Method for calibrating tilt in disc player

The applicant claims and requests a foreign priority, through the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industry Property, based on a patent application filed in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) with the filing date of Jan. 15, 2001, with the patent application number 2001-0002103, by the applicant. (See the Attached Declaration)

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player, and more particularly, to a method for calibrating a tilt in a disc player in which a tilt in a disc player can be calibrated according to the crooked state of a recording surface on a disc which is loaded and rotated at high speed on a turntable.

2. Description of the Related Art

In a general disc player, a disc, for example, a compact disc or a digital videodisc is loaded on a turntable according to driving of a loading mechanism, and clamped by operation of a clamping unit. Information is recorded on a disc or reproduced from a disc, by driving of an optical pickup unit which reciprocates in the radial direction of the disc and irradiates beams onto recording pits on the disc.

A beam irradiated from an optical pickup unit should be irradiated accurately perpendicular to a recording pit on a disc in order to reproduce or record information from or on the disc. For this reason, the surface on a disc should be plane. However, a disc surface is bent in one direction or twisted in the process of manufacturing or distributing discs.

Thus, in the case that a disc surface is bent in one direction or has a surface of a twisted shape, a recording surface on a disc is crooked. As a result, a tilt occurs between the disc recording surface and the irradiated beam from the pickup unit according to the crooked state of the disc recording surface.

The tilt phenomenon causes an optical axis of the optical pickup unit to be slant with respect to the disc recording surface, and aberration to occur in a focusing beam, with a result that a frequency characteristic of light, in particular, a phase characteristic in this case is degenerated. Accordingly, a reproduction performance is remarkably lowered. Also, in particular, information is not reproduced from a disc of which the crooked state of the disc recording surface is severe.

A tilt calibration apparatus solving the above problems has been disclosed in Korean Utility Model Application No. 1999-22530, in which a guide rod for guiding an optical pickup unit in the radial direction of a disc is calibrated up and down to thereby calibrate a tilt.

By the way, in the case that a guide rod is calibrated up and down, an optical pickup unit moves askew so that a tilt is calibrated. However, since an overload occurs in a driving source of an optical pickup unit requiring a minute calibration according to a slant degree of a guide rod, a movable performance of an optical pickup unit is lowered, and thus a reproduction characteristic is influenced. Also, since a manual work is done to calibrate a tilt, a precise calibration is limited.

To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player in which the crooked states of the recording surface on a disc, and a turntable secured on a regulation plate, driven and rotated by a spindle motor and on which a disc is loaded, is made to rotate according to the crooked states of the recording surface on the disc, to thereby accurately optical beams irradiated from an optical pickup unit on the recording surface on the disc, and improve a reproduction feature.

To accomplish the above object of the present invention, there is provided a method for calibrating a tilt in a disc player, the tilt calibration method comprising: a disc insertion judgment step of judging whether or not a disc has been inserted onto a turntable; a focus error output time judgment step of judging a first focus error output time at which a focus error is output during ascending and a second focus error output time at which a focus error is output during descending, in which an optical pickup unit for irradiating beams onto a recording surface on the disc is made to ascend and then descend for a predetermined time, if a disc is inserted onto the turntable; a subtraction step of subtracting the first focus error output time from the second focus error output time, both of which have been judged in the focus error output time judgment step, and outputting a focus error output difference time; a disc recording surface judgment step of subtracting a reference focus error output difference time which is preset when the recording surface on the disc is normal from the focus error output difference time output from the subtraction step, and judging a crooked state of the recording surface on the disc; and a tilt calibration step of making the turntable rotate if the focus error output difference time is not same as the reference focus error output difference time, in the result of the disc recording surface judgment step, to thereby calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit and the disc.

The above object and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the preferred embodiments thereof in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart view illustrating a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart view illustrating a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart view illustrating a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A through 4C are views for explaining operations in a focus error output time judgment step of FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a disc player for explaining a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to the present invention; and

FIGS. 6A and 6B schematically illustrate tilt calibration states of a disc.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a first embodiment of the present invention, includes a disc insertion judgment step S 10 , a focus error output time judgment step S 20 , a subtraction step S 30 , a disc recording surface judgment step S 40 , and a tilt calibration step S 50 .

