Estimation of Maximum Available Write Power of an Optical Storage Drive

Abstract

In summary, the present invention provides a method for estimating maximum available write power of an optical storage drive. Optical drives have a certain guaranteed maximum power corresponding to the largest emission angles and worst case electrical parameters of the laser, but many drives could produce more if needed because they are not worst case. The extra power that is available from the lasers that is not worst case is wasted. By identifying drives with lasers that have favorable parameters, the maximum available write power of a drive becomes larger. The present invention solves this problem by providing an estimation method wherein a beam of laser light is generated having a power level (P), a first parameter of the laser light source and a second parameter of the beam of laser light that is generated are measured and used to estimate the maximum available write power.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.