Abstract: An optical disc 1 includes a defect management area (DMA). A plurality of defective area lists (TDFLs) and structure information (TDDS) are recorded in a temporary defect management area (TDMS) of the defect management area (DMA). The defective area lists (TDFLs) indicate at least one defective area which was detected during an access to the optical disc 1. The structure information (TDDS) includes a plurality of pieces of position information that indicate positions of the defective area lists (TDFLs). The plurality of pieces of position information, corresponding one-to-one to the defective area lists, are arranged in the structure information (TDDS) in an order in which the defective area lists (TDFLs) corresponding thereto are read out.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for managing disc defects in a disc using a temporary defect management area in the disc, and the disc, where the method includes recording in a data area user data; and recording in a temporary defect management area, which is present in at least one of a lead-in area and a lead-out area, which temporary defect information and temporary defect management information regarding the user data recorded in the data area are recorded. Accordingly, the method and apparatus are applicable to recordable discs and capable of effectively using the defect management area.

Abstract: A recording method for use by an apparatus and/or which is encoded on a computer readable medium includes selecting a defect management on mode or a defect management off mode that indicates whether defect management is to be performed or not while data is recorded in the recording medium, recording the data in the recording medium while defect management is performed on the recording medium, if the defect management on mode is selected, and recording the data in the recording medium without defect management, if the defect management off mode is selected.

Abstract: A defect entry, including position information of a defective block of a reference information layer and state information indicating the defective state of blocks of the other information layers located adjacent to a perpendicular direction at a position of the defective block of the reference information layer, is recorded on a holographic information storage medium. A method of inspecting for a defect includes determining whether blocks in a reference information layer are defective, and determining whether blocks of the other information layers located adjacent to a perpendicular direction at a position of a defective block of the reference information layer are defective, based on a result of the defect determination of the reference information layer.

Abstract: A disk-shaped rewritable information recording medium having at a first recording layer and a second recording layer is disclosed. The information recording medium includes a first data area situated in the first recording layer, the first data area having a plurality of addresses allocated thereto, the plural addresses continuously increasing in a first direction, a second data area situated in the second recording layer, the second data area having a plurality of addresses allocated thereto, the plural addresses continuously increasing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a management information area having an area for recording end recorded area information thereto, the end recorded area information including information for identifying an area in the second data area having data that corresponds to an end position of the second data area.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus capable of irradiating an optical recording medium having a plurality of recording layers on which a signal is recorded with laser light includes a light source emitting the laser light, a light-concentrating element concentrating the laser light emitted from the light source on the optical recording medium, a phase difference element having a region divided into at least two regions which the laser light reflected by the optical recording medium enters and producing a phase difference between first light and second light reflected by a non-target layer which is not a target of recording or reproduction of the signal out of the plurality of recording layers and entering the at least two regions such that the first and the second light weaken each other, and a photodetector receiving the laser light emitted from the phase difference element.

Abstract: A recording medium of writable once type, and a method and apparatus for managing a defective area on the recording medium are provided. The method includes detecting an existence of a defective area within a data area of the recording medium once data are written onto the data area in a data writing operation; writing data written in the defective area onto a spare area of the data area if the defective area is detected; writing temporary management information pertaining to the defective area, onto a temporary management area on the recording medium; and writing access information for accessing the temporary management information, onto a reserved area on the recording medium.

Abstract: The present invention allows the usability of a write-once recording medium to be enhanced. The write-once recording medium is provided with an ordinary recording/reproduction area, an alternate area, a first alternate-address management information area (DMA) and a second alternate-address management information area (TDMA). In addition, written/unwritten state indication information (a space bitmap) is also recorded. The second alternate-address management information area is an area allowing alternate-address management information recorded therein to be renewed by adding alternate-address management information thereto. In addition, the written/unwritten state indication information indicates whether or not data has been recorded in each data unit (cluster) on the recording medium. Thus, it is possible to correctly execute management of defects and properly implement renewal of data in the write-once recording medium.

