Abstract: In one embodiment, a tape drive system includes a magnetic head having a servo sensor for sensing a defined servo track of a magnetic tape and configured to read servo pulses from servo bursts of the servo track while the magnetic tape is moving past the magnetic head with the servo bursts representing an encoded data symbol, an analog-to-digital converter configured to provide a sequence of samples of the readback servo signal, a digital correlator configured to compute a correlation signal between the sequence and a reference waveform, a timing reference module configured to provide a reference timing model having interpolation instants to the digital correlator, a correlation interpolator configured to interpolate the correlation signal at the interpolation instants and compute a longitudinal position (LPOS) detection metric, and an LPOS detector configured to decode the encoded data symbol of the servo bursts using the computed LPOS detection metric.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for determining changes in fly-height. For example, various embodiments of the present invention provide storage devices that include a storage medium, an offset frequency, a read/write head assembly, and a harmonic fly-height change detection circuit. The storage medium includes a periodic data pattern that repeats at a data frequency. The read/write head assembly disposed in relation to the storage medium such that it senses the periodic data pattern and provides a sensed periodic data pattern. The harmonic fly-height change detection circuit samples the sensed periodic data pattern at an aggregate frequency to yield a first set of samples and a second set of samples. The aggregate frequency is the data frequency adjusted by the offset frequency. The harmonic fly-height change detection circuit calculates a first magnitude of the first set of samples and a second magnitude of the second set of samples.

Abstract: An information storage device includes a magnetic structure having a buffer track and a plurality of storage tracks connected to the buffer track. A write/read unit is disposed on the magnetic structure, and a plurality of switching devices are respectively connected to the buffer track, the plurality of storage tracks, and the write/read unit. The switching devices that are respectively connected to the buffer track and the storage tracks. The information storage device further includes a circuit configured to supply current to at least one of the magnetic structure and the write/read unit.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes: tracks each including a magnetic recording section in which information is recorded and a non-magnetic-recording section in which no information is recorded; and nonmagnetic guide sections magnetically separating the tracks from one another. The non-magnetic-recording section is formed integrally with nonmagnetic guide sections. The magnetic recording medium includes at least one pair of a first region in which at least a portion of each of the respective non-magnetic-recording sections of first and second tracks and a portion of a magnetic recording section of a third track coincide with one another at a position along a direction in which the tracks extend; and a second region in which at least a portion of each of the respective non-magnetic-recording sections of the first and third tracks and a portion of a magnetic recording section of the second track coincide with one another at a position along the direction in which the tracks extend.

Abstract: A method for performing a servo defect compensating operation by compensating a servo-related signal in an optical disc drive and a related optical disc drive system with a DSP is provided. The method comprises: reading an optical medium by an optical pick-up unit; detecting whether a defect exists by monitoring a side beam signal; when the defect on the optical medium is detected, determining a new compensation value based on a servo error signal; and compensating the servo-related signal with the new compensation value during defect crossing to adjust servo control when the optical pick-up unit passes the defect.

Abstract: An optical disk drive and a method for scanning an optical disk that includes a substantially circular track with a scanning velocity is provided. A servo control signal (SCS) is determined based on a servo error signal (SES). A first performance indicator (IND1) of the servo actuator is determined from at least one of the SES and SCS. IND1 is compared against a first pre-determined threshold (ITHR1), determining a first servo margin (MAR1). The scanning velocity is set in dependence on at least MAR1. In particular, scanning velocity is reduced when the first performance indicator exceeds the first pre-determined threshold. Additionally or alternatively, a bandwidth of control of the servo actuator can be adjusted in dependence on at least one of a second servo margin, determined from at least one of SES and SCS, and a third servo margin, associated with a mark quality determined from a central aperture signal.

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

Abstract: Provided is a thin-film magnetic head in which the magnetic spacing can be appropriately controlled by dynamically and accordingly, by adjusting the pressure working between the thin-film magnetic head and the magnetic recording medium according to the change of conditions such as the change over time. The thin-film magnetic head comprises at least one cavity for adjusting a pressure working between the thin-film magnetic head and the magnetic recording medium, provided in a surface of the head opposed to the magnetic recording medium, and a volume of the at least one cavity being variable. When the magnetic recording medium passes through near the cavity, the cavity generates a (negative) pressure that attracts the head and the medium toward each other. The amount of the negative pressure depends on the volume of the cavity; thus, a magnetic spacing dMS can be controlled dynamically and accordingly by adjusting the volume.

