being formed by a group of the SRRs. Each SRR entry further includes a start address field indicating where the corresponding SRR starts, and a last address field indicating the last recorded address of the corresponding SRR.

Abstract: A recording medium and a method for recording are provided. The recording medium according to an embodiment includes a control information used to represent a recording capacity of the recording medium, wherein the control information includes first information associated with a pre-defined recording capacity of the recording medium, and second information associated with a varied recording capacity of the recording medium, the second information being recorded at a position different from the first information.

Abstract: In order to stably carry out reproduction of information in an optical disc medium (10) using a PRML (partial-response maximum-likelihood) method for reproducing the signal, the optical disc medium (10) has not only a data recording area (14) where data is recorded at high density but also a system information recording area (16) where information is recorded at low density and binary equalizing/reproducing can be easily made. Information required to circuit setting is recorded in the system information recording area.

Abstract: In the case of determination means (10) for determining the quality of a data signal (DS), which data signal (DS) consists of data blocks, wherein each data block is at least two-dimensional in structure and comprises at least two data zones, there are provided validity assessment means (7) for assessing whether data zones of at least one data block are valid or invalid and for generating and outputting validity information (QI) representing the assessment result and validity information processing means (9), which are designed to determine the quality of the data signal (DS) on the basis of the validity information (QI).

Abstract: When an optical storage drive executes a control procedure or operation, a method of handling an interrupt request includes utilizing the optical storage drive to receive an interrupt request from a control circuit; checking whether the interrupt request is a read command; if the interrupt request is a read command, checking whether data indicated by the read command is in a buffer; and if the indicated data in the buffer, transferring the corresponding data to the control circuit from the buffer to respond to the interrupt request.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an optical disc recording apparatus adapted for recording data onto a recodable/reproducible optical disc, which comprises a system controller (10) for executing finalize processing in the state divided into plural processing and memorizing, into a flash memory (16), a notification of completion of one processing every time the processing is completed.

Abstract: The present invention is smart burn method for optical drives. When the laser pick-up head bears great oscillations along the vertical and horizontal directions, the laser light cannot focus on the track accurately that causes the failure of writing. The present invention proposes a re-link method employing a technique of controlling focus error signal, tracking error signal, or both, and capable of automatically reducing the writing speed of an optical drive while detecting an occurrence of a preset burn-error parameter is being exceeded, such that a stable and good writing quality can be achieved.

Abstract: A method for verifying whether a recording/reproducing apparatus properly produces disc management information and records the disc management information on a disc includes preparing a test disc; issuing reading commands to a recording/reproducing apparatus to be tested on which the test disc is loaded and verifying the disc in order to verify the reading operation; and issuing recording commands to the recording/reproducing apparatus to be tested on which the test disc is loaded and checking whether a temporary disc management area (TDMA) structure is properly updated on the disc in order to verify the modification operation.

Abstract: A recording device, which writes data to a recording medium in which a data area and a middle area are disposed adjacent to each other, includes: an area expanding unit expanding the middle area to reduce the data area; a first writing unit writing data to the reduced data area; and a second writing unit writing a terminator to a vacant area of the data area to which the data has been written.

Abstract: A method of verifying whether a recording and/or reproducing apparatus that records and/or reproduces a disc having temporary defect management area (TDMA) information properly produces the TDMA information, the method including producing TDMA information produced by performing a recording test according to a series of recording operations based on a scenario using a blank test disc as test information; and providing a result of the recording test by confirming the test information using reference test information for the recording test.

Abstract: An optical disk drive for recording data in accordance with a recording strategy determines a recording strategy of an unknown optical disk through comparatively-simple processing. When a loaded optical disk is an unknown disk, a control section reads a recommended recording strategy from a predetermined area on the loaded optical disk and reads correction parameters corresponding to the loaded optical disk from memory. The control section makes a correction to the read, recommended recording strategy in accordance with the correction parameters, and converts a recording pattern into a recording pulse in accordance with the corrected, recommended recording strategy. After conversion of the recording pattern into the recording pulse, the control section performs OPC and subsequently commences recording of actual data.

Abstract: A recording apparatus recording data on an optical disk includes a management information checking unit that determines whether or not management information on the optical disk for managing the data recorded on the optical disk exists by checking for management information on the optical disk when the optical disk is inserted in the recording apparatus; an area usage checking unit that determines whether or not a usage history of an optical disk area for optimizing recording power exists by checking a use condition of the optical disk area for optimizing recording power; and an abnormality detection unit that determines whether or not an optical disk abnormality exists in accordance with the presence or absence of management information on the optical disk and the presence or absence of a usage history of the optical disk area for optimizing recording power.

