The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 01, 1996
Filed:
Dec. 02, 1994
Edward C Gage, Fairport, NY (US);
James A Barnard, Scottsville, NY (US);
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for providing a tracking error signal in an optical system in which a radiation beam is applied to an optical storage medium having a number of marks formed thereon. A return beam resulting from application of the incident radiation beam to the medium is separated into a first polarization component and a second polarization component. First and second detectors detect the first and second polarization components and generate first and second detected signals therefrom. A tracking error signal is generated from the first and second detected signals, and is responsive to variations in the return beam arising from diffraction of the incident beam from, for example, cross-track edges of the marks on the medium. The marks may be previously-recorded data marks or preformatted tracking marks, and the medium may be a non-grooved magneto-optic medium.