Recording Intensity Modulated Signals and Polarization-Modulated Optical Signals in the Same Area of a Storage Member

The present invention relates to optical disk recorders, and more particularly to those optical disk recorders employing media having magnetooptic coatings, as well as intensity-modulation recorded signals such as molded or embossed signals, which are represented by recording surface fluctuations.

Optical disks often employ grooved media for identifying storage track areas at high track densities. Removal of grooves would be a great advantage. Another factor in optical disk is space utilization; i.e., the less area dedicated to controlling the operation of the recorder using the optical storage medium, the more efficient data storage becomes. Accordingly, it is desired to provide multiple uses of the control area dedicated for controlling a recorder utilizing the storage media.

Many optical disks are so-called hard-sectored; i.e., control information is embossed along radial lines for identifying sectors. The sectors, or the spaces between the embossed areas, circumferentially identify the signal storing tracks. There will be a large number of such tracks on each disk surface. In many optical disks, the storage of data signals intensity modulates a reading light beam such that a single detector can detect both the embossed control area and the data area which can be phase-change modulated, color modulated (using dyes), or ablative recording which introduces pits into the area for representing data signals.

Another form of optical recording is the well-known magnetooptic recording. In magnetooptic recording, the recorded information is sensed by measuring the linear polarization rotation of the reading light beam reflected from the magnetooptic disk. Accordingly, two detectors are required. One for reading the control information and another required for reading the data information. Further, the embossed area requires a relatively large portion of the disk, therefore, it is desired to provide multiple usage of the embossed area for reducing the control signal overhead for the magnetooptic disk. Hereinafter, magnetooptic is identified by the abbreviation "MO".

Bell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,003; Yamada, U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,885; and Cardot et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,571 all show sector servos in magnetic recording disks which include not only track-following control information but also readback clock synchronization signals. All of the signals on such disks are read using a single magnetic detector, as is known. Kulakowski et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,903 shows a dual usage of disk sectors for track-jumping areas, as well as providing spare sectors on an optical storage medium. The usage of the sectors is either exclusively for storing data as a spare sector or for track jumping.

Co-pending, commonly-assigned application for patent by Tayefeh (Ser. No. 07/448,550) shows a detector usable to detect both MO signals and intensity modulated signals. This showing provides an efficient way of reading both MO modulated signals and intensity modulated signals; no limitation to using a signal detector for reading both signals is intended with respect to the practice of the present invention.

It is an object of the invention to provide an enhanced MO storage member, which is hard-sectored, for enabling recording magnetooptic signals over embossed areas and for selectively reading either the embossed areas as intensity signals or reading the MO signals.

An apparatus for reading signals from a magnetooptic disk having a continuous MO recording layer disposed over flat recording areas and control embossed areas. Readback means sense the signals recorded on the disk including MO signals recorded in the embossed areas in addition to sensing MO signals in the flat or non-embossed areas.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows an embossed area with magnetooptic coating thereon for recording both intensity modulated signals and magnetooptic recorded signals.

FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram showing readback of signals from an embossed area of either the intensity modulated signals or the MO modulated signals.

FIG. 3 is a plan view diagrammatically showing a magnetooptic disk using the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the appended drawing, like numerals indicate like parts in the two figures.

An MO disk 30, rotatable on shaft 31, is a hard-sectored disk such as shown in FIG. 1. The hard-sectoring includes embossed areas 14 and 15, which are circumferentially interposed on a plurality of data tracks represented by center lines 10 of areas 12 and 16. The track-following embossed area 14 includes a plurality of embossed portions 18 arranged to enable identification of the track center lines 10 as a light beam is scanning any one of the tracks represented by center lines 10. Operation of such track following is well known and not further described for that reason. Additionally, area 15 is provided for enabling enhanced track seeking by providing embossed portions 20 which are preferably Gray code modulated in circumferential width along the radial direction. Such Gray code encoding is known and its application to track seeking for identifying radial position during a track seek is well known. Because of the relatively low frequency of change in the radial direction of the Gray coded portions 20, relatively reliable radial positioning control can be achieved even during rapid track-seeking motions. In addition to areas 14 and 15 in the hard-sectored areas, a track address and sector address may also be employed. If the track-seeking embossed area 15 is dispensed with, then such addresses can be inserted in place of the track-seeking area 15.

The signals recorded on MO disk 30, whether embossed for intensity modulating a read beam, or MO recorded for linear polarization rotating a read beam, is sensed by a magnetooptic system 32 of known design via a dual direction light path 33, as is known. Magnetooptic system 32 includes a laser for supplying a read or write beam over path 32. The supplied beams are reflected by the surface of MO disk 30 back into the magnetooptic system 32. The read beams are processed optically (as known) to provide a p-component signal over a light beam path 34 and an s-component optical signal over light path 35. Also included in magnetooptic system 32 are the usual focusing systems and track-following and track-seeking systems.

