AN APPARATUS FOR COUNTING A NUMBER OF RECORD TRACKS APPLICABLE TO AN ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM OF A OPTICAL DISC

Abstract: An apparatus for counting a number of record tracks which an optical head (2) traverses on a basis of a periodical track transverse information INF TR representing the traverse of the head across the record tracks. The periodical track transverse information INF TR is derived by sampling a track information of the record tracks preformed discretely on record tracks TR . In the track counting apparatus (6), a tracking signal generating circuit is installed for generating tracking signals V OP and V OQ which vary their frequencies and phases so as to follow those of the track transverse information INF TR . The number of record tracks which the optical head (2) has traversed are counted on the basis of the tracking signals V OP and V OQ . The tracking signals V OP and V OQ have continous waveforms so that the number of the tracks can accurately be counted even if only a discrete information is derived as the track transverse information INF TR .

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus for counting the number of record tracks formed on an optical disc. The present invention relates particularly to the apparatus therefor applicable to an access control system used in a sample servo type optical disc apparatus. Successive pit servo type and sample servo type tracking methods applied to, for example, a tracking read/write type optical disc have been proposed. It is known some type of optically or magneto-optically recordable discs, one has a preformed continuous groove as shown in JP-A-52-10102, published on January 26,1977, the other has preformed pits as shown in U.S Patents,4,402,061 and 4,561,082. A tracking servo is carried out for the preformed continuous groove or preformed pits on the disc. The former we call a continuous servo type, the latter a sample servo type, hereinafter. Of the sample servo type, US-A-4405956, upon which the precharacterising portion of appended claim 1 is based, proposes an apparatus for use with a disk having positive and negative servo marks on the disk to provide sine and cosine head position signals. Sine and cosine signal approximations are generated from high frequency outputs of variable and fixed frequency oscillators and the same outputs are fed to the up and down inputs of a head actual position counter. In a previously proposed optical disc using the sample servo method, an optical head is accessed onto a desired record track having a prerecorded address from one track. At this time, an optical head access driving portion including, e.g., a thread motor is driven in response to an access control signal CONT supplied from a system controller, so that the optical head traverses the record tracks. During the transverse operation of the optical head, a pick-up signal PU derived from the optical head is inputted to a pick-up signal processing circuit. In addition, a tracking information S TRK is outputted from the pick-up signal processing circuit. The tracking information S TRK is periodically derived when the optical head traverses one of the record tracks is inputted into a track counting apparatus and the optical head access driving portion is driven until the counted contents of the track counting apparatus coincides with one of the tracks to the accessed. In the case of the sample servo type optical disc, the record tracks TR (----TR n-1 , TR n ,TR n+1 ,----) formed on the optical disc have a servo area ERP and data recording area ERD , which are aligned in a radial direction, are alternatively conjoined in a sequential order on each same track. Therefore, the data recorded on the data recording area ERD do not interfere with the tracking information and clocking information recorded on the servo area. A pair of tracking pits PA , PB preformed in the servo area ERP are offset toward an inside and outside of a center line of the above-described record tracks by a 1/4 (one-fourth) pitch with respect to the center line CET of the above-described record tracks. In addition, a pit PC for a clocking signal is formed on the center line CET . When a read light beam LAR irraradiates a read light beam on the center line CET so that the light beam impinges sequentially on the pits PA , PB , and PC, the optical head can detect the three pits PA , PB , and PC as the change of reflected light beam from these pits. The pick-up signal derived at the optical head on the basis of the reflected light beam from the disc is sampled and held (sample/hold) by means of a sampling pulse generated by the pick-up signal processing circuit at a timing at which the read light beam LAR passes through the pits PA , PB , and PC . The pick up signal processing circuit can produce the tracking information representing a positional difference between the read light beam LAR and center line CET and produce clock information representing a timing at which the read light beam LAR has passed on the clocking signal pit PC . The system controller carries out a tracking control for the optical head so that the read light beam LAR scans the center line CET of the record tracks ---TR n-1 , TR n , TR n-1 ,--- on the basis of the tracking information derived in the pick-up signal processing circuit. The pick-up signal processing circuit generates a sampling pulse which is synchronized with the phase of the clocking information, so that the opto-magnetically recorded data on the data recording area ERD is sampled from the