The disc insertion judgment step S 10 judges whether or not a disc 1 has been inserted onto a turntable 10 . The focus error output time judgment step S 20 judges a first focus error output time FET 1 at which a focus error is output during ascending and a second focus error output time FET 2 at which a focus error is output during descending, in which an optical pickup unit 20 for irradiating beams onto a recording surface on the disc 1 is made to ascend and then descend for a predetermined time, if a disc 1 is inserted onto the turntable 10 in the disc insertion judgment step S 10 . The subtraction step S 30 subtracts the first focus error output time FET 1 from the second focus error output time FET 2 , both of which have been judged in the focus error output time judgment step S 20 , and outputs a focus error output difference time FET. The disc recording surface judgment step S 40 subtracts a reference focus error output difference time FETrf which is preset when the recording surface on the disc is normal from the focus error output difference time FET output from the subtraction step S 30 , and judges a crooked state of the recording surface on the disc 1 . The tilt calibration step S 50 makes the turntable 10 rotate if the focus error output difference time FET is not same as the reference focus error output difference time FETrf, in the result of the disc recording surface judgment step S 40 , to thereby calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 .

If the focus error output difference time FET is not same as the reference focus error output difference time FETrf, in the result of the disc recording surface judgment step S 40 , the tilt calibration step S 50 includes a motor driving signal output step S 52 , a tilt motor operation step S 54 , and a turntable rotation step S 56 . The motor driving signal output step S 52 outputs a motor driving signal MD. The tilt motor operation step S 54 rotates a tilt motor 40 forwardly or reversely by the motor driving signal MD output from the motor driving signal output step S 52 . In the turntable rotation step S 56 , an edge 81 of a regulation plate 80 integrally formed with a spindle motor 70 which rotates the turntable 10 slidingly contacts a spiral slant cam 60 , and thus the spiral slant cam 60 installed on the same axis as that of a cam gear 50 is rotated by the cam gear 50 driven by rotation of the tilt motor 40 in the tilt motor operation step S 54 , and the regulation plate 80 ascends and descends according to rotation of the spiral slant cam 60 , to thereby rotate the turntable 10 .

Referring to FIG. 1, the tilt calibration method in a disc player according to the first embodiment of the present invention further includes a comparison step S 62 and a tilt re-calibration step S 64 . The comparison step S 62 counts an error occurrence frequency of reproduction information read from the recording surface on the disc 1 by an error correction signal output from a digital signal processor (not shown) and compares the error occurrence frequency with a preset reference error occurrence frequency. If an error occurrence frequency is greater than the preset reference error occurrence frequency in the comparison step S 62 , the tilt re-calibration step S 64 rotates the turntable 10 in the direction opposing the direction to which the turntable 10 was rotated in the tilt calibration step S 50 so that an error correction signal does not occur in the digital signal processor, to thereby re-calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 .

FIG. 2 is a flowchart view illustrating a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a second embodiment of the present invention, includes a disc insertion judgment step S 110 , a record signal reading step S 120 , a RF signal output step S 130 , a peak voltage comparison step S 140 , and a tilt calibration step S 160 .

The disc insertion judgment step S 110 judges whether or not a disc 1 has been inserted onto a turntable 10 . The record signal reading step S 120 reads a record signal in which an optical pickup unit 20 irradiates beams onto a recording surface on the disc 1 , if a disc 1 is inserted onto the turntable 10 in the disc insertion judgment step S 110 . The RF signal output step S 130 receives a record signal read by the optical pickup unit 20 in the record signal reading step S 120 , and outputs a RF signal filtered and shaped from the received record signal. The peak voltage comparison step S 140 receives a RF signal and compares a peak voltage RFPK of the received RF signal with a preset reference peak voltage PKrf. The tilt calibration step S 160 makes the turntable 10 rotate if the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is not same as the preset reference peak voltage PKrf, in the result of the peak voltage comparison step S 140 , to thereby calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 .

