Optical information recording medium and optical information recording/reproducing apparatus

Claim 2

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus, comprising: an optical information recording medium (40) according to Claim 1; an optical system (211, 212, 213) for radiating a light beam generated from a light source onto a recording track of said optical information recording medium; a shift means (227) for shifting said light beam relatively in the recording track direction; a light detecting means (214) for detecting reflected light of said light beam from said optical information recording medium, and outputting a light detection signal; and an identification signal reading means (51-53, 221-223) for extracting an identification signal from said light detection signal outputted from said light detecting means; characterized in that: said identification signal reading means (51-53, 221-223) reproduces said identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said identification signal when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a concave portion and said identification signal reading means (51-53, 221-223) reproduces said identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said identification signal of a recording track of a concave portion adjacent thereto when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a convex portion.

Claim 3

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that said identification signal reading means (51-53, 221-223) includes at least one data slice means so that the slice level thereof is different between the time when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a concave portion, and the time when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a convex portion.

Claim 4

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said identification signal reading means (51-53, 221-223) includes a variable-gain amplifier for amplifying or attenuating a light detection signal, the amplification factor of said variable-gain amplifier being different between the time when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a concave portion, and the time when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a convex portion.

Claim 5

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to any of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said apparatus further comprises: a recording means (229, 231) for recording information signals onto recording tracks; and a recording control means (56) for controlling said recording means not to record said information signals in any area being on a recording track of a convex portion and being adjacent to said identification signal in the direction crossing the tracks.

Claim 6

An optical information recording medium in which both concave and convex portions formed spirally or concentrically on said optical information recording medium (100) are used as recording tracks (101), identification signal areas (80) in which identification signals including position information, etc. on said optical information recording medium and so on are recorded in advance are provided, and information signals are recorded by use of the change of a local optical constant or a physical shape caused by irradiation with a light beam; characterized in that: said identification signals (80) are constituted by at least a first identification signal (A1) and a second identification signal (B1) divided in area, and are disposed in recording tracks (71, 73, 75) of said concave portions; said first identification signal (A1) disposed in the recording track of the (2n-1)th ( n is a positive integer) concave portion and said first identification signal (A1) disposed in the recording track of the (2n)th concave portion are the same and recorded in parallel; and said second identification signal (B1) disposed in the recording track of the (2n)th concave portion and said second identification signal (B2) disposed in the track recording of the (2n+1)th concave portion are the same and recorded in parallel.

Claim 7

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus, comprising: an optical information recording medium (100) according to Claim 6; an optical system (211, 212, 213) for radiating a light beam generated from a light source onto a recording track of said optical information recording medium; a shift means (227) for shifting said light beam relatively in the recording track direction; a light detecting means (214) for detecting reflected light of said light beam from said optical information recording medium, and outputting a light detection signal; and an identification signal reading means (102-105, 221, 222) for extracting an identification signal from said light detection signal outputted from said light detecting means; characterized in that: said identification signal reading means (102-105, 221, 222) reads said identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said first identification signal when said light beam is scanning on the recording track of the (2n-1)th concave portion: said identification signal reading means (102-195, 221, 222) reads said identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said second identification signal when said light beam is scanning on the recording track of the (2n)th concave portion; said identification signal reading means (102-105, 221, 222) reads said identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said first identification signals on the recording tracks of both the concave portions adjacent thereto when said light beam is scanning on the recording track of the convex portion between the (2n-1)th concave portion and the (2n)th concave portion; and said identification signal reading means (102-105, 221, 222) reads said identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said second identification signals on the recording tracks of both the concave portions adjacent thereto when said light beam is scanning on the recording track of the convex portion between the (2n)th concave portion and the (2n+1)th concave portion.

Claim 8

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 7, characterized in that said identification signal reading means (102-105, 221, 222) includes at least one data slice means so that the slice level thereof is different between the time when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a concave portion, and the time when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a convex portion.

Claim 9

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said identification signal reading means (102-105, 221, 222) includes a variable-gain amplifier for amplifying or attenuating a light detection signal, the amplification factor of said variable-gain amplifier being different between the time when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a concave portion, and the time when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a convex portion.

Claim 10

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to any of Claims 7 to 9 characterized in that said apparatus further comprises: a recording means (229, 231) for recording information signals onto recording tracks; and a recording control means (106) for controlling said recording means not to record said information signals in any area being on a recording track of a convex portion and being adjacent to said identification signal in the direction crossing the tracks.

