Low profile optical head
First Claim
1. An optical head for use in a optical read/write apparatus for use with a read/write medium comprising:
- a light source, outputting light at an initial light output location;
at least a first photodetector array mounted in a fixed position with respect to said initial light output location, said first photodetector array having at least a first surface defining a photodetector plane; and
an optical element unit, mounted in a fixed position with respect to said light output location, said optical element unit having a first beam shaping optical element and second beam shaping optical element which receive light output at said light output location to modify the angular divergence of the light output, said optical element unit including at least a third optical element configured for directing at least a portion of light reflected from said medium along a path for arrival at said first photodetector array;
said optical head providing at least a first optical path, where said first optical path originates at said initial light output location and reaches at least said read/write medium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical head of a type useable in a optical disk reader/writer is provided. The optical head has a low profile, e.g., in a vertical direction parallel to the disk spin axis, such as less than about 5 mm preferably less than about 3 mm. Substantially all components of the optical system, including a laser source, objective lens, intervening optics and photo detector are provided in the optical head and mounted in a fixed position with respect to one another. Substantially all optical components of the optical head are moved as a unit, e.g., during tracking and/or focusing. Preferably, the optical head is fabricated using wafer scale and/or stacking technologies, e.g., stacking substantially planar components to achieve the final optical head configuration.
114 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An optical head for use in a optical read/write apparatus for use with a read/write medium comprising:
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a light source, outputting light at an initial light output location;
at least a first photodetector array mounted in a fixed position with respect to said initial light output location, said first photodetector array having at least a first surface defining a photodetector plane; and
an optical element unit, mounted in a fixed position with respect to said light output location, said optical element unit having a first beam shaping optical element and second beam shaping optical element which receive light output at said light output location to modify the angular divergence of the light output, said optical element unit including at least a third optical element configured for directing at least a portion of light reflected from said medium along a path for arrival at said first photodetector array;
said optical head providing at least a first optical path, where said first optical path originates at said initial light output location and reaches at least said read/write medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeDPHI Acquisitions, Inc.
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Original AssigneeDPHI Acquisitions, Inc.
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InventorsBlankenbeckler, David L., Braitberg, Michael F., Freeman, Robert D., Redmond, Ian, Bell, Bernard
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Primary Examiner(s)Huber, Paul W.
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Application NumberUS09/540,657Time in Patent Office1,922 DaysField of Search369/44.12, 369/112.01, 369/112.19, 369/112.27, 369/121, 369/120, 369/44.11, 369/44.29, 369/44.35, 369/30.17, 369/53.25, 369/53.15, 369/53.23, 369/44.32US Class Current369/112.01CPC Class CodesG11B 7/123 Integrated head arrangement...G11B 7/1263 Power control during transd...G11B 7/1356 Double or multiple prisms, ...G11B 7/1398 Means for shaping the cross...
