Abstract: A data-storage system comprises a head receiver configured to variably receive up to a number M of write heads. The data-storage system also includes an installed number N of write heads arranged in the head receiver, a substrate receiver configured to receive one or more data-storage substrates, and a positioner machine configured to adjust a relative placement of each of the M write heads with respect to at least one of the one or more data-storage substrates.

Abstract: A server system and a control method for a read/write indicator light are disclosed, in which a serial general purpose input/output signal is issued when a read/write action occurs, a bit of effective non-zero data is written into a register when the SGPIO signal has a level change, a content of the register is checked out every predetermined period, and a drive signal is outputted to drive the read/write indicator light to blink when the data in every bit of the register is not all non-zero, whereby achieving in a technical efficacy of promoting recognizability of the read/write indicator light.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, circuits for data processing, and more particularly to data processing including operational marginalization capability, and/or operational improvement capability.

Abstract: A media processing system enables producing a copy of media based on the state of media deterioration. An error rate measurement unit measures the error rate of recorded media after specific data is written to the media; an error rate evaluation unit determines if the media error rate measured by the error rate measurement unit is less than or equal to a preset threshold value; and a data recording unit that, when the error rate evaluation unit determines the error rate exceeds the specific threshold value, writes specific data recorded to the recorded media to other unused media.

Abstract: This optical read/write apparatus has first and second optical heads 2a, 2b and includes location control sections 4a, 4b which make the relative arrangement of the first and second optical heads 2a, 2b variable according to either the environmental temperature or from one medium to another. The first optical head 2a performs a write operation to record a mark on an optical storage medium 1, and the second optical head 2b reads the information that has been written by scanning the recorded mark. The apparatus further includes a nonvolatile memory which saves the relative arrangement of the first and second optical heads 2a and 2b either on an environmental temperature basis or on a medium by medium basis.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic configured to: read data from a data storage medium, detect an error condition in data read from the data storage medium, determine how to allocate a ring buffer into a first portion and a second portion, the ring buffer being allocated for processing normal read and/or write requests, divide the ring buffer into the first portion and the second portion, wherein the first portion is allocated for processing normal read and/or write requests, and wherein the second portion is allocated for processing ERP requests, perform ERP on the data using the second portion of the ring buffer, determine that the ERP has been completed, and unify the ring buffer after the ERP is completed and allocate an entirety of the ring buffer for processing normal read and/or write requests.

Abstract: A recording device performs recording on an optical disc recording medium having a reference face having a reflection film provided with a position guide, and a recording layer provided at a position of a depth different from that of the reference face and performing information recording by mark forming according to irradiation of light. The recording device includes a light generating and irradiation unit, a recording unit, a tracking mechanism, a first tracking error signal generating unit, a second tracking error signal generating unit, a tracking servo control unit, and a control unit.

Abstract: A media processing system that produces discs with assured quality suited to long-term data storage. A data write unit writes data on a recording surface of a disc. A label print unit prints on the label side of the disc. An error rate measurement unit measures the error rate of the disc D after writing data is completed. An error rate evaluation unit determines if the media error rate measured by the error rate measurement unit is less than or equal to a preset threshold value. When the error rate evaluation unit determines that the media error rate is less than or equal to the threshold value, the label print unit prints a label image on the label side.

Abstract: A communication method is executed by a disc player to communicate with an external device. The disc player loads and reads a plurality of test discs. The disc player includes an audio interface, and a video interface. The communication method includes steps of: reading a loaded test disc to generate test information; determining whether the disc player successfully reads the loaded test disc based on the test information; and generating and transmits a test signal to the external device via one of the audio interface and the video interface based on the determined result, for controlling the external device to assist the disc player to complete the test.

Abstract: Audio is adaptively associated with speakers, depending on the speaker configuration that is present. Each speaker it receives an audio assignment based on its individual spectral characteristics. As more speakers are added, content is adaptively associated with that you speaker, and taken away from the previous.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for initialization of media asset modules for an improved execution sequence on a playback environment. The system includes a player application configured to segment media assets associated with a primary media content into a plurality of asset modules, assemble the plurality of asset modules into a media file, identify a first subset of asset modules from the plurality of asset modules for loading in a first loading process, determine a loading sequence for the first subset of asset modules, and load the first subset of asset modules according to the loading sequence before beginning playback of the primary media content. The player application may be further configured to identify, determine another loading sequence for, and load additional asset modules after playback of the primary media content has begun.

