Method and apparatus for recording/reproducing optical information

A method for reproducing optical information in a holographic digital data storage system which includes a holographic memory formed of a photo-refractive crystal, a reference beam generator for generating a reference beam of a wavelength to be supplied into the holographic memory, an encoder for encoding the optical information to generate holographic page data, a signal beam supplier for supplying a signal beam, modulated with the holographic page data, of the wavelength into the holographic memory so that the reference beam interferes with the signal beam to produce an optical interference pattern therebetween, a detector for detecting a diffracted beam from the optical interference pattern of the holographic memory caused by irradiation of the reference beam into the holographic memory and an analyzer for analyzing the diffracted beam to restore the optical information, wherein the holographic page data has at least two concentric patterns with the optical information arranged within an outermost pattern of said at least two concentric patterns and said at least two concentric patterns in the holographic page data are deformed into at least two elliptic patterns in the diffracted beam, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) extracting said at least two elliptic patterns from the diffracted beam;
• (b) estimating said at least two elliptic patterns to generate at least two estimated concentric patterns so that a compensated vector is generated between said at least two elliptic patterns and said at least two estimated concentric patterns;
• and
• (c) using the compensated vector to reconstruct the optical information from the diffracted beam.

An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording optical information on a holographic memory formed of a photo-refractive crystal and reproducing the optical information from the holographic memory, the apparatus comprising:

• means for generating a reference beam of a wavelength to be supplied into the holographic memory;
• means for encoding the optical information to generate holographic page data;
• means for supplying a signal beam of the wavelength into the holographic memory so that the reference beam interferes with the signal beam to produce an optical interference pattern therebetween, wherein the signal beam is modulated with the holographic page data;
• means for detecting a diffracted beam from the optical interference pattern of the holographic memory caused by irradiation of the reference beam into the holographic memory;
• and
• means for analyzing the diffracted beam to restore the optical information,
• wherein the encoding means includes:
• means for generating at least two concentric patterns as a servo pattern, and
• means for arranging the optical information within an outermost pattern of said at least two concentric patterns to generate circular page data as the holographic page data and wherein the analyzing means includes:
• means for extracting at least two elliptic patterns from the diffracted beam, wherein said at least two concentric patterns in the holographic page data are deformed into said at least two elliptic patterns in the diffracted beam,
• means for estimating said at least two elliptic patterns to generate at least two estimated concentric patterns so that a compensated vector is generated between said at least two elliptic patterns and said at least two estimated concentric patterns, and
• means for using the compensated vector to reconstruct the optical information from the diffracted beam.