Patent ID: 7200075

Claim:
An optical disc apparatus having a focus jump function for enabling a focus control on each of a plurality of recording layers of a disc on and from which data can be recorded and reproduced, comprising: an objective lens for focusing laser light on a recording layer of the disc; focus error signal generating means for generating a focus error signal based on reflection light that is obtained through the objective lens; generating means for generating, based on the focus error signal, a focus control signal for controlling the objective lens in accordance with the focus control signal; drive voltage generating means for outputting a voltage necessary to move the objective lens; moving means for moving the objective lens in a direction approximately perpendicular to the recording layers of the disc in accordance with the output voltage of the drive voltage generating means; and deviation-from-layer detecting means for detecting whether a focus position of the objective lens will deviate from a recording layer, wherein when a focus jump is performed, whether a focus position of the objective lens will deviate from a destination recording layer is detected and deviation from the destination recording layer is prevented by controlling the moving means; wherein the drive voltage generating means generates: a first voltage value as an acceleration voltage that causes the objective lens to approach the disc and a second voltage value as a deceleration voltage that causes the objective lens to go away from the disc in moving the objective lens from a first recording layer to a second recording layer that is more distant from the objective lens than the first recording layer is, and a third voltage value as an acceleration voltage that causes the objective lens to go away from the disc and a fourth voltage value as a deceleration voltage that causes the objective lens to approach the disc in moving the objective lens from a third recording layer to a fourth recording layer that is closer to the objective lens than the third recording layer is.