Abstract: This optical read/write apparatus has first and second optical heads 2a, 2b and includes location control sections 4a, 4b which make the relative arrangement of the first and second optical heads 2a, 2b variable according to either the environmental temperature or from one medium to another. The first optical head 2a performs a write operation to record a mark on an optical storage medium 1, and the second optical head 2b reads the information that has been written by scanning the recorded mark. The apparatus further includes a nonvolatile memory which saves the relative arrangement of the first and second optical heads 2a and 2b either on an environmental temperature basis or on a medium by medium basis.

Abstract: An acquisition section acquires image data having a plurality of frames. Table information is written into a store when the image data is acquired. The table information includes first position information representing absolute position information of each of the plurality of frames and second position information representing relative position information when a head frame of the image data is set as a reference. A specification section specifics the second position information of a frame corresponding to a frame reproduction instruction using the first position information. A reproduction section reproduces the reproduction frame corresponding to the specified second position information. Writing of the table information into the table store is restricted when there is an instruction to reproduce the frame.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide a method of cancelling inter-track interference (ITI) from one or more sectors read from a desired track of a storage medium. A read channel reads sectors in a desired track of the storage medium. An iterative decoder of the read channel decodes the read sectors, and if the read sectors are incorrectly recovered from the storage medium, selected sectors of a first adjacent track are read. An ITI canceller of the read channel estimates ITI in the read sectors of the desired track corresponding to the selected sectors of the adjacent track and subtracts the estimated ITI of the adjacent track from the data for the sectors of the desired track, providing updated sector data. The ITI cancelled data is replayed to the iterative decoder, which decodes the ITI cancelled data and provides the decoded ITI cancelled data as output data of the read channel.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for measuring a signal using a measurement system. The signal has a frequency component that is to be detected by the measurement. The frequency component has a varying phase. The signal has at least one interruption thereto. The method includes: processing the signal with the measurement system to detect the frequency component in the signal and stalling the measurement system before the start of the interruption. The stall period is calculated such that the processing of the signal is resumed: i) after the end of the interruption, and ii) where there is substantially no discontinuity between the phase of the frequency component in the signal at the end of the stall and in the phase of the frequency component in the signal at the beginning of the stall.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for initialization of media asset modules for an improved execution sequence on a playback environment. The system includes a player application configured to segment media assets associated with a primary media content into a plurality of asset modules, assemble the plurality of asset modules into a media file, identify a first subset of asset modules from the plurality of asset modules for loading in a first loading process, determine a loading sequence for the first subset of asset modules, and load the first subset of asset modules according to the loading sequence before beginning playback of the primary media content. The player application may be further configured to identify, determine another loading sequence for, and load additional asset modules after playback of the primary media content has begun.

Abstract: A method for reproducing digital data and identifying the same by executing a software program stored in a memory of a computer is disclosed. The method includes: reading digital data; identifying total size of the digital data; saving the digital data as a temporary file; receiving a request for selecting at least one target medium, wherein the target medium is used for storing the digital data; determining a quantity of the target medium to be used for writing; writing the digital data into the target medium; generating a list text file and an index text file into each target medium, wherein the list text file includes information regarding to the content stored in each target medium respectively and the index text file includes information regarding to the content in all target medium; and building an index database of the digital data.

Abstract: A media processing system that produces discs with assured quality suited to long-term data storage. A data write unit writes data on a recording surface of a disc. A label print unit prints on the label side of the disc. An error rate measurement unit measures the error rate of the disc D after writing data is completed. An error rate evaluation unit determines if the media error rate measured by the error rate measurement unit is less than or equal to a preset threshold value. When the error rate evaluation unit determines that the media error rate is less than or equal to the threshold value, the label print unit prints a label image on the label side.

Abstract: A side determination apparatus of an optical disc includes a light source illuminating one side of the optical disc having a data side and a non-data side obliquely; a sensor receiving a reflected light from the optical disc illuminated by the light source; and a determination unit determining that an incident light into the sensor is a reflected diffracted light from the data side of the optical disc based on a distribution of an output of the sensor onto a surface of the disc to determine the one side.

Abstract: A channel circuit includes: a detecting module configured to sample a signal amplitude of a reproduced signal of a single-frequency pattern written on a medium, and to detect an amplitude change that is lower or higher than a threshold; and a judgement module configured to judge whether the reproduced signal is decodable by a decoding circuit or not based on a result of detection by the detecting module.

