Patent ID: 8385161
Filing Date: 2013-02-26
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. An optical information reproducing device for reproducing information from an optical information recording medium, comprising: a light focusing unit for generating near-field light; a measuring unit for measuring a reproduction signal quality of the optical information recording medium using the near-field light generated by the light focusing unit; a gap length determining unit for determining a gap length between the light focusing unit and a surface of the optical information recording medium as a set value based on a measurement result on the reproduction signal quality in the measuring unit; a gap control unit for controlling a gap between the light focusing unit and the surface of the optical information recording medium based on the set value determined in the gap length determining unit; and a reproduction stopping unit for stopping reproduction from the optical information recording medium when a measurement value of the reproduction signal quality measured by the measuring unit does not satisfy a predetermined quality condition even if the gap length between the light focusing unit and the surface of the optical information recording medium is shortened to a predetermined length.