Abstract: Performing sequential recording to alternate destinations of an information recording medium and improving access performance of accessing the information recording medium are achieved by estimating sequential defective areas of the information recording medium based on prescribed conditions, allocating blocks of a spare area as alternate destinations of the defective areas, and performing alternate recording to the allocated alternate destinations, in response to a recording request to record information to the sequential defective areas. The above can be achieved because the use of the alternate destinations will help to prevent a time-out from occurring due to he the defective areas.

Abstract: A method of recording data, as embodied, includes creating and temporarily storing first management information for the data recorded before a recording failure occurs, when the recording failure occurs during recording of the data on a recording medium; continuously recording the data starting from a subsequent available recording location; and creating second management information for the data recorded after the occurrence of the recording failure, and recording the second management information on the recording medium in connection with the temporarily stored first management information when recording is completed.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed toward systems and methods of defect description of a data storage medium. In a particular embodiment, a method includes determining a first defect of a data storage medium. The method also includes determining a format of an entry of a defect description table based on the first defect and a location of a second defect of the data storage medium. The format is selected from one of a plurality of formats. The method also includes storing a description of the first defect in the entry of the defect description table in the format.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are aspects of optical tape technology, tape manufacturing, and tape usage. Methods and systems of tape technology disclose optical tape media including: configurations, formulations, markings, and structure; optical tape manufacturing methods, systems, and apparatus methods and systems including: curing processes, coating methods, embossing, drums, testing, tracking alignment stamper strip; optical tape methods and systems including: pick up head adapted for the disclosed optical tape; and optical tape uses including optical storage media devices for multimedia applications.

Abstract: A disk recording/reproducing apparatus includes a disk rotator which rotates an optical disk, an optical pickup, a slide motor which moves the optical pickup into a radial direction of the optical disk, and a controller which controls at least the disk rotator and the slide motor in accordance with a signal obtained from the optical pickup. The controller determines an alternation destination for recording data at an alternation origin therein or during the alternation process depending on a position of the alternation origin on the optical disk and a reference position on the optical disk, when the optical disk has an alternation area on an innermost periphery and an outermost periphery, and the recording/reproducing apparatus conducts the alternation process upon detection of a defect block within a user data recording area on the optical disk, thereby conducting the alternation process thereon.

Abstract: A method for recovering disc management information of a recording medium. (a) When the recording medium is not closed, a readable TDMS which is included in an in-use TDMA of TDMAs of the recording medium and is readable is searched for. (b) It is determined whether a piece of information associated with an inconsistency flag of the readable TDMS is reliable. (c) If the associated piece of information is unreliable, at least a detection condition is determined according to the information included in the readable TDMS and the in-use TDMA. (d) A detection procedure, constrained by the at least the detection condition, is performed on the recording medium for determining an update on the piece of information associated with the inconsistency flag. (e) An update TDMS is generated according to the readable TDMS and the update on the piece of information associated with the inconsistency flag.

Abstract: A recording device for performing recording supporting an optical disk-shaped recording medium having a laminated structure includes a first recording layer and a second recording layer. The recording device includes: a recording section configured to record data in the first recording layer and the second recording layer by irradiating the optical disk-shaped recording medium with laser light; a recording control section configured to control the recording section so as to perform recording in the first recording layer first and next perform recording in the second recording layer when the recording is performed sequentially on the optical disk-shaped recording medium; a pseudo defect area setting section configured to set a pseudo defect area in the second recording layer; and a defect registering section configured to register the real defect area and the pseudo defect area as a defect area.

Abstract: A recording medium and a method and apparatus for managing a defective area on the recording medium are provided. The method includes detecting an existence of a defective area within the data area of the recording medium; replacing the defective area with a replacement area in the spare area if the defective area is detected; writing in the spare area defect management information which cumulatively includes defect list information associated with the defective area detected in the step (a) and any defect list information previously written in the recording medium; and writing onto the recording medium positional information of the defect management information.

