Patent ID: 7092338

Claim:
A method for controlling the power of a laser beam in an optical recording system that includes a laser light source, the laser light source being operable so as to provide an incident recording light signal for recording information on an optical recording medium, said method comprising the steps of: a) detecting a reflected write pulse that is a reflection of the incident recording light signal from the optical recording medium; b) generating a mark formation effectiveness (MFE) signal according to the reflected write pulse obtained in step a), the MFE signal corresponding to the information recorded on the optical recording medium; c) filtering the MFE signal obtained in step b) to result in a first component; d) combining the first component and the MFE signal obtained in step b) to result in a second component; e) combining the first component and a target MFE signal to result in a difference signal; and controlling laser beam power of the laser light source according to the second component obtained in step d) and the difference signal obtained in step e) for optimum information recording: wherein step f) comprises the sub-steps of: f-1) generating a first compensation signal based on the difference signal, and a second compensation signal based on the second component; f-2) combining the first and second compensation signals to result in a compound compensation signal for controlling the laser beam power of the laser light source; and f-3) generating a control voltage from the compound compensation signal, and limiting a variation rate and magnitude of the control voltage that is provided to the laser light source to protect the laser light source.