Electronically translocatable optical stylet
AssigneeRichard L. Scully
InventorRoland H Chase
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A composite interferometer and electro-optical prism provide a means to control the position of a spot of light to read and write data on an optical disc. In this invention each light ray from a spectral source of a cone of light rays is regenerated into a plurality of light rays by an interferometer. These rays are transmitted through an electro-optic crystal and focused by a lens into a constructive interference fringe on an optical disc. A voltage across the electro-optical crystal and magnetic field inside the spectral source define the position of the constructive interference fringe on the disc.
Claims39
An optical device to read data on an optical disc and inscribe data recorded on said optical disc comprising in combination:
- a) means for generating one of a cone of light rays and a pencil of rays:
- b) an interferometer regenerating said pencil of rays into one of a plurality of pencils of rays and a bundle of rays;
- c) means for deflecting said bundle of rays;
- d) means for converging said bundle of rays into a constructive interference fringe on said optical disc;
- e) means for collecting light rays from said optical disc on a light sensor.
A method of tracking a data track spiral on an optical disc comprising the steps of:
- a) producing multiple constructive interference fringes on said optical disc;
- b) positioning said multiple constructive interference fringes orthogonally across said data track spiral;
- c) detecting and interpreting signals from said optical disc;
- d) defining the center of said data track spiral relative to the center of said multiple constructive interference fringes;
- and
- e) generating an error voltage to control the positions of said multiple constructive interference fringes.
A method of reading data on an optical disc inscribed with data comprising the steps of:
- a) producing a constructive interference fringe on said optical disc;
- b) detecting said light rays from said optical disc produced by said constructive interference fringe;
- and
- c) interpreting intensity variations in said detected light rays.
A method of inscribing multiple data track spirals on an optical disc comprising the steps of:
- a) tracking an inscribed data track spiral on said optical disc;
- b) producing multiple variable intensity constructive interference fringes on virgin areas of said optical disc;
- c) controlling the distance between a tracking fringe following the inscribed data track spiral and said multiple variable intensity constructive interference fringes on said optical disc.
A method of inscribing a data track spiral on an optical disc comprising the steps of:
- a) producing a variable intensity constructive interference fringe on the virgin area of said optical disc;
- b) controlling the radial position of said variable intensity constructive interference fringe on said optical disc.
- c) varying the intensity of said variable intensity constructive interference fringe to inscribe said data track spiral.
A method of inscribing multiple data track spirals on an optical disc comprising the steps of:
- a) producing multiple variable intensity constructive interference fringes on virgin areas of said optical disc for inscribing said data track spirals;
- b) controlling the radial position of said variable intensity constructive interference fringes on said optical disc.
- c) varying the intensity of each said variable intensity constructive interference fringes to inscribe said data track spirals.
A method of reading multiple data track spirals on an optical disc inscribed with data comprising the steps of:
- a) producing multiple constructive interference fringes on said optical disc;
- b) detecting light rays from said optical disc produced by said multiple constructive interference fringe;
- and
- c) interpreting intensity variations in said detected light rays.
A method of tracking a data track spiral on an optical disc comprising the steps of:
- a) generating phased related geometrically degraded amplitude rays;
- b) producing a constructive interference fringe from said phased related geometrically degraded amplitude rays on said optical disc;
- c) oscillating said constructive interference fringe orthogonally across said data track spiral;
- d) detecting and interpreting variations in light intensity from said optical disc;
- and
- e) generating an error voltage to change the position of said constructive interference fringe on said optical disc.
A method of inscribing a data track spiral on an optical disc comprising the steps of:
- a) tracking an inscribed data track spiral on said optical disc;
- b) producing a variable intensity constructive interference fringe on the virgin area of said optical disc;
- c) controlling the distance between a tracking fringe following an inscribed data track spiral and said variable intensity constructive interference fringe on said optical disc.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.