Patent ID: 7016271
Filing Date: 2006-03-21
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. An optical recording/reproducing apparatus using a recording medium having at least one of a land and a groove, the optical recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: a light beam emitting unit configured to emit a plurality of light beams to the recording medium, at least one of the land and groove containing a plurality of tracks corresponding to the light beams; a photodetection unit configured to detect the light beams reflected from the recording medium and output detection signals corresponding to the light beams reflected; a detection signal selection unit configured to select at least one detection signal of the detection signals detected by the photodetection unit according to on or from which of the plurality of tracks data is recorded or reproduced; and a tracking control unit configured to make one of the light beams trace the track to be recoded or reproduced, according to the detection signal selected, wherein a pitch Tp between the tracks is defined by Tp<2Φ/3 where Φ indicates a diameter of each of the light beams, a distance W between center positions of adjacent ones of the light beams in a direction perpendicular to the track is set to the pitch Tp or Tp/2, a distance D between the center positions of the light beams adjacent in a direction along the track is set to D≧2Φ.