Optical disk recording/reproduction device and search method for information recording area of optical disk in the same

Abstract

The optical disk recording/reproduction device is provided with an information recording area search means, comprising, a moving means which detects the presence and absence of information and return moves an optical pickup from inward to outward or from outward to inward direction of an optical disk, and a stopping means which stops the movement of optical pickup if an information recording area is detected in the movement of optical pickup. If the existence of information cannot be confirmed at a re-zeroing position in the initial operation, the optical pickup is moved to the inward of optical disk at a normal velocity; when the optical pickup passes through the information recording area, it is braked and stopped. If the existence of information can be confirmed at the stop position, the flow is shifted to normal reproduction; if it cannot be confirmed, the optical pickup is determined to pass through the information recording area and stop, returned from the stop position and moved outward at a low speed. In the outward movement, the moving velocity is switched to the minimum velocity nearby the position of information recording area detected in the first inward movement. Thus, the recording information is surely searched and read in the initial operation even if the optical disk has only extremely small information recorded thereon.