Information recording and reproducing apparatus

An optical information recording and reproducing apparatus that determines the quality of recorded information through a beta value from information on the amplitude of a reproduced signal and if the beta value is outside the permissible range, outputs information on error to a host computer. Immediately after the information is recorded the information is reproduced first and second kinds of information including information on the amplitude of the reproduced signal and performance information or error information obtained from a binarized signal of that reproduced signal, respectively are used to determine the quality of the reproduced signal. Recording power condition is changed based on the first kind of information and a recording pulse width condition or reproduction condition is changed based on the second kind of information to ensure the reliability of the information recorded.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an information recording and reproducing apparatus that records onto and reproduces from an information recording medium, and more particularly, this invention concerns information recording and reproducing technology for recording and reproduction using laser beams.

2. Description of the Related Art

Information recording and reproducing apparatuses of the prior art capable of recording information to an optical recording medium such as an optical disk for example and reproducing that information (for example JP-A-9-161272, Pages 4–6, FIG. 1), operate by reproducing part of the recorded information after recording it to a data area, then calculating a beta value for that reproduced signal and if that beta value is outside the permissible range, information on errors is output to a host computer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With such an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus of the prior art, however, the quality of recorded information is ascertained only through the beta value from information on the amplitude of the reproduced signal. If that beta value is outside the permissible values, error information is output to the host computer. Further, there is another problem that affects the process of determining the quality of information recorded. This is because that process involves dividing the recording area on which information is recorded into regions of a specific size and reproducing the recorded information of each individual sample region thus divided. If the recording quality is poor, however, it is not possible to perform processes to compensate for the recording quality quickly. Also, no mention is made in the technologies of the prior art about the processes needed to improve such defective recording quality.

In view of these problems in the prior art the object of the present invention is to provide an information recording and reproducing apparatus wherein the integrity of the information recorded is maintained through the recording quality. This object is achieved by reproducing information immediately after information is recorded in the data area and ascertaining the quality of the reproduced signal using two kinds of information: firstly information obtained on the amplitude of the reproduced signal (amplitude information), and secondly information on performance (performance information) or information on errors (error information) obtained from a binarized signal of the reproduced signal. Power conditions are then changed based on the first kind of information and recording pulse width conditions are changed based on the second kind of information to achieve recording quality wherein the integrity of the information recorded is maintained.

To achieve the above object, an aspect of the present invention provides an information recording and reproducing apparatus comprising means for detecting information on the amplitude of a reproduced signal and means for detecting performance information or error information obtained from a binarized signal of the reproduced signal, which apparatus operates through a controller to determine the quality of a reproduced signal using the two kinds of information of, information obtained from amplitude information of the reproduced signal, and performance information or error information obtained from the binarized signal of the reproduced signal, and make no changes to recording conditions if those two kinds of information indicate satisfactory conditions, but make changes to recording power conditions based on the first kind of information and changes to recording pulse width conditions based on the second kind of information to ensure reliability of the information recorded.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.FIG. 1shows the configuration of an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus according to the present invention in which a reference numeral1is a semiconductor laser,2is a collimate lens that converts beams from the semiconductor laser into parallel beams,4is an objective lens that shapes the light spot, focusing the laser beam on the disk,3is a prism,5is an optical disk that includes a DVD disk that is a recording medium,6is an actuator for which controls shaping and positioning of the light spot formed in storage medium5, numerals7and8are photodetectors,9is a preamplifier,10is a reproducing circuit,11is a PLL circuit,12is a discriminator circuit,13is a high frequency superimposing circuit,14is a laser driver,15is a recording pulse generator circuit,16is a synthesizer,17is a power monitoring circuit,18is a servo drive circuit and19is a controller.

The optical information recording and reproducing apparatus of this configuration basically comprises a recording processing system comprising an optical head centered around semiconductor laser1, storage medium5for storing information and recording pulse generator circuit15, and a reproduction processing system primarily comprising reproduction circuit10that converts reproduced signals obtained from the recording head into information. As clearly shown in the Figure, storage medium5that stores information comprises a recording layer and a substrate supporting the layer.