Abstract: A recordable optical disc includes a user area and a management information area. User data is recorded in a physical block used as a single unit, and the space bit map is recorded in the management information area. Integrity verification processing is performed for each of recording status information so as to verify the integrity of the recording status information indicating a recording status of the physical block and the recording status of the physical block on the recordable optical disc. The necessity of the integrity verification processing is determined by reading out the status information indicating the necessity of the integrity verification processing. When the integrity verification processing is determined to be necessary, the integrity verification processing is carried out for unverified recording status information of the recording status information of the space bit map.

Abstract: Apparatus nominally used for recording includes a reproduction section to play digital data from a recording medium recorded with that digital data and retrieval information, a recording section to write the digital data reproduced by the reproduction section and record the retrieval information on a control table, and a control circuit to search the control table by using the retrieval information when the digital data from the reproduction section is written by the recording section, thereby to permit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording section when the retrieval information is not recorded on the control table, and to prohibit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording section when the retrieval information is already recorded on the control table, and also to prevent the mistaken duplicate copying of the digital data with the recording section.

Abstract: A recording and playback apparatus according to the present invention includes a duplicating section for duplicating music data from a music CD in a CD read-out section onto a hard disk and a preserving section which, if duplication by the duplicating section is interrupted, preserves TOC information identifying the music CD and duplicated-music-data information identifying duplicated music data such that the TOC information is associated with the duplicated-music-data information. The recording and playback apparatus further includes a playback section for playing back music data stored in the hard disk. When a music CD having a history of interrupted duplication is placed in the CD read-out section, the duplicating section resumes duplication onto the hard disk based on the TOC information and the duplicated-music-data information preserved in the preserving section.

Abstract: An optical disk device includes a recording and reading means which performs recording of data upon, or reading of data from, an optical disk upon which are stored an ID, number of times information, and recording management information. Furthermore, when recording of data upon the optical disk has been completed, this optical disk device stores the recording management information, the number of times information, and the ID of the optical disk in a storage means in mutual correspondence. And, when the optical disk has been mounted, the recording and reading means decides whether a first situation or a second situation holds, using the ID and the number of times information of the optical disk as a key. And, if the second situation holds, the recording and reading means utilizes the recording management information in the storage means.

Abstract: A test pattern including a first test mark which is one unit-record-length longer than a shortest mark among modulating codes and a second test mark which is two or more unit-record-lengths longer than the shortest mark is recorded under a plurality of recording conditions (step S2). The recorded test pattern is reproduced (step S3), and based on a plurality of reproduced signals thus obtained, recording conditions allowing the first test mark and the second test mark, respectively, to be suitably recorded are selected (step S4). A recording condition for the shortest mark is determined by inference based on the recording conditions of the first test mark and the second test mark.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to realize reduction of the level jitter generated from a noise component at a signal saturation level or a waveform distortion in a portion except for signal polarity portions (rising edge and falling edge), and good error characteristics. In the present invention, a predetermined upper or lower limit value is set to reproduction signals, the reproduction signals are subjected to a limiter processing for correcting reproduction signals of the upper limit value or more, or the lower limit value or less to the level of the upper limit value or the lower limit value, respectively, the signal subjected to the limiter processing is subjected to a partial response equalizing (PR equalizing) processing, and PR reproduction is performed to improve the level jitter at PR detection time and the error rate at information reproduction time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the read stability of an optical disc are provided. Specifically, readout of the optical disc is repeated at each of at least two read laser beams powers being different from each other. A graph is drawn in which the inverses of the read powers are plotted on a horizontal axis and in which on a vertical axis is plotted the logarithm of a repeated readout number for each of the read powers. Here, the repeated readout number is the number of repetitions of the readout when a characteristic value for the number of repetitions of the readout varies and reaches a predetermined value. The read stability of the optical disc is evaluated by using the gradient of the graph.

Abstract: A track management method includes steps of obtaining track information from a play order table having track information entries arranged in a predetermined play order, the track information corresponds to a track to be deleted and points to a track descriptor in a track information table; obtaining the track descriptor, the track descriptor including a decryption key corresponding to the track to be deleted and pointer information that points to one of a plurality of part descriptors in a part information table; advancing the predetermined play order for a subset of the plurality of track information entries that follow the track to be deleted in the predetermined play order; reading the one of a plurality of part descriptors; separating in a file system a data block that is a part of a file specified by part pointer information in the part descriptor from the file managed by the file system and freeing the data block on the file system, the part pointer information pointing to a part of the file that includ

Abstract: Provided is an optical disk apparatus which has high read retry ability and high compatibility by performing a proper verify for other apparatuses. The optical disk apparatus includes a playback system capable of arbitrarily changing playback performance, and means which detects and determines a factor causing a read error. Moreover, a read retry is performed by use of playback parameters corresponding to the factor causing the read error. Furthermore, a verify is performed with the playback performance of the playback system lowered.

