Optical disk apparatus

An optical disk apparatus comprising a recording head which has a first light-emitting element for emitting a laser beam and records data on a recording medium with a laser beam from the first light-emitting element, and an erase head which has a second light-emitting element for emitting a laser beam and records data on the recording medium with a laser beam from the second light-emitting element,

• said recording head having
• first abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality of recording by the first light-emitting element from a beam reflected by the recording medium during execution of recording,
• first data protective means for stopping recording being executed by the first light-emitting element, and protecting data on the recording medium when said first abnormality detection means detects an abnormality, and
• first abnormality informing means for informing said first data protective means of an abnormality in synchronism with completion of recording being executed by the first light-emitting element when the abnormality is detected in said erase head;
• and
• said erase head having
• second abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality of erase by the second light-emitting element from a beam reflected by the recording medium during execution of erase,
• second data protective means for stopping erase being executed by the second light-emitting element, and protecting data on the recording medium when said second erase abnormality detection means detects an abnormality, and
• second abnormality informing means for informing said second data protective means of an abnormality in synchronism with completion of erase being executed by the second light-emitting element when the abnormality is detected in said recording head.

An optical disk apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a recording head comprising:
• a first abnormality detector circuit which detects recording abnormalities on the optical disk;
• a first reproducing circuit,
• a first light emitting element which records data on the optical disk;
• a first protective circuit which stops recording of data upon receiving a signal from the first abnormality detector circuit;
• (b) an erase head comprising:
• a second abnormality detector circuit which detects erase abnormalities on the optical disk;
• a second reproducing circuit;
• a second light emitting element which erases data on the optical disk;
• a second protective circuit which stops erasing of data upon receiving a signal from the second abnormality detector circuit;
• and
• (c) at least one abnormality signal synchronization circuit which transmits a signal from the first abnormality detector circuit to the second protective circuit after a signal from the second reproducing circuit indicates completion of the current erasing of data, and which transmits a signal from the second abnormality detector circuit to the first protective circuit after a signal from the first reproducing circuit indicates completion of the current recording of data.