Information data and commands come from the upper host. Controller19decodes the commands and modulates the recording data, converting it into a code sequence corresponding to the modulation system being used. Synthesizer16is an oscillator that generates a reference clock for the entire apparatus. When using the ZCAV (Zoned Constant Angular Velocity) recording type which is a method for high capacity recording in which the reference clock is changed for each zone to achieve a substantially constant recording density the inner and outer circumferences of disk, the oscillating frequency of synthesizer16changes for each zone. Further, when the ZCLV (Zoned Constant Linear Velocity) recording type is used in which the revolutions of the spindle motor (not shown in the Figure) that drives storage medium5are changed, to achieve a substantially constant linear velocity between the inner and outer circumferences of disk, the oscillator frequency of synthesizer16remains constant.

The servo configuration (whether focus servo or tracking servo), controls the positioning and shape of the light spot for recording and reproducing information by, for example, acquiring a focus error signal and a tracking error signal from a cylindrical lens (not shown in the Figure) positioned in front of photodetector7formed of quad-detector and inputting these error signals into controller19(not shown in the Figure) from photodetector7. After then servo signals are output to servo drive circuit18from controller19, with objective lens4being moved by a driving current supplied to actuator6.

When recording information, a code sequence modulated in accordance with original information data from controller19and a reference clock from synthesizer16are input to recording pulse generator circuit15and converted to a recording pulse sequence for controlling the length and width of a recording mark.

Next, these recording pulse sequences converted at recording pulse generator circuit15are first input to laser driver14, and semiconductor laser1is made to produce high power oscillations by recording current supplied from laser driver14. The light output from the semiconductor laser1first becomes parallel beams at collimate lens2, passing through prism3and being converged in storage medium5by objective lens4. These processes facilitate recording of recording marks corresponding to the code sequence of the above recording pulse sequence.

High frequency superimposing circuit13is provided to reduce laser noise due to semiconductor laser1. When information is recorded, erased or overwritten, the circuit13can discontinue high frequency superimposition based on the lifetime of the laser.

With an information recording and reproducing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, when recorded information is reproduced as described above, semiconductor laser1is made to produce low-power oscillationing light and the oscillating light is injected into storage medium5. The optical path of the reflected light from this storage medium5is split by prism3before the reflected light is injected into photodetector7. After the light thus injected is photoelectrically converted at photodetector7, it is amplified by preamplifier9and then input to reproduction circuit10. In this reproduction circuit10, which could be comprised for example of waveform equalization circuitry, automatic gain control circuitry and binarization circuitry, the reproduced signal thus input is converted into a binary signal. As shown inFIG. 3, reproduction circuit10includes peak, center and bottom level detecting circuits for detecting the amplitude level of the reproduced signal.

The binary signal output from reproduction circuit10is then input to PLL (Phase Locked Loop) circuit11for self clocking. The binary signal and a reproduction clock signal synchronized with the binary signal, acquired through the PLL circuit, are then input to discriminator circuit12to discriminate the data, and the resulting data signal is input to controller19. In this way, the data is demodulated.

Changes in a reproduced signal due to varying recording power will now be described with reference toFIGS. 2A–2C. InFIG. 2Ashows the reproduced signal obtained through low power recording,FIG. 2Bshows the reproduced signal obtained through appropriate/optimized power recording andFIG. 2Cshows the reproduced signal obtained through high power recording. The changes in amplitude of the reproduced signal are easily discernible here shown in one example of a reproduced signal illustrated through the combination of the long and short marks. The mark part is shown to extend to the lower side in the Figure, and the space part is shown as extending up into the upper side. The part shown by long spaces represents the peak level of the reproduced signal, the part shown by the lower part of the longer part of the mark represents the bottom level of the reproduced signal and the average level of the marks and spaces of reproduced signal represents the center level. This center level is positioned substantially in the center of the amplitude level of the short mark and the short space. Beta values from these three levels can be obtained as expressed below.
Beta=(A1+A2)/(A1, A2)  Expression (1)A1=peak level−center levelA2=bottom level−center level

In this way, beta values can be calculated from the three levels, the peak level, center level and bottom level and it becomes possible to control recording power from the relationship of these beta values for recording power.