Cascode connected diodes 36, 37 extend between a +V voltage supply and a ground reference potential respectively receive the p- and s-component optical signals for generating an electrical signal therefrom. Operational amplifier 38 has its input connected to the common connection between diodes 36 and 37 for supplying a differential signal through the closed switch 50 to readback PLL 54 for supplying data signals over line 53. This arrangement is a data readback detection system for magnetooptically modulated signals. Switch 50 is preferably closed only when data signals are to be read. The photodiodes 36 and 37 are oriented in the same direction, as indicated in FIG. 2.

To switch between detecting intensity modulated signals and magnetooptically modulated signals, electronic switch 39 is interposed between the cathode of photodiode 37 and ground reference potential. Detection mode select circuit 40 selectively opens and closes electronic switch 39. When electronic switch 39 is closed magnetooptic modulated signals are detected by readback PLL (phase-lock loop) 54. Accordingly, detection mode select circuit 40, as indicated by dashed line 49, synchronously closes switch 50 with the closing of switch 39.

When switch 39 is opened, then photodiode 37 is effectively taken out of the circuit; photodiode 36 becomes the sole detector which is an intensity-modulation light detector.

Intensity-modulated detected signals, as supplied through operational amplifier 38, through the now-closed switch 51, and to servo circuits 54. Servo circuits 54 supply servo control signal to magnetooptical system 32 for controlling the track following and track seeking servo, as is known. Switches 50 and 51 are alternately closed or opened by detection mode select circuit 40. The opening and closing of switches 39, 50 and 51 are synchronized to the rotational position of optical or MO disk 30. Such controls are well known, and additionally are shown by Kulakowski et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,903, which is incorporated herein by reference. This patent is also cited as prior art in the discussion of the prior art. A focus servo, not shown, is also employed in an optical system.

Mode of circuit 40 is controlled by a control means, such as shown by Kulakowski et al., and not detailed herein. When the optical recorder represented in the drawing is in a track-following mode, then a positive of signal is supplied over line 41 for indicating track following. In this mode, the track-follow embossed area 14 is sensed as for intensity modulated signals; i.e., embossment portions 18 are sensed using switch 39 open. Upon reaching the track-seeking embossed area 15, rather than reading the embossed portions 20, any magnetooptic recorded signals in embossed area 15 are read by closing switch 39. The intensity modulation of the reflected light beam is eliminated by the differential detection of the p and s components as described above. Any constructed embodiment of the present invention synchronizes readback PLL 52 to the movement of storage member or disk 30 at record and track-seeking embossed area 15. Upon exiting the area 15, the readback PLL 52 has been phase and frequency synchronized and MO data area 16 is immediately available for reading the recorded information. In the prior art, such PLL synchronization signals were recorded in the MO data area 16. By moving the PLL synchronization signals to area 15, an increase of several percentage points for data storage is provided to the optical storage member. As ariel densities increase, this percentage increase of storage area represents substantial increases in the amount of information storable on a single storage member.

In a track-seeking mode, the controller (not shown) provides a track-seek signal over line 42 causing the detection mode select circuit to keep switch 39 open while scanning the track-seeking embossed area 15. In a track-seek operation, no other signals need be sensed. When the optical recorder is to record information onto storage member 30 or to erase recorded signals from storage member 30, the control signal is supplied over line 43 to actuate detection mode select circuit 40 for disabling readback PLL 54 at all times, and enable and close switch 51, while opening switch 39, when reading the track-follow embossed area 14. When recording data signals, the PLL synchronization signals are recorded in track-seeking embossed area 15, followed by recording the data signals in MO data area 16. During erasing, the MO data area 16 may only be erased or alternately the track-seeking embossed area 15 may also be erased for erasing the MO storage signals.

It is also possible to simultaneously read embossed signals recorded in area 15; i.e., sector ID and track ID while reading MO signals. In this case, both switches 50 and 51 are closed such that the MO modulated signals are detected by readback PLL 52 and the intensity modulation signals would necessarily be provided through a separate detector in magnetooptic system 32 and supplied through closed switch 51 to servo circuits 54. In this instance, two separate optical detectors are required. One for the magnetooptic modulation and the other for the intensity modulation detection. These circuits are not shown because they are so well known.

As seen in FIG. 3, disk 30 is circumferentially divided into a plurality of radially-extending sectors 61-66, inclusive. Sector 68 has MO area 12 while sector 67 has MO data area 16. The embossed areas 14, 15 are a portion of sector 67 (disk 30 is rotating in direction of arrow). Each of the sectors 61-66 have a leading embossed sector portion 60 corresponding to embossed area 14, 15. The difference between the leading sector portions 60, and area 14, 15 is the information represented by the embossing.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.