Optical pickup device and optical disk drive using the same

An optical element comprising:

• a transparent substrate;
• a first lens portion provided on the substrate to change an angle of divergence of a first incoming light beam to the optical element;
• and
• a second lens portion provided on the substrate to change an angle of divergence of a second incoming light beam to the optical element.

An optical pickup device which focuses a light beam on a recording surface of a corresponding one of two or more storage media of different types and receives a return light beam from the recording surface, the optical pickup device comprising:

• a light source unit;
• an optical system which leads the return light beam to a predetermined light-receiving location and includes an object lens focusing each light beam from the light source unit to the recording surface of the corresponding storage medium;
• and a photodetector arranged at the light-receiving location,
• the light source unit comprising:
• a plurality of light sources outputting light beams respectively, the plurality of light sources being arranged in proximity to each other;
• and
• a divergence-angle changing unit changing an angle of divergence of a light beam output from at least one of the plurality of light sources.

An optical pickup device which focuses a light beam on a recording surface of a corresponding one of two or more storage media of different types and receives a return light beam reflected from the recording surface, the optical pickup device comprising:

• a light source unit package;
• and an optical system which leads the return light beam to a predetermined light-receiving location and includes an object lens focusing each light beam from the light source unit package to the recording surface of the corresponding storage medium,
• the light source unit package comprising:
• a light source unit, a branch optical element reflecting a light beam incident to the light source unit, in a predetermined direction, and a photodetector arranged at the light-receiving location and receiving the reflected light beam from the branch optical element, wherein the light source unit, the branch optical element and the photodetector are unified,
• the light source unit comprising:
• a plurality of light sources outputting light beams respectively, the plurality of light sources being arranged in proximity to each other;
• and
• a divergence-angle changing unit changing an angle of divergence of a light beam output from at least one of the plurality of light sources.

An optical disk drive which performs recording, reproduction and erasing of information with a corresponding one of two or more optical disks of different types, the optical disk drive including:

• an optical pickup device and a reproduction signal processing unit performing reproduction of information based on a signal output by the optical pickup device,
• the optical pickup device focusing a light beam on a recording surface of the corresponding optical disk and receiving a return light beam from the recording surface, the optical pickup device comprising:
• a light source unit;
• an optical system which leads the return light beam to a predetermined light-receiving location and includes an object lens focusing each light beam from the light source unit to the recording surface of the corresponding storage medium;
• and a photodetector arranged at the light-receiving location,
• the light source unit comprising:
• a plurality of light sources outputting light beams respectively, the plurality of light sources being arranged in proximity to each other;
• and
• a divergence-angle changing unit changing an angle of divergence of a light beam output from at least one of the plurality of light sources.

An optical pickup device which focuses a light beam on a recording surface of a corresponding one of two or more storage media of different types and receives a return light from the recording surface, the optical pickup device comprising:

• a plurality of light sources respectively outputting light beams to the storage media individually, and the respective light beams having different wavelengths;
• an optical system which leads the return light beam to a predetermined light-receiving location and includes an object lens and an optical element, the object lens focusing each light beam from the plurality of light source on the recording surface of a corresponding storage medium, and the optical element converting each light beam directed toward the object lens into a parallel light beam;
• and
• a photodetector arranged at the light-receiving location and receiving the return light beam,
• wherein each light beam incident to the optical element has an angle of divergence that is inversely proportional to a wavelength of the light beam.

An optical disk drive which performs recording, reproduction and erasing of information with a corresponding one of two or more optical disks of different types, the optical disk drive including:

• an optical pickup device and a reproduction signal processing unit performing reproduction of information based on a signal output by the optical pickup device, the optical pickup device focusing a light beam on a recording surface of the corresponding optical disk and receiving a return light beam from the recording surface, the optical pickup device comprising:
• a plurality of light sources respectively outputting light beams to the storage media individually, and the respective light beams having different wavelengths;
• an optical system which leads the return light beam to a predetermined light-receiving location and includes an object lens and an optical element, the object lens focusing each light beam from the plurality of light source on the recording surface of a corresponding storage medium, and the optical element converting each light beam directed toward the object lens into a parallel light beam;
• and
• a photodetector arranged at the light-receiving location and receiving the return light beam,
• wherein each light beam incident to the optical element has an angle of divergence that is inversely proportional to a wavelength of the light beam.

An optical pickup device which focuses a light beam on a recording surface of a corresponding one of two or more storage media of different types and receives a return light from the is recording surface, the optical pickup device comprising:

• a plurality of light sources respectively outputting light beams to the storage media individually, and the respective light beams having different wavelengths;
• an optical system which leads the return light beam to a predetermined light-receiving location and includes an object lens and an optical element, the object lens focusing each light beam from the plurality of light source on the recording surface of a corresponding storage medium, and the optical element changing an angle of divergence of a light beam output from at least one of the plurality of light sources and directed toward the object lens;
• and
• a photodetector arranged at the light-receiving location and receiving the return light beam.