pick-up signal PU in accordance with the sampling pulse. The track counting apparatus counts the number of tracks which the read light beam has traversed on the basis of the tracking information S TRK transmitted from the pick-up signal processing circuit during the head access operation. In details, when the read light beam LAR traverses the record tracks TR sequentially, a track transverse information INF TR sampled by means of the sampling pulse signal P S at a timing of the tracking signal pits PA and PB exhibits a change corresponding to one period of a sinusoidal wave during the time when the read light beam LAR is moved from one record track TR n to the other track TR n-1 (or TR n+1 ) at the outside (or inside) adjacent to the track TR n . Since the pair of tracking pits PA and PB are formed in a discrete configuration with the data recording area ERD sandwiched, a track transverse information INF TR constituted by a stepwise, sinusoidal waveform is obtained. The track transverse information INF TR is passed through a filter so that a clear phantom track transverse information INF TRX is derived. Therefore, the track counting apparatus can count the number of record tracks which the read light beam LAR has traversed by counting the number of times the track transverse information INF TR traverses a predetermined threshold level SHD on the basis of the change of the sampled track transverse information INF TR . If a transverse speed of the head becomes increased when the counting apparatus counts the number of the record tracks which the light beam LAR has traversed on the basis of the track transverse information INF TR , it may become impossible for the track counting apparatus to accurately count the number of tracks which the read light beam has traversed. In detail , the optical head gradually accelerates from a state in which the speed is zero during an accelerated transverse interval of time T₁ immediately after the optical head has started, when the optical head accesses at a high speed one of the other tracks from a state during which the head is tracking one of the record tracks. Therefore, a period of the phantom track transverse information IN TRX (hence, the track transverse information INF TR ) is gradually reduced until the head enters a high-speed transverse interval at which the head moves at a high velocity. On the contrary, since the sampling period of the sampling pulse used in the pick-up signal processing circuit is constant, the number of samplings per period of the track transverse interval information INF TR at an interval of the accelerated transverse T₁ of the head are gradually reduced. Thereafter, at the high-speed transverse interval, a time axis is expanded so that the sampling periods τ SP becomes substantially equal to one period τ TRX of the phantom track transverse information INF TRX . consequently, a value of the track transverse information INF TR enters in a state in which, for example, only several numbers of sampling information can be extracted during one period of the above-described sampling. If the transverse speed is further increased and the period τ TRX of the phantom track transverse information INF TRX becomes shorter than the sampling period τ SP of the sampling pulse P S , only one sampling information cannot be extracted for several numbers of the periods of the phantom track transverse information INF TRX as the track tansverse information INF TR . In such a state as described above, the track transverse information cannot be reproduced having the same contents of the phantom track transverse information INF TRX before the sampling from the track transverse information INF TR . Hence, even when the track transverse information INF TR exceeds the predetermined threshold level SHD , its reliability that the track transverse information INF TR represents the correct number of the traversed tracks becomes reduced. Suppose that the above-described state has a relationship of a trajectory LARX of the read light beam LAR with respect to the record tracks TR . For example, the read light beam LAR has traversed five record tracks TR n to TR n+4 while the trajectory LARX is passing through the data recording area ERD between the mutually adjoining servo areas ERP . In this case, only one sampling information can be obtained while the phantom track transverse information INF TRX changes by five periods. An information corresponding to the phantom track transverse information INF TRX cannot be reproduced from this one sampling information. As a matter of fact, if the transverse speed of the read light beam LAR becomes so high that a theorem of sampling cannot be satisfied, the number of the head traversed tracks cannot be counted in the previously proposed method described above. Especially, in a case where the record tracks are sampled at a sampling frequency of 41 kHz for the representative optical disc having 1.5 micrometers of a track pitch and the read light beam LAR has traversed at a speed such as to generate the phantom track transverse information INF TRX , the read light beam LAR traverses the record tracks TR at a speed of 3 cm/sec. If the read light beam LAR traverses at a higher speed, the transverse track information cannot be reproduced in terms of the sampling theorem. Therefore, the information access speed from the optical disc is limited at a relatively slow speed value. