# US 7,466,643 B2 · Optical pickup system and information recording and/or reproducing apparatus employing the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,466,643 B2 - Document ID: US7466643B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/145,108 - Filed: 2005-06-03 - Published: 2006-01-12 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2004-07-09 - Assignees: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Wen-Hsin Sun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7466643B2 ## CPC - G11B 7/1362: Mirrors - G11B 7/1275: Two or more lasers having different wavelengths - G11B 7/1356: Double or multiple prisms, i.e. having two or more prisms in cooperation - G11B 7/1359: Single prisms - G11B 7/1374: Objective lenses {(optical objectives per se G02B9/00)} - G11B 7/1378: Separate aberration correction lenses; Cylindrical lenses to generate astigmatism; Beam expanders - G11B 7/13922: {passive} - G11B 2007/0006: {adapted for scanning different types of carrier, e.g. CD & DVD} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract An optical pickup system includes a first light source emitting first light beams with a first wavelength, a second light source emits second light beams with a second wavelength greater than the first wavelength, a third light source emits third light beams with a third wavelength greater than the second wavelength, a composite prism comprising a first prism facing the first and second light sources, a second prism facing the third light source, and a third prism for receiving the first, second and third light beams from the first and second prisms, the first prism has a surface facing the first and second light sources, the surface defines first and second regions, the second region has an aspherical surface to compensate aberration of the second light beams, a collimating lens and objective lens disposed in a common optical path for transmitting the three light beams from the composite prism. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical pickup system for accessing three different types of optical recording media, comprising: a first light source emitting first light beams with a first wavelength; a second light source emitting second light beams with a second wavelength greater than the first wavelength; a third light source emitting third light beams with a third wavelength greater than the second wavelength; a composite prism comprising a first prism facing the first and second light sources, a second prism facing the third light source, and a third prism for receiving the first, second and third light beams from the first and second prisms, wherein the first prism has a surface facing the first and second light sources, the surface defines first and second regions, and the second region has an aspherical surface to compensate aberration of the second light beams; a collimating lens disposed in a common optical path for collimating and transmitting the first, second and third light beams from the composite prism; and an objective lens disposed in a common optical path for focusing the first, second and third light beams from the wavelength selector on the three different types of optical recording media. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical pickup system as described in claim 1, wherein the first and second prisms are positioned side by side and disposed on a same side of the third prism. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The optical pickup system as described in claim 2, wherein the first prism transmits the first light beams directly therethrough, and reflects the second light beams twice. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The optical pickup system as described in claim 3, wherein the first prism has a first interface with a function of selectively permitting the first light beams to pass therethrough and the second light beams to reflect therefrom. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The optical pickup system as described in claim 3, wherein the second prism compensates aberration of the third light beams, and transmits the third light beams to the third prism. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The optical pickup system as described in claim 5, wherein the second prism has an aspherical surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The optical pickup system as described in claim 5, wherein the third prism transmits the first and second light beams directly therethrough, and reflects the third light beams twice. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The optical pickup system as described in claim 5, wherein the third prism has an interface with a function of selectively permitting the first and second light beams to pass therethrough and the third light beams to reflect therefrom. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical pickup system as described in claim 1, further comprising a wavelength selector disposed between the collimating lens and the objective lens. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The optical pickup system as described in claim 9, wherein the wavelength selector does not block any of the first light beams, and blocks part of each of the second and third light beams. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optical pickup system as described in claim 1, further comprising a reflective prism disposed between the composite prism and the collimating lens. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The optical pickup system as described in claim 11, wherein the reflective prism is attached to the collimating lens. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The optical pickup system as described in claim 11, wherein the reflective prism is a penta prism and reflects the first, second and third light beams twice. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The optical pickup system as described in claim 11, wherein the reflective prism is a triangular prism and reflects the first, second and third light beams once. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The optical pickup system as described in claim 1, further comprising three diffraction elements facing the first, second and third light sources respectively, for diffracting first, second and third light beams returned from the three different types of optical recording media. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The optical pickup system as described in claim 15, further comprising three detectors adjacent to the three light sources respectively, for receiving the diffracted first, second and third light beams. ### Claim 17 An apparatus for accessing three different types of optical recording media, comprising: an optical pickup system comprising: a first light source emitting first light beams with a first wavelength; a second light source emitting second light beams with a second wavelength greater than the first wavelength; a third light source emitting third light beams with a third wavelength greater than the second wavelength; a composite prism comprising a first prism facing the first and second light sources, a second prism facing the third light source, and a third prism for receiving the first, second and third light beams from the first and second prisms, wherein the first prism has a surface facing the first and second light sources, the surface defines first and second regions, and the second region has an aspherical surface to compensate aberration of the second light beams; a collimating lens disposed in a common optical path for collimating and transmitting the first, second and third light beams from the composite prism; and an objective lens also disposed in a common optical path for focusing the first, second and third light beams from the wavelength selector on the three different types of optical recording media; and a drive mechanism for changing a relative position between any one of the first, second and third optical recording media and the optical pickup system; and an electrical signal processor for receiving signals output from the optical pickup system and performing calculations on the signals to obtain desired information. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus as described in claim 17, further comprising a reflective prism disposed between the composite prism and the collimating lens. ### Claim 19 An apparatus for accessing multiple different optical recording media, said apparatus having an optical pickup system to obtain information from a selective one of said multiple different optical recording media, said optical pickup system further comprising: a first light source emitting first light beams with a first wavelength; a second light source emitting second light beams with a second wavelength greater than said first wavelength; a third light source emitting third light beams with a third wavelength greater than said second wavelength; a composite prism facing said first, second and third light sources for receiving said first, second and third light beams therefrom respectively, said composite prism defining at least two aspheric surfaces used for passage of said second and third light beams respectively and exclusively; and an objective lens disposed next to said selective one of said multiple different optical recording media for receiving a corresponding one of said first, second and third light beams to said selective one of said multiple different optical recording media from said composite prism and transmitting said corresponding one of said first, second and third light beams to said selective one of said multiple different optical recording media. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus as described in claim 19, further comprising a reflective prism disposed between said composite prism and said objective lens for passage of said first, second and third light beams.