Optical information recording/reproducing device which simultaneously reproduces information from plural tracks and optical information recording/reproducing method

Claim 2

An optical information recording/reproducing device comprising: an optical head including a reproducing light source for irradiating a first reproducing optical beam onto n (n>1) tracks of an optical recording medium having a plurality of tracks, said tracks being in an information recordable state or an information recorded state, and first light receiving detecting means for receiving a reflected light of said reproducing optical beam from said optical recording medium and outputting information of said tracks of m (n≧m>1) as m detection signals from n tracks simultaneously; scanning means for moving said optical recording medium and said optical head relatively to each other; and m first signal processing means for processing said m detection signals from said first light receiving detecting means when said scanning means moves said optical recording medium and said optical head relatively to each other.

Claim 3

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 1, wherein said first signal processing means comprises binary means for converting said detection signal to a binary value and producing a binary signal, bit-clock producing means for producing a bit clock from said binary signal, sampling means for sampling said binary signal based on said bit clock, and memory means for storing the output of said sampling means.

Claim 4

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 1, wherein said scanning means comprises optical head drive means for driving said optical head perpendicularly to a track direction, and optical recording medium drive means for driving said optical recording medium in said track direction.

Claim 5

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 3, wherein said first receiving light detecting means comprises binary means for converting said detection signal into a binary value and producing a binary signal, bit clock producing means for producing a bit clock from said binary signal, sampling means for sampling said binary signal based on said bit clock, and memory means for storing the output of said sampling means.

Claim 6

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein said first receiving return detecting means comprises m light receiving elements for receiving reflected light reflected from a respective number of said n tracks and outputting detection signals.

Claim 7

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, further comprising error correction means for performing error correction in said detection signals processed by said m first signal processing means.

Claim 8

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein n equals m.

Claim 9

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein said optical head includes a recording light source for irradiating a recording beam at a position different from a position where said first reproducing optical beam is irradiated, said recording beam recording information onto at least one of said tracks of n on which said first reproducing optical beam is irradiated.

Claim 10

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 8, further comprising second signal processing means for signal-processing said detection signal from said second light receiving detecting means; and wherein said reproducing light source irradiates a second reproducing optical beam for reproducing information of said track on which said recording beam is irradiated, said second reproducing optical beam is irradiated at a different position from that of said first reproducing optical beam in a track direction, said recording beam is irradiated at a position between an irradiating position of said first reproducing beam and an irradiating position of said second reproducing beam, and wherein said optical head includes a second light receiving detecting means for receiving at least a reflected light of said second reproducing optical beam from said track on which said recording beam is irradiated, and for producing said detection signals.

Claim 11

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 9, wherein said reproducing light source irradiates a first reproducing optical beam and a second reproducing optical beam separated from a single optical beam on a basis of a diffraction grating.

Claim 12

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 10, wherein said selecting means selects said detection signals in accordance with the scanning direction of said scanning means.

Claim 13

An optical information recording/reproducing according to claim 9, further comprising selecting means for selecting one of said detection signals produced by said first light receiving detecting means and said detection signals produced by said second light receiving detecting means.

Claim 14

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 12, wherein said detection signals originated from said first light receiving detecting means selected by said selecting means is said detection signals of said first light receiving detecting means from said tracks where said second light receiving detecting means receives a light and produces said detection signals.

Claim 15

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 9, wherein said first signal processing means comprises blank checking means for executing a blank check of said tracks of m in accordance with said detection signals of m from said first light receiving detecting means of m; and blank check memory means for storing results of said blank checking means.

Claim 16

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 14, wherein said optical recording medium is an optical card.

Claim 17

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 14, further comprising judging means for judging a presence or absence of a blank based on result of a blank check of said track stored in said blank check memory means without scanning for a blank check of said track by said scanning means when said blank Check memory means stores a blank check result of said track recording information using said recording beam.

Claim 18

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 16, wherein information is recorded into said tracks by a first scanning operation of said scanning means for recording when said judging means judges that said track memorizing information using said recording beam is blank.

Claim 19

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein said optical recording medium is an optical card.

Claim 20

An optical information recording/reproducing device according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein said first signal processing means comprises blank checking means for executing a blank check of said tracks of m in accordance with said detection signals of m from said first light receiving detecting means of m, and blank check memory means for storing results of said blank checking means.

Claim 21

An optical information recording/reproducing method suited for an optical information recording/reproducing device comprising: an optical head including a reproducing light source for irradiating a first reproducing optical beam onto n (n>1) tracks of an optical recording medium having a plurality of tracks, said tracks being in an information recordable state or an information recorded state, first light receiving detecting means for receiving a reflected light of said reproducing optical beam from said optical recording medium and outputting information of said tracks of m (n≧m>1) as m detection signals from n tracks simultaneously, and a recording light source for irradiating a recording beam at a position different from a position where said first reproducing optical beam so irradiated, said recording beam recording information into at least one of said tracks of n on which said first reproducing optical beam is irradiated; scanning means for moving said optical recording medium and said optical head relatively to each other; and m first signal processing means for processing said m detection signals from said first light receiving detecting means when said scanning means moves said optical recording medium and said optical head relatively to each other, said first signal processing means comprising blank checking means for executing a blank check of said tracks of m in accordance with said detection signals of m from said first light receiving detecting means of m, and blank check memory means for storing results of said blank checking means, said method comprising: a first step of judging whether a blank check of said track has been completed, said track on which information is recorded using said recording beam; a second step of referring to a result of a blank check of said track when it is judged that said check has been completed in said first step, said result being stored in said blank check memory means; a third step of judging whether said track is blank based on a result of a blank check of said track; and a fourth step of recording information onto said track without scanning for a blank check when said third step has judged that said track is blank.

Claim 22

An optical information recording/reproducing method suited for an optical information recording/reproducing device comprising: an optical head including a reproducing light source for irradiating a first reproducing optical beam onto n (n>1) tracks of an optical recording medium having a plurality of tracks, said tracks being in an information recordable state or an information recorded state, first light receiving detecting means for receiving a reflected light of said reproducing optical beam from said optical recording medium and outputting information of said tracks of m (n≧m>1) as m detection signals from n tracks simultaneously, and a recording light source for irradiating a recording beam at a position different from a position where said first reproducing optical beam so irradiated, said recording beam recording information into at least one of said tracks of n on which said first reproducing optical beam is irradiated; scanning means for moving said optical recording medium and said optical head relatively to each other; and m first signal processing means for processing said m detection signals from said first light receiving detecting means when said scanning means moves said optical recording medium and said optical head relatively to each other, said first signal processing means comprising blank checking means for executing a blank check of said tracks of m in accordance with said detection signals of m from said first light receiving detecting means of m, and blank check memory means for storing results of said blank checking means, said method comprising: a first step of judging whether a blank check of said track has been completed, said track on which information is recorded using said recording beam; a second step of referring to a result of a blank check of said track when it is judged that said check has been completed in said first step, said result being stored in said blank check memory means; a third step of judging whether said track is blank based on a result of a blank check of said track; and a fourth step of recording information onto said track without scanning for a blank check when said third step has judged that said track is blank.