Abstract:
An optical-information reproducing system is provided, in which the tracking capability of an optical pickup can be increased, and in which the number of occurrences in which the optical pickup fails to track a groove can be reduced, by increasing a gain margin and by ensuring the gain margin. In the optical-information reproducing system, an optical-information recording medium is rotated at a fixed linear velocity of about 3.49 m/s, and the optical pickup is caused to track the groove to irradiate the groove with laser light, whereby information recorded on the optical-information recording medium can be reproduced. A higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup that is generated when the optical pickup is caused to track the groove can be made lower than a wobble frequency that is reproduced using the groove without performing rotation control on the optical-information recording medium.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an optical-information reproducing system, which includes an optical-information recording medium and an optical disk apparatus, for reproducing information that is recorded on the optical-information recording medium. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A write-once compact disk (CD) (a so-called compact-disk recordable (CD-R) disk) has the following configuration: a spiral groove, to which an optical head is guided and which is used to record information, is provided in one surface of an optically transparent substrate having a diameter of 12 cm and a thickness of 1.2 mm; and a recording layer and a reflecting layer are formed in this order on a surface in which the groove is formed. The groove has a wobble which is formed in such a manner that meandering is repeated at a fixed period along a running direction in order to allow accurate position information to be obtained. The groove is also referred to as a “track”. The groove has a trapezoid shape in the running direction. In the trapezoid shape, the top is broadly opened, and the bottom surface is slightly narrower. Laser light having a wavelength of typically about 780 nm is irradiated from the other surface side of the optically transparent substrate, whereby data is recorded in and/or reproduced from the recording layer. A write-once digital-versatile disk (DVD) (a so-called digital-versatile disk recordable (DVD-R) disk) has the following configuration: a spiral groove having a wobble is provided in one surface of an optically transparent substrate having a diameter of 12 cm and a thickness of 0.6 mm as in the above-mentioned case, and the pitch of the groove is lower than half that of the groove of the CD-R; a recording layer and a reflecting layer are formed in this order in a surface in which the groove is formed; and a dummy substrate having a diameter 12 cm and a thickness of 0.6 mm is attached to the top of the reflecting layer. Laser light having a wavelength of typically about 630 nm to 680 nm is irradiated from the other surface side of the optically transparent substrate, whereby data is recorded in and/or reproduced from the recording layer. 
         [0005]    In optical disk apparatuses in which data is recorded on and/or reproduced from the above-described optical-information recording media, recently, recording intensity has been increased, and recording and reading velocities have been increased. Because of this, a higher-order resonance having a frequency of about 10 kHz to 40 kHz have become a significant problem, which is mainly caused by elastic deformation of movable units (objective-lens-holding units) of optical-pickup-drive devices. The higher-order resonance is a second- or higher-order resonance. The higher-order resonance occurs at a frequency higher than that at which a first-order resonance occurs, and occurs due to elastic deformation in a mode different from the mode of elastic deformation in which the first-order resonance occurs. In order to provide high-speed reproduction, it is necessary that a ratio indicating a degree of movement of a movable unit in response to an input voltage (current), i.e., a gain (more particularly, a gain in a lower range), be made large. However, when the gain in a lower range is made large, it becomes difficult to ignore the higher-order resonance of an optical pickup. When the gain in a lower range is made large, the difference (a gain margin) between a gain at a certain reference frequency (around a crossover frequency of a servo) and a gain at a peak of the higher-order resonance becomes small or negative. This leads to a problem that the tracking capability of the optical pickup is decreased, and that the optical pickup fails to track a groove. For example, in a case of an optical-information recording medium, such as the DVD-R, that is rotated at a fixed velocity which is a linear velocity of 3.49 m/s to reproduce information, a rotational speed is about 9.6 rps in an outer peripheral area (positioned at a radial distance of about 58 mm). In contrast, the rotational speed becomes about 24.2 rps in an inner peripheral area (positioned at a radial distance of about 23 mm). Accordingly, because a change in the rotational speed between the inner and outer peripheral areas becomes large, the above-described problem easily occurs. A large gain margin allows the servo to be stably controlled. Thus, an output acceleration of an optical-pickup drive device is increased, and the tracking capability can be increased to cope with surface deflection or eccentricity of the optical-information recording medium. 
