Abstract: The invention provides an optical disk medium having a recording spiral formed by connecting groove tracks and land tracks alternately, and permitting detection of a connecting point between a groove track and a land track reliably is provided, and a method of tracking the optical disk medium and an optical disk drive apparatus for driving the optical disk medium. One part of an identification signal area is shifted by a predetermined distance in one radial direction from the center of a groove, while another part of the identification signal area is shifted by the same distance in the opposite radial direction from the center of the groove. A land/groove polarity of a sector is determined by the polarity of a tracking error signal and the order of the polarities during reproduction of an identification signal.

Abstract: A Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) algorithm capable of discriminating among various disc types including double-layer DVD, single-layer DVD, CD-ROM/CD-Audio, CD-R, and CD-RW is used to identify disc type in an optical drive. This FIS optical disc determination algorithm relies on the physical properties of the reflecting layer of an optical disc, using a DVD and CD photo diode outputs, to discriminate among several disc types. Focus error and quad sum data from both DVD and CD lasers is provided as eight inputs to a nineteen rule Sugeno FIS which outputs a value corresponding to drive type.

Abstract: A data reproducing apparatus and method is provided for reproducing data that was ciphered during recording in one or more of sector forming, header appending, error correction coding, modulation, and synchronization appending operations used for processing input data to form a recording signal. Thus, deciphering requires knowledge of both the ciphering key and the aspect(s) of the recording operation in which the ciphering took place. The deciphering may also include a descrambling operation in which an initial value and/or a generating polynomial is varied in accordance with ciphering key information.

Abstract: An apparatus for writing on and reading an overwritable optical disk comprises an identifier detector that identifies a recording condition in the sector to be overwritten, and a delay time controller circuit that sets a variation range of the start point for writing according to the recording condition. The record timing of the modulated data signal is changed at random within the set variation range when overwriting the sector of the optical disk.

Abstract: An optical information recording apparatus, an optical information recording method, and an optical information recording medium that enable information signals to be recorded precisely by determining recording conditions such as recording power, edge positions of recording pulses, and the like suitably before recording information signals. An edge test signal generation circuit supplies a test signal for optimizing edge positions of recording pulses. In order to suppress the variation in intervals between edges due to mark distortion caused by overwriting, test recording is carried out using this test signal in a plurality of sectors on the optical information recording medium with a test recording start point being shifted at random in each sector by a recording start point shifting circuit.

Abstract: In a disc player, a CAL pattern is recorded in a disc-like optical recording medium during a recording stand-by time period, which is yielded by a difference between a data rate in inputting information to a disc player 50 and a recording rate in recording information into the optical recording medium. The CAL pattern is reproduced from the optical recording medium, the reproduced pattern is evaluated, and an irradiation intensity of a laser beam is optimized for recording information in the optical recording medium, by a laser-output controller 30.

Abstract: A disc apparatus is designed for recording a signal on an optical disc by irradiating an optical beam according to a strategy which is stepwise updated by a given step amount. In the disc apparatus, a detector successively detects a linear velocity of the optical disc relative to the optical beam in realtime basis. A strategy generator operates every time the detector detects the linear velocity of the optical disc for successively generating the strategy according to the detected linear velocity. A storage has a plurality of storage areas, each being capable of memorizing the strategy successively generated by the strategy generator. A write controller rewrites one of the storage areas every time the strategy is generated until the strategy is updated by a given step amount and then rewrites another of the storage areas every time the strategy is generated while leaving said one storage area to hold the updated strategy, thereby updating the strategy through the plurality of the storage areas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method for recording program specific information (PSI) for a recorded data stream in an optical disk such as a high-density digital versatile disk (HD-DVD) and providing the recorded PSI to a presenting device such as a digital television. This method writes program or stream specific information in a management data recording area of a high-density disk, and when the recorded data stream is reproduced, determines whether it is time to send the stream specific information, obtains stream specific information corresponding to a stream object being reproduced, or to be reproduced based on the determination result, and transmits the obtained stream specific information.