Abstract: A method of controlling an optical disc drive to drive a multi-layer optical disc includes acquiring actual optimal aberration correction positions of a first layer and a second layer of the multi-layer optical disc while a position of an aberration correction unit is changed, positioning the aberration correction unit at an intermediate point between the aberration correction position of the first layer and the aberration correction position of the second layer, performing a layer jump from the first layer to the second layer of the optical disc, and positioning the aberration correction unit at the aberration correction position of the second layer.

Abstract: Dielectrophoretic (DEP) tweezers apparatus and methods for various applications, including particle trapping. Two electrodes are disposed on or otherwise constitute an elongated object forming a tip. A voltage is applied across these electrodes to produce a non-uniform electromagnetic field proximate to the tip thereby creating a dielectrophoretic trap. Once trapped, a particle may be moved to desired locations via manipulation of the elongated object or the medium in which the particle is located. Multiple DEP tweezers apparatus may be arranged to form arrays of tips capable of respectively generating local electromagnetic fields confined to the tips. Such DEP arrays may be employed in nanofabrication processes involving nanolithography or nano-manipulation, as well as data storage and retrieval applications.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a data reading unit that reads a media identifier unique to a disc from an integrated-circuit chip included in the disc, a copy permission request unit that transmits data to a management server, the data including the media identifier read by the data reading unit, and a copy execution unit that, on condition of receipt of copy permission information from the management server, reads content recorded on the disc and executes a process of copying and recording the content to a data recording medium different from the disc.

Abstract: A method and a device of distinguishing blank area from non-blank area in an optical disc are provided. An input signal such as a DPD TE signal or RF ripple signal is first filtered to obtain a filtered signal. A subtracting operation of the input signal and the filtered signal is then performed to obtain a first signal. According to a peak value and a bottom value of the first signal, the first signal is processed into a second signal. By comparing the second signal with a reference signal, whether the currently read area is blank area or non-blank area can be discriminated. An indicating signal is outputted at a first value to indicate the blank area while the indicating signal is outputted at a second value to indicate the non-blank area.

Abstract: One aspect of the embodiment utilizes a servo frame interval correction apparatus which includes a detection unit for detecting a first servo frame formed on said recording medium. The apparatus includes an acquiring unit acquiring a detection time interval between said first servo frame and a second servo frame detected subsequently to the first servo frame from a table storing a detection time interval between a specific servo frame and a servo frame detected subsequently to the specific servo frame. The apparatus includes a differential calculation unit calculating a differential between the detection time interval acquired by said acquiring unit and a reference time interval; and a correction unit correcting an estimated position of said second servo frame based on the differential calculated by said differential calculation unit.

Abstract: An information recording medium, recording and/or reproducing apparatuses, and recording and/or reproducing methods which enable effective management of a last data recording address of a data area of the information recording medium. The information recording medium includes a data area for recording user data, temporary recording management information for managing a data recording status of the data area and temporary disc management information for managing the information recording medium, wherein the temporary disc management information includes first information regarding a last recorded location of data in the data area and second information regarding whether the information regarding the last recorded location is consistent with an actual last recorded location of the data area.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus which detects concomitant information associated with a time at which data satisfying a preset condition is supplied within a continuous period of time from input data that is temporally continuously input is disclosed.

Abstract: An information reproduction device according to the present invention is a device for accessing a recording medium having first address information and second address information recorded thereon. The first address information is represented by a shape formed on the recording medium in advance; and the second address information is recorded on the recording medium together with data. The information reproduction device includes a head section for accessing the recording medium to generate a reproduction signal; a first detection section for detecting the first address information from the reproduction signal; a second detection section for detecting the second address information from the reproduction signal; and a control section for, based on a detection result of either the first detection section or the second detection section which detected the address information first, controlling an access after the detection to the recording medium.

Abstract: An optical disc identification apparatus is disclosed. The optical disc identification apparatus includes an optic pickup unit and a control unit. The optic pickup unit has a plurality of laser sources. The optic pickup unit emits any of lasers to the optical disc and detects the reflected laser from the optical disc to transduce the reflected laser to a detection signal. The control unit controls the optic pickup unit to activate any of the laser sources and moves an object lens of the optic pickup unit. When the object lens moves, the control unit obtains a sectional width value of an S-curve of a focus FE signal according to the detection signal. The control unit repeats above steps to obtain the sectional width values of the S-curves of all the laser sources and identifies the optical disc according to all the sectional width values.

