Optical information recording and/or reproducing apparatus

Abstract: An optical information recording and/or reproducing apparatus has a detecting apparatus for detecting a tracking error signal. The detecting apparatus includes a spot forming system for forming three spots of a main spot, a first subspot, and a second subspot on an optical information recording medium, a light-receiving system for receiving reflected light from the three spots through light-receiving elements corresponding to the respective spots, a first detecting system for detecting a tracking error signal, using an output from the light-receiving element corresponding to the main spot or using outputs from the light-receiving elements corresponding to the main spot, the first subspot, and the second subspot, if there are tracking guide grooves in the optical information recording medium, and a second detecting system for detecting a tracking error signal, using an output from the light-receiving element corresponding to the first subspot and an output from the light-receiving element corresponding to the second subspot, if there is no tracking guide groove in the optical information recording medium.

Description: The present invention relates to an optical information recording and/or reproducing apparatus for performing recording and reproduction of information on and from an optical information recording medium or for performing only reproduction of information, and more particularly to a method for detecting a tracking error signal. The optical information recording and/or reproducing apparatus of the present invention can be applied to those for performing recording and reproduction of information or for performing reproduction of information, for both optical information recording media with tracking guide grooves and optical information recording media without tracking guide grooves. With discs having no tracking guide groove but having pit series, such as CDs (compact discs), a conventional method for detecting a tracking error signal of an optical head in an optical disc apparatus is one using three beams, for example as described in the book "Introduction to Video Discs and DAD" (first edition, November 1, 1982) published by Kabushiki Kaisha Corona Sha. Fig. 1 shows spots on a disc, and error detecting sensors and a circuit system as described in the book. In Fig. 1, a main spot SP1 and two subspots SP2 and SP3 are formed at equal intervals on the optical disc having pit series. The track pitch between pit series is P. A radial separation between the main spot SP1 and the subspot SP2 or SP3 is Q. Spots SP4, SP5, SP6 on sensors S1, S2, S3 correspond to the spots SP1, SP2, SP3, respectively, on the optical disc. A tracking error signal TE0 is obtained as an output from a differential amplifier of S2 and S3 (the so-called three beam method). If the separation is changed to X (µm) between the center of the main spot SP1 and the center of the subspot SP2 (or subspot SP3) in the radial direction of the disc (perpendicular to the track direction), an output from S2 and an output from S3 can be approximated as follows with elementary functions, assuming that average outputs thereof are equal to each other and equal to 1. output from S2 = 1 + cos(kX - kQ) output from S3 = 1 cos(kX + kQ), k = 2π/P Thus, taking a difference between the above outputs as a tracking error signal TE0, the amplitude is proportional to sin(kQ). Since the tracking pitch P = 1.6 µm for CDs etc., the absolute value of the amplitude can be illustrated as shown by 3Beam_1.6 (solid line) in Fig. 2. Thus, this conventional example is arranged to maximize the signal amplitude of the tracking error signal TE0 by setting the separation Q between the center of spot and a track approximately to Q = 0.4 µm from Q = P/4. With discs having tracking guide grooves, such as magnetooptical discs, an example of a detection method using three beams is one described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-34212. Fig. 3 shows spots on a disc, and error detecting sensors and a circuit system as described in the publication. In Fig. 3, a main spot SP1 and two subspots SP2 and SP3 are formed at equal intervals on an optical disc having alternate recording lands LD and guide grooves GR. The track pitch between grooves GR or between lands LD is P. A disc-radial separation between the center of the main spot SP1 and the center of the subspot SP2 or SP3 is Q. The spots SP4, SP5, SP6 on the sensors S1, S2, S3 correspond to the spots SP1, SP2, SP3, respectively, on the optical disc. The sensors S1, S2, S3 each have their partings corresponding to the track direction on the optical disc and are each composed of two segments. Outputs from the segments in each sensor are guided through a differential amplifier to obtain a tracking error signal TE1, TE2, TE3. Further, a final tracking error signal TE is obtained through variable gain amplifiers G1, G2. Then the amplifier G1 is set to an intensity ratio of SP4 and SP5, and the amplifier G2 to an intensity ratio of SP5 and SP6, thereby obtaining a tracking error signal TE4 without a dc component. These can be expressed as follows by elementary function approximation. If the separation is changed to X (µm) between the center of the main spot SP1 and the center of the subspot SP2 (or subspot SP3) in the radial direction of disc, the tracking error signals TE1, TE2, TE3 can be expressed as follows, assuming that the amplitude for the main spot is 1 and the dc component is α at that time. TE1 = sin(kX) + α TE2 = {sin(kX - kQ) + α}/G1 TE3 {sin(kX + kQ) + α}/G1/G2, k = 2π/P Here, the final tracking error signal is obtained as follows. TE4 = TE1 - G1(TE2 + G2 × TE3) Then the amplitude of the tracking error signal TE4 is proportional to (1 - cos(kQ)). Accordingly, this conventional example is arranged to maximize the signal amplitude of the tracking error signal TE4 by Q = P/2. Fig. 2 also shows the cases of P = 1.6 µm, 1.39 µm, and 1.10 µm as DPP_1.6 (chain line), DPP_1.39 (dotted line), and DPP_1.1 (thin solid line). (This method is called as a differential push-pull method, which will be referred to hereinafter as DPP.) Incidentally, if a disc with grooves, for example arranged at the pitch of 1.6 µm, is reproduced using the system of Fig. 1 set as Q = 0.4 µm, the amplitude of TE0 is little, about 0.5 as a relative value, as seen from Fig. 2. In contrast, if a disc without grooves, for example arranged at the pitch of 1.6 µm, is reproduced using the system of Fig. 3, the amplitude of TE4 becomes about the half of the maximum value thereof, as seen from Fig. 2. There are the following problems as well. The system of Fig. 1 is basically arranged to detect a change in light quantity of reflected light of each spot while the system of Fig. 3 is basically arranged to detect a differential output TE1, TE2, TE3 (so to speak, a push-pull signal) of two segments for each spot. Simplifying it, behaviors of the light-quantity change and the push-pull signal are different against the depth of groove or pit depth , as described, for example, in APPLIED OPTICS/1 July 1978/Vol. 17, No. 13 "Simplified diffraction theory of the video disk." It is shown in Fig. 4. First considering CDs, the depth of pit is about 0.11 µm. Namely, assuming that the wavelength is 785 nm and the refractive index of substrate n = about 1.55,  becomes nearly equal to 0.44 π (where π is a half-wave length). Accordingly, the light-quantity change becomes more than 90 % of the maximum (when the depth of pit is λ/4n) of the light-quantity change in the three beam method. However, picking up a push-pull signal, it becomes about 40 % of the maximum value of the tracking error signal in the push-pull method. Therefore, if tracking follow-up is carried out based on the push-pull signal with a disc consisting of pit series such as a CD, the system would entail instability to the follow-up operation. On the other hand, considering the magnetooptical disc, the depth of groove  is approximately equal to about 0.25 π. Accordingly, the push-pull signal becomes a value nearly equal to the maximum value (when the depth of groove is λ/8n) of the tracking error signal in the push-pull method. In contrast, as to the light-quantity change, it becomes about 50 % of the maximum value of the light-quantity change in the three beam method. Therefore, if the three beam method is employed for tracking follow-up with the magnetooptical disc, the system would entail instability to the follow-up operation. As described above, the conventional examples are arranged to meet either one of the cases with and without grooves, which caused a problem that with attempt to reproduce or to record and reproduce information with different types of optical discs, the system was incapable of obtaining a sufficient amplitude of the tracking error signal, thus resulting in entailing instability to the follow-up operation in tracking follow-up. EP-A-0 216 341 discloses a tracking system for detecting tracking errors in the position of a light spot on an optical recording medium. A main light spot and two auxiliary light beams are directed onto the medium and light from the light spots reflected from the medium is detected. The tracking error is determined by measuring light from the main light beam detected on a four-segmented detector. This prior art is acknowledged in the preamble of claims 1 and 6. DE-A-35 33 647 discloses an optical recording reproducing apparatus for recording or reproducing information on first and second discs of a different diameter. Differences in track pitch between the two discs are overcome by moving the optical head in the direction perpendicular to the radius of the discs. The present invention has been accomplished taking account of the above problems in the conventional technology, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical information reproducing apparatus or an optical information recording and/or reproducing apparatus capable of stably performing the tracking follow-up operation, irrespective of presence or absence of grooves. According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a detecting apparatus for detecting a tracking error signal, comprising light spot forming means for forming a main light spot, a first light subspot, and a second light subspot on an optical information recording medium, wherein the first light subspot and second light subspot are formed at equal intervals on either side of the main light spot; light-receiving means for receiving light reflected from the spots, the light receiving means comprising respective light-receiving elements for light reflected from the respective spots; and detecting means for detecting a tracking error signal using outputs from the light receiving elements; the apparatus being characterised in that: the separation in the direction perpendicular to the track direction between the center of the main spot and the center of the first subspot and between the center of the main spot and the center of said second subspot is set to be between 0.48 µ m and 0.60 µ m; and said detecting means comprises first detecting means for detecting a tracking error signal using an output from the light-receiving element corresponding to said main light spot or using outputs from the light-receiving elements corresponding to the main spot, the first subspot, and the second subspot, if there is a tracking guide groove on the optical information recording medium; and second detecting means for detecting a tracking error signal using outputs from the light-receiving elements corresponding to the first subspot and the second subspot, if there is no tracking guide groove on the optical information recording medium. The invention also provides an apparatus for performing one of the functions of recording information on and reproducing information from an optical information recording medium, the apparatus including a detecting apparatus for detecting a tracking error signal according to the first aspect of the invention. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of detecting a tracking error signal, comprising the steps of forming a main light spot, a first light subspot, and a second light subspot on an optical information recording medium. wherein the first light subspot and second light subspot are formed at equal intervals on either side of the main light spot; and receiving light reflected from the spots using respective light-receiving elements for light reflected from the respective spots; and detecting a tracking error signal using the outputs from the light receiving elements; the method being characterised in that: the separation in the direction perpendicular to the track direction between the center of the main spot and the center of the first subspot and the separation in the direction perpendicular to the track direction between the center of the main spot and the center on the second subspot is set to be between 0.48 µ m and 0.60 µ m; and the steps of detecting comprises detecting a tracking error signal, using an output from the light-receiving element corresponding to said main light spot or using outputs from each of the light-receiving elements corresponding to the main spot, the first subspot, and the second subspot, if there is a tracking guide groove on the optical information recording medium; and detecting a tracking error signal, using an output from the light-receiving element corresponding to said first subspot and an output from the light-receiving element corresponding to said second subspot, if there is no tracking guide groove on the optical information recording medium. The invention also provides a method of performing at least one of the functions of recording on and reproducing information from an optical recording medium including a method according to the second aspect of the present invention for detecting a tracking error signal. The present invention involves such operation that the light-receiving elements for tracking detection for media with tracking guide grooves (trenches) are different from those for media without tracking guide grooves, the separation between light spots on the optical disc, associated with the track spacing, is changed, depending upon characteristics of the tracking error signal detected by the light-receiving elements, to obtain the tracking error signal at the maximum level, and the tracking control or tracking servo control is performed therewith. Since the optical information recording and/or reproducing apparatus is so arranged that with a medium with tracking guide grooves, the tracking error signal is obtained from the light-receiving portion for the main spot having four light-receiving elements and the light-receiving portion for the subspots having two light-receiving elements arranged in symmetry in the track direction and that with the medium without tracking guide grooves, the tracking error signal is obtained from a light-receiving portion of the subspots having two light-receiving elements arranged in symmetry with the main spot in the track direction, the arrangement of changing the spot separation so as to match each of the media permits the tracking error signals to be obtained at the maximum level as an optical information recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing or for reproducing information with the two types of media. Fig. 1 is a drawing to show a state of spots on an optical disc without grooves and a detection circuit for detecting a tracking error in a conventional case; Fig. 2 is a graph to show a relationship between spot separation on the optical disc and relative tracking error amplitude obtained; Fig. 3 is a drawing to show a state of spots on an optical disc with grooves and a detection circuit for detecting a tracking error; Fig. 4 is a graph to show a relationship between the depth of pit or groove and the relative amplitude of light-quantity change or push-pull signal obtained; Fig. 5 is a structural drawing of an optical system used in an apparatus associated with a first embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 6 is a conceptual drawing to show states of spots on optical discs in the first embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 7 is a conceptual drawing to show light-receiving elements in an optical head in each embodiment according to the present invention and spots on the light-receiving elements; Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram to show a circuit for detecting a tracking error with a disc with grooves in the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 9 is a circuit diagram to show a circuit for detecting a tracking error with a disc without grooves in the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific embodiments of the present invention will be explained by reference to the drawings by way of example only. Fig. 5 shows the schematic structure of an optical head used in an optical information recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the drawing, a light beam emitted from a semiconductor laser 1 is collimated by a collimator lens 2, and the thus collimated light is split into three beams by a diffraction grating 3. These beams are partly reflected by a beam splitter 5, and the reflected beams are guided via a mirror 7 to be condensed by an objective 8 and to be focused near a track 10 on an optical disc 9. Light transmitted by the beam splitter 5 is changed into an electric signal by a light-quantity monitoring sensor 6. Light reflected by the optical disc 9 is again collected by the objective 8 to be incident through the beam splitter 5 into a Wollaston prism 11. The Wollaston prism 11 splits the reflected light into a plurality of