If the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is not same as the preset reference peak voltage PKrf, in the result of the peak voltage comparison step S 140 , the tilt calibration step S 160 includes a motor driving signal output step S 162 , a tilt motor operation step S 164 , and a turntable rotation step S 166 . The motor driving signal output step S 162 outputs a motor driving signal MD. The tilt motor operation step S 164 rotates a tilt motor 40 forwardly or reversely by the motor driving signal MD output from the motor driving signal output step S 162 . In the turntable rotation step S 166 , an edge 81 of a regulation plate 80 integrally formed with a spindle motor 70 which rotates the turntable 10 slidingly contacts a spiral slant cam 60 , and thus the spiral slant cam 60 installed on the same axis as that of a cam gear 50 is rotated by the cam gear 50 driven by rotation of the tilt motor 40 in the tilt motor operation step S 164 , and the regulation plate 80 ascends and descends according to rotation of the spiral slant cam 60 , to thereby rotate the turntable 10 .

Referring to FIG. 2, the tilt calibration method in a disc player according to the second embodiment of the present invention further includes a direct-current (DC) voltage comparison step S 150 for receiving the RF signal and comparing an average DC voltage RFDC of the received RF signal with a preset reference average DC voltage DCrf, in which the turntable 10 is made to rotate to thereby calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 , if the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is not same as that of the preset reference peak voltage PKrf in the tilt calibration step S 160 , or the RF signal average DC voltage RFDC is smaller than the reference average DC voltage DCrf in the DC voltage comparison step S 150 .

In the same manner as that of the FIG. 1 embodiment, referring to FIG. 2, the tilt calibration method in a disc player according to the second embodiment of the present invention further includes a comparison step S 172 and a tilt re-calibration step S 174 . The comparison step S 172 counts an error occurrence frequency of reproduction information read from the recording surface on the disc 1 by an error correction signal output from a digital signal processor (not shown) and compares the error occurrence frequency with a preset reference error occurrence frequency. If an error occurrence frequency is greater than the preset reference error occurrence frequency in the comparison step S 172 , the tilt re-calibration step S 174 rotates the turntable 10 in the direction opposing the direction to which the turntable 10 was rotated in the tilt calibration step S 160 so that an error correction signal does not occur in the digital signal processor, to thereby re-calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 .

FIG. 3 is a flowchart view illustrating a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a third embodiment of the present invention, includes a disc insertion judgment step S 210 , a focus error output time judgment step S 220 , a subtraction step S 230 , a disc recording surface judgment step S 240 , a first tilt calibration step S 250 , a record signal reading step S 260 , a RF signal output step S 270 , a peak voltage comparison step S 280 , and a second tilt calibration step S 300 .

The disc insertion judgment step S 210 judges whether or not a disc 1 has been inserted onto a turntable 10 . The focus error output time judgment step S 220 judges a first focus error output time FET 1 at which a focus error is output during ascending and a second focus error output time FET 2 at which a focus error is output during descending, in which an optical pickup unit 20 for irradiating beams onto a recording surface on the disc 1 is made to ascend and then descend for a predetermined time, if a disc 1 is inserted onto the turntable 10 in the disc insertion judgment step S 210 . The subtraction step S 230 subtracts the first focus error output time FET 1 from the second focus error output time FET 2 , both of which have been judged in the focus error output time judgment step S 220 , and outputs a focus error output difference time FET. The disc recording surface judgment step S 240 subtracts a reference focus error output difference time FETrf which is preset when the recording surface on the disc is normal from the focus error output difference time FET output from the subtraction step S 230 , and judges a crooked state of the recording surface on the disc 1 . The first tilt calibration step S 250 makes the turntable 10 rotate if the focus error output difference time FET is not same as the reference focus error output difference time FETrf, in the result of the disc recording surface judgment step S 240 , to thereby calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 so that the focus error output difference time FET is same as the reference focus error output difference time FETrf.

The record signal reading step S 260 reads a record signal in which an optical pickup unit 20 irradiates beams onto a recording surface on the disc 1 , after the first tilt calibration step S 250 . The RF signal output step S 270 receives a record signal read by the optical pickup unit 20 in the record signal reading step S 260 , and outputs a RF signal filtered and shaped from the received record signal. The peak voltage comparison step S 280 receives a RF signal and compares a peak voltage RFPK of the received RF signal with a preset reference peak voltage PKrf. The second tilt calibration step S 300 makes the turntable 10 rotate if the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is not same as the preset reference peak voltage PKrf, in the result of the peak voltage comparison step S 280 , to thereby calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 so that the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is same as the preset reference peak voltage PKrf.

