Optical disk recording method employing a plurality of recording areas and apparatus therefor

Abstract

An optical disk apparatus comprising a reproduced signal detector which digitizes a reproduced signal from an optical disk, a broadband synchronizing clock signal generator for generating a synchronizing clock signal for use in reproducing data, a signal processor for processing signals, and a disk rotation controller for controlling the optical disk by switching control modes according to the reproducing position of the disk, that is, performing CAV control using the constant rotating velocity which is the same as the current rotating velocity in a range where the synchronizing clock signal generator allows a reproduced signal to be subjected to pull-in-synchronization, and performing CLV control so that the linear velocity is constant to minimize the pull-in-enable changes of number of revolutions in a range exceeding the pull-in-synchronization range, by which arrangement the amount of change of number of spindle motor revolutions when the reproducing position of the optical pickup changes is minimized, thus further reducing power consumption and access time. The optical disk apparatus comprises a selector to switch over the control systems, and area dividing means to manage the divided areas, and while switching over CAV control and CLV control, records data, and varies the divided areas or the number of divided areas in CAV control according to recording capacities, so that lower power consumption and higher-speed access can be realized.

1. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
 a pickup unit including an optical unit for applying a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converting its reflected beam into an electric signal, and a drive unit for driving said optical unit in a radial direction of said optical disk;    an RF amplifier for amplifying a signal from said pickup unit and outputting an RF signal;    a spindle driver for driving a spindle motor to a specified rotating velocity;    servo control means for outputting a second spindle motor control signal having a frequency that is variable within a predetermined range of synchronization relative to a basic frequency to control said spindle motor to a required linear velocity of said optical disk on the basis of said RF signal, and servo-controlling said spindle driver;    a processing unit for controlling said servo control means;    a speed controller for detecting a number of revolutions of said spindle motor, and outputting a first spindle motor control signal to control the spindle motor to a specified angular velocity; and    select means for selecting said second motor control signal to have a frequency within a range of frequency in which said second motor control signal is in synchronization with said specified rotating velocity and selecting said first motor control signal to have a frequency within a range of frequency in which said second motor control signal is in a maximum or minimum value of synchronization, by control of said processing unit, wherein said processing unit, according to the radial position of said optical disk, switches over by means of said select means to record data on said optical disk between an area for controlling the spindle motor by CLV control so that its linear velocity is constant and an area for controlling the spindle motor by CAV control so that its angular velocity is constant.    
     
     
       2. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
 a pickup unit including an optical unit for applying a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converting its reflected beam into an electric signal, and a drive unit for moving said optical unit in radial direction of said optical disk;    an RF amplifier for amplifying a signal from said pickup unit and outputting an RF signal;    a actuator driver for driving said optical unit so that said laser beam is focused at a specified track position on said optical disk;    a spindle driver for driving said spindle motor to a specified rotating velocity;    servo control means for, on the basis of said RF signal, outputting a second spindle motor control signal having a frequency that is variable within a predetermined range of synchronization relative to a basic frequency to control said spindle motor rotation to a specified linear velocity of said optical disk and servo-controlling said actuator driver and said spindle driver;    a processing unit for controlling said servo control means and the whole apparatus;    a speed controller for detecting the number of revolutions of said spindle motor and outputting a first spindle motor control signal to control the spindle motor rotation so that the angular velocity is constant;    select means for selecting said second spindle motor control signal to have a frequency within a range of frequency in which said second spindle motor control signal is in synchronization with said specified rotating velocity and selecting said first spindle motor control signal to have a frequency within a range of frequency in which said second spindle motor control signal is in a maximum or minimum value of synchronization, by control of said processing unit, wherein said processing unit, according to the radial position of said optical disk, switches over by means of said select means to record data on said optical disk between an area for controlling the spindle motor by CLV control so that its linear velocity is constant and an area for controlling the spindle motor by CAV control so that its angular velocity is constant.    
     
