Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, record carrier and method of recording data on at least two layers of a recording medium by using a radiation power, wherein individual recording speeds are determined for respective ones of the at least two layers at different values of the radiation power. A recording speed to be used for recording on an individual one of the at least two recording layers is selected based on a maximum radiation power specified for the recording operation, and the speed of the recording operation is controlled individually for each of the at least two layers based on the selected recording speed. The determination of the individual recording speeds at different radiation power values may be written or embossed on the record carrier. Furthermore, a recording sequence used for recording on the recording layers can be set based on the sensitivities and thus recording speeds. Thereby, total recording time can be minimized for multi-layer recording media.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus reading signal recorded on signal recording layer of first and second optical discs different in distance from incident surface of laser light to the layer, comprising: an objective lens to be changed in numerical aperture for reading signal from the discs; a focus coil to displace the lens in direction toward surfaces of the discs; a tracking coil to displace the lens in radial direction of the discs; a tilt coil to correct optical-axis angle of the lens to the surfaces; a numerical aperture changing element to change the numerical aperture so that the light is focused on the layers of the discs; an incident angle changing element to change incident angle of the light to the lens so that the light is focused on the layers; and a tilt control unit to control driving of the tilt coil to correct coma aberration.

Abstract: A method of performing writable optical recording of a medium to form multilevel oriented nano-structures therein, comprises steps of providing a disc-shaped, writable recording medium having a planar surface; and encoding data/information in the medium by forming a plurality of multilevel nano-structured pits in the surface by scanning with a focused spot of optical energy to form at least one data track therein, including scanning the optical spot in a cross-track direction while rotating the disc about a central axis.

Abstract: An information recording medium according to the present invention includes a plurality of recording layers, and a test area for determining a recording power of a laser light for each of the plurality of recording layers, in which a first test area of a first layer and a second test area of a second layer adjacent to the first layer are provided at different radial positions.

Abstract: A tracking control is performed based on a first tracking error signal obtained from a first light beam reflected on an optical recording medium and a second tracking error signal obtained from a second light beam reflected on the optical recording medium. The first tracking error signal is corrected when recording information to or reproducing information from a first information recording layer that includes a first area facing an area on a second information recording layer with no information recorded and a second area facing an area on the second information recording layer with information recorded.

Abstract: A focus servo apparatus for an optical disc apparatus including an objective lens to converge laser beam on an information recording surface of an optical disc, and an actuator to move the objective lens in a focusing direction crossing the information recording surface, the focus servo apparatus comprising: a retaining unit configured to retain control data for driving the actuator; and a setting unit configured to set the control data retained by the retaining unit as initial data for driving the actuator, in the case of driving the actuator, to detect a position of the objective lens where the laser beam is focused on the information recording surface, as a target position when performing focus servo.

Abstract: A method of recording information using a laser on a multilayer optical disk having a plurality of recording layers is provided. The plurality of recording layers include a first recording layer and a second recording layer adjacent the first recording layer. The first recording layer is provided with a first test writing area to be used for calibration of write power, and the second recording layer is provided with a second test writing area to be used for calibration of write power. The disk is arranged so that a first region of the first test writing area is superposed with a second region of the second test writing area when considered in the direction in which the laser is arranged to irradiate.

Abstract: A writing method for a multilayer optical disc. The method includes: measuring and recording optimum internal gains obtained when the objective lens is located on each inner side of the pick-up head, respectively, checking the writing direction based on the specific writing direction on each data layer of the disc, selecting the inner optimum internal gain when the writing direction is toward outside, and selecting the opposite inner optimum internal gain when the writing direction is toward inside to minimize the offset of the tracking error signal.

Abstract: A recording medium includes a plurality of signal recording layers. A head reproduces two information signals from respective places in the recording medium on a time sharing basis. The reproduced signals are stored in a buffer memory before being outputted therefrom at first and second transfer rates respectively. The reproduced signals are transmitted from the head to the buffer memory on a time sharing basis and at a third transfer rate higher than the first and second transfer rates. Information amounts of the respective reproduced signals continuously transmitted from the head to the buffer memory are decided on the basis of a given relation among parameters including intra-layer seek times and inter-layer seek times related to the head, and the first, second, and third transfer rates.