Claim 11

An optical information recording medium in which both concave and convex portions formed spirally or concentrically on said optical information recording medium (400, 301, 302) are used as recording tracks (303-305, 307-309; 360-366), identification signal areas (367) in which identification signals including position information, etc. on said optical information recording medium and so on are recorded in advance are provided, and information signals are recorded by use of the change of a local optical constant or a physical shape caused by irradiation with a light beam; characterized in that: said identification signals (310) are disposed in recording tracks of said concave portions, have a unit pattern different by one bit between adjacent recording tracks, and use a gray code pattern in which one and the same pattern is repeated every predetermined plurality of tracks; and said identification signals are made coincident with each other in their head positions between said recording tracks adjacent to each other.

Claim 12

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus, comprising: an optical information recording medium (400) according to Claim 11; an optical system (211-213) for radiating a light beam generated from a light source onto a recording track of said optical information recording medium; a shift means (227) for shifting said light beam relatively in the recording track direction; a light detecting means (214) for detecting reflected light of said light beam from said optical information recording medium, and outputting a light detection signal; and an identification signal reading means (221, 222, 225, 402, 405) for extracting an identification signal from said light detection signal outputted from said light detecting means; characterized in that: said identification signal reading means binary-codes said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said identification signal, on the basis of a first reference value, and converts the obtained binary signal to position information and so on when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a concave portion; and said identification signal reading means binary-codes said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said identification signals on the recording tracks of the concave portions adjacent thereto, on the basis of a second reference value, and converts the obtained binary signal to position information and so on when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a convex portion.

Claim 13

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 12, characterized in that said apparatus further comprises: a recording means (229, 231) for recording information signals onto recording tracks; and a recording control means (404) for controlling said recording means not to record said information signals in any area being on a recording track of a convex portion and being adjacent to said identification signal in the direction crossing the tracks.

Claim 14

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 2, 7 or 12, characterized in that said apparatus further comprises: a first light beam positioning means (220, 215) for controlling the position of a light beam to scan on a recording track in accordance with a fine control signal; a polarity inverting means (50) for inverting the polarity of the tracking control direction between the case that said light beam is on a recording track of a concave portion and the case that said light beam is on a recording track of a convex portion; a second light beam positioning means (226, 227) for moving said light beam in the direction crossing recording tracks in accordance with a rough control signal; and a seek control means (56, 106, 404) for outputting said fine control signal to said first light beam positioning means to move said light beam toward a destination recording track by half a pitch of guide grooves after moving said light beam to a recording track of a concave portion adjacent to said destination recording track when said light beam is moved to a recording track of a convex portion.

Claim 15

An optical information recording medium in which both concave and convex portions formed spirally or concentrically on said optical information recording medium (410) are used as recording tracks (411), identification signals including position information indicating positions on said optical information recording medium and so on are recorded in advance, and information signals (420) are recorded by use of the change of a local optical constant or a physical shape caused by irradiation of a light beam; characterized in that: a part or all of said identification signals (421) are displaced by about a quarter of a pitch of recording tracks of said concave or convex portions in the direction crossing recording tracks from the center line of recording tracks of said concave or convex portions.

Claim 16

An optical information recording medium according to Claim 15, characterized in that said identification signal (421) is formed of a concave/convex pre-pit the optical depth or height of which is about λ/4 (λ is a wavelength of said light beam).

Claim 17

An optical information recording medium according to Claim 15 or 16, characterized in that a first synchronizing signal indicating the start of an area in which an identification signal (421) is formed is formed immediately before said identification signal in advance, and the center line of the formation of said first synchronizing signal is made coincident with the center line of recording tracks of concave or convex portions.

Claim 18

An optical information recording medium according to Claim 15, 16 or 17, characterized in that a second synchronizing signal indicating the end of an area in which an identification signal (421) is formed is formed immediately after said identification signal in advance, and the center line of the formation of said second synchronizing signal is made coincident with the center line of the formation of said identification signal.

