High frequency modulation of a light beam in optical recording

Abstract

An optical storage system modulates a laser beam based on a high frequency modulation (HFM) signal and a pattern to be recorded on an optical storage medium. At least one of an amplitude and a frequency of the HFM signal is adjusted when using the light beam to record the pattern on the optical storage medium or read data from the medium.

1 . A method comprising: 
 modulating a light beam based on a high frequency modulation (HFM) signal and a pattern to be recorded on an optical storage medium; and    adjusting a frequency of the HFM signal when using the light beam to record the pattern on the optical storage medium or read data from the medium, the frequency being adjusted from a first value to a second value.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  in which the frequency of the HFM signal is adjusted to reduce an error rate when reading from the medium.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  in which the frequency of the HFM signal is adjusted to reduce an error rate of reading an address in pre-groove (ADIP) signal from the medium.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  in which the frequency of the HFM signal is adjusted in response to a change in a write power level of the light beam.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  in which the frequency of the HFM signal is adjusted based on a selection of one of at least two light sources for generating the light beam.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  in which the frequency of the HFM signal is adjusted depending on whether the light beam is at a write power level, an erase power level, or a read power level, the write power level being used for recording a mark on the storage medium, the erase power level being used for erasing a mark on the storage medium, and the read power level being used for reading recorded marks on the storage medium.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  in which the frequency of the HFM signal is adjusted depending on whether the light beam is used for reading from the medium or for writing to the medium.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  in which adjusting the frequency of the HFM signal comprises selecting one of at least two HFM current generators to generate an electric current to drive the light source.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  in which the modulation of the light beam is compatible with at least one of a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, double layer DVD-R, double layer DVD+R, Blu-ray Disc, and High-Definition DVD (HD-DVD) standard.  
   
   
       10 . A method of operating an optical storage system comprising: 
 when using a light beam to write a pattern on an optical storage medium or read data from the medium, adjusting an amplitude of a high frequency modulation (HFM) signal that is used to modulate the light beam, the amplitude being adjusted based on a change in operation mode of the optical storage system.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  in which the amplitude of the HFM signal is adjusted in response to a change in a write power level of the light beam.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  in which the amplitude of the HFM signal is adjusted depending on whether the light beam is at a write power level, an erase power level, or a read power level, the write power level being used for writing a ‘1’ signal on the storage medium, the erase power level being used for writing the ‘0’ signal on the storage medium, and the read power level being used for reading recorded signals or wobble signals on the storage medium.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  in which the amplitude of the HFM signal is adjusted depending on whether the light beam is used for reading from the medium or for writing to the medium.  
   
   
       14 . A method comprising: 
 modulating a light beam according to a pattern to be recorded on an optical storage medium and a high frequency modulation (HFM) signal; and    determining at least one of an amplitude and a frequency of the HFM signal based on a type of the optical storage medium, at least one of the amplitude and the frequency being different for different types of optical storage media.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  in which at least one of the amplitude and the frequency of the HFM signal is different for at least two of CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, double layer DVD-R, double layer DVD+R Blu-ray Disc, and High-Definition DVD (HD-DVD) recording media.  
   
   
       16 . A method comprising: 
 determining a characteristic of a high frequency modulation (HFM) signal based on a selection of a wavelength of a read beam that is used to read data from an optical recording medium, the wavelength being selected from among at least two possible wavelengths, the characteristic of the HFM signal being different for at least two different wavelengths;    modulating the read beam with the HFM signal; and    using the read beam to read data from the optical recording medium.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  in which the characteristic comprises at least one of a frequency and an amplitude of the HFM signal.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  in which the characteristic of the HFM signal is determined so as to reduce an error rate when reading from the medium.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16  in which one of the two possible wavelengths corresponds to an infrared or a red laser, and the other of the two possible wavelengths corresponds to a blue laser.  
   
   
       20 . A method comprising: 
 modulating a light beam based on a trial write pattern and a high frequency modulation (HFM) signal;    using the light beam to record trial write marks on an optical storage medium;    detecting recorded trial write marks on the medium; and    adjusting at least one characteristic of the HFM signal based on detected recorded trial write marks.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  in which the characteristic comprises at least one of a frequency and an amplitude.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  comprising determining optimum values for the frequency and amplitude of the HFM signal that result in the least error rate based on the detected recorded trial write marks.  
   
   
       23 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a light source driver to drive a light source based on a high frequency modulation (HFM) signal and a pattern to be recorded on an optical storage medium; and    circuitry to adjust at least one of an amplitude and a frequency of the HFM signal when recording the pattern on the optical storage medium or reading data from the medium.    
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 23  in which the circuitry adjusts at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the HFM signal in response to a change in a write power level of the light beam for recording a mark on the optical storage medium.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 23  in which the circuitry adjusts at least one of the amplitude and frequency of the HFM signal depending on whether the light beam is at a write power level, an erase power level, or a read power level, the write power level being used for recording a mark on the storage medium, the erase power level being used for erasing a mark on the storage medium, and the read power level being used for reading recorded marks or wobble signals on the storage medium.  
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 23  in which the light source driver comprises at least two HFM current generators that have different frequencies and/or amplitudes.  
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 23  in which the light source driver drives the light source to generate a light beam that is compatible with at least one of a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, double layer DVD+R, double layer DVD-R, Blu-ray Disc, and High-Definition DVD (HD-DVD) standard.  
   
   
       28 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a light source driver to drive a light source according to a high frequency modulation (HFM) signal and a pattern to be recorded on an optical storage medium; and    circuitry to determine at least one of an amplitude and a frequency of the HFM signal based on a type of the optical storage medium, at least one of the amplitude and the frequency being different for different types of optical storage media.    
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 14  in which the circuitry determines different amplitudes and/or frequencies for the HFM signal for at least two of CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, Blu-ray Disc, and High-Definition DVD (HD-DVD) recording media.