Abstract: A drive apparatus of the present invention includes a recording/reproduction section and a drive control section. The drive control section at least performs a process including: receiving a reproduction instruction; determining whether or not the reproduction of a latest replacement management information list has failed in response to the reproduction instruction; controlling the recording/reproduction section to reproduce location information before replacement recorded in the spare area and the user data area when the reproduction of the latest replacement management information list is determined to have failed; generating the latest replacement management information list based on the reproduced location information before replacement; and controlling the recording/reproduction section to record the latest replacement management information list at a predetermined location.

Abstract: A method for detecting a defect of an optical disc includes steps of: confirming an optical pickup head being accessing data in a track on state; determining a defective region of the optical disc according to a peak-to-peak value of a wobble signal; and, maintaining the optical pickup head being unchanged when the defective region is detected.

Abstract: A method of defect management for managing on a block-by-block basis a defective area in an information-recording medium is disclosed. The medium has a user-data area, a sparing area, and a defect-management information are. The block is of a predetermined size. The method includes the steps of, when a defective block in which the defective area is included is set to be replaced with a sparing block of the sparing area: dividing the sparing block into multiple subblocks so as to set identifying information, for identifying a sparing subblock in which data are replaced and a non-sparing subblock in which data are not replaced, as defect-management information; and setting block-management information, including information regarding the defective block and the sparing block, and information regarding an area in which non-sparing data not replaced with the sparing block are stored, as defect-management information.

Abstract: A disc having an updatable defect management area used by an apparatus for managing defects on the disc, the disc including a user data area which includes user data, a spare area that is a substitute area for a defect existing in the user data area, and an area in which are recorded an address of data that is last recorded in the user data area and an address of a replacement data recorded in the spare area. Accordingly, the disc defect management method and apparatus are applicable to a recordable disc such as a write-once disc while effectively using a defect management area of the disc.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus includes: a defect detecting section 124 for detecting, based on a light detection signal and with respect to a preset detection reference level, a fingerprint or a bubble on the disc 102 as a defect to output a defect detection signal; and a waveform shaping section 126 to output a hold signal that holds, in response to the defect detection signal, a signal from a tracking control section 109 at a level just before the defect has occurred. The apparatus is initially operated not to hold the signal from the tracking control section 109 even if there is a defect. But once a tracking failure has occurred during a read operation, settings are changed to hold the signal from the tracking control section 109 against the defect while the read operation is retried.

Abstract: A write once disc allowing management of a data area, includes a lead-in zone, a data area, and a lead-out zone. The write once disc includes a predetermined area storing area allocation information which indicates whether at least one section of the data area is allocated for disc defect management. In the disc and method, area allocation information specifying a structure of the data area is recorded on the disc, thus allowing a recording/reproducing apparatus to recognize the data area structure. Therefore, allocating areas, such as a spare area, for disc defect management other than an area for storing user data, to the data area is possible. The allocation of the areas for disc defect management to the data area enables effective use of the write once disc.

Abstract: The write-once recording medium has a data structure for managing temporary defect management areas, TDMAs, of the recording medium, where each TDMA is for at least storing temporary defect management information. In one embodiment, the recording medium includes a TDMA access indicator, TAI, area for selectively storing data indicating which one of the TDMAs is currently in use.

Abstract: A playback device includes a reading section that performs reading from a recording medium, and a control section that acquires the latest temporary management information recorded last on the recording medium. The control section executes a read control process of controlling the reading section so that when reading pointer information in a temporary management information unit recorded last in a temporary management information unit recording area, reading of data is executed from a predetermined position located before a segment in which the pointer information is included, and an information acquiring process of executing a process for acquiring the temporary management information pointed to by the pointer information from the data read in response to the read control process.