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for counting a number of record tracks on an optical disc which reliably assures the counting of the traversed number of record tracks even when the access speed of the optical head becomes relatively high as compared with the sampling period. According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus in an optical disc device for counting a number of traversed record tracks of a disc, the counting apparatus comprising: detecting means for providing first and second tracking information signals on the basis of information recorded on a disc; generating means for generating a first tracking signal following at least one of the frequency and the phase of the first track information signal and generating a second tracking signal following at least one of the frequency and the phase of the second track information signal; and fourth means for counting the number of tracks which the optical head has traversed on the basis of the first tracking signal and second tracking signal; characterised in that said detecting means comprises first means for providing a tracking error signal and second means for providing a clock reproduction signal on the basis of, respectively, first tracking pits and clocking pits previously formed on a disc in a discretely spaced apart manner, said first track information signal comprising said tracking error signal and said second track information signal comprising said clock reproduction signal. Fig. 1 is a simplified circuit block diagram of an optical disc device to which an apparatus for counting a number of record tracks according to the present invention is applicable. Fig. 2 is a simplified circuit block diagram of the track counting apparatus according to the present invention for explaining a theoretical construction of the track counting apparatus shown in Fig. 1 . Fig. 3 is a simplified circuit block diagram of the track counting apparatus in a first preferred embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. 4 is a simplified circuit wiring diagram of a bi-phase detecting signal forming circuit shown in Fig. 2 . Fig. 5 is a simplified circuit wiring diagram of a traversed track count circuit shown in Fig. 3 . Fig. 6 is a simplified circuit wiring diagram of a bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit shown in Fig. 3 . Fig. 7 is a simplified circuit block diagram of the track counting apparatus in a second preferred embodiment. Fig. 8 is a simplified circuit block diagram of the track counting apparatus in a third preferred embodiment. Fig. 9 is a schematic timing chart for explaining a tracking operation for the optical disc. Fig. 10 is a schematic explanatory view of the optical disc and a trajectory of an optical head when the optical head accesses the record tracks at high speeds. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will hereinafter be made to the drawings in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention. Fig. 1 shows a whole optical disc device to which the present invention is applicable. Each function of circuits shown in Fig. 1 has already described in the Background of the Art of specification. In Fig. 1 , numeral 1 denotes the optical disc, numeral 2 denotes an optical head, numeral 3 denotes the system controller, numeral 4 denotes the optical head driving portion, numeral 5 denotes the pick up signal processing circuit, and numeral 6 denotes the track counting apparatus according to the present invention. Fig. 2 shows a whole circuit construction of the track counting apparatus 6 according to the present invention for explaining a basic concept of the present invention. A bi-phase detecting signal forming circuit 11 receives a track transverse information S TRK from the pick-up signal processing circuit 5 shown in Fig. 1 and outputs a first phase detecting signal V P and a second phase detecting signal V Q to multipliers 12 and 13 as a track transverse information INF TR . The multiplied outputs V A and V B are subtracted by a subtractor 14 . The subtracted output V C is converted into an analog control signal V CON of a direct current voltage output signal by means of an error signal forming circuit 15 . The control signal V CON is supplied to a bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 . The bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 includes a bi-phase voltage controlled oscillator (a bi-phase VCO ) and generates a first phase and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ constituted by sinusoidal waves having mutually different phases by 90°. These tracking signals are supplied to the multipliers 12 and 13 . In Fig. 2 , the bi-phase detecting signal generating circuit 16 generates the first phase and second phase detecting signals V P and V Q having mutually different phases by 90° in the following on the basis of the transverse speed v of the optical head 2 . V P = sin(2πvt) (1) V Q = cos(2πvt) (2) On the other hand, the first phase tracking signal V OP and second phase tracking signal V OQ can be expressed as follows: V OP = cos (2πvt+Δ⊘) (3) V OQ = sin(2πvt+Δ⊘) (4) In this way, the first phase tracking signal V OQ and second tracking signal V OP are signals whose phases are different in phase by (π/2+Δ⊘) from the corresponding first and second phase detecting signals V P and V Q . It is noted that Δ⊘ denotes a minute phase difference. Thus, the multiplied outputs are achieved as the multiplied outputs V A and V B are obtained which are expressed as follows: V A =V P xV OP = sin(2πvt)cos(2πvt+Δ⊘) (5) V B =V Q xV OQ = cos(2πvt)sin(2πvt+Δ⊘) (6) Consequently, a value of the subtracted output V C of the subtractor 14 can be expressed