Patent ID: 7164632

Claim:
A method of detecting a tracking error of an optical pickup in which light of a light source ( 1 ) is converged on a surface of an optical disk ( 5 ) by means of an objective lens ( 4 ) and light reflected from the optical disk ( 5 ) is used to detect a tracking error signal, comprising the steps of: making the light reflected from the optical disk ( 5 ) enter a first light-receiving element ( 13 a , 19 a – 19 c , 119 a – 119 b , 219 a , 319 a ) and a second light-receiving element ( 13 b – 13 c , 13 d – 13 e , 13 f – 13 g , 16 , 17 ( FIG. 15 ), 103 , 119 c – 119 d , 219 b – 219 c , 319 b – 319 c ) in such a manner that an amount of light entering the first light-receiving element is increased and an amount of light entering the second light-receiving element is decreased in accordance with a shift of the objective lens in a specified disk radial direction by a light-amount distribution means ( 10 , 14 , 21 , 101 a – 101 b , 102 , 110 , 118 ); and obtaining a tracking error signal (TES) by correcting a push-pull signal (PP), based on a differential signal (SHFT) between an output signal of the first light-receiving element and an output signal of the second light-receiving element.