Optical information recording/reproducing apparatus in which recording power is set prior to recording

Claim 2

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: a diode laser for radiating a laser beam; a driving circuit, outputting to said diode laser, a driving current which corresponds to a level of a signal input thereto to make said diode laser emit light; an optical pickup including an optical system for condensing and irradiating said laser beam onto a recording medium; a means for outputting an area directing signal to make said diode laser emit light in an open loop in an area on said recording medium other than a data recording area where recording emission is possible, prior to actual recording; a write power directing value setting means for setting an objective value of a write power level at which said diode laser emits light in said open loop in said area and for outputting a power level directing value signal which corresponds to said objective value; a monitor signal generating means for receiving the laser beam which said diode laser emits in said area and for outputting a monitor signal having a level corresponding to an intensity of the light received; and a write power correcting means for updating said objective value using said monitor signal and said power level directing value signal such that the level of said monitor signal approximates said objective value.

Claim 3

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said write power objective value setting means is a semiconductor memory which contains said objective value.

Claim 4

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to either of claims 1 or 2, wherein said write power correcting means is an operating/processing means for operating a difference between said monitor signal and said power level directing value signal and for updating contents of a table containing digital data of said power level directing value signal using said difference.

Claim 5

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said area is a buffer area provided on a same track on which said data recording area is provided.

Claim 6

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said area is an area provided on an inner side of an innermost one of said data recording area.

Claim 7

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said area is an area provided on an outer side of an outermost one of said data recording area.

Claim 8

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said light emitted by said laser diode is in a form of a pulse train.

Claim 9

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during reproducing, an emission power level of said diode laser is controlled based on said level of said monitor signal.

Claim 10

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storing means for storing said objective value and said laser diode is driven by an output of said storing means and an adding signal of said power level directing value signal.

Claim 11

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, a location of said data recording area is detected by said means and said objective value is updated based on said location.

Claim 12

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said laser beam emitted in said area is a DC output of a level corresponding to light level at a time of recording.

Claim 13

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said laser beam emitted in said area is an AC output of a level corresponding to light level at a time of recording.

Claim 16

A method of setting a write power level according to claim 13, wherein said third step includes a step of sampling and holding said monitor signal, and a step of subtracting the monitor signal, which is sampled and held, and said power level directing value.

Claim 17

A method of setting a write power level according to claim 13, wherein said fourth step involves outputting said corrected power level directing value signal after a predetermined time has elapsed following said sampling step.

Claim 20

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: a diode laser for radiating a laser beam; a driving circuit, outputting to said diode laser, a driving current which corresponds to a level of a signal input thereto to make said diode laser emit light; an optical pickup including an optical system for condensing and irradiating said laser beam onto a recording medium; a means for outputting an area directing signal to make said diode laser emit light in an area on said recording medium other than a data recording area where recording emission is possible; a write power objective value setting means for setting an objective value of a write power level at which said diode laser emits light in said area and for outputting a power level directing value signal which corresponds to said objective value; a monitor signal generating means for receiving the laser beam which said diode laser emits in said area and for outputting a monitor signal having a level corresponding to an intensity of the light received; and a write power correcting means for updating said objective value using said monitor signal and said power level directing value signal such that the level of said monitor signal approximates said objective value, said write power correcting means includes an error detecting means for calculating a difference between said monitor signal and said power level directing value signal, and a mixed value outputting means for mixing an output signal of said error detecting means with said power level directing value signal and for outputting a corrected directing value signal.

Claim 21

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: a diode laser for radiating a laser beam; a driving circuit, outputting to said diode laser, a driving current which corresponds to a level of a signal input thereto to make said diode laser emit light; an optical pickup including an optical system for condensing and irradiating said laser beam onto a recording medium; a means for outputting an area directing signal to make said diode laser emit light in an area on said recording medium other than a data recording area where recording emission is possible; a write power objective value setting means for setting an objective value of a write power level at which said diode laser emits light in said area and for outputting a power level directing value signal which corresponds to said objective value; a monitor signal generating means for receiving the laser beam which said diode laser emits in said area and for outputting a monitor signal having a level corresponding to an intensity of the light received; and a write power correcting means for updating said objective value using said monitor signal and said power level directing value signal such that the level of said monitor signal approximates said objective value, said write power correcting means includes an error detecting means for calculating a difference between said monitor signal and said power level directing value signal, and a mixed value outputting means for mixing an output signal of said error detecting means with said power level directing value signal and for outputting a corrected directing value signal.

Claim 22

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: a diode laser for radiating a laser beam; a driving circuit, outputting to said diode laser, a driving current which corresponds to a level of a signal input thereto to make said diode laser emit light; an optical pickup including an optical system for condensing and irradiating said laser beam onto a recording medium; a means for outputting an area directing signal to make said diode laser emit light in an area on said recording medium other than a data recording area where recording emission is possible; a write power objective value setting means for setting an objective value of a write power level at which said diode laser emits light in said area and for outputting a power level directing value signal which corresponds to said objective value; a monitor signal generating means for receiving the laser beam which said diode laser emits in said area and for outputting a monitor signal having a level corresponding to an intensity of the light received; and a write power correcting means for updating said objective value using said monitor signal and said power level directing value signal such that the level of said monitor signal approximates said objective value, said write power correcting means includes an error detecting means for calculating a difference between said monitor signal and said power level directing value signal, said error detecting means has a sample and hold circuit for sample holding said monitor signal, and a differential amplifier for calculating a difference between an output of said sample and hold circuit and said power level directing value signal and a mixed value outputting means for mixing an output signal of said error detecting means with said power level directing value signal and for outputting a corrected power level directing value signal.

Claim 23

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: a diode laser for radiating a laser beam; a driving circuit, outputting to said diode laser, a driving current which corresponds to a level of a signal input thereto to make said diode laser emit light; an optical pickup including an optical system for condensing and irradiating said laser beam onto a recording medium; a means for outputting an area directing signal to make said diode laser emit light in an area on said recording medium other than a data recording area where recording emission is possible; a write power objective value setting means for setting an objective value of a write power level at which said diode laser emits light in said area and for outputting a power level directing value signal which corresponds to said objective value; a monitor signal generating means for receiving the laser beam which said diode laser emits in said area and for outputting a monitor signal having a level corresponding to an intensity of the light received; and a write power correcting means for updating said objective value using said monitor signal and said power level directing value signal such that the level of said monitor signal approximates said objective value, said write power correcting means includes an error detecting means for calculating a difference between said monitor signal and said power level directing value signal, said error detecting means has a sample and hold circuit for sample holding said monitor signal, and a differential amplifier for calculating a difference between an output of said sample and hold circuit and said power level directing value signal and a mixed value outputting means for mixing an output signal of said error detecting means with said power level directing value signal and for outputting a corrected power level directing value signal.