Abstract: An information recording processing constitution realizing both readout difficulty and high-precision readout is provided. Superimposition recording of highly secret additional information such as a cryptographic key in a groove signal recorded on a disk, which superimposition recording realizes both readout difficulty and high-precision readout, can be performed. The groove signal to which a phase error corresponding to a bit value is set is recorded at a time of recording of the additional information, and at a time of readout of the additional information, the phase error of the groove signal in a predetermined section is subjected to an integrating process and the direction of the phase error of the groove signal within each section is determined. The recording and reproduction of the additional information for increasing readout difficulty and realizing high-precision readout is realized by such processes.

Abstract: A method for controlling the quality of storage media, and more specifically a method for determining if the quality of a storage medium decreases. The method includes: determining one or more quality parameters of the storage medium; and comparing one or more of the determined quality parameters with previously determined quality parameters of the storage medium stored in a memory in case the quality of the storage medium has been determined before.

Abstract: Audio is adaptively associated with speakers, depending on the speaker configuration that is present. Each speaker it receives an audio assignment based on its individual spectral characteristics. As more speakers are added, content is adaptively associated with that you speaker, and taken away from the previous.

Abstract: Optimization of tracks on a hard disk includes: determining I/O characteristics for data clusters to be stored on the hard disk; generating a set of solutions for each possible placement configuration; for each solution, calculating a plurality of cost functions using the I/O characteristics for the plurality of data clusters; for each solution, calculating a membership value using the cost function values; for each solution, calculating a fitness value using the membership value; retaining the solutions with the fitness value greater than a predetermined threshold; determining whether at least one stopping condition has been met; if not, adding new solutions to the retained solutions to generate the next set of solutions; and repeating the calculating the membership value, the calculating the fitness value, and the retaining the solutions with the fitness value greater than the predetermined threshold until at least one stopping condition has been met.

Abstract: A storage device includes first and second buffers. A request to write a new record from a host is received. A hash value (new S) of the new record is calculated. The hash value (new S) of the new record is checked to determine if the hash value exists in a second buffer. If the new S exists in the second buffer, the new record is compared with a record stored in the second buffer corresponding to the new S to check if the new record and the stored record in the second buffer match each other. If the new record and the stored record match each other, a pointer (a record number) is written as write data of the new record to the recording medium. The pointer points to the record already stored in any one of a recording medium and the second buffer.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus (1) is provided with: an offset adding device (19-1, 19-2) for adding an offset value (OFS) which can be set to be variable, to a read signal (RRF) read from a recording medium (100); a correcting device (18) for correcting waveform distortion occurring in a read signal corresponding to a long mark, of the read signal to which the offset value is added; and a waveform equalizing device (18) for performing a waveform equalization process on the read signal in which the waveform distortion is corrected.

Abstract: An optical disc drive according to the present invention can read and/or write data from/on an optical disc with information layers including first and second information layers (L0 and L1). The drive includes: an objective lens for converging a light beam; a lens actuator for driving the lens; a photodetector section that receives the beam reflected from the disc and converts it into an electrical signal; and a control section for determining the values of a first group of parameters, which are set to read data from the first layer (L0), and those of a second group of parameters, which are set to read data from the second layer (L1), during a disc loading process.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus is provided. The reproducing apparatus includes a recording/reading unit that records data on or reads data from a disc including a defect management area in which defect information regarding data recorded in a data area of the disc and defect management information for managing the defect information are repeatedly recorded, and a controller that controls the recording/reading unit to read the defect information and the defect management information from the defect management area, and read data from the disc using the defect information. First defect information, which is repeatedly recorded, includes second defect information which is recorded in a predetermined area and defect information regarding a defective block occurring after the second defect information is recorded. The defect management information includes location information of the defect information.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. As an example, a data processing circuit is discussed that includes: a data buffer, an inter-track interference response circuit, an inter-track interference signal estimator circuit, and a sync mark detector circuit. The data buffer is operable to store a previous track data set that includes a first sync pattern. The inter-track interference response circuit is operable to estimate an inter-track interference response from the previous track data set based at least in part on the previous track data set and a current track data set. The current track data set includes a second sync pattern. The inter-track interference signal estimator circuit is operable to calculate an inter-track interference from the previous track data set based at least in part on the previous track data set and the inter-track interference response from the previous track data set.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and data erasing method make it possible to unrecoverably erase encrypted data recorded in an auxiliary storage device at high speed while reducing the load put on the CPU. Upon reception of a data erase request from a data utilizing process, the data requested to be erased is registered in a predetermined storage unit. The data registered in the storage is unrecoverably erased by overwriting, and an area in the auxiliary storage device in which the erased data was stored is released after the overwriting erasure process.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information storage medium includes an organic dye material which records information with a light beam having a wavelength equal to or smaller than 620 nm.

