Optical Information Recording Medium, Reproducing Device for Optical Information Recording Medium, Control Method and Control Program for the Reproducing Device, and Medium with the Control Program Recorded Therein

Abstract

A super-resolution medium ( 1 ) has a medium identification information for specifying a type of medium recorded in a medium information area ( 3 ) by use of pre-pits having a length not shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device ( 10 ).

1 . A super-resolution optical information recording medium comprising:
 a first area in which a content is to be recorded by forming recording marks, one or more of the recording marks being shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device; and   a second area in which medium identification information for specifying a type of the medium is recorded by use of pre-pits that are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions,   the pre-pits which form the medium identification information being not shorter than the resolution limit of the optical system.   
     
     
         2 . A super-resolution optical information recording medium comprising:
 a first area in which a content is to be recorded by forming recording marks; and   a second area in which medium identification information for specifying a type of the medium is recorded by use of pre-pits that are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions,   a shortest pre-pit length in the pre-pits which form the medium identification information being longer than a shortest recording mark length in the recording marks in the first area.   
     
     
         3 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second area has a test write read area in which (i) information for adjusting laser light power for recording the content to the first area and (ii) information for adjusting laser light power for reproducing the content recorded in the first area are recordable; and   recording marks in the test write read area are formed having a same recording density and modulation type as the recording marks to be formed in the first area.   
     
     
         4 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein in the second area, the test write read area is provided at a position closer to the first area than the pre-pits are in which the medium identification information is recorded. 
     
     
         5 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein:
 in the second area, reproduction speed information for reproduction of the content recorded in the first area is recorded, by use of pre-pits that are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions and that are not shorter than the resolution limit of the optical system in the reproducing device; and   the pre-pits in which the reproduction speed information is recorded are provided at a position far from the first area than the test write read area is.   
     
     
         6 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in any one of  claim 3 , wherein:
 in the second area, recording condition information for recording the content to the first area is recorded, by use of pre-pits that are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions and that are not shorter than the resolution limit of the optical system in the reproducing device; and   the pre-pits in which the recording condition information is recorded are provided at a position far from the first area than the test write read area is.   
     
     
         7 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein:
 in the second area, area position information for specifying a position in the first area is recorded, by use of pre-pits that are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions, and that have a same recording density and modulation type as the recording marks in the first area; and   the pre-pits in which the area position information is recorded are provided at a position closer to the first area than the test write read area is.   
     
     
         8 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claims 1 , wherein a track pitch of the first area is same as or narrower than a track pitch of the second area. 
     
     
         9 . A super-resolution optical information recording medium comprising:
 a first area in which a content is recorded by use of pre-pits that are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions and one or more of which are shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device; and   a second area in which medium identification information for specifying a type of the medium is recorded by use of pre-pits that are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions,   the pre-pits which form the medium identification information being not shorter than the resolution limit of the optical system.   
     
     
         10 . A super-resolution optical information recording medium comprising:
 a first area in which a content is recorded by use of pre-pits that are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions; and   a second area in which medium identification information for specifying a type of the medium is recorded by use of pre-pits formed by concave portions and/or protrusions,   a shortest pre-pit length in the pre-pits which form the medium identification information is longer than a shortest pre-pit length in the pre-pits in the first area.   
     
     
         11 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein:
 the second area has a test read area in which pre-pits are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions, which pre-pits adjust laser light power for reproducing the content in the first area,   the pre-pits of the test read area are formed in a same recording density and modulation type as the pre-pits in the first area.   
     
     
         12 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein:
 the second area has a test read area in which pre-pits are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions, which pre-pits adjust laser light power for reproducing the content in the first area,   the pre-pits in the test read area are longer than a shortest pre-pit length in the pre-pits in the first area but shorter than a longest pre-pit length in the pre-pits in the first area.   
     
     
         13 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein in the second area, the test read area is provided at a position closer to the first area than the pre-pits are in which the medium identification information is recorded. 
     
     
         14 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein:
 in the second area, reproduction speed information for reproduction of the content recorded in the first area is recorded, by use of pre-pits formed by concave portions and/or protrusions and that are not shorter than the resolution limit of the optical system in the reproducing device,   the pre-pits in which the reproduction speed information is recorded are provided at a position far from the first area than the test read area is.   
     
     
         15 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein:
 in the second area, area position information for specifying a position in the first area is recorded, by use of pre-pits that are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions and that have a same recording density and modulation type as the recording marks in the first area,   the pre-pits in which the area position information is recorded are provided at a position closer to the first area than the test read area is.   
     