as follows: In the way described above, the value of the subtracted output V C has a phase of the minute phase difference Δ⊘, i.e., a difference in phase between the first and second phase detecting signals V P and V Q and the first and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ . If the minute phase difference Δ⊘ has a negligibly small value, the subtracted output V C can be derived as a value approximate to the minute phase difference - Δ⊘ . Actually, the subtracted output is a signal having only a very low-frequency component (several kiloherz). The subtracted output V C is converted to a control signal V CON constituted by a direct current voltage in the error signal generating circuit 15 so as to control the oscillation frequency of the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 so that the minute phase difference Δ ⊘ becomes zero. The bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 is operated so as to behave a PLL (Phase Locked Loop) circuit to zero the substracted output V C . When the change of the transverse speed v included as the variables in the first and second phase detecting signals V P and V Q supplied from the bi-phase detecting signal forming circuit 11 causes the change in the change rate of the phase with respect to time, the first and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ are continued to be supplied to the multipliers 12 and 13 and transverse track counting circuit 17 . The first phase and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ of the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 are supplied to the transverse track counting circuit 17 . For example, when an instantaneous value of the first phase tracking signal V OP rises from a negative (minus) direction to a positive (plus) direction, the tracking counting circuit 17 continues to count by one (increment) upon determination that the optical head 2 traverses one of the record tracks TR . In Fig. 2 , the number of the traversed tracks are counted on the basis of the track signals V OP and V OQ comprising the continuous wave having the frequency and phase which follow those of the track transverse information INF TR . Therefore, even when a discrete sampling signal has reached as the track transverse information INF TR , the number of transverse tracks can be counted without error. When the optical head 2 accesses from one record track TR to the other record track TR , the transverse movement of the optical head 2 is started from one of the record tracks TR which has been tracked up till now. At this time, a gradual acceleration is carried out due to a mechanical inertial force. Therefore, the change of phase (hence, a frequency change) of the first phase detecting signal V P representing a tracking error is relatively slow. However, the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 can change the oscillation frequency (hence, phase) at a response speed sufficiently fast as an electrical PLL loop. Hence, even if the frequency of the first phase detecting signal V P becomes extremely high, the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 follows the first phase tracking signal V P so as to oscillate at an extremely high oscillation frequency. In addition, the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 transmits the tracking signals V OP and V OQ of the continuous waves. Therefore, even if the discrete sampling information has arrived thereat as the track transverse information INF TR , the number of transverse tracks can accurately be counted. Since the subtracted output V C as a reference to control the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 includes only a low frequency component, the control of the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 can practically be facilitated. Especially, when the speed of the optical head 2 is 1 m/sec and the track pitch is 1.5 micrometers, the frequency of the first phase detecting signal V P becomes considerably high so as to give 1 [m/sec]/1.5 [µm]=660 [kHz]. In the circuit construction of Fig. 2 , the frequency component of the multiplied output V C is only at several kiloherz order even if the sample clock frequency = several 10 [kHz]. Fig. 3 shows a first preferred embodiment of the track counting apparatus 6 . In Fig. 3 , the error signal forming circuit 15 supplies the sample/hold output V SPL of the sample/hold circuit 15A receiving the subtracted output V C to the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 as the control signal V CON via a low-pass filter 15B . In this embodiment, the sample/hold circuit 15A receives a standard sample clock signal CK S (for example, a frequency of 41[kHz]) to sample the subtracted output V C having the same period as the sampling period sampling the track transverse information INF TR . In addition, the bi-phase detecting signal forming circuit 11 , as shown in Fig. 4 , supplies detecting signals S11 , S12 , and S13 of the pick-up signal processing circuit 5 to the sample/hold circuits 11A , 11B , and 11C operating the sample clock signals CK A , CK B , and CK C . The pick-up signal processing circuit 5 samples the detecting signals S11 , S12 , and S13 corresponding to brightness of the reflected beam on the pits P A , P B and P C by means of the sample clock signals CK A , CK B , and CK C derived at a timing at which the read light beam sequentially irradiates the tracking signal pits PA and PB and the clocking signal pit PC and supplies them to the sample/hold circuits 11A , 11B , and 11C . The sample/hold circuit 