Optical disc apparatus, method of controlling the same, and information storage medium

1. An optical disc apparatus for reading information recorded on an optical disc medium including a plurality of signal surfaces, comprising:

an optical pickup including an objective lens, for outputting an output signal according to reflected light from the optical disc medium;

a drive unit for relatively moving the objective lens included in the optical pickup with respect to a surface of the optical disc medium in a direction of changing a distance to the surface of the optical disc medium;

a comparison signal output unit for outputting a comparison signal indicating whether or not a level of the output signal output from the optical pickup is equal to or higher than a given threshold value;

maximum signal level measurement means for causing the drive unit to move the objective lens within a predetermined range to measure a maximum level of the output signal output from the optical pickup within the predetermined range;

threshold value setting means for setting a value determined according to the measured maximum level as a threshold value used by the comparison signal output unit; and

signal surface reflection measurement means for measuring a level of a reflected signal corresponding to reflected light from each of the plurality of signal surfaces based on a maximum value of the output signal in each of a plurality of time periods in which the comparison signal indicates that the level of the output signal is equal to or higher than the set threshold value, while moving the objective lens again by the drive unit within the predetermined range after the measurement of the maximum level of the output signal by the maximum signal level measurement means.

2. An optical disc apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold value setting means sets a value obtained by multiplying the measured maximum level by a predetermined rate as the threshold value.

3. An optical disc apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the threshold value setting means sets a value equal to or higher than a predetermined lower limit value as the threshold value.

4. An optical disc apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the maximum signal level measurement means measures the maximum level simultaneously with processing for determining a type of the optical disc medium, and

wherein the threshold value setting means determines the threshold value according to the determined type of the optical disc medium and the measured maximum level.

5. A method of controlling an optical disc apparatus for reading information recorded on an optical disc medium including a plurality of signal surfaces, the optical disc apparatus comprising: an optical pickup including an objective lens, for outputting an output signal according to reflected light from the optical disc medium; a drive unit for relatively moving the objective lens included in the optical pickup with respect to a surface of the optical disc medium in a direction of changing a distance to the surface of the optical disc medium; and a comparison signal output unit for outputting a comparison signal indicating whether or not a level of the output signal output from the optical pickup is equal to or higher than a given threshold value, the method comprising:

causing the drive unit to move the objective lens within a predetermined range to measure a maximum level of the output signal output from the optical pickup within the predetermined range;

setting a value determined according to the measured maximum level as a threshold value used by the comparison signal output unit; and

measuring a level of a reflected signal corresponding to reflected light from each of the plurality of signal surfaces based on a maximum value of the output signal in each of a plurality of time periods in which the comparison signal indicates that the level of the output signal is equal to or higher than the set threshold value, while moving the objective lens again by the drive unit within the predetermined range after the measurement of the maximum level of the output signal.

6. A non-transitory computer readable information storage medium storing a program for controlling an optical disc apparatus for reading information recorded on an optical disc medium including a plurality of signal surfaces, the optical disc apparatus comprising: an optical pickup including an objective lens, for outputting an output signal according to reflected light from the optical disc medium; a drive unit for relatively moving the objective lens included in the optical pickup with respect to a surface of the optical disc medium in a direction of changing a distance to the surface of the optical disc medium; and a comparison signal output unit for outputting a comparison signal indicating whether or not a level of the output signal output from the optical pickup is equal to or higher than a given threshold value, the program controlling a computer to function as:

maximum signal level measurement means for causing the drive unit to move the objective lens within a predetermined range to measure a maximum level of the output signal output from the optical pickup within the predetermined range;

threshold value setting means for setting a value determined according to the measured maximum level as a threshold value used by the comparison signal output unit; and

signal surface reflection measurement means for measuring a level of a reflected signal corresponding to reflected light from each of the plurality of signal surfaces based on a maximum value of the output signal in each of a plurality of time periods in which the comparison signal indicates that the level of the output signal is equal to or higher than the set threshold value, while moving the objective lens again by the drive unit within the predetermined range after the measurement of the maximum level of the output signal by the maximum signal level measurement means.