Abstract: There is provided means for discriminating whether a language code of a designated text information recorded on a recording medium is discriminated whether the read language code is a code of the language that said apparatus is able to display properly, prior to reading the text information, thereby memory can be saved and a reproducing time can be reduced.

Abstract: Light beams are irradiated from a head 2 onto an optical disc 1 including a recording layer and a reproduction (readout) layer to open, at the reproduction layer, detection window smaller than irradiation range of light beams to thereby read out recording information of the recording layer. A resolution detecting section 15 detects resolution on tile basis of signal level of a reproduction signal reproduced from the optical disc 1. A signal level detecting circuit 11 of the resolution detecting section 15 detects signal level of a specific mark length signal corresponding to specific mark length data in the reproduction signal which has been reproduced, and a resolution calculating circuit 12 calculates resolution on the basis of the detected signal level of specific mark length.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to enable a user to easily make a search with respect to a large amount of music data copied and stored from CDs in a built-in recording medium. A music server is able to record a large amount of music data played back from CDs in a built-in hard disk drive (HDD). When recording the music data, table of contents (TOC) information of each CD is read out of the CD and recorded in the HDD, and simultaneously sent to a personal computer via a connecting line. A CD album information database is provided in the form of a CD-ROM to the personal computer. In the personal computer, which one of CDs recorded in the database on the CD-ROM corresponds to the relevant CD is searched based on the total playing time and the time information of each track which are contained in the TOC information sent to the personal computer. A search result is sent back to the music server.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for recording data in a data storage medium. The data storage medium includes a number of discs, each having at least one recording surface. Each recording surface is associated with a read/write head that records and accesses data from the surface. Each recording surface is partitioned into a number of zones. Each zone is vertically aligned with a same zone on each surface of each disc. The zone boundaries on all surfaces of the disc drive are the same. The recording frequency for each zone on all surfaces can differ for each read/write head in order to compensate for a read/write head that cannot meet the BPI error rate threshold.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus (S) records record information onto an optical disc (1), which corresponds to a CLV (Constant Linear Velocity) method to keep a linear velocity of the optical disc constant when reproducing the record information from the optical disc.

Abstract: The PLL circuit in the disk drive, according to the present invention, is comprised of the following: a VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) 11d, a frequency divider (DIV) 11e, a phase comparator (PC) 11a, a charge pump 11b, a low-pass filter (LPF) 11c, and a MIRR TE HOLD circuit 11f. Wherein, the LPF (Low-Pass Filter) 11c passes only low frequency components of the phase-error voltage, generated by the charge pump 11b, and provides the resulting, low frequency components passed, as a VCO control voltage, for the VCO. The phase comparator 11a compares the phase of a divided, VCO clock signal output from the frequency divider 11e, to that of an EFM signal. The divided, VCO clock signal results from the frequency-dividing of a VCO clock signal, which has been output from the VCO 11d, by the frequency divider 11e.

Abstract: Information recorded on an optical disk in accordance with a mark edge recording scheme is detected by a center detection circuit which includes a bisected beam detector to obtain a mark center position signal. In succession, the mark center position signal is converted to a mark edge position signal by an edge signal generating circuit. An information reproducing device is implemented which is capable of performing reproducing operation on an information medium conforming to a high-density mark edge recording scheme and which is stable against changes of recording paper, recording sensitivity and reflectivity.

Abstract: A device has a first operational state for writing information onto a record carrier and a second operational state for reading information from a record carrier. The device includes a phase-locked loop for generating a clock signal from a reference signal and a control unit for generating a pulsed transducer control signal in response to an information signal and the clock signal. The device also includes a generating transducer for generating physically detectable patterns in the record carrier in response to the transducer control signal and a read transducer for generating a read signal in response to physically detectable patterns in the record carrier in the second operational state that includes a radiation source. The device further includes a power supply which supplies the radiation source with an electric power. The phase-locked loop includes a memory for memorizing, in the first operational state, a memory value which is a measure of the supplied clock signal.