If the focus error output difference time FET is not same as the reference focus error output difference time FETrf, in the result of the disc recording surface judgment step S 240 , the first tilt calibration step S 250 includes a motor driving signal output step S 252 , a tilt motor operation step S 254 , and a turntable rotation step S 256 . The motor driving signal output step S 252 outputs a motor driving signal MD. The tilt motor operation step S 254 rotates a tilt motor 40 forwardly or reversely by the motor driving signal MD output from the motor driving signal output step S 252 . In the turntable rotation step S 256 , an edge 81 of a regulation plate 80 integrally formed with a spindle motor 70 which rotates the turntable 10 slidingly contacts a spiral slant cam 60 , and thus the spiral slant cam 60 installed on the same axis as that of a cam gear 50 is rotated by the cam gear 50 driven by rotation of the tilt motor 40 in the tilt motor operation step S 254 , and the regulation plate 80 ascends and descends according to rotation of the spiral slant cam 60 , to thereby rotate the turntable 10 .

If the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is not same as the preset reference peak voltage PKrf, in the result of the peak voltage comparison step S 280 , the second tilt calibration step S 300 includes a motor driving signal output step S 302 , a tilt motor operation step S 304 , and a turntable rotation step S 306 . The motor driving signal output step S 302 outputs a motor driving signal MD. The tilt motor operation step S 304 rotates a tilt motor 40 forwardly or reversely by the motor driving signal MD output from the motor driving signal output step S 302 . In the turntable rotation step S 306 , an edge 81 of a regulation plate 80 integrally formed with a spindle motor 70 which rotates the turntable 10 slidingly contacts a spiral slant cam 60 , and thus the spiral slant cam 60 installed on the same axis as that of a cam gear 50 is rotated by the cam gear 50 driven by rotation of the tilt motor 40 in the tilt motor operation step S 304 , and the regulation plate 80 ascends and descends according to rotation of the spiral slant cam 60 , to thereby rotate the turntable 10 .

Referring to FIG. 3, the tilt calibration method in a disc player according to the third embodiment of the present invention further includes a direct-current (DC) voltage comparison step S 290 for receiving the RF signal and comparing an average DC voltage RFDC of the received RF signal with a preset reference average DC voltage DCrf, in which the turntable 10 is made to rotate to thereby calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 , if the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is not same as that of the preset reference peak voltage PKrf in the second tilt calibration step S 300 , or the RF signal average DC voltage RFDC is smaller than the reference average DC voltage DCrf in the DC voltage comparison step S 290 .

In the same manner as that of the FIG. 1 embodiment, referring to FIG. 3, the tilt calibration method in a disc player according to the third embodiment of the present invention further includes a comparison step S 312 and a tilt re-calibration step S 314 . The comparison step S 312 counts an error occurrence frequency of reproduction information read from the recording surface on the disc 1 by an error correction signal output from a digital signal processor (not shown) and compares the error occurrence frequency with a preset reference error occurrence frequency. If an error occurrence frequency is greater than the preset reference error occurrence frequency in the comparison step S 312 , the tilt re-calibration step S 314 rotates the turntable 10 in the direction opposing the direction to which the turntable 10 was rotated in the second tilt calibration step S 300 so that an error correction signal does not occur in the digital signal processor, to thereby re-calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 .

The operations of the disc player tilt calibration methods according to the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described below.