     
       3. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
 a pickup unit including an optical unit for applying a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converting its reflected beam into an electric signal, and a drive unit for driving said optical unit in a radial direction of said optical disk;    an RF amplifier for amplifying a signal from said pickup unit and outputting an RF signal;    an actuator driver for driving said optical unit so that said laser beam is focused at a specified track position on said optical disk;    a spindle driver for driving said spindle motor to a specified rotating velocity;    servo control means for, on the basis of said RF signal, outputting a second spindle motor control signal to control said spindle motor rotation to a specified linear velocity of said optical disk and servo-controlling said actuator driver and said spindle driver; and    a processing unit for controlling said servo control means and the whole apparatus;    a speed controller for detecting the number of revolutions of said spindle motor and outputting a first spindle motor control signal to control the spindle motor rotation to a specified rotating velocity;    select means for switching over between said first and second spindle motor control signals by control of said processing unit;    area dividing means for dividing a recording area of said optical disk into a plurality of areas, deciding angular velocities varying in steps from one divided area to another and controlling the spindle motor at a constant angular velocity of the divided area in each divided area;    area division correcting means for varying the number of divided areas according to recording capacities,    wherein said processing unit causes said select means to switch- over between an area for recording by spindle motor control performed so that the linear velocity is constant (CLV control) and an area for recording by spindle motor control performed so that the spindle motor rotates at a constant angular velocity (CAV control), and data is recorded on the optical disk, and wherein said area division correcting means varies said divided areas and said number of divided areas according to recording capacities.    
     
     
       4. An optical disk recording medium on which data is recorded as specified in  claim 3 . 
     
     
       5. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
 a pickup unit including an optical unit for applying a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converting its reflected beam into an electric signal, and a drive unit for moving said optical unit in a radial direction of said optical disk;    an RF amplifier for amplifying a signal from said pickup unit and outputting an RF signal;    an actuator driver for driving said optical unit so that said laser beam is focused at a specified track position on said optical disk;    a spindle driver for driving said spindle motor to a specified rotating velocity;    servo control means for, on the basis of said RF signal, outputting a second spindle motor control signal having a frequency that is variable within a predetermined range of synchronization relative to a basic frequency to control said spindle motor rotation to a specified linear velocity of said optical disk and servo-controlling said actuator driver and said spindle driver;    a processing unit for controlling said servo control means and the whole apparatus;    a speed controller for detecting the number of revolutions of said spindle motor and outputting a first spindle motor control signal to control the spindle motor rotation to a specified rotating velocity;    select means for selecting said second motor control signal to have a frequency within a range of frequency in which said second motor control signal is in synchronization with said specified rotating velocity and selecting said first motor control signal to have a frequency within a range of frequency in which said second motor control signal is in a maximum or minimum value of synchronization, by control of said processing unit;    area dividing means of dividing a recording area of the optical disk into a plurality of areas lying substantially concentrically in a radial direction, deciding angular velocities varying in steps from one divided area to another, and controlling the spindle motor at a constant angular velocity of the divided area in each divided area,    wherein said processing unit causes said select means to switch over between an area for recording by spindle motor control (CLV control) performed so that the linear velocity is constant and an area for recording by spindle motor control (CAV control) performed so that the spindle motor rotates at a constant angular velocity, and data is recorded on the optical disk.    
     
     
       6. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said area dividing means varies the divided areas or the number of divided areas according to recording capacities. 
     
     
       7. A method of recording data on an optical disk, comprising:
 a photo-electric conversion step of applying a laser beam to an optical disk and converting a reflected beam from the disk into an electric signal and data;    a rotating velocity control step of detecting a number of revolutions of a spindle motor to drive said optical disk at a specified rotating velocity, performing servo control, and outputting a first motor control signal;    a servo control step of servo-controlling said spindle motor by outputting a second motor control signal having a frequency that is variable within a predetermined range of synchronization relative to a basic frequency in order to drive said spindle motor at said specified rotating velocity on the basis of said electric signal; and    a select step of selecting said second motor control signal to have a frequency within a range of frequency in which said second motor control signal is in synchronization with said specified rotating velocity and selecting said first motor control signal to have a frequency within a range of frequency in which said second motor control signal is in a maximum or minimum value of synchronization, by arithmetic process control,    wherein according to a radial position of said optical disk, a recording area of the optical disk where said spindle motor is controlled so that the linear velocity is constant (CLV control), and a recording area where is spindle motor is controlled so that the rotation angular velocity is constant (CAV control), are switched over by said select step and the data is recorded on said optical disk.    
     
