Patent ID: 7310293

Claim:
A method for controlling a laser power used to record a recording mark on a laser controlling region of an optical disk, comprising: causing a laser to emit a test light emission pattern including a multipulse light emission interval in which a pulse current intensity-modulated between a peak value current and a bottom value current in formation of a recording mark onto the optical disk is supplied to thereby cause the laser to emit light pulses, and an at-bottom value continuous light emission interval in which the bottom value current is continuously supplied for a predetermined time to thereby cause the laser to emit light continuously; receiving the test light emission pattern of the laser to convert the pattern to an electric signal and to thereby obtain a light detection signal; calculating a detection value of a multipulse average value from an average value of the light detection signal in the multipulse light emission interval, and calculating a bottom detection value from the light detection signal in the at-bottom value continuous light emission interval to obtain a light emission power characteristic of the laser on a supplied current based on the detection value of the multipulse average value and the bottom detection value; and controlling the current supplied to the laser based on the light emission power characteristic on the current supplied to the laser, wherein a time width Tmp of the multipulse light emission interval is longer than a time width of a recording mark included in a frame sync, the time width of the recording mark included in the frame sync being longer than a time width Tmax of a longest recording mark of data in a recording region of the optical disk.