Method and apparatus for recording/reproducing information data in a two-dimensional format

An information reproducing apparatus for reproducing data recorded on an optical disk, comprising:

• m light sources;
• optical means for converting luminous fluxes from said m light sources and for forming m light spots on a track of the optical disk, a plurality of groups of pits representing the data recorded on the track, each of the groups of pits being arranged in a two-dimensional grid of m columns and "n" rows, m and n being positive integers of at least two, said pits being formed at cross points of said columns and rows;
• positioning means for positioning said m light spots onto said pit groups on the track;
• m detecting means for detecting light beams reflected from said pit group so as to detect m columns of one dimensional data columns on a single track by said m light sources;
• generating means for generating m columns of one-dimensional data from the detected light beams, and for generating two-dimensional data having m columns and n rows on the basis of the m columns of one-dimensional data;
• and
• reproducing means for reproducing the information data from said two-dimensional data;
• wherein a distance between adjacent light spots of said m columns on said single track in a track radial direction of the optical disk is smaller than a diameter of a respective one of said adjacent light spots.

An information recording/reproducing method comprising the steps of:

• coding information to be recorded into a two-dimensional information format of n rows.times.m columns, where n and m are integers of at least two;
• converting said two-dimensional information into a one-dimensional information format;
• modulating a plurality of laser light sources in accordance with the one-dimensional information format so as to record two-dimensional codes on an optical disk, wherein m columns of one-dimensional data columns are recorded on a single track by m laser light sources providing m light spots;
• reproducing said recorded two dimensional coded information utilizing a plurality of laser light sources;
• photoelectrically converting the reproduced two-dimensional information as a signal;
• detecting a one-dimensionally arranged signal from the photo-electrically converted signal;
• and
• decoding two dimensional information in accordance with the photo-electrically converted signal;
• wherein a distance between adjacent light spots of said m columns on said single track in a track radial direction of the optical disk is formed to be smaller than a diameter of a respective one of said adjacent light spots.

An information recording/reproducing method comprising the steps of:

• storing data to be recorded in a unit of a two-dimensional format;
• coding said stored data as n.times.m two-dimensional data arrangement, where n and m are positive integers of at least two;
• subdividing said n.times.m two-dimensional data series into m columns of one-dimensional data series, and controlling m light sources in accordance therewith;
• converging luminous fluxes from said m light sources so as to form m light spots on a track of an optical disk;
• recording on the track of said optical disk data to be recorded as an optically distinguishable pit group having n.times.m two-dimensionally extended areas so as that said m columns of one-dimensional data series are recorded on a single track by said m light sources;
• positioning said m light spots on said pit group on the track of the optical disk;
• detecting light reflected from pit group corresponding to each of the light spots;
• generating m columns of one-dimensional data series from the detected reflected light, and generating two-dimensional data having m columns and n rows on the basis of the m columns of one-dimensional data series;
• and decoding data from said n.times.m two-dimensional data;
• wherein a distance between adjacent light spots of said m columns on said single track in a track radial direction of the optical disk is formed to be smaller than a diameter of a respective one of said adjacent light spots.

A method for recording and reproducing an information on an optical recording disk, wherein the information is recorded as recording pits on the disk, and said information is reproduced by detecting said pits by reflecting lights from said pits, said method comprising the steps of:

• converting inputted one-dimensional serial data in a form of binary digital data into groups of digital data in a two-dimensional format of n rows.times.m columns including m columns of one-dimensional serial data, where n and m are integers of at least two;
• recording said groups of digital data on a predetermined area on said disk as groups of the recording pits so that said m columns of one-dimensional serial data are recorded on a single track by m light sources providing m light spots;
• identifying the group of the recording pits as a unit;
• and
• reproducing the binary digital data on the basis of the identified groups of the recording bits;
• wherein a distance between adjacent light spots of said m columns on said single track in a track radial direction of the disk is formed to be smaller than a diameter of a respective one of said adjacent light spots.

A method for recording and reproducing an information on an optical recording disk, wherein the information is recorded as recording pits on the disk, and said information is reproduced by detecting said pits by reflected light from said pits, said method comprising the steps of:

• converting inputted one-dimensional serial data in a form of binary digital data into groups of digital data in a two-dimensional format of n rows.times.m columns including m one-dimensional arrangements of n bits, said m and n being integers of at least two;
• recording said groups of digital data as groups of recording pits formed of existence or absence of the pits on cross points of a grid of n rows and m columns of a predetermined area on said disk so that said m columns including m one-dimensional arrangements are recorded on a single track by m light sources;
• identifying the group of the recording pits as a unit;
• and
• reproducing the binary digital data on the basis of the identified groups of recording pits;
• wherein a distance between adjacent light spots of said m columns on said single track in a track radial direction of the disk is formed to be smaller than a diameter of a respective one of said light spots.

An information apparatus comprising:

• means for reading out unit data in a one-dimensional format from an information source;
• means for converting said unit data into a two-dimensional data arrangement of n rows.times.m columns, wherein said unit data is expressed by a bit arrangement representing presence or absence of a bit on the n rows and m columns, n and m being integers of at least two;
• means for reading out bit data serially for each of said m columns;
• light source means for emitting m beams of light in accordance with the serially read out bit data of said m columns;
• and
• optical means for converging said light beams from said light source means and forming m light spots on a disk plane;
• wherein said unit data is recorded as m columns of one-dimensional data columns on a single track by said m beams of light on said disk plane as a group of optically distinguishable information identifiers on a two-dimensional area having n rows and m columns;
• and
• wherein a distance between adjacent light spots of said m columns on said single track in a track radial direction of the disk plane is smaller than a diameter of a respective one of said adjacent light spots.

An information recording method, comprising the steps of:

• reading out unit data in a one-dimensional format from an information source;
• converting the unit data into a two-dimensional data arrangement of n rows.times.m columns, wherein the unit data is expressed by a bit arrangement representing a presence or absence of a bit in the n rows and m columns, n and m being integers of at least two;
• reading out the bit data serially for each of the m columns;
• emitting m beams of light in accordance with the serially read out bit data of the m columns;
• and
• converging the light beams so as to form m light spots on a disk plane and recording the unit data as m columns of one-dimensional data columns on a single track by said m light spots on the disk plane as a group of optically distinguishable information identifiers on a two-dimensional area having n rows and m columns;
• wherein a distance between adjacent light spots of said m columns on said single track in a track radial direction of the disk plane is formed to be smaller than a diameter of a respective one of said adjacent light spots.