     
       8. An optical disk recording method, comprising the steps of:
 a photo-electric conversion step of applying a laser beam to the optical disk and converting its reflected beam into an electric signal and data;    a rotating velocity control step of detecting the number of spindle motor revolutions to drive said optical disk at a specified rotating velocity, performing servo control, and outputting a first motor control signal;    a servo control step of outputting a second control signal and servo-controlling said spindle motor to drive the spindle motor at a specified rotating velocity according to said electric signal;    a select step of switching over said first motor control signal and said second motor control signal by processing control:    an area diving step of dividing a recording area of the optical disk into a plurality of areas lying substantially concentrically in a radial direction, deciding angular velocities varying in steps from one divided area to another, and controlling the spindle motor at an annular velocity of the divided area in each divided area;    according to the areas divided by said area dividing step, providing an area for recording by controlling the spindle motor so that the linear velocity is constant (CLV control), and an area for recording by controlling said optical disk so that the rotation angular velocity is constant (CAV control); and    switching over said areas by said select step and recording data on said optical disk, wherein said area dividing step includes an area division correction for varying the number of divided areas according to recording capacity.    
     
     
       9. A method of recording data on an optical disk, comprising the steps of:
 photo-electric conversion for applying a laser beam to an optical disk and converting its reflected beam into an electric signal and data;    rotating velocity control for detecting the number of spindle motor revolutions to drive said optical disk at a specified rotating velocity, performing servo control, and outputting a first motor control signal;    servo control for outputting a second control signal and servo-controlling said spindle motor to drive the spindle motor at a specified rotating velocity according to said electric signal;    a select step of switching over said first motor control signal and a second motor control signal by arithmetic process control;    an area dividing step of dividing a recording area of the optical disk into a plurality of areas lying substantially concentrically in radial direction, deciding angular velocities varying in steps from one divided area to another, and controlling the spindle motor at a constant angular velocity of the divided area in each divided area;    an area division correcting step for varying the number of divided areas according to their recording capacities, wherein    by said area division correcting step, said divided areas or said number of divided areas is varied according to their recording capacities;    on the basis of divided areas divided by said area dividing step, providing an area for recording by controlling the spindle motor so that the linear velocity is constant (CLV control), and an area for recording by controlling said optical disk so that the rotation angular velocity is constant (CAV control); and    switching over said areas by said select step and recording data on said optical disk, or by using said area dividing step, varying said divided areas or said number of divided areas according to their recording capacities and recording data on said optical disk.    
     
     
       10. A method of recording data on an optical disk, comprising the steps of:
 a photo-electric conversion step of applying a laser beam to the optical disk and converting its reflected beam into an electric signal and data;    a rotating velocity control step of detecting the number of spindle motor revolutions to drive said optical disk at a specified rotating velocity, performing servo control, and outputting a first motor control signal;    a servo control step of outputting a second control signal having a frequency that is variable within a predetermined range of synchronization relative to a basic frequency and servo-controlling said spindle motor to drive the spindle motor at a specified rotating velocity according to said electric signal;    a select step of selecting said second motor control signal to have a frequency within a range of frequency in which said second motor control signal is in synchronization with said specified rotating velocity and selecting said first motor control signal to have a frequency within a range of frequency in which said second motor control signal is in a maximum or minimum value of synchronization, by processing control;    an area dividing step of dividing a recording area of the optical disk into a plurality of areas lying substantially concentrically in a radial direction, deciding angular velocities varying in steps from one divided area to another, and controlling the spindle motor at an angular velocity of the divided area in each divided area;    according to the areas divided by said area dividing step, providing an area for recording by controlling the spindle motor so that the linear velocity is constant (CLV control), and an area for recording by controlling said optical disk so that the rotation angular velocity is constant (CAV control); and    switching over said areas by said select step and recording data on said optical disk.    
     
