Patent ID: 7006414

Claim:
An optical disk device for writing information on an optical disk, said optical disk device having an APC (Automatic Power Control) part for monitored driving of a laser diode, said optical disk device comprising: preparation means for searching an unused partition of a test area of said optical disk and reading out a reference power value from said optical disk; APC-turn off means for turning off said APC part so that the APC part stops monitored driving of the laser diode when it is determined that the recording speed exceeds a predetermined speed; first OPC (Optimum Power Control) means for obtaining a first optimum writing power value by writing on said unused partition by driving said laser diode at a plurality of first test laser power values centered on said reference power value, reading out said information recorded on said unused partition and determining the first optimum writing power value; APC-turn on means for turning on said APC part so that the APC part resumes monitored driving of the laser diode after determining the first optimum writing power value when it is determined that said APC part has been turned off by said APC-turn off means; and second OPC (Optimum Power Control) means for obtaining a second optimum writing power value by writing on a subsequent unused partition by driving said laser diode at a plurality of second test laser power values centered on said first optimum writing power value, reading out said information recorded on said subsequent unused partition and determining the second optimum writing power value.