Method for controlling the recording conditions for a second mark using previously determined reproducing conditions for a first mark for optical memory device

Claim 2

A recording conditions controlling method, comprising the steps of: (a) controlling a reproducing condition in accordance with a reproducing signal read from a first mark of an optical recording medium so as to determine an optimum reproducing condition which minimizes an error rate of reproducing data; and (b) recording a second mark by controlling a recording condition under the optimum reproducing condition and determining a recording condition which maximizes an amplitude of a reproducing signal from the second mark so as to record information on the optical recording medium in accordance with the recording condition thus determined.

Claim 3

The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein: the first mark is composed of a long mark and a short mark, and in said step (a), a minimum error rate is determined in such a manner that a difference between an amplitude ratio of a reproducing signal of the long mark to a reproducing signal of the short mark and a target amplitude ratio approaches zero.

Claim 4

The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein: said step (b) includes the step of recording the second mark on a track of the optical recording medium and carrying out erasing with respect to each of two tracks adjacent to the track by an amount equal to a width of the second mark, said step being carried out repeatedly for each width of the second mark while gradually increasing the width thereof so as to control the recording condition in such a manner that an amplitude of a reproducing signal from the second mark is maximized.

Claim 5

The method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the width of the second mark is increased while gradually increasing a light quantity of a light beam projected on the track or a strength of an externally applied magnetic field.

Claim 6

The method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein a quantity of reproducing light for reproducing the second mark is set to be 5 percent to 20 percent larger than that of normal reproducing light.

Claim 7

The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein: the second mark is composed of first through third record marks, and said step (b) includes the steps of: (b-1) recording the second and third record marks each with a predetermined width with respect to second and third tracks adjacent to a first track of the optical recording medium, respectively, in accordance with a predetermined clock, prior to recording of the first record mark on the first track; (b-2) recording the first record mark with a record pattern, which is a reversed record pattern of the second and third record marks, with respect to the first track in accordance with the predetermined clock; and (b-3) recording the second and third record marks each with a width equal to a width of the first record mark of said step (b-2) with respect to the second and third tracks, respectively, in accordance with the predetermined clock, said steps of (b-2) and (b-3) being carried out repeatedly for each width of the first record mark while gradually increasing the width thereof so as to control the recording condition in such a manner that an amplitude of a reproducing signal from the first record mark is maximized.

Claim 8

The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the widths of the first through third record marks are increased while gradually increasing a light quantity of a light beam projected on the first through third tracks or a strength of an externally applied magnetic field.

Claim 9

The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein a quantity of reproducing light for reproducing the first record mark is set to be 5 percent to 20 percent larger than that of normal reproducing light.

Claim 10

A recording conditions controlling method for an optical memory device, comprising the steps of: a reproducing condition controlling step for projecting light on an optical recording medium on which information is recorded and measuring a reproducing signal read so as to control a reproducing condition optimum; and a recording condition controlling step for controlling a recording condition under the reproducing condition optimized.

Claim 11

A recording conditions controlling method for an optical memory device, comprising the steps of: a reproducing condition controlling step for projecting light on an optical recording medium on which information is recorded and measuring a reproducing signal read so as to control a reproducing condition optimum; and a recording condition controlling step for controlling a recording condition under the reproducing condition optimized.

Claim 12

The method as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said reproducing condition controlling step includes the steps of: (1) measuring a first quality value of the reproducing signal; and (2) controlling the reproducing condition optimum so that the first quality value approaches a predetermined value, and said recording condition controlling step includes the steps of: (3) setting a plurality of predetermined recording conditions by changing a light quantity of a light beam or a strength of an externally applied magnetic field under the reproducing condition optimized; (4) recording test record patterns on the optical recording medium; (5) reading the test record patterns so as to measure second quality values of reproducing signals read; (6) storing the plurality of predetermined recording conditions and the second quality values in relation to one another; and (7) searching a value, which is closest to a predetermined value, from the second quality values stored so as to determine a recording condition.

Claim 13

The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein in said step (5), the test record patterns are read under the reproducing condition obtained in said step (2).

Claim 14

The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein in said step (5), the test record patterns are read by increasing the reproducing condition obtained in said step ( 2 ) by a predetermined amount.

Claim 15

The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein said step (4) includes the steps of: recording a test record pattern on a first track of the optical recording medium; and recording a reversed pattern of the test record pattern on second tracks adjacent to the first track.

Claim 16

The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein said step (4) includes the steps of: recording the reversed pattern beforehand on the second tracks with a large recording light quantity or large recording magnetic field strength; recording the test record pattern on the first track while gradually increasing a recording light quantity or a recording magnetic field strength from a low initial value; and recording again the reversed pattern on the second tracks.

Claim 17

The method as set forth in claim 13 , wherein said step (4) further includes the steps of: recording the reversed pattern beforehand on the second tracks with a large recording light quantity or large recording magnetic field strength; recording the test record pattern on the first track while gradually increasing a recording light quantity or a recording magnetic field strength from a low initial value; and recording again the reversed pattern on the second tracks.

