Patent · US Expired

Optical scanning unit with tracking error detection

US4864118A · kind A · utility

55Cited by
5References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 29, 1988
Grant dateSep 5, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 29, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B7/13
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A scanning unit for an optical disc record carrier includes a radiation-sensitive detection system having a plurality of detection elements on which is formed a reflected image of the scanning spot on the track structure of the record carrier. A tracking error signal is derived by combining the output signals of detection elements situated on respective sides of a boundary line between two halves of the detection system, and comparing with each other the combined signals from both halves. Several different such tracking error signals are derived, for boundary lines having different orietations with respect to the direction of the track instantaneously being scanned. The tracking error signal corresponding to a boundary line most nearly parallel to the direction of such track will be of greatest amplitude, and is selected as the tracking error signal used for controlling the scanning unit to follow the center line of such track. This achieves improved tracking error sensitivity providing more accurate tracking over the entire track structure.

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