Abstract: According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method for controlling quantization scales when encoding video signals is disclosed, which comprises: (a) generating a new quantization scale; and (b) comparing the new quantization scale with a prior quantization scale, and if the difference between the new quantization scale and the prior quantization scale exceeds a predetermined range, replace the prior quantization scale with the new quantization scale.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for measuring a signal using a measurement system. The signal has a frequency component that is to be detected by the measurement. The frequency component has a varying phase. The signal has at least one interruption thereto. The method includes: processing the signal with the measurement system to detect the frequency component in the signal and stalling the measurement system before the start of the interruption. The stall period is calculated such that the processing of the signal is resumed: i) after the end of the interruption, and ii) where there is substantially no discontinuity between the phase of the frequency component in the signal at the end of the stall and in the phase of the frequency component in the signal at the beginning of the stall.

Abstract: To identify the type of a loaded disc, there is provided an optical disc device, comprising: a light source driven by a drive signal with a high frequency signal superimposed; a detector for detecting return light emitted from the light source; and a controller for controlling the amplitude of the high frequency signal to be superimposed on the drive signal, the optical disc device being configured to read data from an optical disc loaded therein by a signal outputted from the detector, wherein: the controller causes the light source to irradiate the loaded optical disc with light in a condition in which a high frequency signal different from a high frequency signal for data reading is superimposed on the drive signal; and the controller identifies a type of the loaded optical disc based on the return light from the loaded optical disc.

Abstract: In a recording/reproducing system that performs PRML decoding, a suitable evaluation value for setting a recording condition can be obtained with a simple structure. It is assumed that a value corresponding to a difference between a difference metric between a maximum likelihood path for an equalized signal that is fed to maximum likelihood decoding processing and a path in a bit-advanced shift direction and a difference metric between the maximum likelihood path for the equalized signal and a path in a bit-delayed shift direction is a signal quality evaluation value dSAM. Further, the signal quality evaluation value dSAM is calculated using an equalization error value ek which is an error between an equalized signal value fed to the maximum likelihood decoding processing and an ideal equalized signal value determined from a decoded signal obtained as a result of the maximum likelihood decoding processing.

Abstract: A method of reproducing an audio file includes: identifying a type of audio data in the audio file based on an extension information of the audio file separated from but associated with the audio data of the audio file; and determining whether the audio file is reproducible by checking whether a part of the audio file constructs a specific format stream corresponding to the identified audio type.

Abstract: A recording apparatus (1) is provided with: a detecting device (21) for detecting an appearance frequency of at least one of a signal component of a plurality of types of marks and a signal component of a plurality of types of spaces which have different run lengths and which are included in a read signal read from a recording medium (100) and which have different run lengths which are included in the read signal and which have different run lengths; and a judging device (22) for judging whether or not a jitter obtained from the read signal is effective, on the basis of a change amount of the appearance frequency.

Abstract: A process which is performed by a recording/reproducing device configured to irradiate an optical recording medium including a plurality of recording layers with laser light to record and reproduce data, and is for determining at least one of a recording condition at the time of recording user data on any one recording object recording layer of the plurality of recording layers, or a reproducing condition at the time of reproducing the data from the recording object recording layer, where record management data indicating a recorded area on the recording layers is recorded on the optical recording medium. The process includes: acquiring a remaining capacity of a test recording area for each of the recording layers based on the record management data; and determining a recording layer on which test recording is intended to be made based on the remaining capacities of the test recording area acquired for the recording layers.

Abstract: In a recording medium, an extension address is obtained without changing the number of bits of the address embedded in the wobble. The wobble address is partially or wholly encoded to embed the address information. At the time of reproducing the address information, the original address information is obtained by restoring the embedded information by the decoding process.

Abstract: In a recording/reproducing system that performs PRML decoding, a suitable evaluation value for setting a recording condition can be obtained with a simple structure. It is assumed that a value corresponding to a difference between a difference metric between a maximum likelihood path for an equalized signal that is fed to maximum likelihood decoding processing and a path in a bit-advanced shift direction and a difference metric between the maximum likelihood path for the equalized signal and a path in a bit-delayed shift direction is a signal quality evaluation value dSAM. Further, the signal quality evaluation value dSAM is calculated using an equalization error value ek which is an error between an equalized signal value fed to the maximum likelihood decoding processing and an ideal equalized signal value determined from a decoded signal obtained as a result of the maximum likelihood decoding processing.