Abstract: A laser drive integrated circuit and an optical disk apparatus using the laser drive integrated circuit for forming high-density marks. The optical disk apparatus includes a drive waveform information storage unit for storing at least one information of a drive waveform for driving a laser diode in response to a binary recording signal to be recorded in a recording medium, and a drive waveform decoder for decoding the drive waveform based on the information stored in the drive waveform information storage unit. A recording strategy can be changed in accordance with variations and fluctuations of recording media or characteristics of the recording media, while at the same time reducing a number of signal lines in flexible wiring and alleviating effects of signal distortion in the signal lines.

Abstract: The present invention is an editing apparatus and an editing method for allowing the user to designate a desired portion of a particular program recorded as a highly efficient encoded digital signal on a record medium, reproducing the portion designated by the user, changing normalization information contained in the reproduced digital signal, performing a sound field process for the digital signal, and recoding the resultant signal to the record medium, wherein the record position of the program is edited corresponding to the designated portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting equalization characteristics of signals reproduced from an optical disk rotating at a constant angular velocity. The method according to the present invention includes measuring the linear velocity of an arbitrary track on a rotating optical disk medium and adjusting equalization characteristics of signals reproduced from the track based on the measured linear velocity. The method provides high fidelity data reproduction by allowing fine adjustment of equalization characteristics and general applicability, by exploiting signals recorded on the particular optical disk medium read.

Abstract: A recording medium for use with an information recording apparatus which has a timing adjusting controller to adjust a timing of a recording pulse having a disk-like substrate. At least one track is provided on the disk-like substrate and a zone is provided which includes the at least one track. The zone stores information relating to a predetermined timing of a pulse for the recording medium which is detected by the apparatus.

Abstract: A device is provided for calculating mutual phase shift of first and second incident signals. The device includes a first pair of blocks associated with the first incident signal, a second pair of blocks associated with the second incident signal, checking circuit, and post-processing circuit. Each of the blocks has storage elements for storing a predetermined set of samples of the corresponding incident signal. In the presence of minimum samples or maximum samples of both incident signals, the checking circuit stores a first set of samples relating to the first incident signal in one of the blocks of the first pair and a first set of samples relating to the second incident signal in the counterpart block of the second pair, and then stores the following sets of samples of each incident signal alternately in the two blocks of each pair. The checking circuit delivers a block validation signal when a set of samples has been completely stored in the storage elements of one of the blocks.

Abstract: An information recording/reproducing apparatus and an information recording method which allow the formation of a recording pit having a preferable shape. One of a first recording standard and a second recording standard is selected based on a common disc type recorded in a recording disc and a disc type obtained on the basis of predetermined information recorded in the recording disc. A recording signal having a recording waveform according to the selected recording standard is generated.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for compensating for intersymbol interference on an optical disc. The method includes measuring an intersymbol linear transfer function. The intersymbol linear transfer function substantially describes a linear portion of the effect of intersymbol interference on an optically detected read signal from an optical disc. A partial response target frequency response is divided by the intersymbol linear transfer function to obtain a linear equalization filter response. A read signal from the optical disc is convolved with the linear equalization filter response. This results in the read signal being equalized and containing a controlled partial-response target intersymbol interference. There is also disclosed a method of compensating utilizing a decision feedback equalizer where the target frequency response is either a partial-response or a zero-forcing response.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to prevent the occurrence of crosstalk between adjacent pregrooves, even if the light beam is applied across the adjacent information recording layers in accordance with the increase in a storage density of the optical disc.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus, a recording medium, and a signal processing method that can be applied to, for example, an optical disk apparatus for recording audio signals in an optical disk, the optical disk, and an optical disk apparatus for reproducing data from the optical disk inhibit deterioration in quality of input signals and enable superimposition of copyright data or the like in such a manner that it is difficult to analyze. An input signal is subjected to orthogonal transform processing to generate coefficient data. Input data is embedded in the coefficient data, then the result is subjected to inverse orthogonal transform processing.