Abstract: A multi-layered information recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, the multi-layered information recording medium comprising: a user data area for recording user data; and a plurality of spare areas including at least one replacement region, wherein when the user data area includes at least one defect region, the at least one replacement region may be used in place of the at least one defect region, wherein a first spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a first user data area of a first recording layer, a second spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a second user data area of a second recording layer, and the first spare area and the second spare area are positioned approximately at the same radial position on the multi-layered information recording medium.

Abstract: An information recording medium is provided with: a first recording layer in which one portion of record information including predetermined data can be recorded, the predetermined data being (i) capable of setting a recording layer close to a physically or optically recorded state, and (ii) capable of setting the recording layer close to a buffer state for finalizing; and a second recording layer in which another portion of the record information can be recorded by laser light transmitted through the first recording layer, the information recording medium is provided with a management area in which management information can be recorded, the management information including (iii) identification information indicating whether or not there is a predetermined data recording area in which the predetermined data can be recorded, (iv) position information of the predetermined data recording area, and (v) attribute information of the predetermined data recording area.

Abstract: In an information recording medium including at least a first recording layer (L0 layer) capable of recording information and a second recording layer (L1 layer) capable of recording information, an information recording device (300) records information in a predetermined area (12) of the second recording layer by a laser beam which has passed through a transmission area (11) of the first recording layer. The information recording medium (300) includes recording means (302, etc.) for recording the information in the first recording layer or the second recording layer, judgment means for judging whether an unrecorded amount indicating the size of the unrecorded area in the radial direction in the transmission area is smaller than a predetermined amount, and control means used when the unrecorded area is judged to be smaller than the predetermined amount, for controlling the recording means to record information in the predetermined area.

Abstract: A disclosed optical information recording medium includes a guide track layer having grooves and ridges; and recording layers composed of an optical recording material and disposed above and below the guide track layer. The guide track layer is used to determine track positions on the recording layers.

Abstract: An optical recording medium including a user data area and an SA/DL area in which a replacement block to replace a defective block in the user data area, and information regarding a defect corresponding to the defective block, is recorded, wherein the information regarding the defect includes a consecutive defect list entry including information regarding defects located in consecutive locations of the user data area; an apparatus using the optical recording medium; and a method of using the optical recording medium.

Abstract: The first layer (DVD layer) is first reproduced using the red layer light. Thereafter, search for the second layer (HDDVD layer) is performed with the blue laser light in accordance with the reproducing operation being temporarily interrupted for menu display (display for chapter or language selection). If the second layer is detected, a display indicating that the second layer can be selected is displayed over the menu display. If instruction to reproduce the second layer is input from the user according to the display, the reproducing operation of the first layer using the red laser light is switched to the reproducing operation of the second layer (HDDVD layer) using the blue laser light.

Abstract: To provide an optical disk and an optical disk reproducing device capable of preventing sub information from being illegally copied and altered. An optical disk includes an optical disk substrate preliminarily provided with concave/convex recording marks in order to record the main information; and a reflection film which covers the optical disk substrate and of which the reflection coefficient is changed by irradiating laser light at or above a certain intensity. The reflection film is preliminarily provided with additional marks for recording the sub information by changing the reflection coefficient of the reflection film on a region where the concave/convex recording marks are formed and the sub information is recorded for every predetermined recording unit for recording the main information. The laser light at or above the certain intensity is irradiated onto the region where the sub information is recorded to reproduce the main information and delete the sub information.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus reproducing information on the basis of a standing wave recorded on a disc-like volume type recording medium includes: a first focus position adjusting unit configured to adjust the position of a focus on which a first light beam focuses inside a recording layer inside the volume type recording medium in the optical axis direction of the first light beam; a second focus position adjusting unit configured to adjust the position of a focus on which a second light beam focuses inside the recording layer in the optical axis direction of the second light beam; a controller configured to control the first focus position adjusting unit and the second focus position adjusting unit; and first and second detectors configured to detect the first and second reproduction light beams.

