Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for optically reproducing signals recorded on a rotating recording medium

US4486791A · kind A · utility

16Cited by
12References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 4, 1982
Grant dateDec 4, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 4, 2002

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B7/12
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An optical apparatus reproduces an information signal recorded as pits along track turns of a rotating recording medium. At least one kind of reference signal is recorded along and overlapping the lateral edges of the adjacent track turns of the information signal. A light source projects a first light beam onto the surface of the recording medium to simultaneously reproduce the information and reference signals. A detector responds to reflections of the projected light which includes and reproduces the information signal and the reference signal. The optical system is controlled so that the center of the light beam coincides with the centerline of the track. A circuit separates the reference signal from the total reproduced signal and produces a tracking control signal in response thereto. The optical system also projects a second light beam onto the recording medium and its reflected component is used for focus control. The depth of focus of the objective lens is substantially equal to or less than two times the pit depth, so that the focussing point of the reproduction light beam coincides with the upper surface of the rotating recording medium or the bottom surface of the pits.…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.