OPTICAL DISC DEVICE AND CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR OPTICAL DISC DEVICE

摘要

A focal point of an optical beam is prevented from entering an unrecorded area whereupon no data is written, at the time of continuously reading data written over a plurality of recording layers. An optical disc device can read data from an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers including a first recording layer and a second recording layer. The optical disc device is provided with a driving mechanism for rotating the optical disc; an optical pickup which irradiates the optical disc mounted on the driving mechanism with a focused beam and generates a reproduction signal based on a reflected beam from the optical disc; and a control section for shifting the focal point of the beam by controlling operation of the driving mechanism and the optical pickup. In the case of continuously reading the data stored over the first recording layer and the second recording layer, the control section shifts the focal point of the beam in a first radius direction while the data on the first recording layer is being read, and shifts the focal point of the beam to a position shifted by a prescribed quantity in a second radius direction opposite to the first radius direction on a second recording layer, prior to reading the data on the second recording layer.