Patent ID: 7239590

Claim:
A write power control method of controlling a recording pulse of a laser diode, comprising the steps of: setting, to a target value, a measured value corresponding to an optimum write power determined in an optimum write power determining process performed before recording information; comparing the target value with an output level measured in power control; and controlling an erase power to approach the target value based on a result of the comparison, wherein: the recording pulse is a multi-pulse defined by a peak power, the erase power, and a bottom power, the erase power is used in the step of controlling the erase power at a time when the multi-pulse is not being output, wherein, when the erase power falls within a permissible range of the target value in the step of controlling the erase power, in a case where an average value measured in recording information is greater than the target value measured in the optimum write power determining process, it is possible to perform correction of increasing a first additional value and a second additional value, in a case where the average value is smaller than the target value, it is possible to decrease the first and second additional values, and the first additional value being added to the erase power to obtain the peak power, and the second additional value being added to the bottom power to obtain the erase power.