beams. The thus split beams are guided through a toric lens 12 for generating astigmatism onto a sensor 13 functioning to detect RF signals and to detect servo signals. In the present embodiment, the spots on the optical disc 9 are arranged as shown in Fig. 6 in the cases with and without track guide grooves. Specifically, the subspot SP2 and subspot SP3 are laid approximately on a same pit series or groove (or land) as the main spot SP1 is, and the separation Q in the radial direction of disc between the center of subspot SP2 or subspot SP3 and the center of the main spot SP1 is set to about 0.53 µm. The main spot SP1 is used to perform recording and reproduction of information or to perform reproduction of information. This setting is effected by rotation 4 about the optical axis of the diffraction grating 3 in Fig. 5. Namely, the spot separation Q can be set to about 0.53 µm or in the range of 0.48 to 0.60 µm by increasing the angle of rotation of the diffraction grating 3. The above setting value 0.53 µm was determined as follows. In previous Fig. 2, the solid line represents a relationship between the separation X (µm) in the radial direction of disc between the center of the main spot SP1 and the center of the subspot SP2 (or subspot SP3) and the amplitude (relative value) of the tracking error signal obtained when the three beam method was applied to the optical disc of the track pitch 1.6 µm. Further, the chain line represents a relationship between the separation X (µm) in the radial direction of disc between the center of the main spot SP1 and the center of the subspot SP2 (or subspot SP3) and the amplitude (relative value) of the tracking error signal obtained when DPP was applied to an optical disc of the tracking pitch 1.6 µm, and the dotted line a relationship between the separation X (µm) in the radial direction of disc between the center of the main spot SP1 and the center of the subspot SP2 (or subspot SP3) and the amplitude (relative value) of the tracking error signal obtained when DPP was applied to an optical disc of the track pitch 1.39 µm. The track pitch 1.39 µm was chosen as the minimum track pitch of magnetooptical discs currently commercially available. Then an intersecting point between the solid line and the chain line is about 0.56 µm while an intersecting point between the solid line and the dotted line is 0.53 µm. Further, Fig. 2 also shows a case of the track pitch 1.10 µm (thin solid line), which is expected as a next generation, and in that case the separation Q can be set to a further smaller value. It is seen from Fig. 2 that with the discs of the respective track pitches for DPP, sufficient amplitudes of the tracking error signal can be obtained in either method of the three beam method and DPP by setting the separation X to near the intersecting point with the solid line. The present embodiment employed 0.53 µm, considering, in addition to the above, that track pitches dominating at present and in near future were 1.6 µm and 1.39 µm and that higher accuracy of tracking servo would be required with a decrease of track pitch. This setting value may be, however, selected in the range of 0.48 to 0.60 µm, which can secure 70 or more % of the maximum value of the tracking error signal obtained in either method of the three beam method and DPP even if taking account of the next generation, thus obtaining a sufficient tracking error signal. From above, a desired setting value may be selected in the range of 0.48 to 0.60 µm, and for the current track separation, it is preferably 0.53 µm. Next explained is detection of the tracking error signal. Fig. 7 shows the sensors of the present embodiment and the spots on the sensors. In Fig. 7, spots corresponding to the main spot SP1 are three spots SP4, SP7, SP8 separated by the Wollaston prism 11. Spot SP7 and spot SP8 have mutually orthogonal directions of polarization, and spot SP4 is a spot in which the two directions of polarization are mixed. Signals other than the tracking error signal are obtained as follows. focus error signal in the astigmatic method = (A1 + A3) - (A2 + A4) magnetooptical signal = D - E pit signal = D, E, D + E, A1 + A2 + A3 + A4, or any combination from the preceding four signals The tracking error signal is obtained from a combination of spot SP5 and spot SP6 corresponding to the subspot SP2 and subspot SP3 with spot SP4 corresponding to the main spot SP1. The spot SP5 and spot SP6 are the same in terms of the direction of polarization as the spot SP4. With an optical disc with grooves, the tracking error signal is obtained from a circuit system shown in Fig. 8. Describing it in comparison with the conventional example, signals corresponding to TE1, TE2, TE3 in previous Fig. 3 are given as follows. TE1 = (A1 + A4) - (A2 + A3) TE2 = B2 - B1 TE3 = C2 - C1 Then matching gains, a final tracking error signal TE4 is obtained. Alternatively, TE1 may be employed as a final tracking error signal. With an optical disc without grooves, the tracking error signal is obtained from a circuit system shown in Fig. 9. Namely, the tracking error signal is obtained as follows. TE0 = (C1 + C2) - (B1 + B2) As described previously, the separation Q may be selected in the range of 0.48 to 0.60 µm, and for the current track separation, it is preferably 0.53 µm to obtain the tracking error signal at high level. In the first embodiment as described above, determination of whether an optical disc has grooves or not is made using outputs from the light-receiving element associated with the main spot SP1. Namely, reflectivities of recording media without grooves such as CDs are high, about 80 %, while those of recording media with grooves such as magnetooptical discs are low, about 20 %. Thus, determination of whether a recording medium has grooves or not is made by detecting such a difference between the reflectivities from a difference between quantities of reflected light.