     
         16 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein:
 in the second area, unique number presence/absence information for determining whether a medium unique number is present or absent is recorded, by use of pre-pits that are formed by concave portions and/or protrusions and that are not shorter than the resolution limit of the optical system in the reproducing device,   the pre-pits in which the unique number presence/absence information is recorded are provided at a position far from the first area than the test read area is.   
     
     
         17 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein a track pitch of the first area is same as or narrower than a track pitch of the second area. 
     
     
         18 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a substrate on which the first area is provided; and   at least a recording layer and a super-resolution reproducing layer layered on the substrate in this order,   the super-resolution reproducing layer being a metal oxide film.   
     
     
         19 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a substrate on which the first area is provided; and   at least a super-resolution reproducing layer and a recording layer layered on the substrate in this order,   the super-resolution reproducing layer being a metal oxide film.   
     
     
         20 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a substrate on which the first area and the second area are provided; and   at least a reflection layer and a super-resolution reproducing layer layered on the substrate in this order,   the super-resolution reproducing layer being a metal oxide film.   
     
     
         21 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a substrate on which the first area and the second area are provided; and   at least a super-resolution reproducing layer and a reflection layer layered on the substrate in this order,   the super-resolution reproducing layer being a metal oxide film.   
     
     
         22 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a substrate on which the first area and the second area are provided; and   at least a light absorbing layer and a super-resolution reproducing layer layered on the substrate in this order,   the light absorbing layer absorbing reproduction light and converting the reproduction light to heat, and   the super-resolution reproducing layer being a metal oxide film.   
     
     
         23 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a substrate on which the first area and the second area are provided; and   at least a super-resolution reproducing layer and a light absorbing layer layered on the substrate in this order,   the light absorbing layer absorbing reproduction light and converting the reproduction light to heat, and   the super-resolution reproducing layer being a metal oxide film.   
     
     
         24 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the metal oxide film is an inorganic film which is made from titanium oxide, cerium oxide, zinc oxide, or whose main component is titanium oxide, cerium oxide, or zinc oxide. 
     
     
         25 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein the light absorbing layer is made from Si, Ge, or an alloy whose main component is Si and/or Ge. 
     
     
         26 . The super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 22 , further comprising a heat releasing layer for releasing the heat generated due to the irradiation of the reproduction light. 
     
     
         27 . An optical information recording medium reproducing device capable of reproducing (i) a super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 1 , and (ii) a regular optical information recording medium which is an optical information recording medium in which recording marks or pre-pits are not shorter than the resolution limit of the optical system, the optical information recording medium reproducing device comprising:
 reproduction means for reproducing information recorded in a desired position of the optical information recording medium; and   control means for controlling operations of the optical information recording medium reproducing device,   the control means comprising:   identification information acquisition means for controlling the reproduction means to reproduce and acquire the medium identification information by use of reproduction light power suitable for reproduction of the regular optical information recording medium; and   medium identification means for identifying whether or not the optical information recording medium is a super-resolution optical information recording medium, based on the medium identification information thus acquired.   
     
     
         28 . The optical information recording medium reproducing device as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the control means further comprises power control means for controlling the reproduction light power from the reproduction means so that reproduction is carried out by use of the reproduction light power suitable for reproduction of the super-resolution optical information recording medium, in the case the optical information medium is identified as the super-resolution information recording medium, as a result of the identification by the medium identification means. 
     
     
         29 . The optical information recording medium reproducing device as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein the power control means controls the reproduction light power of the reproduction means based on an amplitude of a reproduction signal read out from a pre-pit in the test read area in the super-resolution optical information recording medium. 
     
     
         30 . The optical information recording medium reproducing device as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein the control means further comprises clock control means for controlling a reproducing clock so that the reproduction is carried out by use of a reproduction clock suitable for the super-resolution optical information recording medium, in the case where the optical information recording medium is identified as the super-resolution optical information recording medium, as a result of the identification by the medium identification means. 
     
     
         31 . A method for controlling an optical information recording medium reproducing device capable of reproducing (i) a super-resolution optical information recording medium as set forth in  claim 1 , and (ii) a regular optical information recording medium which is an optical information recording medium in which recording marks or pre-pits are not shorter than the resolution limit of the optical system, the method comprising:
 acquiring the medium identification information by use of reproduction light power suitable for reproduction of the regular optical information recording medium; and   identifying whether or not the optical information recording medium is a super-resolution optical information recording medium, based on the medium identification information thus acquired.   
     
     
         32 . A control program for operating an optical information recording medium reproducing device as set forth in  claim 27 , the control program causing a computer to function as the control means. 
     
     
         33 . A computer-readable recording medium in which the control program as set forth in  claim 32  is recorded therein.