11C for the clocking pit P C supplies the sampled and held output to the multiplier 13 shown in Fig. 3 as the second phase detecting signal v Q . The sampled and held outputs S 11A and S 11B of the sample/hold circuits 11A and 11B are supplied to an inverting input terminal and noninverting input terminal of an operational amplifier 11D having input resistors R11 , R12 , and R13 and feedback resistor R14 so that a tracking error signal as denoted by v p is produced at an output terminal of the operational amplifier 11D representing a relative positional offset of the tracking pits PA and PB with respect to the read light beam LAR . The tracking error signal is supplied to the multiplier 12 shown in Fig. 3 as the first phase detecting signal v p . The transverse track counting circuit 17 shown in Fig. 3 receives the first phase and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ transmitted from the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 at respective binary encoders 17A and 17B therein, as shown in Fig. 5 . The binary encoders 17A and 17B supply binary encoded outputs V OPD and V OQD whose levels rise to a logical high (" H ") level during a positive half period of the first and second tracking signals V OP and V OQ constituted by the sinusoidal wave to a clock input terminal CL of the track counter 17C and up/down control input terminal U/D . The track counting circuit 17C is controlled in an up-count (increment) operation state (or down-count (decrement) operation state) when the second binary coded output V OQD is at a logical high (" H ") level (or logical low (" L ") level). The track counter 17C counts up (increments) or counts down (decrements) depending on whether a rising edge of the first binary-coded output V OPD is at a logical high level or logical low level. This logical level represents a state in which the optical head 2 traverses in an inner direction or outer direction of the disc 1 . The counted contents of the track counter 17C are supplied to the system controller 3 of the optical disc device as the transverse track count output C TRV representing the number of tracks over which the read light beam LAR have traversed. The system controller 3 drives the optical head driving portion 4 according to the contents of the track count output C TRV . As shown in Fig. 6 , the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 in Fig. 3 includes a voltage controlled ocsillator ( VCO ) 16A which outputs an oscillated output S1 having a predetermined frequency range ,e.g., from 19 to 21 [ MHz ] according to the control signal V CON . The oscillated output S1 is multiplied by an oscillated output S2 having a predetermined frequency, e.g., 20 MHz generated in the oscillation circuit 16C by means of the multiplier 16B . The multiplied output S3 is supplied to a low-pass filter 16D having, e.g., a cut-off frequency of 20 [ MHz ]. A frequency signal having a frequency (-1.00[ MHz ] to +1.0 [ MHz ]) difference between the oscillated outputs S1 and S2 is extracted from the multiplied output S3 and outputted as the first phase tracking signal V OP . The oscillated output S1 of the voltage-controlled oscillator 16A is multiplied by the frequency signal S4 derived via a 90-degree phase shifter 16F from the oscillated output S2 . The multiplied output S5 is supplied to a low-pass filter 16G having a cut-off frequency of 2 [ MHz ]. A frequency signal having a frequency difference (-1.0 [ MHz ] to +1.0 [ MHz ] and a phase deviation of 90 degrees with respect to the first phase tracking signal V OP is outputted as the second phase tracking signal V OQ . In Fig. 6 , the first phase and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ can thus be achieved which are constituted by continuous sinusoidal waves having a mutually phase difference of 90° and which are proportional to the control signal V CON transmitted from the error signal forming circuit 15 (refer to Fig. 3 ). In the first preferred embodiment in which the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 is provided, the transverse speed of the optical head 2 rises from a state in which the optical head 2 is tracking one of the record tracks to a state in which the head 2 accesses the other record track is gradually increased from zero. However, the first phase and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ can be generated which accurately follow the positional change in a positive or negative direction of the control signal V CON derived from the error signal forming circuit 15 according to the changing transverse speed of the optical head 2 . As described above with reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 9 , when the optical head 2 is started to access the other record track from one of the record tracks by means of the optical disc driving portion 4 , the optical head 2 starts traverse of the record track TR at an extremely low speed due to a mechanical inertia force at the initial stage from a time to . The transverse speed is increased in the gradually accelerated interval T₁ shown in Fig. 9 such as the gradual increase in the acceleration (acceleration interval T₁ as shown in Fig. 9 ) and ,thereafter, the constant, high-speed transverse (high speed transverse interval T₂ as shown in Fig. 9 ). The detecting signals S11 , S12 , and S13 derived from the pits P A , P B , and P C are sampled by means of the sample/hold circuits 11A , 11B , and 11C in response to the standard sample clock signals CK A , CK B , and CK C , each having the same frequency as the standard