Optical recording medium permitting detection of identification signals in land areas and groove areas, optical information recording/reproducing apparatus and apparatus for producing an original disk for forming a disk substrate

Claim 2

An optical information recording medium in which grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate are used as recording tracks, said optical information recording medium comprising: identification signal areas in which identification signals including information concerning positions on said optical information recording medium are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate; and information signal areas which are formed separately from said identification signal areas and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam; wherein said identification signals are formed on said grooves and said lands interdependently of each other so that each identification signal is formed to be shared by a groove and land pair, the respective groove and land being adjacent to each other.

Claim 3

An optical information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein a phase change type material in which a state change is produced between an amorphous state and a crystalline state is used as the material for a recording layer in which said information signals are recorded.

Claim 4

An optical information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein each of said identification signals is formed of a concave/convex pre-pit, an optical depth/height of which is substantially equal to a depth of said grooves.

Claim 5

An optical information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein each of said identification signals is formed of a concave/convex pre-pit, an optical depth/height of which is substantially equal to λ/4 (where λ is a wavelength of said light beam).

Claim 6

An optical information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein each of said identification signals is formed of a concave/convex pre-pit, a width of which is not smaller than a width of said grooves.

Claim 7

An optical information recording medium according to claim 1, further comprising first synchronizing signal areas each of which indicates a start point of a corresponding identification signal area.

Claim 8

An optical information recording medium according to claim 1, further comprising second synchronizing signal areas each of which indicates an end point of a corresponding identification signal area.

Claim 9

An optical information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein each of said identification signal areas includes an identifier for identifying a recording track of a corresponding groove and a recording track of a corresponding land.

Claim 10

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing/erasing an information signal on/from an optical information recording medium according to claim 1, comprising: an optical system for radiating aa light beam generated from a light source onto a recording track of said optical information recording medium; a light detection means for detecting reflected light of said light beam from said optical information recording medium and for outputting a light detection signal; and an identification signal reading means for extracting an identification signal from said light detection signal.

Claim 11

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: an amplification means for amplifying said light detection signal and for supplying the amplified light detection signal to said identification signal reading means, wherein an amplification factor of said amplification means varies between the time when said light beam is scanning on a groove and the time when said light beam is scanning on a land.

Claim 12

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: a recording means for recording an information signal onto a recording track; and a recording control means for controlling said recording means so as not to record said information signal in said identification signal areas.

Claim 13

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: a first light beam positioning means for controlling the position of a light beam to scan on a recording track in accordance with a fine control signal; a second light beam positioning means for moving said light beam in the direction crossing a plurality of recording tracks in accordance with a rough control signal; and a seek control means for supplying said rough control signal to said second light beam positioning means so as to move said light beam onto a destination recording track when one of a recording track of a groove and a recording track of a land is set as a first recording track and the other is set as a second recording track, and for supplying said fine control signal to said first light beam positioning means so as to move said light beam onto a destination recording track by half a pitch of the grooves after said rough control signal is supplied to said second light beam positioning means, so as to move said light beam onto said first recording track adjacent to said destination recording track when said light beam is made to seek said second recording track.

Claim 14

An optical information recording medium comprising grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate and used as recording tracks, identification signal areas in which identification signals including positional information are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate, and information signal ares which are formed separately from said identification signal areas and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam, wherein said identification signals are formed on said grooves and said lands interdependently of each other so that each identification signal is formed to be shared by a a groove and land pair, the respective groove and land being adjacent to each other, and wherein each one of said identification signal areas and said information signal areas is formed radially in at least one area on said optical information recording medium.

Claim 15

An optical information recording medium comprising grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate and used as recording tracks, identification signal areas in which identification signals including positional information are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate, and information signal ares which are formed separately from said identification signal areas and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam, wherein said identification signals are formed on said grooves and said lands interdependently of each other so that each identification signal is formed to be shared by a a groove and land pair, the respective groove and land being adjacent to each other, and wherein each one of said identification signal areas and said information signal areas is formed radially in at least one area on said optical information recording medium.