Claim 18

The method as set forth in claim 13 , wherein reference mark signals are read from the optical recording medium, on which reference marks are recorded beforehand with predetermined intervals, so as to record the test record pattern and the reversed pattern of said step (4) in accordance with an external clock synchronizing with the reference mark signals.

Claim 19

The method as set forth in claim 14 , wherein reference mark signals are read from the optical recording medium, on which reference marks are recorded beforehand with predetermined intervals, so as to record the test record pattern and the reversed pattern of said fourth step in accordance with an external clock synchronizing with the reference mark signals.

Claim 20

The method as set forth in claim 15 , wherein reference mark signals are read from the optical recording medium, on which reference marks are recorded beforehand with predetermined intervals, so as to record the test record pattern and the reversed pattern of said fourth step in accordance with an external clock synchronizing with the reference mark signals.

Claim 21

A recording conditions controlling method, comprising the steps of: determining an optimum reproducing condition based on a signal quantity which is obtained by projecting light of varying power on an optical recording medium on which information is recorded; recording information on the optical recording medium by varying a recording condition; obtaining a reproduced signal from a recorded pattern under the optimum reproducing condition; and determining a recording condition based on the reproduced signal.

Claim 22

A recording conditions controlling method, comprising the steps of: determining an optimum reproducing condition based on a signal quantity which is obtained by projecting light of varying power on an optical recording medium on which information is recorded; recording information on the optical recording medium by varying a recording condition; obtaining a reproduced signal from a recorded pattern under the optimum reproducing condition; and determining a recording condition based on the reproduced signal.

Claim 23

A recording condition controlling method for an optical recording device, the method comprising: (1) projecting light on an optical recording medium on which information is recorded, so as to measure a first quality value of a read-out reproduced signal; (2) controlling an optimum reproducing condition based on the first quality value; (3) setting a predetermined plurality of recording conditions by varying light quantity of a light beam or intensity of an externally applied magnetic field; (4) recording a test recording pattern on the optical recording medium; (5) reading the test recording pattern based on the reproducing condition which was obtained in said step (2) so as to measure a second quality value of a reproduced signal; (6) relationally storing the recording conditions and the second quality value; and (7) deciding a recording condition based on the stored second quality value.

Claim 24

A recording condition controlling method for an optical recording device, the method comprising: (1) projecting light on an optical recording medium on which information is recorded, so as to measure a first quality value of a read-out reproduced signal; (2) controlling an optimum reproducing condition based on the first quality value; (3) setting a predetermined plurality of recording conditions by varying light quantity of a light beam or intensity of an externally applied magnetic field; (4) recording a test recording pattern on the optical recording medium; (5) reading the test recording pattern based on the reproducing condition which was obtained in said step (2) so as to measure a second quality value of a reproduced signal; (6) relationally storing the recording conditions and the second quality value; and (7) deciding a recording condition based on the stored second quality value.

Claim 25

The method as set forth in claim 20 , wherein the recording condition is decided in said step (7) by searching a range of recording conditions in which the stored second quality value takes a predetermined value, and by determining an intermediate value of the range.

Claim 26

The method as set forth in claim 20 , wherein in said step (5), the test record patterns are read by increasing the reproducing condition obtained in said step (2) by a predetermined amount.

Claim 27

The method as set forth in claim 20 , wherein said step (4) includes the steps of: recording a test record pattern on a first track of the optical recording medium; and recording a reversed pattern of the test record pattern on second tracks adjacent to the first track.

Claim 28

The method as set forth in claim 20 , wherein said step (4) includes the steps of: recording the reversed pattern beforehand on the second tracks with a large recording light quantity or large recording magnetic field strength; recording the test record pattern on the first track while gradually increasing a recording light quantity or a recording magnetic field strength from a low initial value; and recording again the reversed pattern on the second tracks.

Claim 29

The method as set forth in claim 23 , wherein said step (4) further includes the steps of: recording the reversed pattern beforehand on the second tracks with a large recording light quantity or large recording magnetic field strength; recording the test record pattern on the first track while gradually increasing a recording light quantity or a recording magnetic field strength from a low initial value; and recording again the reversed pattern on the second tracks.

Claim 30

The method as set forth in claim 23 , wherein reference mark signals are read from the optical recording medium, on which reference marks are recorded beforehand with predetermined intervals, so as to record the test record pattern and the reversed pattern of said step (4) in accordance with an external clock synchronizing with the reference mark signals.

Claim 31

The method as set forth in claim 24 , wherein reference mark signals are read from the optical recording medium, on which reference marks are recorded beforehand with predetermined intervals, so as to record the test record pattern and the reversed pattern of said fourth step in accordance with an external clock synchronizing with the reference mark signals.

Claim 32

The method as set forth in claim 25 , wherein reference mark signals are read from the optical recording medium, on which reference marks are recorded beforehand with predetermined intervals, so as to record the test record pattern and the reversed pattern of said fourth step in accordance with an external clock synchronizing with the reference mark signals.