Abstract: In the present invention, the processing sequence of a microprocessor for restructuring the recording parameters when changing the recording in an optical disk recording apparatus from a constant angular velocity (CAV) mode to a constant linear velocity (CLV) mode is as follows: (1) interrupt the recording process; (2) calculate a linear velocity at a point where the recording linear velocity becomes constant; (3) calculate a third recording parameter in the linear velocity by a linear interpolation based on first and second recording parameters which are corrected by test writing, replacing all the recording parameters for an outer circumference of an optical disk from a radius position where the linear velocity becomes Cx, with the third recording parameter; and (4) restart the recording with the third recording parameter as a recording condition.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus includes a storage part which stores a plurality of items of contents data; reproduction means for reproducing contents in any one of reproduction modes including a normal reproduction mode that reads the contents data stored in the storage part in a predetermined order for reproduction, and a recommend mode that selects one part of the contents data stored in the storage part as a recommended piece of music for reproduction; and reproduction mode control means for changing the reproduction mode in the reproduction means to the recommend mode when a predetermined recommend mode changing condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A technique to detect defects when reading a defect scan pattern stored on a disk in which the detected defects are processed differently depending on which region of a sector the defect is resident. In one implementation, a mask is used to identify the defects of different regions. By differentiating different regions within the sector for defect scan, sync mark and preamble fields may be treated as critical regions so that different defect scan properties may be attributed when performing the defect scan.

Abstract: The present invention is a device for detecting short burst errors. The device includes a first signal input, wherein the first signal input is configured to receive a first signal. The device includes a second signal input, wherein the second signal input is configured to receive a second signal. The device includes a logic gate, wherein the logic gate is operable for receiving the first signal vial the first signal input, receiving the second signal via the second signal input, and generating a logic output gate signal based on the received first signal and the second signal. Furthermore, the device includes a filter, wherein the filter is configured for receiving the logic output gate signal from the logic gate and generates a filter output signal based upon the received logic output gate signal, wherein the filter output signal is operable for flagging errors.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes an optical disk drive, a power supply module configured to supply power to the information processing apparatus, an acquisition module configured to start acquisition of status information of the optical disk drive when the power supply module supplies power to the information processing apparatus, a storage module configured to store feedback information corresponding to each condition predetermined for the status information of the optical disk drive, and a notification module configured to notify the apparatus of feedback information which is read from the storage module in correspondence with the condition when the status information of the optical disk drive acquired by the acquisition module matches the condition.

Abstract: A method and integrated circuit for accessing data in a pipelined data processing apparatus in which the operating conditions of the pipelined data processing apparatus are such that metastable signals may occur on at least the boundaries of the pipelined stages is disclosed.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus includes a storage unit having a plurality of content data stored therein, a reproducing unit reading out the content data stored in the storage unit and reproducing the read content data, and a driving unit driving a predetermined driven unit according to the content of the content data reproduced in the reproducing step. The reproducing unit has two reproduction modes, that is, a normal reproduction mode in which the content data stored in the storage unit are reproduced in a predetermined order and a recommend mode in which some of the content data stored in the storage unit are selected as recommended music files and the selected content data are reproduced. When the reproducing unit operates in the recommend mode, the driving unit drives the driven unit more quickly than in the normal reproduction mode.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a measuring unit, a transmitter, and a receiver. The measuring unit first measures the performance of the information processing apparatus. The transmitter then transmits measurement results in the form of information indicating the performance measured by the measuring unit, together with a content request requesting desired content, to another information processing apparatus. The receiver subsequently receives content from the other information processing apparatus that has been supplied according to the content request and selected on the basis of the measurement results. In so doing, the information processing load is suitably adjusted according to the performance of the information processing apparatus.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus is disclosed that includes a spindle motor unit including a spindle on which a flexible recording disk is placed, a stabilizer plate disposed so as to face the recording disk, a torque detection unit configured to detect a drive torque applied to the spindle motor unit, an adjustment unit configured to adjust a gap between the recording disk and the stabilizer plate, and a determination unit configured to determine an optimal gap to be set to the gap based on the drive torque detected by the torque detection unit, in which the adjustment unit sets the optimum gap determined by the determination unit to the gap.

Abstract: This signal detection method detects an output signal indicating data information contained at least in two sideband waves from an input signal having a carrier and at least two sideband waves accompanying the carrier. The method includes a cut off step for cutting off a sideband wave positioned at the high frequency side or the low frequency side as compared to the carrier from the at least two sideband waves and a square detection step for outputting an output signal by performing square detection of an input signal having one of the sideband waves which has been cut off.