Abstract: Additional recording data is written continuously with data already recorded on a disk and writing of additional data is started in synch with recorded data. The optical head 1 reads data recorded on the disk just before recording is halted every time the record decision unit 22 judges that recording is to be halted. The record-status detection unit 25 detects the formation status of the recorded data. The head output control unit 14 sets the luminous output of the optical head 1 at the beginning of additional writing according to the recording state judged by the record-state detection unit 25. Thus, the formation status of data recorded on a disk is detected to allow the luminous output of the optical head 1 to be set to an optimum record level.

Abstract: There is provided a controlling apparatus for a disk data reading unit, comprises control board connected to the disk data reading unit which holds and rotates a disk storing a predetermined information and reads the predetermined information by properly moving an actuator on the disk, and controlling an operation of the disk data reading unit with forming a servo loop, and identifying section receiving a predetermined signal from the disk data reading unit so as to identify a type of the disk data reading unit.

Abstract: A device for demodulating position information that is recorded as track wobbling in a record medium by a BPSK scheme includes a carrier-wave-generation circuit which derives a carrier wave from a wobbling signal obtained from the record medium, a phase-adjustment circuit which generates a phase-comparison signal having a 90° phase difference relative to the carrier wave, a multiplier which multiplies the wobbling signal and the phase-comparison signal to supply a product signal, and a detection circuit which detects a phase error of the carrier wave introduced by the carrier-wave-generation circuit by detecting the phase error between the wobbling signal and the phase-comparison signal based on the product signal.

Abstract: An optical disk on which digital data is recorded by a pit edge multi-value recording system includes: a plurality of data areas formed with a plurality of data pits with a predetermined pit period, each of the plurality of data pits including one of a plurality of pit edge positions each corresponding to the digital data; and a plurality of servo areas formed with servo reference pits used for servo control. The data areas and the servo areas are formed alternately with each other in a circumferential direction of the optical disk. The servo area includes synchronization pits functioning as synchronization reference in reproducing the optical disk. A pit period 2L of the data pit and a pit length P of the synchronization pit satisfy the following equation: P=N×L (N is an integer not less than 2).

Abstract: Multi-rate optical disc recording method and apparatus wherein data are recorded on the optical disc in accordance with a transfer rate of data, thereby preventing an unnecessary waste of a storage area in the optical disc and also enhancing a recording time of the optical disc. Said method and apparatus exploit a transfer rate detector for detecting a transfer rate of a digital signal generated at a digital signal source. This transfer rate detector allows a rotation velocity controller to rotate the optical disc at a speed corresponding to the transfer rate of the digital signal, in response to the transfer rate of the detected digital signal. Also, the transfer rate detector allows a recording portion to record the digital signal on the optical disc at the detected transfer rate.

Abstract: A sound reproducing device that displays character information in languages corresponding to a user's wishes without increasing a burden on the user. The user sets an order of priority of the languages in which the character information is displayed when a CD is reproduced. For example, a code “69” (=Japanese) is set as a first priority. Then, when the CD is reproduced, based on the order of priority set in advance, the character information represented by the language with the highest priority among the character information recorded on the CD is displayed on a LCD (19). By setting the order of priority in advance, there is no longer any need of setting at each reproduction of the CD and the character information is displayed on the LCD (19) in the languages desired by the user.

Abstract: An information recording method, in which when new digital information is employed to update a part of old digital information that has been divided into ECC blocks and stored on an information recording medium, the latest update position for the old digital information that is to be updated is detected based on the volume of the data of the new digital information. A predetermined volume for the old digital information that has been stored sequentially following the latest update position detected is read, and then, at least a part of the old digital information that has been read is recorded after the new digital information is recorded, so that the destruction of data that should not be rewritten can be prevented at the portion whereat the old digital information is coupled with the new digital information. As a result, the deterioration of the error correction capability for the coupled portion can be reduced.