Claim 16

An optical information recording medium according to claim 13, wherein a phase change type medium in which a state change is produced between an amorphous state and a crystalline state is used as the material for a recording layer in which said information signals are recorded.

Claim 17

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing/erasing an information signal on/from an optical information recording medium according to claim 13, comprising: a rotating control means for rotating said optical information recording medium; an optical system for radiating said light beam generated from a light source onto a recording track of said optical information recording medium; a light detection means for detecting reflected light of said light beam from said optical information recording medium and for outputting a light detection signal; and an identification signal reading means for reading an identification signal from said light detection signal output from said light detection means.

Claim 18

An optical information recording medium in which grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate are used as recording tracks, said optical information recording medium comprising: identification signal areas in which identification signals including information concerning positions on said optical information recording medium are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate; and information signal ares which are formed separately from said identification signal area and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam; wherein said identification signals are arranged only in the grooves or only in the lands and arranged so as to be displaced back and forth in the track direction so as not to be radially adjacent to each other.

Claim 19

An optical information recording medium in which grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate are used as recording tracks, said optical information recording medium comprising: identification signal areas in which identification signals including information concerning positions on said optical information recording medium are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate; and information signal ares which are formed separately from said identification signal area and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam; wherein said identification signals are arranged only in the grooves or only in the lands and arranged so as to be displaced back and forth in the track direction so as not to be radially adjacent to each other.

Claim 20

An optical information recording medium according to claim 16, wherein a phase change type material in which a state change is produced between an amorphous state and a crystalline state is used as the material for a recording layer in which said information signals are recorded.

Claim 21

An optical information recording medium according to claim 16, wherein each one of said identification signal ares and said information signal areas is formed radially in at least one area on said optical information recording medium.

Claim 22

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing/erasing an information signal on/from an optical information recording medium according to claim 16, comprising: an optical system for radiating a light beam generated from a light source onto a recording track of said optical information recording medium; a light detection means for detecting reflected light of said light beam from said optical information recording medium and for outputting a light detection signal; and an identification signal reading means for extracting an identification signal from said light detection signal output from said light detection means; wherein, when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of one type including an identification signal, reading means reads said identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said identification signal, and when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of another type, said identification signal reading means reads an identification signal of an adjacent groove from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said identification signal of said adjacent groove.

Claim 23

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising: a recording means for recording an information signal onto a recording track; and a recording control means for controlling said recording means so as not to record said information signal in said identification signal areas.

Claim 24

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising: a first light beam positioning means for controlling the position of a light beam so as to scan on a recording track in accordance with a fine control signal; a second light beam positioning means for moving said light beam in the direction crossing a plurality of recording tracks in accordance with a rough control signal; and a seek control means for supplying said rough control signal to said second light beam positioning means so as to move said light beam onto a destination recording track when said light beam is made to seek a recording track of the type including an identification signal arranged thereon, among recording tracks of grooves and lands, and for supplying said fine control signal to said first light beam positioning means so as to move said light beam onto a destination recording track by half a pitch of the grooves after said rough control signal is output to said second light beam positioning means to move said light beam toward a recording track adjacent to said destination recording track when said light beam is made to seek the other type recording track.

Claim 25

An optical information recording medium in which grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate are used as recording tracks, said optical information recording medium comprising: identification signal areas in which identification signals including information concerning positions on said optical information recording medium are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate; and information signal areas which are formed separately from said identification signal areas and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam; wherein said identification signal areas are constituted by at least a first identification signal area and a second identification signal area divided spatially, and are disposed either on said grooves or on said lands; wherein, when said identification signal areas are arranged on said grooves, said first identification signal disposed on the (2n-1)th (n is a positive integer) groove and said first identification signal disposed on the (2n)th groove are the same and formed in parallel, and said second identification signal disposed on the (2nd)th groove and said second identification signal disposed on the 2n+1)th groove are the same and formed in parallel; and wherein, when said identification signal areas are arranged on said lands, said first identification signal disposed on the 2n-1)th land and said first identification signal disposed on the 2n-1)th land and said first identification signal disposed on the 2n)th land, are the same and formed in parallel, and said second identification signal disposed on the 2n)th land and said second identification signal disposed on the 2n+1)th land are the same and formed in parallel.

