Quadrature signal generator using an adaptive length dual arm correlator for optical storage devices

A quadrature signal generator for optical disk storage devices is disclosed comprising a differential phase detector (DPD) implemented as an adaptive length dual arm correlator. A photo diode generates a light beam for irradiating the optical disk during read operations, and a pair of diagonal signals S1 and S2 are generated by adding a pair of respective quadrants of a four-quadrant photodetector which detects the light beam reflected from the disk. The phase offset between the diagonal signals represents the centerline offset of the light beam from the centerline of a data track recorded on the optical disk. A first and second position error signals (PES) are generated by computing the difference and sum between a positive and negative correlation of the diagonal signals S1 and S2, otherwise referred to as a dual arm correlation (DAC) where DELTA is the correlation offset and L is the correlation length. In the present invention, the correlation length L is programmably adjusted relative to the t rack crossing velocity such that the correlator outputs a substantially constant number of correlations per track crossing, which facilitates generating a quadrature signal for use in counting track crossings during seek operations.