Abstract: An optical information recording apparatus detects an irradiated position by a laser beam, and modulating additional information in accordance with a track address and angular information as the results of the position detecting to record the modulated additional information at a prescribed position on an optical information recording medium.

Abstract: Data is recorded on and data is reproduced from an optical disc in a multi-session recording system on optical disc on which re-recording of data is possible. Contents of a last session of the optical disc are rewritten from contents indicating that a subsequent session does not exist to contents indicating that a subsequent session exists.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing method and apparatus for processing m-value (m is an integer at least equal to two) digital information data to produce recording data, for recording the recording data on an optical recording medium, for reading recording data from the optical recording medium, and for processing the read recording data to reproduce the information data as reproduced data. A predetermined relationship is established between information data x and n (n is an integer at least equal to two) of recording data y1-yn, and another predetermined relationship is established between reproduced data z and the recording data y1-yn.

Abstract: An information recording method for recording information on a rewritable recording medium including the steps of recording synchronizing signal information in a synchronizing signal portion on the rewritable recording medium and recording data information in a data portion of the rewritable recording medium after the synchronizing signal portion by forming marks in the data portion, wherein the marks for particular areas of the medium are different in a physical property from other areas of the medium so as to record data information in association with both ends of each of the marks. Upon rewriting of at least the recorded synchronizing signal information, a length of the synchronizing signal portion changes and a start position of the synchronizing signal portion changes, and wherein a change of the synchronizing signal information start position is smaller than a change of the length of the synchronizing signal portion.

Abstract: A recording method, a recording apparatus, a reproducing method and a reproducing apparatus for a recording medium such as an optical disk or the like are able to simultaneously record and simultaneously reproduce a plurality of independent information or to execute the recording and the reproduction thereof simultaneously with ease. The apparatus includes a plurality of buffers (7a, 7b) for respectively, individually and temporarily memorizing a plurality of independent recording data or reproducing data and a pickup (2) for recording the recording data memorized in the respective buffers (7a, 7b) on respective different recording areas in a time-division manner and reproducing data recorded on the respective different recording areas in a time-division manner.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for generating a transition in a laser control signal at a precise point in time. A write strategy processor is configured to input a sequence of data and to determine a transition in a laser control signal from the sequence of data. The transition is specified by a number of pulse clock units and a delay. A write pulse generator is configured to input the number of pulse clock units and the delay and to generate a transition by creating a signal having a transition at the time specified by the number of pulse clock units and delaying the transition by the specified delay.

Abstract: Circuitry and method for synchronizing operating speeds of signal processing devices to the data rate of a signal. It applies in particular to Compact Disk (CD) and Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) drives to be used with portable devices. The circuitry does not require clock synchronization speeds in excess of the instantaneous data rate used by the disk drive and also reduces power consumption.

Abstract: A magneto-optic disk and a recording/reproduction device therefor adopt optical super-resolution to increase recording capacity. More specifically, the magneto-optic disk has an heat emitting layer (6) on a recording layer (4) and still preferably has an intermediate layer (8) between a reproduction layer (3) and the recording layer (4). The recording/reproduction device includes a circuit (33) for pulsing a laser beam to be radiated to the magneto-optic disk and still preferably includes a polarization rotating unit (50) and a polarizing filter (51) for blocking only the center of the laser beam in reproduction. The heat emitting layer (6) diffusing any heat generated by the laser beam, and the discontinuously radiated laser beam allow small recording domain. The laser beam having its center blocked forms smaller main lobe due to diffraction effect.

Abstract: A more linear duty cycle modulator is made by converting the sine wave bias into a triangle wave bias utilizing a sample and hold circuit as the base band signal is added; on readout, low pass filtering of the high frequency content of the duty cycle modulated waveform, the base band signal is recovered at full amplitude as if saturation recording was being utilized. In a further preferred approach, quadature amplitude modulation and demodulation is utilized.