Abstract: An optical recording/reproducing apparatus capable of backing up recorded information in case of an electrical power failure and a recorded information backup method thereof. Management information on recorded data is stored in a local memory such as a static random access memory (SRAM), when data is recorded into an optical storage medium. The management information is updated every predetermined period, and, if data for a corresponding title is completely recorded, the management information stored in the SRAM is recorded onto a certain area of the optical storage medium. If a power failure occurs during the recording of the data, a built-in battery operates and applies a predetermined voltage to the SRAM, so that the management information stored in the SRAM is maintained during the power failure.

Abstract: In a recording method on a rewritable optical disc a control data recording zone in which a control data is recorded, is set to a portion of the disc close to a user data recording area in an inner circumference control data record area. A spiral recordable track of the disc is divided into the inner circumference control data record area, the user data recording area, an outer control data record area from an inner circumference side. The control data indicates record states of the inner circumference control data record area, the user data recording area, and the outer control data record area. A new control data is recorded on one of a plurality of record divisions contained in the control data recording zone. A planned record division is set for the control data to be next recorded after the control data is recorded in the one record division.

Abstract: An information storage apparatus characterized in that provided with: a data writing unit that writes the data in a data-storable information recording medium; a control information writing unit that writes control information in a predetermined region of the information recording medium, the control information being related to the data-writing by said data writing unit; and a conditional control information writing unit that, while the data writing unit is writing the data in the information recording medium, if a predetermined condition is satisfied, writes the control information in the predetermined region of the information recording medium, the control information being related to the data-writing for the meantime by the data writing unit. If the predetermined condition is satisfied, the control information is written in the predetermined region of the information recording medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical recording apparatus having an information recording unit configured to record information in recording guide grooves formed on a surface of an optical recording medium by irradiating the optical recording medium while scanning the recording guide grooves with a light beam to change optical properties of the optical recording medium, a determining unit configured to determine a signal amplitude in the recording guide grooves to determine whether or not the determined signal amplitude is more than a specified amplitude value which has been preliminarily stored in the optical recording apparatus, and a recording condition changing unit configured to change recording conditions of the information recording unit when the determined signal amplitude is determined as being more than the specified amplitude value.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus such as an optical disc that can avoid an unrecordable condition between a power-on operation and an available state for recording thereby to solve a problem that an image taking chance is missed in a recording step, wherein its constitution is such that: receiving a command to turn on the apparatus after switching, a system controller drives a power-supply circuit to activate a drive controller and a memory controller; if the optical disc is not replaced while in power-off operation by a sub-battery, the system controller issues a request for high-speed activation, based on information stored in an EEPROM, to the drive controller, and drives plural drive control units one after another thereby to establish an activation period confirmedly, allowing the memory controller to accept a request for a recording start from the system controller without waiting for a report of activation completion to be issued by the drive controller.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for erasing a re-writable disk. The method includes determining whether the write fail occurs in a program area of the re-writable disk when fully erasing the re-writable disk and a write fail occurs. If the write fail occurs in the program area of the re-writable disk, mode 0 data can be written on locations following a location where the write fail occurs continuously since the disk is determined to be a blank disk already. And if the write fail does not occur in the program area of the re-writable disk, the optical disk drive will issue a write fail message to a host.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of searching for a recordable position of a writable disk, the method comprising the steps of (a) reading data recording information of the writable disk, the data recording information indicating a position of a last track recorded and a recordable position for data to be recorded; (b) examining whether or not an area after the recordable position indicated by the read data recording information has recorded data; and (c) determining whether to change the recordable position to another position for new input data based on the examination result.

Abstract: Test writing is executed while skipping areas where deviations are present on an optical disk to thereby improve accuracy and reliability of an optimum recording condition to be derived. A deviation detecting unit detects the deviations of a guide groove on the optical disk on the basis of a fluctuation amount of a focus error signal or a tracking error signal, and registers information of the detected deviations onto a memory. A test writing processing unit refers to the memory, and records and reproduces a test signal while skipping the areas where the deviations are detected.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical recording medium recording apparatus, includes: an optical pickup section configured to irradiate laser light on an optical recording medium to perform recording or reproduction of information on or from the optical recording medium; a control section configured to control the optical pickup section; and a storage section configured to store in advance an evaluation function for adjusting the intensity of the laser light in response to reflected light of the laser light when information is to be recorded on the optical recording medium; wherein the control section being operable to interrupt a recording process of information onto the optical recording medium midway of the recording process and reproduce information recorded before the interruption and then adjust the evaluation function based on a detection result of reflected light upon the reproduction.