Claim 26

An optical information recording medium in which grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate are used as recording tracks, said optical information recording medium comprising: identification signal areas in which identification signals including information concerning positions on said optical information recording medium are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate; and information signal areas which are formed separately from said identification signal areas and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam; wherein said identification signal areas are constituted by at least a first identification signal area and a second identification signal area divided spatially, and are disposed either on said grooves or on said lands; wherein, when said identification signal areas are arranged on said grooves, said first identification signal disposed on the (2n-1)th (n is a positive integer) groove and said first identification signal disposed on the (2n)th groove are the same and formed in parallel, and said second identification signal disposed on the (2nd)th groove and said second identification signal disposed on the 2n+1)th groove are the same and formed in parallel; and wherein, when said identification signal areas are arranged on said lands, said first identification signal disposed on the 2n-1)th land and said first identification signal disposed on the 2n-1)th land and said first identification signal disposed on the 2n)th land, are the same and formed in parallel, and said second identification signal disposed on the 2n)th land and said second identification signal disposed on the 2n+1)th land are the same and formed in parallel.

Claim 27

An optical information recording medium according to claim 22, wherein a phase change type medium in which a state change is produced between an amorphous state and a crystalline state is used as the material for a recording layer in which said information signals are recorded.

Claim 28

An optical information recording medium according to claim 22, wherein each one of said identification signal areas and said information signal areas is formed radially in at least one area on said optical information recording medium.

Claim 29

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing/erasing an information signal on/from an optical information recording medium according to claim 22, comprising: an optical system for radiating a light beam generated from a light source onto a recording track of said optical information recording medium; a light detection means for detecting reflected light of said light beam from said optical information recording medium and for outputting a light detection signal; and an identification signal reading means for extracting an identification signal from said light detection signal output from said light detection means; wherein, when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of one type including an identification signal arranged thereon, said identification signal reading means reads said identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said identification signal, and when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of another type, said identification signal reading means reads an identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said identification signal equally formed on two recording tracks adjacent to said other type recording track.

Claim 30

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising: a recording means for recording an information signal onto a recording track; and a recording control means for controlling said recording means so as not to record said information signal in said identification signal areas.

Claim 31

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising: a first light beam positioning means for controlling the position of a light beam so as to scan on a recording track in accordance with a fine control signal; a second light beam positioning means for moving said light beam in the direction crossing a plurality of recording tracks in accordance with a rough control signal; and a seek control means for supplying said rough control signal to said second light beam positioning means so as to move said light beam onto a destination recording track when said light beam is made to seek a recording track of the type including an identification signal arranged thereon, among recording tacks of grooves and lands, and for supplying said fine control signal to said first light beam positioning means so as to move said light beam onto a destination recording track by half a pitch of the grooves after said rough control signal is supplied to said second light beam positioning means to move said light beam toward a recording track adjacent to said destination recording track when said light beam is made to seek the other type recording track.

Claim 32

An optical information recording medium in which grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate are used as recording tracks, said optical information recording medium comprising: identification signal areas in which identification signals including information concerning positions on said optical information recording medium are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate; and information signal areas which are formed separately from said identification signal areas and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam; wherein said identification signal areas are disposed either on said grooves or on said lands and use a Gray code pattern having a unit pattern different by one bit between adjacent recording tracks and having a repetition of the one and same pattern every predetermined number of tracks, as at least one part of said identification signals; and wherein top positions of said identification signals between said recording tracks adjacent to each other are made to agree.

Claim 33

An optical information recording medium in which grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate are used as recording tracks, said optical information recording medium comprising: identification signal areas in which identification signals including information concerning positions on said optical information recording medium are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate; and information signal areas which are formed separately from said identification signal areas and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam; wherein said identification signal areas are disposed either on said grooves or on said lands and use a Gray code pattern having a unit pattern different by one bit between adjacent recording tracks and having a repetition of the one and same pattern every predetermined number of tracks, as at least one part of said identification signals; and wherein top positions of said identification signals between said recording tracks adjacent to each other are made to agree.