sample clock signal CK S . The bi-phase detecting signal forming circuit 11 actually retrieves the multiple numbers of sampling information during a change of one period of a phantom track transverse information INF TRX as shown in ( B1 ) of Fig. 9 when the transverse speed of the read light beam LAR is very low. Therefore, the track transverse information INF TR substantially exhibiting the change of one period of the phantom track transverse information INF TRX can be sampled by means of the sample/hold circuits 11A , 11B , and 11C . Thus, the first phase and second phase detecting signals V P and V Q can be obtained having sinusoidal wave signals expressed in the equations ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) at output terminals of the bi-phase detecting signal forming circuit 11 . The subtracted output V C of the subtractor 14 represents a phase difference between the first and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ generated from the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 . The subtracted output V C has value corresponding to a minute difference -Δ⊘ representing a delay of the following operation of the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 and includes only low-frequency components. Hence, the sample/hold circuit 15A of Fig. 3 can sample and hold the subtracted output V C by means of the standard sample clock signal CK S and supply the control signal V CON according to the subtracted output V C . Thus, the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 generates the first phase and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ having phases (hence, frequency) following the change in the phases (hence, frequencies) of the first and second phase detecting signals V P and V Q so as to perform a follow-up operation to zero the subtracted output V C . The follow-up operation is executed during an acceleration interval T₁ shown in Fig. 9 at which the speed of the optical head 2 becomes a constantly high. When the acceleration interval shown in Fig. 9 as denoted by T₁ is ended and the speed is in an interval of the high speed transverse interval T₂ , the oscillation frequency of the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 is increased at a frequency substantially equal to the frequency at the high speed transverse interval T₂ even if the frequencies of the first and second phase detecting signals V P and V Q become substantially equal to or shorter than the frequency of the standard sample clock signal CK S . When the optical head 2 traverses the record tracks TR at a high speed, the number of sampling information of the first and second phase detecting signals v p and v Q constituting the track transverse information INF TR become extremely be reduced as appreciated from Fig. 10 with which the Background of the Art has been described. On the other hand, the subtracted output V C of the subtractor 14 indicates the phase difference of -Δ⊘ between the first and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ whenever the first phase and second phase detecting signals v p and v q are sampled. The subtracted output V c is held by means of the sample/hold circuit 15A . Thereafter, the bi-phase signal tracking generating circuit 16 carries out the follow-up operation in response to the new incoming control signal V CON . Hence, the frequencies and phases of the first phase and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ are corrected whenever the first and second phase detecting signals V P and V Q are sampled so as to eliminate errors of the frequency and phase in the first and second phase detecting signals v p and v q . Hence, the first and second phase tracking signals V Op and V OQ having the frequencies and phases of the first and second phase detecting signals v p and v q and constituted by continuous waves can be obtained. In the first preferred embodiment, since the optical head 2 is operated at the high transverse speed, the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 continues to output the first and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ in the continuous waveforms so as to compensate for the discrete detecting signals as the track transverse information INF TR even if only the discrete detecting signals as shown in Fig. 9 can be obtained as the track transverse information INF TR . Thus, even at the high speed transverse interval T₂ , the transverse tracking counting circuit 17 can count the number of the record tracks TR on which the optical head 1 traverses without error. Fig. 7 shows a second preferred embodiment of the track counting apparatus 6 . In the second preferred embodiment, the sample/hold circuit 15A of Fig. 3 is omitted in the error signal forming circuit 15 and in place of the sample/hold circuit 15A , sample/hold circuits 21A and 21B which sample the incoming signals v P and v Q in response to the standard sample clock signal CK S are connected to output terminals of the bi-phase detecting signal forming circuit 11 . In addition, other sample/hold circuits 21C and 21D are installed which operate in response to the standard sample clock signal CK S at output terminals of the first phase and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ of the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 . These sample/hold circuits 21C and 21D constitute a signal sampling circuit 21 . In Fig. 7 , as described above, the bi-phase detecting signal forming circuit 11 provides the first phase and second phase detecting signals v P and v Q and