Deutsche Thomson-brandt Gmbh

Other

Thomson Licensing S.a.

Thomson Multimedia S.a.

Yasuaki Morimoto

Friedhelm Zucker

Christian Buchler

Akira Kawamura

Heinz-Jorg Schroder

Yoshiharu Chikazawa

Friedheim Zucker

Nobuhide Aoyama

Christian B&uuml;chler

Nakao Akutsu

Heinz J Schroder

A device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media, the device comprising a light source for producing a scanning beam, a photodetector for detecting the scanning beam reflected by the recording medium and a semi-transparent mirror arranged in the beam path for directing the scanning beam onto the recording medium and the reflected scanning beam onto the photodetector. An object of the invention is to improve a device of this type, in particular with regard to reducing the production costs. This object is achieved by the semi-transparent mirror being a plane-parallel plate with a layered structure, and a partially reflective layer being arranged between two small carrier plates.

Device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media

A high-quality magneto-optic signal is obtained by setting an optimum phase condition at the time of reproducing the land or groove record in a magneto-optic recording medium. By adjusting the angle of inclination of a wavelength plate, an optimum amount of phase compensation is provided to the land or the groove. Furthermore, the inclination of the wavelength plate is made variable, and the DC component of the magneto-optic signal is used as an adjusting signal in order to effect a phase compensation. In reproducing the signals recorded in the land and/or groove, an optimum amount of phase compensation is provided in each case, whereby a best producing condition is obtained, and high-density records can be realized.

Magneto-optic recording medium, having the lands and grooves magnetized

Phase compensation adjustor for magneto-optical recording device

A multi beam track system and method is used for the retrieving of information stored in optical memories like optical disks. The information carrying beams reflected on the surface of such a optical disk results in spots on the surface of a detector array. Because these beams are very close to each other, the resulting spots tend to overlap so that cross talk conditions between neighboring channels occur. As result the S/N ratio becomes worse. According to the present invention a plurality of laser beams arranged in a row is used, where the laser beams are linear polarized and the polarization of neighboring beams differ by 90.o slashed., i.e. neighboring laser beams have perpendicular linear polarization. After reflection on the surface of the optical disk the row of reflected laser beams is separated into two rows by an separating means which is polarization dependent so that beams are separated in space according to the polarization. Such a separator can be a polarizing beamsplitter or a birefringent prism crystal. As a result two spacially separated rows of laser beams are achieved, which can be detected by two separate detectors. As result no overlap between neighboring spots occurs on the surface of the detectors, resulting in the elimination of crosstalk.

Multi beam track system and method for an optical memory

ROM-RAM Disk

A magneto optical disc system includes a disc having permanently recorded tracks overlain with magneto optical recording material. Data is recorded in the magneto optical material in tracks superimposed over the permanently recorded tracks, using the read-only data to define magneto optical tracks. The magneto optically recorded data is correlated with the prerecorded data for defining the location of data stored in the magneto-optic tracks.

Recording and reproduction of items of information using ROM-RAM storage

Read/write CD ROM system using an electro-optic modulator to crosstalk

A scanning device for recording/reading data in data tracks of a recording medium includes a light source supported by a tracking head for guiding a light beam along the data tracks. The data tracks are rotated and the beam is focussed onto the data tracks. The light source is moved at an angle .alpha. with respect to the radial direction of motion of the data tracks. An optical element directs the light beam to the recording medium and directs light reflected from the recording medium to a detector. An astimatic element is arranged between the optical element and the detector. The scanning device is improved in that the astimatic element has one axis arranged at the angle .alpha. with respect to the radial direction of motion.

Optical scanning device for a disc player including improved focusing

The two sets of data stored in pits and a magneto-optical layer of an optical recording/reproducing device can be read separately by the use of two lasers. The laser which reads/records the data stored in the pits operates at a wavelength .lambda..sub.1 approximately four times the depth of the pits. The laser which reads/records the data stored in the magneto-optical layer operates at a wavelength .lambda..sub.2 approximately twice the depth of the pits. The wavelength of the laser which reads the magneto-optical layer is adjusted and interference between the two signals is avoided.

Magneto-optical recording and/or reproducing device

The beam of light reflected from an optico-magnetic recorded medium is reflected by an optical pick-up onto one optical or another in accordance with the direction that the beam's plane of polarization is rotated in. A data signal is obtained from the difference in the photovoltages of the two photodetectors.

Pick-up for selectively reading and writing an optical recording medium

An optical pick-up for selectively reading and writing an optical and magneto-optical recorded medium, in which light projected on the recorded medium is reflected therefrom and directed onto one of two photodetectors, depending on the polarization of the light. The recorded medium has magnetic domains for storing data and a magneto-optical signal is generated from the difference between the two photo voltages from the two photodetectors. The magneto-optical signal represents the data stored in the magnetic domains. The recorded medium also stores data in pit forms, and an optical signal is generated from the sum of the photovoltages of the two photodetectors, to represent the data stored in the pit forms. The arrangement is suitable for reading out simultaneously the optical signal and the magneto-optical signal.

Optical pick-up selectively reading and writing an optical and

An optical scanning system for a compact disc having a sinusoidal data track radially meandering, at a selected frequency, about the axis of rotation of the disc includes a first laser beam for reading data from the data track. A +1 level laser beam and a -1 level laser beam respectively track the opposite edges of the data track and generate a tracking error signal. The +1 level laser beam and the -1 level laser beam are separated, with respect to the disc, by a distance equal to an odd integer multiple of one half the wavelength corresponding to the selected frequency. The +1 and -1 laser beams are not modulated by the sinusoidal data track and standard tracking circuitry can be used to track the data track.

Optical scanning system for a sinusoidal data track

An optically-recorded medium in which a reflecting optomagnetic layer is applied to a transparent substrate layer. The recorded medium stores data magnetically and by pits. The magnetically stored data and the pit stored data are superimposed on each other, so that every spot and region on the recorded medium stores both magnetically stored data and pit stored data. The recorded medium is not divided into separate regions for magnetically stored data and pit stored data, and the magnetically stored data and pit stored data may be read out simultaneously by a single light beam.

Magneto-optical recorded medium with a transparent substrate layer

An optical scanning arrangement in which a laser beam is generated by a source with a monitor diode. The laser beam is focused on an optical recording medium. A summing amplifier has a first input connected to a source of a periodic signal. This source of periodic signal is also connected to a first input of a multiplier. The multiplier has an output connected to a second input of the summing amplifier. This summing amplifier has an output connected to a positioning device in the focusing circuit for the laser beam. This focusing circuit has an actual value which is supplied to a third input of the summing amplifier. The multiplier receives a laser controlling signal on a second input for the purpose of maintaining the light output of the laser beam at a constant level.

Optical scanning arrangement for maintaining constant the light output

An optical pick-up for selective playback and recording on a magneto-optically recording medium, in which light is projected from a source onto the medium. The light is provided with a direction of a polarization, and is either reflected from the recording medium or is transmitted through the medium. The reflected or transmitted light becomes deflected onto a predetermined one of several photodetectors, depending on the direction of polarization of the light. The intensity of the reflected light or the transmitted light is held constant to minimize noise components that result from the optical properties of different recorded media as well as from the light. By holding the light intensity constant, moreover, precise readjustment to each of the different recording media that may be used, is not necessary.

Growing community of inventors

Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany

Yasuaki Morimoto