Abstract: An optical information recording and reproducing apparatus is provided for recording and/or reproducing information on an optical disc including a recording layer in which information can be recorded at recording positions each located at a different distance from a surface of the optical disc. The optical information recording and reproducing apparatus includes: a light source; and an objective lens which can converge the light flux from the light source onto one of the recording positions at a predetermined depth in the recording layer for recording information on the optical disc. When information to be recorded is recorded on one of the recording positions at a predetermined depth in the recording layer, the optical information recording and reproducing apparatus records information about the predetermined depth on one of the plurality of recording positions at the predetermined depth, with the information to be recorded.

Abstract: Each layer includes a data recording area and a test writing area divided into a plurality of small areas, wherein the small areas of the test writing area are recorded in advance so that other each layer can make a combination of recorded and unrecorded states with respect to the small area, where OPC is carried out, in a layer where OPC is carried out. Moreover, OPC is carried out to each small area, where a combination of recorded/unrecorded states of other each layer differs from each other, to thereby calculate, as the optimum power, an average value of the result of each OPC or a central value of the dispersion thereof.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus according to the present invention is capable of reading data from an optical disk 102 which has a plurality of information recording layers, including a first information recording layer whose distance from a disk surface is relatively small and a second information recording layer whose distance from the disk surface is relatively large. This optical disk apparatus includes: a focus control section 117 for causing a converging point of the light beam to be positioned on an arbitrary information recording layer of the optical disk 102; a tracking control section 118 for causing the converging point of the light beam to be positioned on a predetermined track of the information recording layer; and a gain switching section 108 capable of changing gain characteristics of at least one of the focus control section 117 and the tracking control section 118.

Abstract: An optical storage medium has a substrate and a cover layer that allows light to pass therethrough in recording or reproduction. Provided between the substrate and the cover layer are at least a reflective film, a first dielectric film, a recording film, and a second dielectric film formed in this order from the substrate side. Provided further between the second dielectric film and the cover layer is a damp-proof film that is at least partially an amorphous film and contains at least an indium oxide.

Abstract: A optical recording medium wherein a sector address is assigned such that a sector address of a first recording layer is a complement of a sector address of a second recording layer adjacent to the first recording layer, and a sector address of each of the remaining recording layers is assigned such that the difference between the assigned sector address of one of the remaining recording layers and a sector address of another one of the remaining recording layers that is located two layers below the one of the remaining recording layers having an assigned sector address is the same as a predetermined offset value, and the first recording layer is any one of the bottom recording layer and the top recording layer from among the recording layers, and a different sector address is assigned to each recording layer is provided.

Abstract: An optical disk includes a plurality of disk sheets which are laminated, and each of which has a recording face on one of the surfaces and a flat back surface, wherein the plurality of disk sheets are laminated by adhesive layers in such a manner that between adjacent two disk sheets, a back surface of one of the disk sheets, on the opposite side of the surface where the recording face is formed, faces the disk surface of the other disk sheet. The foregoing structure realizes an optical disk of desirable recording/reproducing characteristics, which is flat and has a fixed interval between recording faces, and which permits the problems of coma aberration, spherical aberration, etc., to be suppressed.

Abstract: An objective lens is moved with a disc irradiated with laser light. A maximum value FEmax and a minimum value FEmin of the focus error signal, and a maximum value FSmax of the amplitude of a focus sum signal are measured. “(FEmax?FEmin)/FSmax” is compared with a determination value to determine the type of a disc.

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

Abstract: A power determining method is disclosed for determining the light emitting power of a light source upon recording information on an optical disk having plural rewritable recording layers, the method involving obtaining an optimum erasing power with respect to an optimum recording power by recording test data on the optical disk.

