Optical disc players

Claim 1

An optical disc player for reproducing an information signal recorded in the form of pits arranged in a record track on a disc, comprising; light source means for generating a light beam, optical means for directing the light beam from said light source means to the disc to be modulated by the record track and reflected thereat, photodetecting means for receiving a reflected light beam from the disc to produce in response to the received light beam an output from which a reproduced information signal can be obtained, and control circuit means including a first circuit portion for generating a tracking error signal from the output of said photodetecting means when a beam spot formed by the light beam on the disc is positioned on the pit and a second circuit portion for generating a focus error signal from the output of said photodetecting means when the beam spot formed by the light beam on the disc is positioned on a plane portion between the pits, and, wherein said first circuit portion comprises first operational circuit means for producing from the output of said photodetecting means a first signal having a level corresponding to the position of the beam spot formed by the light beam on the disc in relation to the record track when the beam spot on the disc is positioned on the pit, first pulse generating means for producing a first sampling pulse when the beam spot on the disc is positioned on the pit, and first sampling and hold means for causing said first signal to be subjected to sampling by said first sampling pulse so as to hold the level of the sampled segment of said first signal until the next sampling occurs so as to produce the tracking error signal.