     
       11. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
   a pickup unit including an optical unit that applies a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converts its reflected beam into an electric signal, and a drive unit that drives said optical unit relative to said optical disk;        an RF amplifier for amplifying a signal from said pickup unit and outputting an RF signal;        a drive section that drives the optical disk to rotate at a rotation velocity;        a switching section that switches a driving control between CLV control and CAV control on a basis of the RF signal; and        a control section that, while recording information on the optical disk from an inner portion to an outer portion of the optical disk in the radial direction thereof, controls said switching section so as to switch from the CAV control to the CLV control, so that a change of said rotation velocity from the inner portion to the outer portion of the optical disk is reduced.     
     
     
       12. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said control section controls said drive section to change said rotation velocity successively when said switching section switches from the CAV control to the CLV control. 
     
     
       13. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said control section controls said switching section so as to switch from the CAV control to the CLV control when said rotation velocity in the CAV control reaches a predetermined value- fold acceleration.   
     
     
       14. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said control section controls said switching section so as to switch from CAV control to CLV control when a recording position in the CAV control reaches a predetermined radial position on the disk. 
     
     
       15. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
   a pickup section including an optical unit that applies a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converts its reflected beam into an electric signal and a drive unit for driving said optical unit relative to said optical disk;        a drive section that drives the optical disk to rotate at a rotation velocity;        a switching section that switches a driving control of said drive section between CLV control and CAV control;        a control section that, while recording information on the optical disk from an inner area to an outer area of the optical disk in the radial direction thereof, controls said switching section so as to switch from CAV control to CLV control when said rotation velocity in the CAV control reaches a predetermined value - fold acceleration.     
     
     
       16. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said apparatus further comprises an RF amplifier for amplifying a signal from said pickup unit and outputting an RF signal, and said control section controls ( i )  said drive section to change said rotation velocity and  ( ii )  said switching section to switch the driving control from CLV control to CAV control on the basis of the RF signal.   
     
     
       17. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said control section controls said drive section to change said rotation velocity successively when said switching section switches from the CAV control to the CLV control. 
     
     
       18. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
   a pickup section including an optical unit that applies a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converts its reflected beam into an electric signal and a drive unit for driving said optical unit relative to said optical disk;        a drive section that drives the optical disk to rotate at a rotation velocity;        a switching section that switches a driving control between CLV control and CAV control; and        a control section that, while recording information on a recording area of the optical disk from an inner area to an outer area of the optical disk in the radial direction thereof, controls said switching section so as to switch from the CAV control to the CLV control when a recording position in the CAV control reaches a predetermined radial position on the disk.     
     
     
       19. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said apparatus further comprises an RF amplifier for amplifying a signal from said pickup unit and outputting an RF signal, and said control section controls ( i )  said drive section to change said rotation velocity and  ( ii )  said switching section to switch the driving control from the CLV control to the CAV control on the basis of the RF signal.   
     
     
       20. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said control section controls said drive section to change said rotation velocity successively when said switching section switches from the CAV control to the CLV control. 
     
     
       21. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
   a pickup unit including an optical unit that applies a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converts its reflected beam into an electric signal and a drive unit that drives said optical unit relative to said optical disk;        a drive section that drives the optical disk to rotate at a rotation velocity;        a switching section that switches a driving control between CLV control and CAV control;        an area dividing section that divides a recording area of the optical disk into a plurality of areas according to recording capacities; and        a control section that determines which control in said drive section is applied to the divided recording area of the optical disk in recording information on the optical disk.     
     
     
       22. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein said apparatus further comprises an RF amplifier that amplifies a signal from said pickup unit and outputting an RF signal and said control section controls ( i )  said drive section to change said rotation velocity and  ( ii )  said switching section to switch the driving control from the CLV control to the CAV control on the basis of the RF signal.   
     
