Optical data recording and imaging on media using apochromatic lenses

A method for at least one of i) reading optically recorded data or visual images, or ii) optically recording data or visual images, the method comprising:

• providing a light source (150) including at least two separate lenses;
• providing an optical recording medium (100) including a substrate (220) coated with a markable coating (230);
• providing a unified apochromatic lens structure (148) including at least two separate lenses to focus at least two different wavelengths beamed from the light source (150) onto the medium (100);
• and
• beaming light (152) from the light source (150) through the unified apochromatic lens structure (148), the lens structure (148) enabling the light (152) to pass through the lens structure (148) so that the at least two different wavelengths are centered at a single spot on the medium (100) so as to i) cause a localized change in at least one of chemical or physical properties to form a single optically detectable mark (242) in the markable coating (230) or ii) cause at least one optically detectable mark (242) on the single spot to reflect the light (152), the light (152) having radiation different from a wavelength suitable for forming the at least one optically detectable mark (242) in the markable coating (230).

An optical transmitting system (170), comprising:

• an optical recording medium (100) including a substrate (220) and a markable coating (230) on the substrate (220), the optical recording medium (100) previously having had optically detectable marks (242) formed in the markable coating (230);
• a light source (150) including at least two separate lasers, the light source (150) being associated with a unified apochromatic lens structure (148) including at least two separate lenses, the lens structure (148) enabling the light source (150) to focus at least two different wavelengths to a single spot on the medium (100) so as to cause at least one optically detectable mark (242) to reflect light (152) from the light source (150), the light (152) having radiation different from a wavelength suitable for forming the at least one optically detectable mark (242) in the markable coating (230);
• a sensor (157) positioned so as to detect at least one readable pattern of the at least one optically detectable mark (242) illuminated by the light (152), the sensor (157) reading the at least one readable pattern as the optical recording medium (100) moves in relation to the sensor (157);
• a processor (166) to which the sensor (157) sends at least one signal based on the at least one readable pattern detected by the sensor (157);
• an analyzer (168) to which the processor (166) sends the at least one signal to analyze so that the at least one signal can be collected and stored as data;
• and
• a computer data base (114) to which the analyzer (168) sends the data from the at least one signal for collecting and storing and from which the data can be accessed.