Referring to FIG. 1, the operation of a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a first embodiment of the present invention will follow. The disc insertion judgment step S 10 judges whether or not a disc 1 has been inserted onto a turntable 10 . The focus error output time judgment step S 20 judges a first focus error output time FET 1 at which a focus error is output during ascending and a second focus error output time FET 2 at which a focus error is output during descending, in which an optical pickup unit 20 for irradiating beams onto a recording surface on the disc 1 is made to ascend and then descend for a predetermined time, if a disc 1 is inserted onto the turntable 10 in the disc insertion judgment step S 10 . The subtraction step S 30 subtracts the first focus error output time FET 1 from the second focus error output time FET 2 , both of which have been judged in the focus error output time judgment step S 20 , and outputs a focus error output difference time FET. The disc recording surface judgment step S 40 subtracts a reference focus error output difference time FETrf which is preset when the recording surface on the disc is normal from the focus error output difference time FET output from the subtraction step S 30 , and judges a crooked state of the recording surface on the disc 1 . That is, as shown in FIG. 4A, in the case that a disc 1 loaded onto the turntable 10 is normal, the focus error output difference time FET obtained by subtracting the first focus error output time FET 1 from the second focus error output time FET 2 in the subtraction step S 30 is same as the preset reference focus error output difference time RFFET. Also, as shown in FIG. 4B, in the case that a disc 1 a loaded onto the turntable 10 is bent upwards in comparison with the normal disc 1 , the focus error output difference time FETa obtained by subtracting the first focus error output time FET 1 a from the second focus error output time FET 2 a in the subtraction step S 30 is smaller than the preset reference focus error output difference time RFFET. Also, as shown in FIG. 4C, in the case that a disc 1 b loaded onto the turntable 10 is bent downwards in comparison with the normal disc 1 , the focus error output difference time FETb obtained by subtracting the first focus error output time FET 1 b from the second focus error output time FET 2 b in the subtraction step S 30 is greater than the preset reference focus error output difference time RFFET.

The tilt calibration step S 50 makes the turntable 10 rotate upwards or downwards as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, if the focus error output difference time FET is not same as the reference focus error output difference time FETrf, that is, in the case that a disc loaded onto the turntable 10 is bent upwards or downwards as shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, in the result of the disc recording surface judgment step S 40 , to thereby calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 .

The tilt calibration step S 50 includes a motor driving signal output step S 52 , a tilt motor operation step S 54 , and a turntable rotation step S 56 .

As shown in FIG. 5, the motor driving signal output step S 52 outputs a motor driving signal MD from a motor driving signal generator 30 to a tilt motor 40 , if the focus error output difference time FET is not same as the reference focus error output difference time FETrf, in the result of the disc recording surface judgment step S 40 . The tilt motor operation step S 54 rotates the tilt motor 40 forwardly or reversely by the motor driving signal MD. In the turntable rotation step S 56 , an edge 81 of a regulation plate 80 integrally formed with a spindle motor 70 having a stator 72 and a rotor 71 which rotates the turntable 10 , slidingly contacts a spiral slant cam 60 , and thus the spiral slant cam 60 installed on the same axis as that of a cam gear 50 is rotated by the cam gear 50 driven by rotation of the tilt motor 40 in the tilt motor operation step S 54 , and the regulation plate 80 ascends and descends according to rotation of the spiral slant cam 60 , to thereby rotate the turntable 10 . A reference numeral 2 denotes a deck base to which the regulation plate 80 is supported.

For example, in the case that a disc 1 a loaded onto the turntable 10 is bent upwards in comparison with the normal disc 1 as shown in FIG. 4B, since the focus error output difference time FETa in the subtraction step S 30 is smaller than the preset reference focus error output difference time RFFET, a motor driving signal generator 30 outputs a motor driving signal MD for rotating a tilt motor 40 forwardly, and the tilt motor operation step S 54 rotates the tilt motor 40 forwardly. Accordingly, in the turntable rotation step S 56 , an edge 81 of a regulation plate 80 integrally formed with a spindle motor 70 which rotates the turntable 10 , slidingly contacts a spiral slant cam 60 , and thus the spiral slant cam 60 is rotated by forward rotation of the tilt motor 40 in the tilt motor operation step S 54 , and one edge of the regulation plate 80 descends in the “D” direction, as shown in FIG. 6A, according to rotation of the spiral slant cam 60 , and thus the other edge of the regulation plate 80 ascends upwards so that the spindle motor 70 and the turntable 10 are sloped to have the same angle tlt 1 as the bent angle of the recording surface on the disc 1 a . Thus, a tilt is calibrated so that the recording surface of the disc 1 a loaded onto the turntable 10 is perpendicular to the optically axial direction. As a result, the beams irradiated from the optical pickup unit 20 are accurately perpendicular to the recording pits on the disc.