Abstract: Multilayer optical disk is recordable or partly recordable. Parallel reading of information data from the group of layers by the same focused laser beam is possible. Only one layer of said group has the guide grooves for tracking. Alignment of the information data disposition on the layers of the group is provided. The signals reflected from the different layers of the group have different tilts and are directed onto the different photodetectors. Optical disk management for preventing its illegal use is proposed.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for playing an optical disc, whereby the apparatus includes an optical disc drive to read data of the disc, in which the data on a previous layer and a subsequent layer is read in an OTP manner. The optical disc drive includes a pick-up module, and a microcomputer to control the pick-up module such that, when a start sector of the subsequent layer is located outward from a last sector of the previous layer, the pick-up module is moved to a position corresponding to the start sector of the subsequent layer after completing the reading of the data of the previous layer, and is made to perform a layer jump to the position corresponding to the start sector of the subsequent layer. The apparatus can minimize time delay in the layer jump, and shorten a period of time for the layer jump by shortening a traveling distance of the pick-up module, enabling smooth and continuous reproduction of data.

Abstract: A recording medium, and a method and apparatus for recording/reproducing data in/from the recording medium are disclosed. The recording medium includes one or more recording layers, and a management area including management information, wherein the management information includes specific information indicating a presence of different format and type of recording layer in the recording medium. The management area is located at a specific recording layer. The format represents a different category in a recording layer and the type is classified by read-only or writable in a recording layer.

Abstract: Because conditions for recording identification data of a medium vary in accordance with the structure of different media, such as a single-layer or a multiple-layer structure, stable data recording has been a difficult task. To solve this problem, an incident side of the laser beam for recording identification data on a single-layer optical disk 5 and a double-layer optical disk 6 is the opposite side of a substrate 1 upon which user data is recorded. From this structure, even in a double-layer optical disk 6, the recording is not affected by the recording layer of a second layer 12b and the like. Therefore, in the double-layer optical disk 6, identification data of the medium can be recorded under the same conditions as the single-layer optical disk 5.

Abstract: An optical recording medium has a plurality of information layers which are placed between a substrate and an optically transparent cover layer with optically transparent spacer layers interposed between the information layers. From among the plurality of information layers, the information layer excluding the information layer arranged closest to the substrate and the information layer adjacent to the information layer closest to the substrate has asymmetrical reflection characteristics in which reflectance on the substrate side when light incident from the substrate side is reflected on the information layer toward the substrate side is lower than the reflectance on the cover layer side when light incident from the cover layer side is reflected on the information layer toward the cover layer side.

Abstract: A single disc is configured to deal with both HD DVD information and DVD information. This invention has the following basic elements (1) a single-sided dual layer optical disc where a light transmission layer, a first recording layer accessed with a first laser beam, an space layer, and a second recording layer accessed with a second laser beam are arranged in that order in the direction in which a laser beam enters, (2) the areal recoding density of the second recording layer is three times or more that of the first recording layer, (3) information indicating that the second recording layer has been formed is formed in the first recording layer, and (4) information indicating that the first recording layer has been formed is formed in the second recording layer.

Abstract: A method is described for writing an optical disc (2) having a multi-layered storage space (30) comprising at least a first storage layer (31) and a second storage layer (32) below the first layer (31). The method comprises the step of preventing a write operation to a portion of the second storage layer (32) located below a maiden portion of said first storage layer (31). In one embodiment, all blocks (40) which are physically located in the second storage layer (32) are incorporated in a defect list (DL) until a sufficiently large portion of the first storage layer (31) has been written at least once. In another embodiment, all blocks (40) which are physically located in the second storage layer (32) are covered by a system file with a predetermined name (“DUMMY”) until a sufficiently large portion of the first storage layer (31) has been written at least once.

Abstract: An optical disc device is provided with an optical head (1) including a light source (21), a condensing optical system including an objective lens (28) for receiving a light beam emitted from the light source and forming a microspot on a multilayer optical recording medium, a photodetector (201) for receiving the light beam reflected by the multilayer optical recording medium and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of light and a coma aberration correcting element (26) for correcting a coma aberration of the condensing optical system, and a processing circuit (3) for controlling the condensing optical system and the coma aberration correcting element.