         [0006]    In order to deal with the above-described problem, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-045053, means is proposed, in which a gain margin is increased by making a peak of a higher-order resonance such as the above-mentioned peak of the higher-order resonance lower, resulting in an increase in the tracking capability of an optical pickup. Recently, a design has been made, in which elastic deformation of movable units of drive devices can be suppressed by weight reduction such as the use of lighter objective lenses. Furthermore, because the weight of lenses of optical pickups has been reduced, optical pickups whose higher-order resonance frequency HF exceeds 40 kHz as shown in a graph of  FIG. 5  have been realized. 
         [0007]    However, when the higher-order resonance frequency HF exceeds 40 kHz because the weight of lenses of optical pickups has been reduced, problems described below have arisen. 
         [0008]    In a case in which an optical-information recording medium is rotated at a fixed linear velocity when information is reproduced, a rotational speed is changed on the basis of a frequency of a signal obtained from a meander period of a groove, i.e., a wobble frequency. Accordingly, a rotational speed in a case in which data is being recorded/reproduced in an inner peripheral area differs from a rotational speed in a case in which data is being recorded/reproduced in an outer peripheral area. Typically, the rotational speed in a case in which data is being recorded/reproduced in an inner peripheral area is faster than that in a case in which data is being recorded/reproduced in an outer peripheral area. However, when tracking is performed, no rotational speed control is performed on the optical-information recording medium at an instant at which an optical pickup is caused to track a groove. For this reason, when the optical pickup is moved from the inner peripheral area to the outer peripheral area or from the outer peripheral area to the inner peripheral area, the rotational speed is not changed, but the linear velocity is changed. Thus, the wobble frequency changes. More specifically, when the optical pickup is moved from the outer peripheral area to the inner peripheral area, the wobble frequency decreases. 
         [0009]    For example, in the case of the DVD-R, the wobble frequency is typically about 140 kHz. However, at an instant at which the optical pickup is caused to track the groove, the wobble frequency decreases to about 56 kHz in accordance with a ratio of a rotational speed of about 9.6 rps in an area positioned at a radial distance of about 58 mm to a rotational speed of about 24.2 rps in an area positioned at a radial distance of about 23 mm. In such a case, the wobble frequency becomes lower than the higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup in some cases. In other words, the relationship that the wobble frequency&lt;the higher-order resonance frequency is obtained. When the rotational speed is increased by driving a tracking servo in order to maintain rotational synchronization again, the wobble frequency becomes equal to the higher-order resonance frequency. In this case, as shown in a graph of  FIG. 6 , a wobble signal WF is superimposed on the higher-order resonance frequency HF. As a result, the peak of the higher-order resonance becomes higher, and the gain margin becomes small or negative. Accordingly, the tracking capability of the optical pickup is decreased, and the optical pickup fails to track the groove in some cases. Additionally, in the optical-information recording medium that is rotated at a fixed linear velocity, there is a portion in which wobble groove portions of the groove that are adjacent to one another are close and have phases opposite to one another. In this portion, the optical pickup fails to track the groove more often. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical-information reproducing system in which the tracking capability of an optical pickup can be increased, and in which the number of occurrences in which the optical pickup fails to track a groove can be reduced, by increasing a gain margin. 
         [0011]    According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical-information reproducing system in which information recorded on an optical-information recording medium can be reproduced by rotating the optical-information recording medium at a fixed velocity that is a linear velocity of 3.49 m/s and by causing an optical pickup to track a groove in order to irradiate the groove with laser light. The optical-information recording medium includes the followings: an optically transparent substrate having a disk shape, one surface of which has a groove formed in a spiral shape, the groove having a wobble; a light-absorbing layer that is formed on the surface of the optically transparent substrate; and a light-reflecting layer that is formed on the light-absorbing layer. In the optical-information reproducing system, a higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup that is generated in a case in which the optical pickup is caused to track the groove is made lower than a wobble frequency that is reproduced using the groove without performing rotation control on the optical-information recording medium. 
         [0012]    The optical-information reproducing system according to the aspect of the present invention is particularly effective in a case in which the wobble frequency is a frequency that is reproduced using the groove when the optical pickup is caused to move from an outer peripheral area to an inner peripheral area of the optical-information recording medium and then is caused to track the groove in the inner peripheral area. Additionally, the optical-information reproducing system according to the aspect of the present invention is also effective in a case in which the higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup ranges from 40 kHz to 100 kHz. 
         [0013]    Advantages of the optical-information reproducing system according to the aspect of the present invention are described below. In other words, the higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup is made lower than the wobble frequency, whereby a gain margin can be prevented from being decreased because of a peak of the wobble frequency. Because a decrease in the gain margin can be minimized, the tracking capability of the optical pickup is increased, and the number of occurrences in which the optical pickup fails to track the groove is reduced. 