In the same manner as the above, in the case that a disc 1 b loaded onto the turntable 10 is bent downwards in comparison with the normal disc 1 as shown in FIG. 4C, since the focus error output difference time FETb in the subtraction step S 30 is greater than the preset reference focus error output difference time RFFET, a motor driving signal generator 30 outputs a motor driving signal MD for rotating a tilt motor 40 reversely, and the tilt motor operation step S 54 rotates the tilt motor 40 reversely. Accordingly, in the turntable rotation step S 56 , an edge 81 of a regulation plate 80 integrally formed with a spindle motor 70 which rotates the turntable 10 , slidingly contacts a spiral slant cam 60 , and thus the spiral slant cam 60 is rotated by reverse rotation of the tilt motor 40 in the tilt motor operation step S 54 , and one edge of the regulation plate 80 descends in the “U” direction, as shown in FIG. 6B, according to rotation of the spiral slant cam 60 , and thus the other edge of the regulation plate 80 descends downwards so that the spindle motor 70 and the turntable 10 are sloped to have the same angle tlt 2 as the bent angle of the recording surface on the disc 1 b . Thus, a tilt is calibrated so that the recording surface of the disc 1 b loaded onto the turntable 10 is perpendicular to the optically axial direction, in order to irradiate the beams irradiated from the optical pickup unit 20 accurately perpendicularly onto the recording pits on the disc.

In the tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a first embodiment of the present invention, including a disc insertion judgment step S 10 , a focus error output time judgment step S 20 , a subtraction step S 30 , a disc recording surface judgment step S 40 , and a tilt calibration step S 50 , it is preferable that it is judged at least two points on a disc whether the disc is bent in which direction if the disc is loaded onto the turntable 10 .

Referring to FIG. 1 the tilt calibration method in a disc player according to the first embodiment of the present invention further includes a comparison step S 62 and a tilt re-calibration step S 64 . The comparison step S 62 counts an error occurrence frequency of reproduction information read from the recording surface on the disc 1 by an error correction signal output from a digital signal processor (not shown) and compares the error occurrence frequency with a preset reference error occurrence frequency. If an error occurrence frequency is greater than the preset reference error occurrence frequency, the tilt re-calibration step S 64 rotates the turntable 10 in the direction opposing the direction to which the turntable 10 was rotated in the tilt calibration step S 50 so that an error correction signal does not occur in the digital signal processor, to thereby re-calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 . As a result, a tilt can be accurately calibrated even in the case that a disc is twistedly bent.

Referring to FIG. 2, the operation of a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a second embodiment of the present invention will follow. The disc insertion judgment step S 110 judges whether or not a disc 1 has been inserted onto a turntable 10 . The record signal reading step S 120 reads a record signal in which an optical pickup unit 20 irradiates beams onto a recording surface on the disc 1 , if a disc 1 is inserted onto the turntable 10 . The RF signal output step S 130 receives a record signal read by the optical pickup unit 20 in the record signal reading step S 120 , and outputs a RF signal filtered and shaped from the received record signal. The peak voltage comparison step S 140 receives a RF signal and compares a peak voltage RFPK of the received RF signal with a preset reference peak voltage PKrf. The tilt calibration step S 160 makes the turntable 10 rotate if the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is not same as the preset reference peak voltage PKrf, in the result of the peak voltage comparison step S 140 , to thereby calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 .

Likewise, the tilt calibration step S 160 includes a motor driving signal output step S 162 , a tilt motor operation step S 164 , and a turntable rotation step S 166 .

The motor driving signal output step S 162 outputs a motor driving signal MD, if the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is not same as the preset reference peak voltage RPKV. The tilt motor operation step S 164 rotates a tilt motor 40 forwardly or reversely by the motor driving signal MD. In the turntable rotation step S 166 , an edge 81 of a regulation plate 80 integrally formed with a spindle motor 70 which rotates the turntable 10 , slidingly contacts a spiral slant cam 60 , and thus the spiral slant cam 60 installed on the same axis as that of a cam gear 50 is rotated by the cam gear 50 driven by rotation of the tilt motor 40 in the tilt motor operation step S 164 , and the regulation plate 80 ascends and descends according to rotation of the spiral slant cam 60 , to thereby rotate the turntable 10 .