Abstract: In a multi-layer optical disc, having three (3) or more recording layers thereof, for enabling an easy focus lead-in operation onto a desired recording layer, reflectivity of respective recording layers are so determined that a ratio between the reflectivity of the desired recording layer and the reflectivity of other recording layers is equal or greater than a predetermined value, upon basis of the reflectivity of the other recording layers.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus and method and an information reproduction apparatus and method enable security information of AV data to be managed appropriately. A copy control information detection section acquires copy control information (CCI_i) of a video signal supplied from a terminal and outputs it to a controller. The controller determines the values of is_not_free and is_encrypted based on the copy control information supplied from the copy control information detection section and outputs the values to a source packetization section. Is_not_free and is_encrypted represent a limitation to copying and an encryption mode of data recorded on a recording medium, respectively, and are described in the header of a source packet produced by a source packetization section. The source packet produced by the source packetization section is encrypted in accordance with the value of is_encrypted, undergoes a predetermined process by an encryption section, and is then recorded onto the recording medium.

Abstract: There is provided an optical pick-up including first to third light sources respectively emitting first to third light beams, a first coupling lens, and an objective lens formed to converge each of the first, second and third light beams onto the first, second and third optical discs, respectively. The objective lens has a step structure including a plurality of concentrically formed refractive surface zones divided by steps, the step structure having a function of giving, at each step, an optical path length difference of approximately 2?1 to the first light beam. The first coupling lens causes the first light beam to be incident on the objective lens as a converging beam. The objective lens is positioned to satisfy a condition: ?0.35<f2×M2?f1×M1<?0.07??(1).

Abstract: An information recording medium includes at least a disc-shaped first recording layer having a first recording track formed for recording record information and a disc-shaped second recording layer having a second recording track formed for recording the record information in the same recording direction as the first recording track of the first recording layer. A second place serving as a reference of a pre-format address for indicating the start position of the data area in the second recording track (position of a circle of address 30000h in the radius direction in the L1 layer) is located at an outer side as compared to a first position serving as the pre-format address for indicating the start position of the data area in the first recording track (position of a circle of address 30000h in the radius direction in the L0 layer) at least by a predetermined first offset amount.

Abstract: In an optical recording medium of a single-sided incident type having a plurality of recording layers, recording/reading conditions (for example, tracking polarity, recording pulse strategy, recording recommended power, etc.) can be instantaneously switched according to each of the recording layer, and recording or reading of information can be accurately and surely performed under recording/reading conditions adapted to each recording layer. A control unit reads out layer information from one recording layer of the optical recording medium in which the layer information is recorded in each of the plural layers, on which recording or reading of information can be performed by irradiating a laser beam from one side thereof (layer information reading step), and controls so that recording or reading is performed under recording/reading conditions adapted to a recording layer specified on the basis of the layer information (recording controlling step).

Abstract: An optical disk comprising two layers including a signal recording layer and an image recording layer further comprises a metal reflective layer formed on a surface of the image recording layer on the incidence side of laser light. The image recording layer is capable of forming a visible image in response to an increase in temperature caused by application of laser light to the metal reflective layer. The visible image is capable of being visually observed from a side opposite to the incidence side.

Abstract: When a disc loaded on a player is a hybrid next generation DVD, determination is made on whether the connected TV device is adaptable for the HD mode. Such determination is performed by whether or not the copyright protecting function of the connected TV device satisfies a condition set in advance. When adaptable for the HD mode, reproduction prioritizing the HDDVD layer is performed. When not adaptable for the HD mode, reproduction prioritizing the DVD layer is performed. Thus, the video content of HD mode recorded on the HDDVD layer is protected against leakage to the outside via the connected TV device by reproducing the DVD layer in preference in the case the copyright protecting function of the TV device is not sufficient.