     
       23. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said control section controls said drive section to change said rotation velocity successively when said switching section switches from the CAV control to the CLV control. 
     
     
       24. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
   a pickup unit including an optical unit that applies a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converts its reflected beam into an electric signal and a drive unit for driving said optical unit relative to said optical disk;        a motor that rotates the optical disk;        a selector that switches a control of said motor between CLV control and CAV control; and        a processor that makes a decision whether circumferential velocity on a track of the optical disk, where said laser beam is applied, reaches a predetermined value, and that, while said apparatus accesses information on the optical disk from an inner area to an outer area of the optical disk in the radial direction thereof, controls said selector so as to switch from CAV control to CLV control based on said decision of said processor.     
     
     
       25. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein said apparatus further comprises an RF amplifier for amplifying a signal from said pickup unit and outputting an RF signal, and said processor controls both ( i )  said motor and  ( ii )  said selector on the basis of the RF signal.   
     
     
       26. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said processor controls said motor to change angular velocity successively after said selector switches to the CLV control. 
     
     
       27. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
   a pickup unit including an optical unit that applies a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converts its reflected beam into an electric signal and a drive unit for driving said optical unit relative to said optical disk;        a motor that rotates the optical disk;        a selector that switches a control of said motor between CLV control and CAV control; and        a processor that makes a decision whether a position of the laser beam on the optical disk reaches a predetermined radial position of the optical disk, and that, while said apparatus accesses information on the optical disk from an inner area to an outer area of the optical disk in the radial direction thereof, controls said selector so as to switch from CAV control to CLV control based on said decision of said processor.     
     
     
       28. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein said apparatus further comprises an RF amplifier for amplifying a signal from said pickup unit and outputting an RF signal, and said processor controls ( i )  said motor and  ( ii )  said selector on the basis of the RF signal.   
     
     
       29. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein said processor controls said motor to change angular velocity successively after said selector switches to the CLV control. 
     
     
       30. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
   a pickup unit including an optical unit that applies a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converts its reflected beam into an electric signal and a drive unit for driving said optical unit relative to said optical disk;        a motor that rotates the optical disk;        a selector that switches a control of said motor between CLV control and CAV control; and        a processor that makes a decision whether said optical unit reaches a predetermined radial position of the optical disk, and that, while said apparatus accesses information on the optical disk from an inner area to an outer area of the optical disk in the radial direction thereof, controls said selector so as to switch from CAV control to CLV control based on said decision of said processor.     
     
     
       31. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein said apparatus further comprises an RF amplifier for amplifying a signal from said pickup unit and outputting an RF signal, and said processor controls ( i )  said motor  ( drive section to change said rotation velocity )  and  ( ii )  said selector on the basis of the RF signal.   
     
     
       32. An optical disk apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein said processor controls said motor to change angular velocity successively after said selector switches to the CLV control. 
     
     
       33. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
   a pickup unit including an optical unit that applies a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converts its reflected beam into an electric signal and a drive unit for driving said optical unit relative to said optical disk;        a motor that rotates the optical disk;        a selector that switches a control of said motor between CLV control and CAV control; and        a processor that makes a decision whether an address of a track of the optical disk, which is accessed by said laser beam, has a value that is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and that, while said apparatus accesses information on the optical disk from an inner area to an outer area of the optical disk in the radial direction thereof, controls said selector so as to switch from CAV control to CLV control based on said decision of said processor.     
     
     
       34. An optical disk apparatus comprising:
   a pickup unit including an optical unit that applies a laser beam emitted from a laser beam emitting element to an optical disk and converts its reflected beam into an electric signal and a drive unit for driving said optical unit relative to said optical disk;        a motor that rotates the optical disk;        a selector that switches a control of said motor between CLV control and CAV control; and        a processor that makes a decision whether an address stored on a track of the optical disk to be accessed by said laser beam, reaches a predetermined value, and that, while said apparatus accesses information on the optical disk from an inner area to an outer area of the optical disk in the radial direction thereof, controls said selector so as to switch from CAV control to CLV control based on said decision of said processor.