Magneto-optic disk

• US 5,285,440 A
• Filed: 12/11/1992
• Issued: 02/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Nobuhide
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoa T.
• Application Number:
  US07/945,859
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 369/13, 369/14, 369/47, 369/48, 369/54, 369/58, 369/59, 369/275.3, 369/32, 369/44.26, 369/44.28, 360/114, 360/59, 365/122
• US Class Current: 369/275.3
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 11/10565 Marks for track change, e.g. prepits, gray codes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/19 by using information detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

A magneto-optic disk includes tracks each of which is divided into a plurality of blocks in order to define the locations where data is stored. Each block has address information recorded as a pit providing an address. The plurality of blocks are arranged non-equidistantly, or the pattern is changed according to the track position, to enable detection of a sector position or a track position.

Claims

1. A magneto-optic disk comprising:

a substrate and a recording layer supported thereon and having a plurality of first tracks each having (a) a plurality of address information blocks recorded thereon, said address information blocks including track information and sector information, said plurality of address information blocks being arranged at equal first intervals at some portions of each of said tracks and at a second interval unequal to said first intervals at another portion of each of said tracks, and (b) a plurality of data portions located in areas between said address information blocks arranged at said first intervals.

2. A magneto-optic disk as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of track position detecting tracks smaller in number than said plurality of first tracks and positioned such that successive track position detecting tracks have a predetermined number of said first tracks located therebetween, wherein each of said track position detecting tracks includes a plurality of address information blocks of address pit patterns providing address information including track information and sector information and said track position detecting tracks contain a larger number of said address information blocks than the number of said address information blocks contained in said first tracks.

3. A magneto-optic system comprising:

a magneto-optic disk including a substrate and a recording layer supported thereon and having a plurality of first tracks recorded thereon each having (a) a plurality of address information blocks, said address information blocks including track information and sector information, said plurality of address information blocks being arranged at equal first intervals at some portions of each of said tracks and at a second interval unequal to said first intervals at another portion of each of said tracks, and (b) a plurality of data portions located in areas between said address information blocks arranged at said first interval; and

means for scanning said another portion of one of said tracks at which said address information blocks are arranged at said second interval in order to detect an index signal.

4. A magneto-optic disk as in claim 3 further comprising a plurality of track position detecting tracks smaller in number than said plurality of first tracks and including a plurality of address information blocks of address pit patterns providing address information including track information and sector information, said address information blocks of said track position detecting tracks having a different spacing from that of said address information blocks of said first tracks, said track position detecting tracks being positioned such that successive track position detecting tracks have a predetermined number of said first tracks located therebetween.