         [0014]    According to the aspect of the present invention, the optical-information reproducing system can be obtained, in which the tracking capability of the optical pickup can be increased, and in which the number of occurrences in which the optical pickup fails to track the groove can be reduced, by increasing the gain margin. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of an optical-information reproducing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a schematic sectional view of an optical-information recording medium. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  illustrates a state in which an optical pickup is caused to track a groove. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  illustrates a state in which the optical pickup is caused to track a groove. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a graph that shows gain, and that shows a gain margin which is a difference between a gain around a crossover frequency of a servo and a gain at a higher-order resonance frequency. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a graph that shows gain, and that shows a gain margin in a case in which a wobble frequency is superimposed on the higher-order resonance frequency. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is described below as a functional block diagram of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. An optical-disk reproduction apparatus  100  includes a memory  126 , a processing section  125 , a laser-diode drive control section  122 , a data-demodulator circuit  123 , a characteristic-value detection section  124 , an optical pickup  110 , an optical-pickup drive control section  121 , a rotation control section (not shown) and a motor (not shown) that are used for an optical-information recording medium  150 , a servo control section (not shown) used for the optical pickup  110 , and so forth. In the memory  126 , data that is being processed, data obtained as a processing result, data that is referred to in processing (for example, strategic data corresponding to each media identification (ID)), or the like is stored. The processing section  125  includes a central processing unit (CPU) that performs processing, and a memory circuit in which a program that allows data processing to be performed is recorded. The laser-diode drive control section  122  controls laser light for recording data and laser light for reproducing data. The data-demodulator circuit  123  performs a predetermined decoding process on a reproduction signal that is output. The characteristic-value detection section  124  detects the reproduction signal, thereby detecting a signal associated with focusing, tracking, or a wobble. The optical-pickup drive control section  121  controls a direction of laser light irradiated from the optical pickup  110 . 
         [0022]    The optical pickup  110  includes an objective lens  113 , a beam splitter  115 , a detection lens  114 , a collimator lens  112 , a laser diode  111 , a photodetector  116 , and an actuator  117 . In the optical pickup  110 , the actuator  117  is operated by control of the optical-pickup drive control section  121 , whereby focusing and tracking are performed. 
         [0023]    The processing section  125  is connected to the memory  126 , the data-demodulator circuit  123 , the characteristic-value detection section  124 , the optical-pickup drive control section  121 , the laser-diode drive control section  122 , the rotation control section and the servo control section that are not shown, and so forth. The characteristic-value detection section  124  is connected to the photodetector  116  and the processing section  125 . Additionally, the data-demodulator circuit  123  is connected to the photodetector  116  and the processing section  125 . The optical-pickup drive control section  121  is connected to the processing section  125  and the optical pickup  110 . Furthermore, the laser-diode drive control section  122  is connected to the processing section  125  and the laser diode  111 . The processing section  125  is also connected to an input/output system (not shown) via an interface section (not shown). 
         [0024]    Next, an outline of a process of reproducing data that is recorded on the optical-information recording medium  150  is described. The laser-diode drive control section  122  drives the laser diode  111  in response to an instruction issued by the processing section  125  to output the laser light for reproducing data. The laser light for reproducing data is irradiated onto the optical-information recording medium  150  via the collimator lens  112 , the beam splitter  115 , and the objective lens  113 . Light reflected on the optical-information recording medium  150  is input to the photodetector  116  via the objective lens  113 , the beam splitter  115 , and the detection lens  114 . The photodetector  116  converts the light reflected on the optical-information recording medium  150  into an electric signal, and outputs the electric signal to the data-demodulator circuit  123  as a reproduction signal. The data-demodulator circuit  123  performs the predetermined decoding process on the reproduction signal to obtain decoded data. The decoded data is output to a display section of the input/output system (not shown) via the processing section  125  and the interface section (not shown), thereby displaying the reproduced data. 
         [0025]    Next, an example of the optical-information recording medium  150  according to an embodiment is described. The optical-information recording medium  150  shown in  FIG. 2  includes an optically transparent substrate  151 , which has a diameter of 12 cm, a thickness of 0.6 mm, and a disk shape, a light-absorbing layer  153 , and a light-reflecting layer  154 . A spiral groove  152  having a wobble is formed in one surface of the optically transparent substrate  151 . The light-absorbing layer  153  is formed on the surface of the optically transparent substrate  151  in which the groove  152  is formed. The light-reflecting layer  154  is formed on the light-absorbing layer  153 . Furthermore, a dummy substrate  156 , which has a diameter of 12 cm, a thickness of 0.6 mm, and a disk shape, is attached to the top of the light-reflecting layer  154  via an adhesive layer  155 . 
