METHOD FOR MONITORING AN OPTICAL DISK DRIVE PERFORMANCE QUALITY, OPTICAL DISK DRIVE, OPTICAL DISK DUPLICATOR SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

摘要

The invention relates to a method for monitoring an optical disk drive performance quality by determining a laser diode quality indicator for a laser diode arranged in an optical disk drive for scanning an optical disk. The determining includes measuring (1000) an actual value (I_THACT) of a parameter (I_TH) associated with a laser diode characteristic, obtaining (2000) a reference value (I_THR) of the parameter, comparing (3000) the actual value with the reference value for obtaining a comparison result (I_COM), and determining (4000) the laser diode quality indicator (Qual) from the comparison result. The laser diode quality indicator can at least take a warning level signaling a precursor for a defective state of the optical disk drive and an error level signaling a defective state of the optical disk drive. The laser diode characteristic can e.g. be a light-current relationship or a voltage-current relationship. The parameter can be associated with e.g. a threshold current level, an operating current level or a kink associated with the light-current relationship, or an operating laser diode forward voltage level or a diode forward voltage level associated with the voltage-current relationship. The method can further include determining (4000) a recommendation signal (Recom) from the laser diode quality indicator and providing (5000) the recommendation signal to an indicator device (6000). The invention further relates to an optical disk drive. The invention further relates to an optical disk duplicator system. The invention further relates to a computer program product.