Abstract: A device for recording records blocks of information on logical addresses on a record carrier at corresponding physical addresses. The logical addresses are translated into the physical addresses in dependence on defect management information that includes defect information on a defective status of physical addresses and remapping information on translating a logical address initially mapped to an initial physical address to an alternate physical address. The device has a real-time storage unit for writing real-time information blocks (77) to respective initial physical addresses irrespective of the defective status. When recording at a defective status location (76), the real-time information block is temporarily stored in a memory (80). In a separate period, when the writing of real-time information blocks is suspended, said temporarily stored real-time information blocks are additionally written to alternate physical addresses (81).

Abstract: A recording medium, and a method and apparatus for recording and reproducing data to/from the recording medium are disclosed. The recording medium having a data structure for managing a data area of the recording medium includes at least one physical access control (PAC) cluster, the at least one PAC cluster including information for managing logical overwriting to the recording medium, wherein each PAC cluster includes a PAC header, the PAC header being common to each PAC cluster, and a PAC specific information area, the area including information specific to each PAC cluster, wherein the PAC header includes segment information identifying at least one segment area in a user data area of the recording medium.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for managing disc defects in a disc using a temporary defect management area in the disc, and the disc, where the method includes recording in a data area user data; and recording in a temporary defect management area, which is present in at least one of a lead-in area and a lead-out area, which temporary defect information and temporary defect management information regarding the user data recorded in the data area are recorded. Accordingly, the method and apparatus are applicable to recordable discs and capable of effectively using the defect management area.

Abstract: A write once disc allowing management of a data area, a method of managing the data area of the write once disc, an apparatus recording data on the write once disc, an apparatus and method of reproducing data from a write once disc. The write once disc, includes a lead-in zone, a data area, and a lead-out zone. The write once disc includes a predetermined area storing area allocation information which indicates whether at least one section of the data area is allocated for disc defect management. In the disc and method, area allocation information specifying a structure of the data area is recorded on the disc, thus allowing a recording/reproducing apparatus to recognize the data area structure. Therefore, allocating areas, such as a spare area, for disc defect management other than an area for storing user data, to the data area is possible. The allocation of the areas for disc defect management to the data area enables effective use of the write once disc.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for recording an AV file using an information recording disk in which data is recorded/reproduced by sectors. The recording method includes the steps of determining whether or not input data is AV data; detecting a defective sector existing in an assigned data recording area; when the input data is AV data while a defective sector is detected in the data recording area, allocating a defective extent including the defective sector; recording AV data in continuous sectors while skipping the defective extent; and allocating an area of continuous sectors where on the AV data is recorded as one AV extent.

Abstract: An information recording medium, a method of recording and/or reproducing data to/from the medium, and a recording/reproducing apparatus using the medium, the medium having a data area including a user data area to record user data, and a spare area to record replacement blocks that replace defect blocks occurring in the user data area, wherein defect list entries include status information of the defect blocks and the replacement blocks, and the status information of the defect blocks in the user data area is changed, and the status information of the replacement blocks in the spare area is changed, in response to the spare area being newly allocated to re-initialize the medium.

Abstract: A write once disc includes a defect management area that is present in at least one of a lead-in area and a lead-out area; a temporary defect management area that is present in at least one of the lead-in area and the lead-out area; and a drive & disc information area that is present in at least one of the lead-in area and the lead-out area. Information regarding the locations of temporary defect information and temporary defect management information is recorded in the drive & disc information area, the temporary defect information and temporary defect management information, which includes drive & disc information, are recorded in the temporary defect management area, and temporary defect information and temporary defect management information, which are lastly recorded in the temporary defect management area, are recorded in the defect management area for disc finalization.

Abstract: A drive apparatus including a recording/reproduction section and a drive control section is disclosed. The drive apparatus is configured for recording data in an information recording media and for reproducing data recorded in the information recording media. The drive apparatus performs a pseudo-overwrite recording for a write-once recording medium. The drive control section receives a recording instruction including a location at which data is to be recorded and controls the recording/reproduction section to record data at a replacement location in the user data area, instead of the location included in the recording instruction.