         [0026]    The optical-information recording medium  150  is rotated in such a manner that it has a linear velocity of 3.49 m/s when data is reproduced. Accordingly, regarding the relationship between the meander period of the groove  152  and line length corresponding to a circuit of the groove  152 , there are the following two states: a same-phase state, i.e., a state in which the meander periods of groove portions of the groove  152  that are adjacent to one another are substantially the same, as shown in  FIG. 3 ; and an opposite-phase state, i.e., a state in which the meander periods of groove portions of the groove  152  that are adjacent to one another are shifted by a half period from one another, as shown in  FIG. 4 . In the opposite-phase state, even when a pitch P of the groove portions of the groove  152  that are adjacent to one another is uniform, the actual spacing of the groove portions of the groove  152  is narrower only by a meander amplitude of 2a×2. The narrower portion is a portion in which disturbance of a tracking signal easily occurs. 
         [0027]    Next, an example of each section of the optical-information recording medium  150  is described. A preferred example of the optically transparent substrate  151  is described below. In other words, any one of various types of materials that are used as substrate materials of optical-information recording media in the related art can be selected as a substrate material of the optically transparent substrate  151 . More specifically, examples of the substrate material include acrylic resins such as polycarbonate and polymethyl methacrylate. If necessary, substrates individually formed of the above-mentioned substrate materials may be stacked, resulting in a combination use of the substrate materials. From among the substrate materials, a thermoplastic resin is preferable in view of formability, moisture resistance, dimensional stability, low cost, and so forth. Polycarbonate is the most preferable material. When the resins are used, the optically transparent substrate  151  may be formed in the shape of a disk by injection molding or the like. It is preferable that the groove  152 , which is formed in one surface of the optically transparent substrate  151 , have, for example, a depth of 135 nm to 170 nm, and an amplitude of typically 20 nm to 35 nm (peak to peak). 
         [0028]    A preferred example of the light-absorbing layer  153  is described below. In other words, it is preferable that the light-absorbing layer  153  be a recording layer having a coloring material, in which data can be recorded using pits that are formed by irradiating the light-absorbing layer  153  with laser light. As an organic dye, a phthalocyanine dye, a cyanine dye, an azo dye, or the like is preferable. By irradiating the light-absorbing layer  153  with laser light, data information such as information concerning a music piece, an image, or a computer program can be recorded in the light-absorbing layer  153  and/or reproduced from the light-absorbing layer  153 . Additionally, the light-absorbing layer  153  may be formed as follows: an application liquid is prepared by dissolving the coloring material together with a binder or the like in an appropriate solvent; next, the application liquid is applied, by spin coating, screen printing, or the like, over the surface of the optically transparent substrate  151  in which the groove  152  is formed, resulting in formation of a coating film; and after that, the coating film is dried out. 
         [0029]    A preferred example of the light-reflecting layer  154  is described below. The light-reflecting layer  154  reflects the laser light for recording data and/or the laser light for reproducing data. As the light-reflecting layer  154 , a metallic film formed of, for example, Au, Al, Ag, Cu, or Pb, an alloy film formed of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, or Pb, an alloy film formed by adding a minor component to Au, Al, Ag, Cu, or Pb, or the like is preferable. It is preferable that the light-reflecting layer  154  be formed, for example, by ion plating, sputtering, or the like, on the surface of the optically transparent substrate  151  in which the groove  152  is formed. More particularly, sputtering is the most preferable technique in view of mass productivity, and cost. 
         [0030]    A preferred example of the dummy substrate  156  is described below. The dummy substrate  156  is used to match the entire thickness of the optical-information recording medium  150  to the thickness of a CD-R. The diameter and thickness of the dummy substrate  156  are the same as those of the optically transparent substrate  151 . As a substrate material of the dummy substrate  156 , a substrate material similar to that of the optically transparent substrate  151  can be used. More specifically, examples of the substrate material include acrylic resins such as polycarbonate and polymethyl methacrylate. If necessary, a plurality of substrates individually formed of the above-mentioned substrate materials may be used, resulting in a combination use of the substrate materials. From among the substrate materials, a thermoplastic resin is preferable in view of formability, moisture resistance, dimensional stability, low cost, and so forth. Polycarbonate is the most preferable material. The dummy substrate  156  is attached to the top of the light-reflecting layer  154  via the adhesive layer  155  that is formed of an optically transparent hardening resin. 
