Patent · US Expired

Optical disc cloud analyzer

US5726748A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
4References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 24, 1996
Grant dateMar 10, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 24, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/9506
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An analyzer is employed for detecting a cloud in an optical disc having a transparent surface layer atop a substrate and data pits therebetween. A light beam is projected at an acute incidence angle atop the surface layer to define a light spot covering a plurality of the pits. Light scattered from the pits below the spot is detected obliquely to both the incident light beam and a specular reflection thereof. The light spot is scanned over the surface layer, and variation of detected light intensities over the disc is determined for detecting a cloud. In a preferred embodiment, the scattered light is detected from two different oblique directions to increase contrast of the cloud.

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