Optical pickup device for supporting a plurality of types of optical disks

• US 7,821,901 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Matsui, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Young; Wayne R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alunkal; Thomas D
• Application Number:
  US10/872,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20040264316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,317 Days
• Field of Search: 369/44.11, 369/44.37, 369/112.05, 369/44.41, 369/112.03, 369/112.04, 369/124.12
• US Class Current: 369/112.04
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2007/0006 adapted for scanning different types of carrier, e.g. CD & DVD
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/1275 Two or more lasers having different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/131 Arrangement of detectors in a multiple array

Abstract

The optical pickup device includes a semiconductor laser for emitting laser light of 650 nm and 780 nm in wavelengths, a semiconductor laser for emitting laser light of 400 nm in wavelength, and an optical sensor which is provided in sequence with a first light receiving surface divided into four areas in a matrix manner, a second light receiving surface divided into four areas in a matrix manner, and a third light receiving surface divided at least into two areas aligned inline. Reflected light of three beams of 400 nm in wavelength and reflected light of three beams in 780 nm in wavelength are received on the first to third light receiving surfaces respectively, and a main beam of reflected light of 650 nm in wavelength is received on the first light receiving surface on one side out of the three light receiving surfaces.

Claims

1. An optical pickup device operable to perform recording or reproduction of information with respect to a plurality of types of optical disks by irradiating either one of three types of laser light having different wavelengths on a recording surface of the optical disk, the optical pickup device comprising:

a first laser emitter operable to emit a first laser light having a first wavelength;

a second laser emitter operable to emit a second laser light having a second wavelength and a third laser light having a third wavelength, the second wavelength being longer than the first wavelength, the third wavelength being longer than the second wavelength;

a first diffraction grating configured to divide the first laser light into at least three first light beams;

a second diffraction grating configured to respectively divide the second laser light and the third laser light into at least three second light beams and at least three third light beams; and

an optical sensor comprising a first light receiving surface divided into four areas, a second light receiving surface divided into four areas, and a third light receiving surface divided into at least two areas, wherein;

the optical sensor is so configured that the first light beams reflected from the optical disk reach the first light receiving surface, the second light receiving surface and the third receiving surface, respectively;

the optical sensor is so configured that none of the second light beams reflected from the optical disk reaches the third light receiving surface; and

the optical sensor is so configured that the third laser light beams reach the first light receiving surface, the second light receiving surface and the third light receiving surface, respectively.