Information processing apparatus and information processing method

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a signal reproduction section configured to obtain a reproduced signal from a recording medium by radiating a laser beam emitted by a laser-beam source to said recording medium; and

a high-frequency signal superposition section configured to superpose either a first high-frequency signal or a second high-frequency signal having a frequency higher than the frequency of said first high-frequency signal on a driving signal used for driving said laser-beam source,

wherein, in a first signal reproduction operation, said high-frequency signal superposition section superposes said first high-frequency signal on said driving signal whereas, in a second signal reproduction operation to measure information on the amplitude of said reproduced signal, said high-frequency signal superposition section superposes said second high-frequency signal on said driving signal.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising

a signal recording section configured to record a signal onto said recording medium by radiating said laser beam to said recording medium,

wherein said information on the amplitude of said reproduced signal is measured in order to optimize the recording power of said laser beam radiated in a signal recording operation.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said information on the amplitude of said reproduced signal is measured either before said signal recording section carries out said signal recording operation or while said signal recording section is carrying out said signal recording operation.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said reproduced signal is a signal reproduced from said recording medium at an N-time speed where symbol N denotes a number greater than 1, that is, N>1.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

said reproduced signal reproduced in said first signal reproduction operation is supplied to a first filter;

said reproduced signal reproduced in said second signal reproduction operation is supplied to a second filter; and

the treble cutoff characteristic of said first filter is steeper than the treble cutoff characteristic of said second filter.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the frequency of said second high-frequency signal is 2 to 4 times the treble cutoff frequency of said second filter.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said first filter is a digital filter whereas said second filter is an analog filter.

8. An information processing method comprising:

a signal reproduction step of obtaining a reproduced signal from a recording medium by radiating a laser beam emitted by a laser-beam source to said recording medium; and

a high-frequency signal superposition step of superposing either a first high-frequency signal or a second high-frequency signal having a frequency higher than the frequency of said first high-frequency signal on a driving signal used for driving said laser-beam source,

wherein, in a first signal reproduction operation, said high-frequency signal superposition step is carried out in order to superpose said first high-frequency signal on said driving signal whereas, in a second signal reproduction operation to measure information on the amplitude of said reproduced signal, said high-frequency signal superposition step is carried out in order to superpose said second high-frequency signal on said driving signal.