Patent ID: 6850473

Claim:
An optical disc apparatus for performing recording or reading of data on an optical disc, the optical disc apparatus comprising: a laser pickup operable to irradiate laser light onto the optical disc; a control means for performing a play control which makes the laser pickup follow a track of a predetermined area on the optical disc after a recording of data is completed, seek a head of the predetermined area when the laser pickup exceeds the predetermined area, and repeat the following operation and the seeking operation until a next command is issued; and a detection means for detecting a consecutive recorded area where data are continuously recorded for a constant period of time on the optical disc or detecting a consecutive non-recorded area where no data are recorded for a constant period of time when the laser pickup is following the track of the predetermined area, wherein the control means controls the laser pickup to perform a hold tracking in the consecutive recorded area or in the consecutive non-recorded area, respectively, when the detection means detects the consecutive recorded area or the consecutive non-recorded area.