Abstract: A method for storing a memory defect map is disclosed whereby a memory component is tested for defects at the time of manufacture and any memory defects detected are stored in a memory defect map and used to optimize the system performance. The memory defect map is updated and the system's remapping resources optimized as new memory defects are detected during operation.

Abstract: An optical disk drive capable of reproducing data even when defects, such as flaws or stains, are present in the disk. A system controller of an optical disk drive reproduces data by setting the maximum speed in accordance with the type of an optical disk, an amount of side-to-side runout, and the like. When reproduction of data becomes impracticable for reasons of meandering of a track, or the like, in the middle of reproduction of data, the rotational speed is decreased, and a retry is performed. However, when reproduction of data becomes impracticable for reasons of flaws or stains, the rotational speed is reversely increased, and a retry is performed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a write-once optical disc and method for managing a spare area thereof, the write-once optical disc possibly having a temporary defect management area within one or more spare areas. The method includes the steps of: allocating one or more spare areas including the temporary defect management area at an initial status of the optical disc; and during use of the optical disc, expanding the spare area allocated including the temporary defect management area to set a new spare area. By employing the above optical disc and method, it becomes possible to establish unified regulations on the structures of the spare area and temporary defect management area applicable to the write-once optical disc, so that usage efficiency of the optical disc can be improved.

Abstract: A method of recording, and an apparatus to record, data on a write-once disc, and the write-once disc used with the method and apparatus. The write-once disc includes a plurality of update areas in which to record a predetermined type of updated information, at least one main access information area (AIA) in which to record main access information (AI), the main AI indicating a final update area in which finally updated information is recorded, among the plurality of update areas, and at least one sub AIA in which to record sub AI, the sub AI indicating a location of the finally updated information recorded in the final update area.

Abstract: When playback of a recording medium, which stores content data that is only allowed to be played back for a limited number of times, is forcibly terminated due to a scratch on the recording medium, the playback of the content data residing at a subsequent location that follows a location having the scratch is performed without the number of playbacks being counted, and without a particular operation such as skip. Upon the playback after the forced termination, an address of an optical disk at which the playback was performed at the time of the forced termination is stored in a RAM unit. The address stored in the RAM unit is read out, and the content data residing at a subsequent address that follows the read address in terms of a predetermined number of addresses is played back.

Abstract: A drive apparatus of the present invention includes a recording/reproduction section and a drive control section.

Abstract: An information recording system, where new data recording is started from LRA (old) and a record error is detected, at position P0, an extent is closed and the record position is made to jump from the position P0 to position P1. Further, a new extent is set, at the position P1 so that the data recording is continued. Further, a range from the position P0 where the record error was detected to the position P1 where the new data recording was started is registered, as a defect sector.

Abstract: When there is a defect area in a specific recording layer, recording of information is continued to restrain reduction in a recording rate. In an optical recording method for recording information on a multilayer optical recording medium having a plurality of recording layers by irradiating the recording layer with a beam spot, when a defect area is detected while the information is recorded on a specific recording layer selected from the plurality of recording layers, an escape recording layer which is selected from among the other recording layers except for the specific recording layer is irradiated with the beam spot to continue recording the information.

Abstract: A write-once optical recording medium, a method for allocating a defect management area of the write-once optical recording medium, and a method for allocating a spare area of the write-once optical recording medium are provided. A method of managing defects on a write-once optical recording medium having at least one recording layer includes the steps of allocating at least one temporary defect management area having a fixed size and at least one temporary defect management area having a variable size to said optical recording medium, respectively, recording defect management information on the at least one temporary defect management area having a fixed size and the at least one temporary defect management area having a variable size; and using the at least one temporary defect management area having a fixed size and the at least one temporary defect management area having a variable size is provided herein.