Claims: A detecting apparatus for detecting a tracking error signal, comprising: light spot forming means (1, 2, 3) for forming a main light spot (SP1), a first light subspot (SP2), and a second light subspot (SP3) on an optical information recording medium (9), wherein the first light subspot (SP2) and second light subspot (SP3) are formed at equal intervals on either side of the main light spot (SP1); light-receiving means for receiving light reflected from the spots (SP1, SP2, SP3), the light receiving means comprising respective light-receiving elements for light reflected from the respective spots; and detecting means for detecting a tracking error signal using outputs from the light receiving elements; the apparatus being characterised in that : the separation (Q) in the direction perpendicular to the track direction between the center of the main spot (SP1) and the center of the first subspot (SP2) and between the center of the main spot (SP1) and the center of said second subspot (SP3) is set to be between 0.48 µ m and 0.60 µ m; and said detecting means comprises: first detecting means for detecting a tracking error signal (TE4) using an output (TE1) from the light-receiving element corresponding to said main light spot (SP1) or using outputs (TE1, TE2, TE3) from the light-receiving elements corresponding to the main spot (SP1), the first subspot (SP2), and the second subspot (SP3), if there is a tracking guide groove on the optical information recording medium; and second detecting means for detecting a tracking error signal (TE0) using outputs from the light-receiving elements corresponding to the first subspot (SP2) and the second subspot (SP3), if there is no tracking guide groove on the optical information recording medium (9). The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the light-receiving elements has a first segment and a second segment separated by a parting substantially perpendicular to the tracking direction. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first detecting means is arranged to detect the tracking error signal from the difference between the outputs from the first and second segments. The apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the second detecting means is arranged to detect the tracking error signal (TE0) from the difference between the outputs from the respective light-receiving elements corresponding to the first subspot (SP2) and the second subspot (SP3). An apparatus for performing at least one of the functions of recording information on and reproducing information from an optical information recording medium, the apparatus including a detecting apparatus for detecting a tracking error signal according to at least one of the preceding claims. A method of detecting a tracking error signal, comprising the steps of: forming a main light spot (SP1), a first light subspot (SP2), and a second light subspot (SP3) on an optical information recording medium (9), wherein the first light subspot (SP2) and second light subspot (SP3) are formed at equal intervals on either side of the main light spot (SP1); and receiving light reflected from the spots (SP1, SP2, SP3) using respective light-receiving elements for light reflected from the respective spots; and detecting a tracking error signal using the outputs from the light receiving elements; the method being characterised in that : the separation (Q) in the direction perpendicular to the track direction between the center of the main spot (SP1) and the center of the first subspot (SP2) and the separation in the direction perpendicular to the track direction between the center of the main spot (SP1) and the center on the second subspot (SP3) is set to be between 0.48 µ m and 0.60 µ m; and the steps of detecting comprises: detecting a tracking error signal (TE4), using an output (TE1) from the light-receiving element corresponding to said main light spot (SP1) or using outputs (TE1, TE2, TE3) from each of the light-receiving elements corresponding to the main spot (SP1), the first subspot (SP2), and the second subspot (SP3), if there is a tracking guide groove on the optical information recording medium; and detecting a tracking error signal (TE0), using an output from the light-receiving element corresponding to said first subspot (SP2) and an output from the light-receiving element corresponding to said second subspot (SP3), if there is no tracking guide groove on the optical information recording medium (9). The method according to claim 6, wherein each of said light-receiving elements has a first segment and a second segment separated by a parting substantially perpendicular to the tracking direction. The method according to claim 7, wherein the tracking error signal is detected from the difference between the outputs from the first and second segments if there is a tracking guide groove on the optical information recording medium. The method according to at least one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the tracking error signal (TE0) is detected from the difference between the output from the light-receiving elements corresponding to the first subspot (SP2) and the second subspot (SP3) if there is no tracking guide groove on the optical information recording medium. A method of performing at least one of the functions of recording information on and reproducing information from an optical information recording medium including a method according to at least one of claims 6 to 9 for detecting a tracking error signal.

Inventors: NISHIKAWA KOICHIRO, NISHIKAWA, KOICHIRO
Applicants: CANON KK, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1995
Main classification: G11B7
IPC codes: G11B7, G11B11