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US5691968A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Optical disk unit

Assignee: Alps Alpine Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1996-09-24
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Granted: 1997-11-25
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Expires: 2016-09-24
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Abstract

Abstract An optical disk unit wherein a disk rotating speed is automatically adjusted for reading optical information from various optical disk types, each optical disk type requiring a different rotating speed. The optical disk unit moves an optical head to a track corresponding to a program start position, then moves the optical head to a second track which is a predetermined distance from the first track. The program time information is then read from the second track and compared with preset values. When the program time information is less than a first preset value, the optical disk unit rotates the disk at a slow speed (for example, such that a linear speed of the optical head is 1.2 m/s relative to the disk). When the program time information is less than the first preset value and greater than a second preset value, the optical disk unit rotates the disk at an intermediate speed (for example, 1.3 m/s). Finally, when the program time information is greater than the second preset value, the optical disk unit rotates the disk at a fast speed (for example, 1.4 m/s).

Inventors

  • 👤 Yuichiro Tomishima
  • 👤 Kiyoto Abe

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 15:34
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B19/00; G11B19/02; G11B19/12; G11B7/00; G11B7/007; G11B7/013

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 255 words
An optical disk unit comprising: start position moving means for moving an optical head to a start position of a program area formed on a disk when power is applied; specified distance moving means for moving said optical head from said start position of said program area by a specified distance; reading means for reading a time code from sub-code Q information including an address, a track number, and said time code at a location defined by said specified distance; deciding means for deciding a specified linear velocity of said disk currently mounted by making only two comparisons between a first preset value, a second preset value and said time code; and means for adjusting a rotating speed of the disk to correspond with the specified linear velocity; wherein: when said deciding means determines that said time code read from said sub-code Q information is greater than the first preset value, said means for adjusting adjusts the rotating speed to 1.2 m/s, when said deciding means determines that said time code read from said sub-code Q information is less than the second preset value, said means for adjusting adjusts the rotating speed to 1.4 m/s, and when said deciding means determines that said time code read from said sub-code Q information is less than the first preset code and greater than the second preset code, said means for adjusting adjusts the rotating speed to 1.3 m/s; and wherein a value of the first preset code is lower than a value of said second preset code.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 255 words
An optical disk unit comprising: start position moving means for moving an optical head to a start position of a program area formed on a disk when power is applied; specified distance moving means for moving said optical head from said start position of said program area by a specified distance; reading means for reading a time code from sub-code Q information including an address, a track number, and said time code at a location defined by said specified distance; deciding means for deciding a specified linear velocity of said disk currently mounted by making only two comparisons between a first preset value, a second preset value and said time code; and means for adjusting a rotating speed of the disk to correspond with the specified linear velocity; wherein: when said deciding means determines that said time code read from said sub-code Q information is greater than the first preset value, said means for adjusting adjusts the rotating speed to 1.2 m/s, when said deciding means determines that said time code read from said sub-code Q information is less than the second preset value, said means for adjusting adjusts the rotating speed to 1.4 m/s, and when said deciding means determines that said time code read from said sub-code Q information is less than the first preset code and greater than the second preset code, said means for adjusting adjusts the rotating speed to 1.3 m/s; and wherein a value of the first preset code is lower than a value of said second preset code.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 248 words
A method for adjusting a rotating speed of an optical disk mounted in an optical disk unit, the optical disk including a plurality of concentric tracks, each of the plurality of tracks including sub-code Q information including an address, a track number, and a time code, the method comprising the steps of: moving an optical head to a first track of the optical disk corresponding to a program start position; moving said optical head from the first track to a second track, the second track being spaced from said first track by a predetermined number of said plurality of tracks; reading the time code of said second track; making only two comparisons between the read time code from the second track, a first preset value and a second preset value, the first preset value being lower than the second preset value; and controlling said optical disk unit to operate at a first rotating speed if the read time code is greater than the first preset value, at a second rotating speed if the read time code is less than the first preset value and greater than the second preset value, and at a third rotating speed if said read time code is less than said second preset value; wherein the first rotating speed corresponds to a linear speed of the optical disk which is 1.2 m/s relative to the optical head, the second rotating speed corresponds to 1.3 m/s, and the third rotating speed corresponds to 1.4 m/s.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 248 words
A method for adjusting a rotating speed of an optical disk mounted in an optical disk unit, the optical disk including a plurality of concentric tracks, each of the plurality of tracks including sub-code Q information including an address, a track number, and a time code, the method comprising the steps of: moving an optical head to a first track of the optical disk corresponding to a program start position; moving said optical head from the first track to a second track, the second track being spaced from said first track by a predetermined number of said plurality of tracks; reading the time code of said second track; making only two comparisons between the read time code from the second track, a first preset value and a second preset value, the first preset value being lower than the second preset value; and controlling said optical disk unit to operate at a first rotating speed if the read time code is greater than the first preset value, at a second rotating speed if the read time code is less than the first preset value and greater than the second preset value, and at a third rotating speed if said read time code is less than said second preset value; wherein the first rotating speed corresponds to a linear speed of the optical disk which is 1.2 m/s relative to the optical head, the second rotating speed corresponds to 1.3 m/s, and the third rotating speed corresponds to 1.4 m/s.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 248 words
A method for adjusting a rotating speed of an optical disk mounted in an optical disk unit, the optical disk including a plurality of concentric tracks, each of the plurality of tracks including subcode Q information including an address, a track number, and a time code, the method comprising the steps of: moving an optical head to a first track of the optical disk corresponding to a program start position; moving said optical head from the first track to a second track, the second track being spaced from said first track by a predetermined radial distance along said optical disk; reading the time code of said second track; making only two comparisons between the read time code from the second track a first preset value and a second preset value, the first preset value being lower than the second preset value; and controlling said optical disk unit to operate at a first rotating speed if the read time code is greater than the first preset value, at a second rotating speed if the read time code is less than the first preset value and greater than the second preset value, and at a third rotating speed if said read time code is less than said second preset value; wherein the first rotating speed corresponds to a linear speed of the optical disk which is 1.2 m/s relative to the optical head, the second rotating speed corresponds to 1.3 m/s, and the third rotating speed corresponds to 1.4 m/s.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 248 words
A method for adjusting a rotating speed of an optical disk mounted in an optical disk unit, the optical disk including a plurality of concentric tracks, each of the plurality of tracks including subcode Q information including an address, a track number, and a time code, the method comprising the steps of: moving an optical head to a first track of the optical disk corresponding to a program start position; moving said optical head from the first track to a second track, the second track being spaced from said first track by a predetermined radial distance along said optical disk; reading the time code of said second track; making only two comparisons between the read time code from the second track a first preset value and a second preset value, the first preset value being lower than the second preset value; and controlling said optical disk unit to operate at a first rotating speed if the read time code is greater than the first preset value, at a second rotating speed if the read time code is less than the first preset value and greater than the second preset value, and at a third rotating speed if said read time code is less than said second preset value; wherein the first rotating speed corresponds to a linear speed of the optical disk which is 1.2 m/s relative to the optical head, the second rotating speed corresponds to 1.3 m/s, and the third rotating speed corresponds to 1.4 m/s.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4675855A Cited
US4789975A Cited
US4885644A Cited
US5465244A Cited
US5444687A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-11-24 2001-05-26 2001-11-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-11-24 2005-05-26 2005-11-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-11-24 2009-05-26 2009-11-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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