Abstract: A recording medium storing information indicating that linking is applied immediately after the defective area, distinguishing a linking type which occurs in a general incremental recording mode from a linking type which occurs after the defective area. Defective areas are detected and registered in a predetermined area (recording management data (RMD) area) before user data is recorded or while user data is being recorded in the recording medium having a plurality of continuous basic recording units, such as a digital versatile disc-rewritable (DVD-RW) in which recording and reproducing can be done repeatedly. Linking is not only applied in an incremental recording mode or in a restricted overwrite recording mode, but linking is also applied to an area immediately after the defective area which is registered in the defect list, increasing reliability of the user data.

Abstract: A drive apparatus of the present invention includes a recording/reproduction section and a drive control section. The drive control section at least performs a process including: receiving a recording instruction at least specifying a location at which data is to be recorded; determining whether a data recording which is performed in accordance with the recording instruction is an appending recording, a first time pseudo-overwrite recording or a second time or more pseudo-overwrite recording; generating data including location information before replacement having information set therein according to the result of the determination; and controlling the recording/reproduction section to record the data in one of the plurality of ECC clusters of the write-once recording medium.

Abstract: A method and apparatus recording and/or reproducing data on/from a write-once disc, and a write-once disc therefor, the write-once disc having at least one recording layer including: a plurality of update areas in which predetermined updated information is recorded; and at least one access information area in which access information indicating an update area in which final recorded updated information is recorded. Reducing access time for reading the updated information using a location of predetermined updated information. Also, when a plurality of update areas for writing updated information required to use the write-once disc exist, a recording apparatus or a reproducing apparatus can quickly and easily determine an update area in which final updated information is recorded among the plurality of update areas.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus includes a writing/reading unit writing data to or reading data from an information recording medium having an access control area in which access control data is recorded, the access control data having common information set to allow the recording/reproducing apparatus that cannot recognize a predetermined function adapted to the information recording medium to control access to the information recording medium; and a control unit controlling the writing/reading unit to record access control data regarding a function recognizable by the recording/reproducing apparatus in the access control area when the information recording medium is initialized or reinitialized.

Abstract: A write-once optical disc and a method and apparatus for recording management information on the optical disc are provided. The optical disc includes at least one recording layer and a plurality of temporary defect management areas (TDMAs) on the at least one recording layer. At least one of the TDMAs includes an indicator indicating which one of the TDMAs has an in-use status.

Abstract: A recording medium having a spare area for defect management and the management information of the spare area, a spare area allocation method, and a defect management method. When a primary spare area is allocated for slipping replacement and linear replacement upon initialization, and a remaining portion of the primary spare area after slipping replacement and allocated for linear replacement after initialization are insufficient, a supplementary spare area is allocated.

Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing a recording medium having a recorded defect management area. The apparatus includes a pickup reading data from a recording medium and a controller controlling the pickup to read data on the recording medium and determining whether the recording medium contains predetermined data, recorded in response to a finalization command, to prevent recording with respect to the recording medium. The controller determines whether an area of a temporary defect management area not having defect management data includes the predetermined data by checking whether the temporary defect management data is filled with repetitions of a predetermined value.

Abstract: Information recording media 101 and 102 usable for either a first recording density D1 or a second recording density D2 each include a user data area 106 in which user data is to be recorded, a first defect management information area 108 in which first defect management information for managing a defect area in the user data area is to be recorded, and a second defect management information area 109 in which second defect management information having an identical content to that of the first defect management information is to be recorded. The first and second defect management information areas 108 and 109 are located such that angles ?1 and ?2 made by start blocks thereof fulfill the relationships of 150°??1?210° and 150°??2?210° (?1: in the case of the first recording density, and ?2: in the case of the second recording density).

Abstract: In order to enable recording and reproduction from optical disks with defect management formatted with different group configurations without changing the firmware of the conventional apparatus and to allow the size of the spare area to be specified at initialization, the position information indicating the position of the defect management area is recorded in the control data area provided in the read-only area of the optical disk, and the information indicating the first address or size of the spare area is included in the defect management area.