carries out the sampling at a time of the standard sample clock signal CK S through the sample/hold circuits 21A and 21B . The first and second phase detecting signals v P and v Q retrieved discretely at a timing at which the read light beam LAR irradiates the tracking pits P A and P B and clocking signal pit P C are derived through the bi-phase detecting signal forming circuit 11 , as described above. The first and second phase tracking signals are retrieved into the sample/hold circuits 21A and 21B and at the same timing the first and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ are retrieved into the sample/hold circuits 21C and 21D . In the way described above, values sampled and held in the sample/hold circuits 21A and 21B represent positions between sequentially adjacent tracks TR on which the read light beam LAR irradiates (that is to say, a phase of the read light beam with respect to the track pitch). On the other hand, sampled and held values in the sample/hold circuits 21C and 21D represent the phases of the first and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ constituted by the sinusoidal waves outputted continously from the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 . The subtracted output V C derived from the multipliers 12 and 13 and subtractor 14 represents the phase difference Δ ⊘ between the phases of the first phase detecting signals v P and v Q and those of the first and second phase tracking signals v OP and v OQ . Hence, the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 continues to generate the first and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ having the frequencies and phases following the first and second phase detecting signals v P and v Q . In the way described above in the second preferred embodiment, when the number of traversed tracks are counted on the basis of the first and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ constituted by the sinusoidal waveform and generated continously from the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 , the track counting circuit 17 can reliably count the number of the traversed tracks on which the read light beam has traversed even if the frequencies of the first and second phase tracking signals V P and V Q become equal to or higher than that of the standard sample clock signal CK S due to high speed transverse of the read light beam on the record tracks. Fig. 8 shows a third preferred embodiment of the track counting apparatus 6 . The same numerals in Fig. 8 as those shown in Fig. 7 designate the corresponding elements. As shown in Fig. 8 , an inverse tangent converting circuit 15C is installed as the error signal forming circuit 15 for forming an error signal V e corresponding to the phase difference Δ ⊘ from the subtracted output V c derived from the subtractor 14 . The error signal forming circuit 15 derives the multiplied output V D indicating a multiplication of the sampled and held output V PX of the first phase detecting signal V P and sampled and held output V OQX of the second phase tracking signal V OQ by means of the multiplier 15D . The multiplier 15E multiplies the sampled and held output V QX of the second phase detecting signal V Q and sampled and held output V OPX of the first phase tracking signal V OP . The multiplied output V E is added to the multiplied output V D by means of an adder 15F and the added output V F is supplied to the inverse tangent converting circuit 15C . The sampled and held outputs V PX and V QX of the first phase and second phase detecting signals V P and V Q are expressed as follows: V PX =sin(2πvt) (9) V QX =cos(2πvt) (10) On the other hand, the sampled and held outputs V OPX and V OQX of the first phase and second phase tracking signals V OP and V OQ are expressed as follows: V OPX =cos(2πvt+Δ⊘) (11) V OQX =sin(2πvt+Δ⊘) (12) Hence, the subtracted output V C of the subtractor 14 can be expressed as follows: The added output V F of the adder 15F can be expressed as follows: If the inverse tangent converting circuit 15C executes the inverse tangent calculation on the basis of the added output V F and subtracted output V C , the error signal V e derived at an output terminal of the circuit 15C is expressed in the following way as the phase difference - Δ⊘ . The error signal forming circuit 15 transmits the error signal V e of the inverse tangent converting circuit 15C to the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 as the control signal V CON via the low-pass filter 15B . In Fig. 8 , the error signal V e representing the phase difference does not include the omitted calculation described above with reference to the equation ( 8 ) so that the bi-phase tracking signal generating circuit 16 can stably be in the PLL operation without influence of the large phase difference due to the large variation of, e.g., the tracking information S TRK . As described hereinabove, since in the track counting apparatus according to the present invention, the tracking signals having the frequencies and phases following those of the track transverse information are generated and the number of tracks which the optical head traverses are counted using the tracking signal, a signal(s) having a continuous waveform(s) can be obtained as the tracking signal(s) even if a signal sampled discretely as the track transverse information has arrived at the counting apparatus. In addition, even if the transverse speed becomes remarkably increased, the number of tracks on which the optical head has traversed can be counted without error.