Claim 34

An optical information recording medium according to claim 28, wherein a phase change type medium in which a state change is produced between an amorphous state and a crystalline state is used as the material for a recording layer in which said information signals are recorded.

Claim 35

An optical information recording medium according to claim 28, wherein each one of said identification signal areas and said information signal areas is formed radially in at least one area on said optical information recording medium.

Claim 36

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing/erasing an information signal on/from an optical information recording medium according to claim 28, comprising: an optical system for radiating a light beam generated from a light source onto a recording track of said optical information recording medium; a light detection means for detecting reflected light of said light beam from said optical information recording medium and for outputting a light detection signal; and an identification signal reading means for reading an identification signal from said light detection signal output by said light detection means; wherein, when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of one type including an identification signal arranged thereon, 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 into positional information and so on; and wherein, when said light beam is scanning on a recording track of another type, said identification signal reading means binary-codes said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said identification signals on two recording tracks adjacent to said other type recording track, on the basis of a second reference value, and converts the obtained binary signal to positional information, and so on.

Claim 37

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising: a recording means for recording an information signal onto a recording track; and a recording control means for controlling said recording means so as not to record said information signal in said identification signal areas.

Claim 38

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising: a first light beam positioning means for controlling the position of a light beam so as to scan on a recording track in accordance with a fine control signal; a second light beam positioning means for moving said light beam in the direction crossing a plurality of recording tracks in accordance with a rough control signal; and a seek control means for supplying said rough control signal to said second light beam positioning means so as to move said light beam onto a destination recording track when said light beam is made to seek a recording track of one type including an identification signal arranged thereon, among recording tracks of grooves and lands, and for supplying said fine control signal to said first light beam positioning means so as to move said light beam onto a destination recording track by half a pitch of the grooves after said rough control signal is supplied to said second light beam positioning means to move said light beam toward a recording track adjacent to said destination recording track when said light beam is made to seek the other type recording track.

Claim 39

An optical information recording medium in which grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate are used as recording tracks, said optical information recording medium comprising: identification signal areas in which identification signals including information concerning positions on said optical information recording medium are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate; and information signal areas which are formed separately from said identification signal areas and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam; wherein said identification signal areas are disposed so that one identification signal corresponds to one groove and land pair, the respective groove and land being adjacent to each other, and so that at least one part of said identification signal is displaced from the center line of said groove or land.

Claim 40

An optical information recording medium in which grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate are used as recording tracks, said optical information recording medium comprising: identification signal areas in which identification signals including information concerning positions on said optical information recording medium are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate; and information signal areas which are formed separately from said identification signal areas and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam; wherein said identification signal areas are disposed so that one identification signal corresponds to one groove and land pair, the respective groove and land being adjacent to each other, and so that at least one part of said identification signal is displaced from the center line of said groove or land.

Claim 41

An optical information recording medium according to claim 34, wherein a phase change type medium in which a state change is produced between an amorphous state and a crystalline state is used as the material for a recording layer in which said information signals are recorded.

Claim 42

An optical information recording medium according to claim 34, wherein each one of said identification signal areas and said information signal areas is formed radially in at least one area on said optical information recording medium.

Claim 43

An optical information recording medium according to claim 34, wherein at least one portion of said identification signal indicating a track number is displaced from the center line of said groove or land.

Claim 44

An optical information recording medium according to claim 34, wherein the quantity of displacement of said identification signal from said center line of said groove or land is 1/4 as much as the pitch of said groove.

Claim 45

An optical information recording medium according to claim 34, wherein each of said identification signals is formed of a concave/convex pre-pit, an optical depth/height of which is substantially equal to a depth of said grooves.

Claim 46

An optical information recording medium according to claim 34, wherein each of said identification signals is formed of a concave/convex pre-pit, an optical depth/height of which is substantially equal to λ/4 (where λ is a wavelength of said light beam).

