Patent ID: 7151722

Claim:
An optical disc apparatus having a focus jump function for enabling a focus control on each of a plurality of recording layers of a disc, comprising: an objective lens for focusing laser light on a recording layer of the disc; focus error signal generating means for generating a focus error signal based on reflection light that is obtained through the objective lens; generating means for generating, based on the focus error signal, a focus control signal for controlling the objective lens; drive voltage generating means for outputting a voltage necessary to move the objective lens; moving means for moving the objective lens in a direction approximately perpendicular to the recording layers of the disc in accordance with the output voltage of the drive voltage generating means; speed detecting means for detecting a movement speed of the objective lens, means for rejecting noise from the focus error signal; means for monitoring a level of the focus error signal for detecting an operation of focus point returning; and speed control voltage generating means for generating a voltage for controlling the objective lens based on the movement speed detected by the speed detecting means and the level of the focus error signal monitored by the means for monitoring a level of the focus error signal, wherein a movement speed of the objective lens is detected during a focus jump from a first recording layer to a second recording layer, a lens drive signal corresponding to the detected movement speed is supplied to the moving means, and an end position of the focus jump is determined based on behavior of the focus error signal immediately before an end of the focus jump, whereby a focus control is forcibly pulled, from a focus point corresponding to the first recording layer, into a focus point corresponding to the second recording layer.