         [0031]    Next, an operation of an optical-information reproducing system according to the embodiment of the present invention is described. In the photodetector  116 , a photo detector unit PD is divided into four areas as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . In each of the areas, a corresponding one of intensities of the reflected light can be detected. The reflected light, which is reflected from the optical-information recording medium  150 , is detected by the photodetector  116 , and is converted into an electric signal. The electric signal is input to the characteristic-value detection section  124 . The characteristic-value detection section  124  generates a push-pull signal using the intensities of the reflected light, which are detected in the corresponding areas of the photo detector unit PD of the photodetector  116 , and inputs the push-pull signal to the processing section  125 . The processing section  125  inputs a control signal to the optical-pickup drive control section  121  on the basis of the obtained push-pull signal. The processing section  125  operates the servo control section (not shown) and the actuator  117  so that a beam spot BS can track the groove  152 . 
         [0032]    The groove  152  is designed so as to have a meander period such that a wobble frequency becomes higher than 140 kHz when the optical-information recording medium  150  is rotated at a linear velocity of about 3.49 m/s. In this case, the wobble frequency that is reproduced at an instant at which the optical pickup  110  is caused to track the groove  152  decreases to a value higher than that obtained in the related art. For example, when the meander period of the groove  152  is about 280 kHz, a wobble frequency at an instant at which the optical pickup  110  is moved from the outermost periphery to the innermost periphery of a recording area of the optical-information recording medium  150  becomes about 110 kHz. 
         [0033]    In this manner, by decreasing the meander period of the groove  152 , the lowest wobble frequency that is reproduced at an instant at which the optical pickup  110  of the optical-information recording medium  150  is caused to track the groove  152  can be made higher than a higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup  110 . 
         [0034]    When the lowest wobble frequency is made higher than the higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup  110 , a gain margin is not influenced by the wobble frequency. Accordingly, the gain margin can be prevented from being decreased because of a peak of the wobble frequency, and a decrease in the gain margin can be minimized. 
         [0035]    The higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup  110  can be made higher than about 40 kHz by reducing the weight of the objective lens  113  or by increasing the stiffness of an objective-lens-holding unit. For example, a method can be used, in which the weight of the objective-lens-holding unit of the objective lens  113  is reduced by forming the objective-lens-holding unit containing an aluminum material, or a resin material, compared with the weight of the objective-lens-holding unit formed of a metallurgical material such as iron. Alternatively, in order to adjust the strength of a spring that urges the optical pickup  110 , for example, a hard spring can be used. The above methods can be used as methods for increasing the higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup  110  by suppressing vibration of the optical pickup  110  that occurs when the optical pickup  110  is moved between the outer and inter peripheries. The methods for increasing the higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup  110  are not limited the above-mentioned methods, and various methods can be employed. Furthermore, when data of a DVD-R is reproduced at 8× speed (inter periphery) or at 20× speed (outer periphery), or when data of a blu-ray disk (BD) is recorded/reproduced, it is necessary that the higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup  110  be increased to about 100 kHz using any one of the methods. Thus, when the higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup  110  ranges from about 40 kHz to about 100 kHz, the optical-information reproducing system according to the embodiment of the present invention is particularly effective. 
         [0036]    In the foregoing embodiment, the wobble frequency is described, which is reproduced using the groove when the optical pickup is moved from the outermost periphery to the innermost periphery of the recording area of the optical-information recording medium. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the optical-information reproducing system according to the embodiment of the present invention is also effective in a case in which the optical pickup is moved from a recording area of the optical-information recording medium that is positioned at a radial distance of about 50 mm to a recording area of the optical-information recording medium that is positioned at a radial distance of about 30 mm. In other words, the optical-information reproducing system according to the embodiment of the present invention is effective in a case in which the rotational speed of the optical-information recording medium is temporarily not controlled when the optical pickup is moved. 
         [0037]    In the above-described embodiment, for example, the meander period of the groove is set to about 280 kHz as a meander period such that the wobble frequency becomes higher than the 140 kHz that is obtained in the related art. The value of the meander period is not limited thereto. The meander period of the groove can be set using the relationship between the meander period of the groove and the higher-order resonance frequency of the optical pickup. 
         [0038]    The structure and the operation of the present invention are not limited to the above descriptions. Various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out novel features of the invention as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the device or process illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.