Claim 47

An optical information recording medium according to claim 34, wherein each of said identification signals is formed of a concave/convex pre-pit, a width of which is not smaller than a width of said grooves.

Claim 48

An optical information recording medium according to claim 34, wherein a first synchronizing signal, indicating a start point of an area having an identification signal, is formed immediately before said identification signal in advance.

Claim 49

An optical information recording medium according to claim 34, wherein a second synchronizing signal, indicating an end point of an area having an identification signal, is formed immediately after said identification signal in advance.

Claim 50

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing/erasing an information signal on/from an optical information recording medium according to claim 34, comprising: an optical system for radiating a light beam generated from a light source onto a recording track of said optical information recording medium; a light detection means for detecting reflected light of said light beam from said optical information recording medium and for outputting a light detection signal; and an identification signal reading means for reading an identification signal from said light detection signal output from said light detection means; wherein said identification signal reading means reads an identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated with said identification signal formed between a groove and land pair, the respective groove and land being adjacent to each other on said optical information recording medium regardless of which one of the groove and land is being scanned by said light beam.

Claim 51

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 44, further comprising: a shift means for relatively shifting said light beam in a direction of a recording track; a tracking error detecting means for outputting, as a tracking error signal, a gap quantity between said light beam radiated onto said optical information recording medium and a recording track of a groove on said optical information recording medium or a recording track of a land; a tracking control means for displacing said light beam in the direction crossing recording tracks in accordance with said tracking error signal to thereby eliminate said gap quantity; a judgment means for judging which one of a recording track of said groove and a recording track of said land is being scanned by said light beam, and for outputting a result of judgment as a judgment signal; and a position detecting means for calculating a position where said light beam is scanning, on the basis of said identification signal read by said identification signal reading means and said judgment signal.

Claim 52

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 44, further comprising a gain control means for increasing a gain of a tracking control loop only for a predetermined period immediately after a light beam has passed an area in which an identification signal is formed.

Claim 53

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 44, further comprising: a recording means for recording information signals on said optical information recording medium; and a recording control means for controlling operation of said recording means so as not to record any information signals in predetermined sections on grooves or lands immediately after identification signals.

Claim 54

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said light detection means includes two light detectors which are disposed on a surface for receiving a reflected light beam symmetrically in the direction crossing tracks so that said two light detectors convert respective quantities of received light into output electric signals; and wherein said identification signal reading means has an arithmetic operation means for taking a sum of said electric signals output from said two light detectors and for outputting said sum as a reproduced signal.

Claim 55

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said light detection means includes two light detectors which are disposed on a surface for receiving a reflected light beam symmetrically in the direction crossing tracks so that said two light detectors convert respective quantities of received light into output electric signals; and wherein said identification signal reading means has an arithmetic operation means for taking a difference between said electric signals output from said two light detectors and for outputting said difference as a reproduced signal.

Claim 56

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 44, further comprising: an identification signal area detection means for detecting that the light beam is scanning on an area in which an identification signal is formed, and for outputting a detection signal; and a tracking error signal holding means for holding a tracking error signal to a value immediately before said detection signal is output while said detection signal is being output.

Claim 57

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 44, further comprising: a recording means for recording an information signal onto a recording track; and a recording control means for controlling said recording means so as not to record said information signal in said identification signal areas.

Claim 58

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 44 for recording/reproducing/erasing an information signal on/from an optical information recording medium wherein a first synchronizing signal, indicating a start point of an area having an identification signal, is formed immediately before said identification signal in advance, further comprising an identification signal area detection means which includes: a first synchronizing signal detection means which generates a detection signal when a first synchronizing signal is detected in the light detection signal output from said light detection means; and a control means which makes a decision that the light beam is scanning on an area where an identification signal is formed, when said detection signal is supplied to said control means.

Claim 59

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 44 for recording/reproducing/erasing an information signal on/from an optical information recording medium wherein a second synchronizing signal, indicating an end point of an area having an identification signal, is formed immediately after said identification signal in advance, further comprising identification signal area detection means which includes: a second synchronizing signal detection means which generates a detection signal when a second synchronizing signal is detected in the light detection signal output from said light detection means; and a control means which makes a decision that the scanning of the light beam on an area where an identification signal is formed is finished, when said detection signal is supplied to said control means.