For example, in the case that a disc 1 a loaded onto the turntable 10 is bent upwards, since the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is greater than the preset reference peak voltage PKrf, a motor driving signal generator 30 outputs a motor driving signal MD for rotating a tilt motor 40 forwardly, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6A. Accordingly, one edge of the regulation plate 80 descends in the “D” direction, according to forward rotation of the tilt motor 40 , and thus the other edge of the regulation plate 80 ascends upwards so that the spindle motor 70 and the turntable 10 are sloped to have the same angle tlt 1 as the bent angle of the recording surface on the disc 1 a . Thus, a tilt is calibrated so that the recording surface of the disc 1 a loaded onto the turntable 10 is perpendicular to the optically axial direction. As a result, the beams irradiated from the optical pickup unit 20 are accurately perpendicular to the recording pits on the disc.

In the same manner as the above, in the case that a disc 1 b loaded onto the turntable 10 is bent downwards, since the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is smaller than the preset reference peak voltage PKrf, a motor driving signal generator 30 outputs a motor driving signal MD for rotating a tilt motor 40 reversely. Accordingly, one edge of the regulation plate 80 descends in the “U” direction, according to reverse rotation of the tilt motor 40 , and thus the other edge of the regulation plate 80 descends downwards so that the spindle motor 70 and the turntable 10 are sloped to have the same angle tlt 2 as the bent angle of the recording surface on the disc 1 b . Thus, a tilt is calibrated so that the recording surface of the disc 1 b loaded onto the turntable 10 is perpendicular to the optically axial direction, in order to irradiate the beams irradiated from the optical pickup unit 20 accurately perpendicularly onto the recording pits on the disc.

Also, since the RF signal average DC voltage RFDC has a different value according to a bent degree of a disc, the tilt calibration method in a disc player according to the second embodiment of the present invention referring to FIG. 2, further includes a direct-current (DC) voltage comparison step S 150 . The DC voltage comparison step S 150 compares an average DC voltage RFDC of the RF signal with a preset reference average DC voltage DCrf, in which the turntable 10 is made to rotate to thereby calibrate a tilt between the optical pickup unit 20 and the disc 1 , if the RF signal peak voltage RFPK is not same as that of the preset reference peak voltage PKrf in the tilt calibration step S 160 , or the RF signal average DC voltage RFDC is smaller than the reference average DC voltage DCrf in the DC voltage comparison step S 150 .

In the same manner as that of the FIG. 1 embodiment, referring to FIG. 2, the tilt calibration method in a disc player according to the second embodiment of the present invention further includes a comparison step S 172 and a tilt re-calibration step S 174 , to thereby calibrate a tilt accurately even in the case that a disc is bent upwards, downwards or twistedly.

Referring to FIG. 3, the operation of a tilt calibration method for use in a disc player according to a third embodiment of the present invention will follow. The tilt calibration method of FIG. 3 performs both that of the first embodiment of FIG. 1 and that of the second embodiment of FIG. 2 . Likewise the first embodiment of FIG. 1, the tilt calibration method of FIG. 3 performs a disc insertion judgment step S 210 , a focus error output time judgment step S 220 , a subtraction step S 230 , a disc recording surface judgment step S 240 , and a first tilt calibration step S 250 , and thus judges whether a disc is bent in which direction to then calibrate a tilt, and thereafter performs a record signal reading step S 260 , a RF signal output step S 270 , a peak voltage comparison step S 280 , and a second tilt calibration step S 300 , and calibrates a tilt accurately even in the case that a disc is twisted. If a disc is bent severely upwards or downwards, record signals recorded on the disc cannot be read and thus an error signal occurs that the disc loaded onto a turntable cannot be reproduced and then is not driven. Thus, a tilt is primarily calibrated according to a bent degree of the disc so that the disc can be reproduced by the disc insertion judgment step S 210 , the focus error output time judgment step S 220 , the subtraction step S 230 , the disc recording surface judgment step S 240 , and the first tilt calibration step S 250 , which makes the disc maintained in the state where the disc can be always reproduced. Then, a tilt can be calibrated accurately even in the case that a disc is twisted by the record signal reading step S 260 , the RF signal output step S 270 , the peak voltage comparison step S 280 , and the second tilt calibration step S 300 , in the same manner as those of the second embodiment of FIG. 2 .

As described above, the present invention judges a crooked state of a disc surface by a focus error output difference time or a RF signal peak voltage and thus rotates a turntable secured to a regulation plate, rotated by driving of a spindle motor and on which a disc is loaded, to thus irradiate optical beams irradiated from an optical pickup unit onto a disc surface to thereby enhance a reproduction performance.