Claim 19

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus, characterized in that said apparatus comprises: an optical information recording medium (410) according to Claim 15, 16, 17 or 18; an optical head (216) for radiating a light beam onto said optical information recording medium, receiving reflected light thereof, converting said reflected light to an electric signal, and outputting said electric signal as a reproducing signal; a shift means (227) for shifting said light beam relatively in the recording track direction; a tracking error detecting means (214a, 214b) for outputting a tracking error signal representing a gap quantity between said light beam radiated onto said optical information recording medium and a recording track of a concave portion on said optical information recording medium or the center line of a recording track of a convex portion; a tracking control means (219) for displacing said light beam in the direction crossing recording tracks in accordance with said tracking error signal to thereby dissolve said gap quantity; a judgment means (404) for making a judgement as to which one of a recording track of said concave portion and a recording track of said convex portion is being scanned by said light beam, outputting the result of judgement as a judgment signal; an identification signal reading means (221, 222, 225, 402, 403) for generating an identification signal from said reproducing signal outputted from said optical head, when said light beam is scanning on said identification signal on said optical information recording medium; and a position detecting means for calculating the position where said light beam is scanning, from said identification signal and said judgment signal; whereby information signals are recorded, reproduced or deleted on said optical information recording medium by means of said light beam.

Claim 20

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 19, characterized by further comprising a gain control means for increasing the gain of a tracking control loop only for a predetermined period immediately after a light beam finishes passing an area in which an identification signal is formed.

Claim 21

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 19 or 20, characterized in that said apparatus comprises: a recording means (229, 231) for recording information signals on said optical information recording medium; and a recording control means (404) for controlling the operation of said recording means not to record any information signal in constant sections on recording tracks of concave or convex portions immediately after identification signals.

Claim 22

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 19, 20 or 21 characterized in that: said optical head (216) includes two light detectors (214a, 214b) which are disposed on the surface to receive a reflected light beam and symmetrically in the direction crossing tracks, and which convert the quantity of received light into an electric signal; and said identification signal reading means (221, 222, 225, 402, 404) includes an operation means (217) for taking the difference of electric signals outputted from said two light detectors, and outputting said difference as a reproducing signal.

Claim 23

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 19 or 22, characterized in that said apparatus further comprises: an identification signal area detecting means (413) for detecting that a light beam is scanning an area in which an identification signal is formed, and outputting a detection signal; and a tracking error signal holding means (415) for holding a tracking error signal to be a value immediately before said detection signal is outputted, while said detection signal is being outputted.

Claim 24

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 23, characterized in that: said optical information recording medium (421) is an optical information recording medium according to Claim 17 or 18; and said identification signal area detecting means (413) is constituted by a first synchronizing signal formed on said optical information recording medium and a synchronizing signal detecting means for generating a detection signal when said first synchronizing signal is detected during a reproducing signal put from said optical head.

Claim 25

An optical information recording medium in which both concave and convex portions formed spirally or concentrically on said optical information recording medium (501, 502, 503) are used as recording tracks, identification signals (505) including position information, etc. on said optical information recording medium and so on are recorded in advance, and information signals are recorded by use of the change of a local optical constant or a physical shape caused by radiating a light beam; characterized in that: the widths of said concave portions are modulated to record said identification signals (505); and said identification signals (505) are made coincident with each other in their head positions between said recording tracks adjacent to each other in at least an area of said optical information recording medium.

Claim 26

An optical information recording medium according to Claim 25, characterized in that position information in an identification signal is formed of a gray code only one bit of which changes at the time of count-up.

Claim 27

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus, characterized in that said apparatus comprises: an optical information recording medium (501, 502, 503) according to Claim 26; an optical head (216) for radiating a light beam onto said optical information recording medium, receiving reflected light thereof, converting said reflected light to an electric signal, and outputting said electric signal as a read signal; a polarity inverting means (50) for inverting the polarity of said read signal while said light beam is scanning on a recording track of a convex portion of said optical information recording medium; an information signal reading means for decoding an information signal from said read signal put from said optical head; an information recording means for recording information signals onto said optical information recording medium: a shift means (227) for shifting said light beam relatively in the recording track direction; a tracking control means (219) for displacing said light beam onto a recording track of a concave portion of said optical information recording means or a recording track of a convex portion.

Claim 28

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to Claim 27, further comprising: a tracking error detecting means (214a, 214b) for detecting the inclination of distribution of the quantity of light in the direction crossing tracks upon a light beam reflected on said optical information recording medium, and outputting a tracking error signal in accordance with said inclination; and an error detecting means for outputting a first detection pulse when said tracking error signal is beyond a predetermined threshold positive value, and outputting a second detection pulse when said tracking error signal is below a predetermined threshold negative value, while a light beam is scanning on an identification signal in a recording track of a convex portion; characterized in that: said identification signal reading means corrects an identification signal decoded from a read signal in accordance with said first and second detection pulses while a light beam is scanning on said identification signal in a recording track of a convex portion.