Abstract: A DVD seamless playback system has a first timer, a second timer, a register, a processor, a buffer, and a decoder. The processor is capable of parsing bit-streamed data and of setting count initial values of the first and the second timers alternatively if the data stored in the register is updated.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an optical disk device that records and reproduces information on and from an optical recording medium, such as a compact disk or a digital versatile disk. The optical disk device includes a measurement means and a calculation means.

Abstract: The rewriting counts in respective areas of a rewritable medium are uniformized. If empty areas are present on the rewritable medium rearward of a recording start position in terms of addresses, then data is recorded in those empty areas. When no empty areas become available rearward of the recording start position, data is then recorded in empty areas forward of the recording start position. The numbers of times that data is recorded in recording areas of the recording medium are thus averaged.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for recovering land pre-pits from a signal obtained from an optical recording medium. According to the invention, the method comprises the steps of: providing a phase locked loop for the land pre-pit signal for the accurate measurement of the phase of the land pre-pits, and generating a corrected wobble signal for rejecting wobble beats.

Abstract: A high-density reproduction-only optical disc includes a high frequency data zone in which disc related information is recorded by high frequency wobbles, a user data area in which user data is recorded by pits, and a transition zone which is formed between the high frequency data zone and the user data. Accordingly, the reliability of reproducing data from the user data area is improved.

Abstract: An optical disc drive that can surely erase the trial writing data recorded in the Test Area is disclosed. The optical disc drive of the present invention has a rotation driving mechanism for rotating a loaded optical disc, and an optical pick-up capable of recording data to the optical disc by emitting a laser beam onto the optical disc drive. In the erasing procedure for erasing the trial writing data recorded in the Test Area, CW erase procedure is carried out and the optical disc drive tries to reproduce the trial writing data. Then, it is determined whether an HF signal is detected or not, and the CW erase procedure is carried out again in the case where the HF signal is detected.

Abstract: On an information recording medium, a recording area is divided in a plurality of data areas, and data is recorded on each of the data areas. In response to a request for obtaining data management information concerning a recording of the data recorded on each of the data areas, a plurality of predetermined data areas among the foregoing data areas are regarded as a predetermined pseudo area, and the data management information including information concerning the predetermined pseudo area is obtained.

Abstract: An optical disc system includes a photo detector circuit of an optical disc drive and a signal processing system. The photo detector circuit is configured to generate at least one information-carrying signal from an optical disc assembly. The signal processing system is coupled to the photo detector circuit to obtain from the at least one information-carrying signal both operational information used to operate the optical disc system and data indicative of presence and/or characteristics of an investigational feature associated with the optical disc assembly. Methods and discs for imaging a biological or medical investigational feature are also provided.

Abstract: A write strategy circuit and a write strategy method for capturing data are disclosed. A strategy clock generator generates a strategy clock signal based on a channel clock signal. A phase controller produces a capturing channel clock signal by controlling a phase of the channel clock signal in synchronization with the strategy clock signal. A data capturing circuit captures the data in synchronization with the capturing channel clock signal. A phase determination circuit determines whether a length of the data corresponds to a predetermined value. A strategy correction circuit applies a predetermined strategy correction to the data based on the strategy clock signal. In this case, the phase controller controls the phase of the channel clock signal based on a determination result of the phase determination circuit. An optical disk apparatus using the write strategy circuit or the write strategy method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of identifying ADIP information through counting identical bits and different bits includes generating a wobble clock according to a wobble signal, generating a calculation result according to the wobble signal and the wobble clock, sampling the calculation result to generate a sampling signal and comparing each bit of the sampling signal with each bit of a bit stream containing an ADIP data, counting different bits corresponding to a predetermined logic value for generating a first bit count, and counting identical bits for generating a second bit count, and determining whether the calculation result corresponds to the ADIP data according to the first bit count and the second bit count.

Abstract: Described herewith is an optical disk manufacturing apparatus for reading recorded digital data from an optical disk, comprising an encryption unit (22, 23) for encrypting entered digital data according to a plurality of key information; an optical disk substrate manufacturing unit 2 for manufacturing an optical disk substrate 4 on which the encrypted digital data and key information are recorded in the form of physical form changes; a reflection film forming unit 41 for forming a reflection film on the optical disk substrate 4; and a key information recording unit 7 for recording key information on the optical disk substrate on which the reflection film is formed. The reflection factor of the optical disk is changed locally, thereby giving a jitter to the position information of each pit edge, and desired data is recorded additionally according to this jitter. Pits, etc.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus for reading, or a recording apparatus for writing, data from or to a disc having pre-formed thereon a pair of concentrical or spiral tracks adjacent to each other and to which a common address is given, is adapted to control the time at which a read or write head is moved from one to the other of the pair of tracks or vice versa.