Abstract: An information recording medium includes: a first recording layer to for recording first information; and one or a plurality of second recording layers, disposed on the first recording layer, for recording second information. Each recording layer has a predetermined area in which power calibration is performed to detect an optimum recording power of laser light for recording, which is transmitted through the first recording layer and other layers of the second recording layers, the first recording layer, the other layers of the second recording layers, and each of the second recording layers arranged in this order as viewed from an irradiation side of the laser light, and in a facing area, which faces the predetermined area, in the other layers of the second recording layers and the first recording layer, by forming embossed pits.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an optical waveguide, a grating for coupling light into the waveguide, and an optical element for splitting a light beam into a plurality of beams that strike the grating at different angles of incidence.

Abstract: An optical pickup lens focuses laser beams having different wavelengths ?1, ?2 and ?3 on at least three kinds of optical discs. At least one side of the optical pickup lens has a concentric loop zonal structure for compensating wavefront aberration occurring when recording or reproducing an optical disc having a substrate thickness t1 by the laser beam having the wavelength ?1 and wavefront aberration occurring when recording or reproducing an optical disc having a substrate thickness t2 by the laser beam having the wavelength ?2. When recording or reproducing an optical disc having a substrate thickness t3 by the laser beam having the wavelength ?3, a phase difference given to the laser beam having the wavelength ?3 due to the concentric loop zonal structure is about 0.15? or smaller.

Abstract: When there is a defect area in a specific recording layer, recording of information is continued and reduction in a recording rate is restrained. In an optical recording method for recording information on a multilayer optical recording medium having a plurality of recording layers by irradiating the recording layer with a beam spot, any recording layer is set as an escape recording layer. When a defect area is detected while information is recorded on another recording layer except for the escape recording layer, the beam spot moves to the escape recording layer to continue recording the information.

Abstract: In an optical disc having N (N is an integer larger than or equal to 3) information recording layers of rewritable or recordable type, each of the information recording layers includes an test area to adjust conditions for recording and reproduction and the test areas are arranged so that the radial positions thereof overlap those of other layers. Recording test is performed only to an area smaller than or equal to 1/N of the test area of each layer and any other area is always unrecorded (write inhibited).

Abstract: An optical-pickup-adjustment optical disk used for adjusting or producing an optical pickup device, includes a transparent protective substrate; and an optical-pickup-adjustment middle-depth information recording layer formed on a side of an inside surface of the transparent protective substrate, wherein the optical-pickup-adjustment middle-depth information recording layer is formed to have a middle depth which is a center of the maximum depth of the maximum-depth information recording layer prescribed by the optical disk standard and the minimum depth of the minimum-depth information recording layer prescribed by the optical disk standard.

Abstract: A layer-jumping control device and method for an optical disc device includes a calculator, a controller, and a driver. The calculator is configured to receive an error-focusing signal, and to determine a peak and a trough of the error-focusing signal. The controller, coupled to the calculator, is configured to process the error-focusing signal to generate a control-focusing signal. The driver, coupled to the controller, is configured to convert the control-focusing signal to a control-driving signal. The device further includes a counter coupled to the calculator, and enables the layer jump when the counter reaches a predetermined value.

Abstract: An optical pickup is opposed to an inner-radius portion of an optical disc that is set, and pits (a modulation signal) are read by applying laser light for a DVD to the inner-radius portion. The read-out modulation signal is decoded by inputting it to a CD decoder. If decoded disc information includes particular verification data, the optical disc is judged to be a legitimate optical disc of a particular type and formation of a visible image on the label surface is permitted.

Abstract: An information recording medium according to the present invention includes at least three information recording layers. If the readout power of a laser beam in reading information from an information recording layer L(n) is identified by Pw(n), and if the readout power of the laser beam in reading information from an information recording layer L(n+a) is identified by Pw(n+a), then a base thickness between the information recording layers is determined so that the intensity of the light when the information recording layer L(n+a) is irradiated with a laser beam having the readout power Pw(n) becomes equal to or lower than that of the light when the information recording layer L(n+a) is irradiated with a laser beam having the readout power Pw(n+a).