Claim 60

An optical information recording medium in which grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate are used as recording tracks, said optical information recording medium comprising: identification signal areas in which identification signals including information concerning positions on said optical information recording medium are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate; and information signal areas which are formed separately from said identification signal areas and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam; wherein said identification signals are recorded by modulating a width of said grooves; and wherein top positions of said identification signals between said grooves adjacent to each other are made to agree, in at least one portion of said optical information recording medium.

Claim 61

An optical information recording medium in which grooves and lands formed spirally or concentrically on a disk substrate are used as recording tracks, said optical information recording medium comprising: identification signal areas in which identification signals including information concerning positions on said optical information recording medium are formed in advance by changes in physical shape of said disk substrate; and information signal areas which are formed separately from said identification signal areas and in which information signals are recorded by irradiation with a light beam; wherein said identification signals are recorded by modulating a width of said grooves; and wherein top positions of said identification signals between said grooves adjacent to each other are made to agree, in at least one portion of said optical information recording medium.

Claim 62

An optical information recording medium according to claim 54, wherein a phase change type medium in which a state change is produced between an amorphous state and a crystalline state is used as the material for a recording layer in which said information signals are recorded.

Claim 63

An optical information recording medium according to claim 54, wherein each one of said identification signal areas and said information signal areas is formed radially in at least one area on said optical information recording medium.

Claim 64

An optical information recording medium according to claim 54, wherein an average of widths of said grooves in said identification signal areas is substantially equal to half a groove pitch.

Claim 65

An optical information recording medium according to claim 54, wherein positional information in an identification signal is formed of a Gray code only one bit of which changes at the time of count-up.

Claim 66

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing/erasing an information signal on/from an optical information recording medium according to claim 58, comprising: an optical system for radiating a light beam generated from a light source onto a recording track of said optical information recording medium; a light detection means for detecting reflected light of said light beam from said optical information recording medium and for outputting a light detection signal; and an identification signal reading means for reading an identification signal from said light detection signal output from said light detection means; wherein said identification signal reading means reads an identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated by changes in the width of the groove or land when said light beam is scanning on an identification signal area.

Claim 67

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 59, further comprising a phase inverting means, which is disposed between said light detection means and said identification signal reading means, for inverting the phase of the light detection signal between a case where said light beam is scanning on a groove and a case where said light beam is scanning on a land, and for supplying a phase-inverted light detection signal to said identification signal reading means.

Claim 68

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 59, further comprising: a tracking error detecting means for detecting a deviation of distribution of a quantity of light in the direction along which tracks are crossed by a light beam reflected on said optical information recording medium, and for outputting a tracking error signal in accordance with said deviation; and an error detecting means for outputting a first detection pulse when said tracking error signal is beyond a predetermined positive threshold value, and for outputting a second detection pulse when said tracking error signal is below a predetermined negative threshold value, while a light beam is scanning on an identification signal on a land; wherein 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 on a land.

Claim 69

An optical information recording medium according to claim 54, wherein each of said identification signal areas includes an identifier for identifying a recording track of a corresponding groove and a recording track of a corresponding land.

Claim 70

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing/erasing an information signal on/from an optical information recording medium according to claim 54, comprising: an optical system for radiating a light beam generated from a light source onto a recording track of said optical information recording medium; a light detection means for detecting reflected light of said light beam from said optical information recording medium and for outputting a light detection signal; and an identification signal reading means for reading an identification signal from said light detection signal output from said light detection means; wherein said identification signal reading means reads an identification signal from said light detection signal amplitude-modulated by changes in the width of the groove or land when said light beam is scanning on an identification signal area.

Claim 71

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 63, further comprising a phase inverting means, which is disposed between said light detection means and said identification signal reading means, for inverting the phase of the light detection signal between a case where said light beam is scanning on a groove and a case where said light beam is scanning on a land, and for supplying a phase-inverted light detection signal to said identification signal reading means.