Patent ID: 6859426

Claim:
An optical disk drive unit performing write power calibration which performs recording on a given test area of an optical disk by changing a write power and sets an optimum write power level based on characteristic values obtained from reproduced signals from the given test area, the optical disk drive unit comprising: an average calculation part configured to divide the given test area into first and second areas, the first area including a plurality of first regions and the second area including a plurality of second regions that are in positions substantially 180 degrees angularly different from positions of the first regions perform recording on the first areas at a plurality of write power levels and on the second area at the plurality of write power levels so that the recording is performed on each of the first region and the corresponding second region in the position substantially 180 degrees angularly different from the position of the first region at the same write power level, and with respect to each of the plurality of write power levels, calculate an averages of characteristic values obtained from reproduced signals from the first and second regions on which the recording is performed at the write power level; and an optimum write power setting part configured to set the optimum write power level based on the averages of the characteristic values calculated with respect to the plurality of write power levels by said average calculation part.