Abstract: A data recording/reproduction method for performing a data recording/reproduction process on a flexible optical disk by rotating the flexible optical disk while controlling an axial runout of the flexible optical disk with a stabilizing member that applies an aerodynamic force to the flexible optical disk, and irradiating an optical beam and focusing the optical beam to the flexible optical disk is disclosed that includes the steps of a) generating a first axial runout, b) generating a focus error signal forming an S-curve when the first axial runout is generated, c) determining a position of the optical beam according to the focus error signal, d) generating a second axial runout that is smaller than the first axial runout after step c), and e) conducting at least one of the data recording process and the data reproduction process after step d).

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus according to the present invention includes: a rotation driving section on which an optical disk is to be mounted and which drives the optical disk so as to be rotated; a light source; an objective lens for converging light from the light source onto an optical disk mounted on the rotation driving section; a photodetector having at least two detection sections for detecting reflected light, from the optical disk, of the light; and an error signal generation section for deriving a difference signal and a sum signal of respective outputs from the two detection sections of the photodetector, adjusting an offset in at least the sum signal among the difference signal and the sum signal, and thereafter dividing the difference signal by the sum signal whose offset has been adjusted to generate a position error signal of the objective lens.

Abstract: An optical disc used for storing content includes a theft control area selected to render the disc unreadable. The disc must be exposed to radiation of a specific wavelength before it can be read by a regular device. The theft control area may include an area that contains data that instructs the device not to read the disc. This area includes a coating that changes its optical characteristics when exposed to the radiation. The material could be radiochromic or thermochromic. Alternatively, the theft control area includes an RFID device that includes an element that is radiation sensitive. In this embodiment, when the disc is irradiated, the element changes its electrical characteristics.

Abstract: The first polarizing hologram element (2) is divided into a first area (2a) allowing a first light beam to pass through and a second area (2b) and a third area (2c) which allow a second light beam not including the optical axis of the original light beam to pass through. The first area (2a) is circumscribed by: dividing straight lines (D2) and (D6) in parallel to a straight line (D1) which passes through the optical axis and is provided in a radial direction; a dividing straight line (D4); dividing straight lines (D3) and (D5) forming predetermined angles converging in a direction away from the dividing straight lines (D2) and (D6); a dividing straight line (D7) on the opposite side; and circular arcs (E1) and (E2) of the first polarizing hologram element (2).

Abstract: Means (101a) for evaluating positional control deviation and means (102a) for outputting a corrective signal, this being a set of signals with kick and brake functions, to an actuator (10) on the basis of the evaluation result are provided. Although control deviation may increase due to external shock or vibration acting on the disc device or when a disc having eccentricity, wobble, or another physical deformity is reproduced, the control deviation is suppressed without loss of control stability, and stable recording and reproducing is always possible.

Abstract: A multi-layered information recording medium comprising a plurality of recording layers, a user data area for recording user data, provided in at least two of the plurality of recording layers, and a defect list storing area for storing a defect list. When at least one defective area is detected in the user data area, the defect list is used to manage the at least one defective area.

Abstract: When writing on a recordable medium the recorder can encounter write errors. When a write error occurrs the record carrier is discarded. By ignoring write errors in sections of the record carrier comprising unused information, for instance sections of the lead-in or lead-out the record carrier no longer needs to be discarded.

Abstract: A disc having an updatable defect management area used by an apparatus for managing defects on the disc, the disc including a user data area which includes user data, a spare area that is a substitute area for a defect existing in the user data area, and an area in which are recorded an address of data that is last recorded in the user data area and an address of a replacement data recorded in the spare area. Accordingly, the disc defect management method and apparatus are applicable to a recordable disc such as a write-once disc while effectively using a defect management area of the disc.

Abstract: A playback device includes a reading section that performs reading from a recording medium, and a control section that acquires the latest temporary management information recorded last on the recording medium. The control section executes a read control process of controlling the reading section so that when reading pointer information in a temporary management information unit recorded last in a temporary management information unit recording area, reading of data is executed from a predetermined position located before a segment in which the pointer information is included, and an information acquiring process of executing a process for acquiring the temporary management information pointed to by the pointer information from the data read in response to the read control process.