The configuration of the circuitry for detecting the amplitude level of reproduced signals that is included in reproduction circuit10will now be described with reference toFIG. 3. Separately from the data discrimination in reproduction circuit10the reproduced signal output from preamplifier9is divided to be input to envelope detection circuit20, where the peak level of the reproduced signal is detected by a peak detection circuit21, the bottom level of the reproduced signal is detected by a bottom detection circuit22and the center level is detected by a center detection circuit24. Peak detection circuit21detects the amplitude level that inFIG. 2is the part shown by the long spaces (the upper side of the Figure), the bottom detection circuit22detects the amplitude level that inFIG. 2is the part shown by the longer part of the mark (the lower side of the Figure) and the center detection circuit24detects the amplitude level that inFIG. 2is positioned substantially in the center amplitude level where the marks and spaces are short.

Here, gate generating circuit23receiving instructions from controller19, controls peak detection circuit21, bottom detection circuit22, center detection circuit24and AD converter25to detect the peak level, center level and bottom level of the reproduced signal when reproduction begins immediately after recording. AD converter25performs AD conversion of the peak level, center level and bottom level supplied to it and this converted amplitude data is stored in controller19. The controller19can calculate the beta values using the stored data in accordance with the Expression (1).

The relationship between beta values and PI (Parity of Inner-code) errors to recording power will now be described with reference toFIG. 4.

PI is one kind of information for processing errors, used for DVD,ROM/RAM/R/RW or the like. InFIG. 4, recording power is shown on the horizontal axis or abscissa, while the beta values and number of PI errors are plotted on the left and right sides respectively of the vertical axis or ordinate 100% recording power is an optimum level of recording power set in advance. Recording pulse width also, is optimized for this 100% recording power level. Under these conditions the actual measurement for the beta value, that constitutes information on the amplitude of the reproduced signal, is approximately 7% and the error information (number of PI errors) obtained from the binarized signal is 0. To the extent that this number of PI errors increases, the integrity of the information decreases. Actually however, through implementing processes like error correction processes for example, the integrity of information can be maintained even with some degree of PI errors. The maximum number of PI errors is 208, and a value of 100 or less must be ensured at least in performance. Considering compatibility issues, however, things like reproduction margins, when information recorded is reproduced on another information recording and reproducing apparatus, the recording quality should be made as good as possible. If recording power is decreased in relation to the optimized 100% recording power, in addition to the beta value decreasing, the number of PI errors rapidly increases from about the 80% recording power area. As the recording power increases, in addition to the beta value increasing the number of PI errors increases from the vicinity of about 120% recording power. Accordingly, with the beta value at about 7%, in addition to achieving the optimum recording power the number of PI errors is about 0 and the integrity of the information is maintained. As illustrated inFIG. 4, there is a co-linear approximation between recording power and the beta value.

The relationship between beta values and PI (Parity of Inner-code) errors as reproduction performance deteriorates will now be described with reference toFIG. 5.

FIG. 5is obtained as a result of taking the marks recorded on/recording marks obtained fromFIG. 4and reproducing, with an AF offset (one component of reproduction performance) of about 0.56 μm applied to the values ofFIG. 4(that are the optimized AF offset values).

The same components as are plotted on the horizontal and vertical axes ofFIG. 4appear on the same axes ofFIG. 5. At optimum recording power 100%, the number of PI errors exceeds 60 while the beta value is around the 7% vicinity. With recording power at below 80% there is a rapid increase in the number of PI errors to 100 or more, and it is not possible to maintain information integrity. Further, with recording power at 110% or above, naturally the number of PI errors increases rapidly to 100 or more and it is not possible to maintain integrity of the information. Here, conditions as reproduction performance deteriorates have been described with reference toFIG. 5, but the same kind of characteristics as described with reference toFIG. 5would be obtained if describing conditions where there is no problem with reproduction performance, as for example with reproduction conditions ofFIG. 4and with non optimized recording pulse width. This means that if recording power is optimized it is possible to attain an amplitude of the reproduced signal where there are no performance problems. However, because the recording pulse width is not optimized, the length of the mark recorded and the length of the spaces deviate from the prescribed length, the number of PI errors increases even with recording power at the optimum level. Furthermore, when recording power deviates from the optimum recording power, naturally, the number of PI errors increases rapidly to 100 or more, and it is not possible to maintain the integrity of the information.

