Patent ID: 6961294

Claim:
A light amount control device comprising: light source driving means for driving a light source to emit a light at a first optical amount level value and a second optical amount level value greater than the first optical amount level value; anterior reflected light signal level detecting means for irradiating the light emitted from said light source onto a recording medium and detecting a signal level value of the reflected light reflected by said recording medium before recording information on said recording medium; reference level value retaining means for retaining the detected signal level value as a reference level value; posterior reflected light signal level detecting means for irradiating the light emitted from said light source onto said recording medium and detecting a signal level value of the reflected light reflected by said recording medium after starting information recording on said recording medium; comparing means for comparing the detected signal level value with the reference level value retained by said reference level value retaining means; and drive current adjusting means for adjusting a drive current which drives said light source to emit the light based on a result of the comparison of said comparing means, wherein each of said anterior reflected light signal level value detecting means and said posterior reflected light signal level value detecting means includes: first reflected light signal level value detecting means for detecting the second optical amount level value of the reflected light reflected by said recording medium; second reflected light signal level value detecting means for detecting an average value of the signal level value of the light emitted by said light source; and detection place selecting means for selecting one of outputs of the first reflected light signal level value detecting means and the second reflected light signal level value detecting means in accordance with an instruction for selection.