US 5,157,644 AGranted

Optical card recording/reproducing apparatus

AssigneeOlympus Optical Co., Ltd.

InventorTakao Rokutan

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An optical card recording/reproducing apparatus includes a holding member for holding a recording medium inserted to perform data recording/reproducing. An optical head includes a converging lens for converging a light beam for recording/reproducing on the recording medium. A position control section moves the holding member and optical head by a predetermined distance to conform the converging position of the converging lens to the position of the recording medium close to the holding member. A focus search circuit searches a focal point by changing the distance between the converging lens and recording medium at the position close to the holding member, and outputs an in-focus detection signal. A focus control section controls the distance between the converging lens and recording medium to maintain a focal relationship between the converging lens and recording medium in response to the in-focus detection signal output from the focus search circuit.

Claims6

Dependent claims

An optical card recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:

a holding member having means for holding a recording medium inserted to perform data recording/reproducing, said recording medium having an attachment portion engaged by said holding member, a first recording portion and a second recording portion, said first recording portion being closer to said attachment portion than is said second recording portion;
an optical head including means for generating a light beam for recording/reproducing and means for converging said light beam on said recording medium;
position control means for moving said holding member and said optical head relative to each other by a predetermined distance to locate a converging position of said converging means at a position of said first recording portion;
focus search means for searching for a focal point by changing a distance between said converging means and said recording medium at said converging position, and for outputting an in-focus detection signal when said focal point is found;
and
focus control means for controlling said distance between said converging means and said recording medium to maintain a focal relationship between said converging means and said recording medium in response to said in-focus detection signal output from said focus search means.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/702,779Filed 17 May 1991
Priority: JP 2-13918629 May 1990
Granted: 20 Oct 1992
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G11B 7/0908
With provision for moving the light beam or focus plane for the purpose of maintaining alignment of the light beam relative to the record…
G11B 7/0033
Recording, reproducing or erasing systems characterised by the shape or form of the carrier: with cards or other card-like flat carriers, e.g.…
G11B 7/08511
Methods for track change, selection or preliminary positioning by moving the head: with focus pull-in only
G11B 7/0917
For focusing only: focus-error methods other than those covered by G11B7/0909 - G11B7/0916