It has been described above with reference toFIG. 5that the same relationship between beta values and PI errors applies when reproduction performance deteriorates and when the recording pulse width is not optimized. Accordingly, when the recording pulse width is optimized reproduction performance must be improved. When the recording pulse width is not optimized it must be optimized.

The flow of processes according to the present invention will now be described with reference toFIG. 6. Operations where no learning is conducted on the recording conditions of recording power and recording pulse width will be described first.

After a disk is louded at step101, at step102the initial settings of revolutions control, AF offset and TR offset are made and the initial recording conditions are set to commence operations. Initial recording conditions refers to the read-in of information such as control data stored in advance on a storage medium, and controller19sets recording conditions as the initial conditions for laser driver14, recording pulse generator circuit15and synthesizer16. At step103the head moves to the desired track to perform data recording at step104. When reproducing data after the data is recorded, data reproduction is performed at step105. Next, the beta value and the number of PI errors are detected at step106. If the beta value and the number of PI errors exceed prescribed or predetermined values, the recording conditions or reproduction conditions are changed at step107. Here, the following processes are performed for the beta value and the number of PI errors.

When no learning is conducted on recording conditions

(1) if the beta value is at the predetermined value and the number of PI errors exceeds the predetermined value, learning is performed on the recording pulse width,

(2) if the number of PI errors is at the predetermined value and the beta value exceeds the predetermined value, learning is performed on the recording power,

(3) if both the beta value and the number of PI errors exceed their predetermined values, learning is performed on the recording power and the recording pulse width.

When learning is performed on the recording conditions

(4) if the beta value is at the predetermined value and the number of PI errors exceeds the predetermined value, learning is performed on the reproduction conditions,

(5) if the number of PI errors is at the predetermined value and the beta value exceeds the prescribed value, learning is performed on the recording power,

(6) if both the beta value and the number of PI errors exceed their predetermined values, learning is performed on the recording power and the recording conditions.

These processes are repeated to achieve beta values and PI error numbers within the predetermined scope. Here, learning on the recording power is performed to obtain the relationship between recording power and beta values. As shown inFIG. 4, as linearization exists between the recording power and the beta value, the target beta value can be obtained from control data, so that the recording power level corresponding to the target beta value can be obtained from the linearization. By performing this operation once on for example a test area of the recording medium, thereafter, the obtained co-linear approximation can be used to calculate the optimum recording power by controller19from the beta value as detected, and obtain the optimum recording power.

Next, once the beta value and number of PI errors fall within the predetermined ranges, data reproduction step108is performed. If data reproduction is not performed however, the flow proceeds to termination of processes at step111. When data reproduction is performed, data reproduction takes place at step108and if the reproduced data is read in normally, the flow of processes proceeds to termination at step111. If however the data read in is not normal, as shown for step110, in addition to performing checks on the beta value and number of PI errors, reproduction conditions are changed and the reproduction operation is performed over again. Here, changes to reproduction conditions refers to situations as described forFIG. 5where a new value is set to correct an irregular AF offset value, but beyond that, other conditions like waveform equalization conditions for example may also be changed. Further, the description of processes made with reference toFIG. 6envisages conditions under which no learning had been performed when the disk was loaded, however the operations of (4) through (6) above can be performed when learning is performed when the disk is loaded. Especially in the case of learning for recording pulse width, if performed once after the disk is loaded, it need not be performed again thereafter. If however the disk is re-loaded or changes are made to the performance of the recording and reproducing apparatus, it is preferable that learning for recording pulse width be performed again as the integrity of the information recorded is maintained.

When the beta value and number of PI errors are detected as above, if changes are made to recording or reproduction conditions based on those two kinds of values it is preferable that these changes be performed using the minimal unit of the recording data but the integrity of information recorded can be maintained by setting optimum recording conditions and reproduction conditions after detecting the beta value and number of PI errors based on information from power monitoring circuit17that constantly monitors recording power or when the temperature of the environment (as detected by a temperature sensor installed in controller19or a temperature sensor not shown in the Figures) changes substantially.

The present invention enables the integrity of information to be maintained, as two kinds of information, that is analog information, for example, the amplitude level of a recorded signal and digital information, for example PI errors are used to determine the integrity of recorded information, and then changes are made to recording conditions and reproduction conditions based on the combination of those two kinds of information.