Claims: An apparatus in an optical disc device for counting a number of traversed record tracks of a disc (1), the counting apparatus comprising: detecting means (5,11) for providing first and second tracking information signals (V P ,V Q ) on the basis of information recorded on a disc; generating means (16) for generating a first tracking signal (V OP ) following at least one of the frequency and the phase of the first track information signal (V P ) and generating a second tracking signal (V OQ ) following at least one of the frequency and the phase of the second track information signal (V Q ); and fourth means (17) for counting the number of tracks which the optical head has traversed on the basis of the first tracking signal (V OP ) and second tracking signal (V OQ ); characterised in that said detecting means (5,11) comprises first means (11A,11B,11D) for providing a tracking error signal (V P ) and second means (11C) for providing a clock reproduction signal (V Q ) on the basis of, respectively, first tracking pits (PA,PB) and clocking pits (PC) previously formed on a disc in a discretely spaced apart manner, said first track information signal (V P ) comprising said tracking error signal (V P ) and said second track information signal (V Q ) comprising said clock reproduction signal (V Q ). An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second track information signal (V Q ) is shifted in phase by π/2 with respect of the first track information signal (V P ). An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein one of the first tracking signal (V P ) and the second tracking signal (V Q ) is a clock input of an up/down counter constituting the fourth means (17) and the other of the first and second tracking signals (V P ,V Q ) is an up/down control input of the up/down counter. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3, which further comprises: (a) first multiplying means (12) receiving the track information signal (V P ) and first tracking signal (V OP ) and outputting the multiplied output (V A ) of the track information signal (V P ) and first tracking signal (V OP ); (b) second multiplying means (13) receiving the second track information (V Q ) and second tracking signal (V OQ ) and outputting the multiplied output (V B ) of the second track information signal (V Q ) and second tracking signal (V OQ ); and (c) a subtractor (14) which mutually subtracts the multiplied outputs (V A ,V B ) of the first and second multiplying means (12,13), the output signal (V C ) of the subtractor (14) representing a first phase difference between the first track information signal (V P ) and first tracking signal (V OP ) and between the second track information signal (V Q ) and second tracking signal (V OQ ) caused by a variation of a speed at which the optical head traverses the record tracks and the output signal (V C ) of the subtractor (14) representing the first phase difference controlling the generating means (16) to derive the first tracking signal (V OP ) and second tracking signal (V OQ ). An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the output signal (V C ) of the subtractor (14) representing the first phase difference is sampled and held and supplied to the tracking signal generating circuit (16) via a low-pass filter (15B). An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, which further comprises a subtractor (14) receiving the output signal of a first multiplying means (12) receiving the first track information signal (V P ) and first tracking signal (V OP ) and the output signal of a second multiplying means (13) receiving the second track information signal (V Q ) and second tracking signal (V OQ ), and an adder (15F) receiving the output signal of a third multiplying means (150) receiving the first track information signal (V P ) and the second tracking signal (V OQ ) and the output signal of a fourth multiplying means (15E) receiving the second track information signal (V Q ) and the first tracking signal (V OP ), and further comprises a inverse tangent converting circuit (15C) which receives the outputs of the subtractor (14) and adder (15F), the generating means (16) being controlled by means of the output signal (V ϑ ) of the inverse tangent converting circuit (15C) to derive the first tracking signal (V OP ) and second tracking signal (V OQ ).

Inventors: KOBAYASHI, SEIJI, OHSATO, KIYOSHI
Applicants: SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1988
Main classification: G11B7
IPC codes: G11B7