Abstract: A disc recording device has a rule based extent allocation strategy. Real-time information like audio is to be reproduced continuously via a rendering system having predefined properties: a buffer, a minimal read-out speed Rdisc, and a maximal seek time Tseek. The information is arranged in files that have a maximal data rate Rfile, and a maximal size of header information Sheaders that precedes and/or follows the real-time information in the file. The information of the files is recorded in contiguous parts of the track at least having the size of Sextent. The device has an allocation unit (35) for determining a minimal size of an extent Sextent that is a continuous recording unit at least taking into account the properties Rdisc, Tseek, Rfile and Sheaders, in particular according to Sextent=((Tseek+Sheaders/Rdisc)*Rfile*Rdisc)/(Rdisc?Rfile).

Abstract: With two consecutive product-coded ECC blocks, EB1 and EB2, as a set, the rth row of first ECB block EB1 is followed by the rth row of second ECC block EB2 in such a way that the first row of first ECC block EB1 is followed by the first row of second ECB block EB2, which is followed by the second row of first ECC block ECB1, which is followed by the second row of second ECC block EB2, and so on, to interleave data on a row basis. That is, data of two ECC blocks, EB1 and EB2, is allocated alternately on a row basis. This allocation method allows an error to be distributed after reproduction even when a serious burst error extending 18 rows occurs in an ECC block.

Abstract: According to an optical disc recording control method, a drive, and a recording system of the present invention, in a drive of an optical disc, when data transfer from a host computer is interrupted while data transmitted from the host computer is being recorded in a track of the disk, the recording in the track is stopped and the recording process is switched to record data in a lead-out area, and when the recording process for the lead-out area is ended, track information (TOC data and PMA data) from the first track up to the last track is modified in accordance with the track data which has been actually recorded on the disk, and the modified track information is recorded in a lead-in area and a PMA.

Abstract: A copy-protected compact disc and a method for producing the optical disc and preventing unauthorized copying is provided. In one embodiment, the contents of at least one of the lead-in items in the optical disc are altered so that it is no longer uniform, thereby making a copied disc effectively corrupted and unplayable.

Abstract: An optical recording medium having a read-only storage area and a writable storage area and a recording/reproducing apparatus and method therefor. The optical recording medium is a hybrid disc having both the read-only storage area, which is suitable for mass production of information having the same contents, and the writable storage area on which data can be recorded, updated or added at a user's option.

Abstract: An apparatus for writing block data, which includes a plurality of sectors, to a recording medium. The apparatus includes a controller for generating the block data and writing the block data to the recording medium. The controller performs a padding process on final block data when the final block data is written to the recording medium. The controller includes a padding processing unit for generating padding process data. The generation of the padding process data with the controller reduces the load of a processing unit that controls the controller.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus is capable of recording data and management information of an information recording medium in a plurality of data recording formats. Typically, a DVD+RW is considered to be a DVD+R disk, when data and management information of the DVD+R are recorded on the DVD+RW disk in the data recording format for the DVD+R disk, such as the sequential writing method and the multi-session writing method.

Abstract: Disclosed is a disk-like recording medium, a disk recording apparatus and a disk recording method, and a disk playback apparatus and a disk playback method. Disk ID is recorded over a circle of a burst cutting area on an optical disk. The circle is divided into n blocks, each of the blocks is divided into m frames, and ID information is recorded in each of the frames with k channel bits.

Abstract: A recording method for embedding in a record medium many types of management information corresponding to many types of record media as additional information added to content data that is recorded on the record medium, performing a first encoding process for the content data to which the additional information has been embedded, performing a second encoding process for the many types of management information; and modulating the content data of which the first encoding process has been performed and the many types of management information of which the second encode process has been performed.

Abstract: A phase difference detection circuit (270) and a gain adjusting circuit (280) are provided in an optical disc recording apparatus (200). When the phase difference detection circuit detects a phase difference between an ATIP synchronization signal and a recording synchronization signal, this phase difference detection circuit activates an internal counter (271). Then, when phase difference information including a result of a counting operation performed by the internal counter is outputted from the phase difference detection circuit to the gain adjusting circuit, the gain adjusting circuit suitably adjust the frequency division ratio of a (1/N)-frequency-divider (242) according to the received phase difference information. Thus, the phase of a recording clock signal to be supplied from a PLL circuit (240) to a data encoder (260) through a frequency divider (250) is controlled.

Abstract: Creation and detection of synchronization marks for a multilevel data storage medium is disclosed. A sequence of symbols is generated and the sequence of symbols is written to the multilevel data storage medium. A corresponding sequence may be generated by a detector and correlated with read data to detect the synchronization mark.

Abstract: An optical disc has a plurality of sectors, where each of the plurality of sectors includes a plurality of frames. A sub information bit value of “0” or “1” is assigned to the plurality of frames constituting a sector, excluding the first and last frames. Edge positions are displaced so that leading/lagging errors appear in accordance with a certain rule when data fields of the frames to which the sub information bit value “1” is assigned are read. Edge positions are displaced so that leading/lagging errors appear in accordance with a reversal of the certain rule when data fields of the frames to which the sub information bit value “0” is assigned are read.

Abstract: On a data recording medium which is divided into sectors and can be accessed on the sector unit basis, when encoded data is divided every predetermined length, a header is added, the data is packetized, a header is further added to the packet to thereby form the pack data, and the resultant data is recorded, if the stuffing is necessary, the stuffing data is inserted to the last of a data area of the packet. Thus, a length of pack header can be fixed. There is no need to provide a padding packet. A situation such that a PES header is encrypted is prevented and no problem occurs when encryption is performed.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus includes: a unit for applying a predetermined processing to record information divided into error correction units and generating processed record information including a plurality of record units; and a unit for recording, the processed record information on an information record medium; a unit for recording, after the recording of the processed record information, predetermined dummy information of an information amount corresponding for the plurality of record units, on the information record medium, subsequent to the processed record information recorded.

Abstract: An information storage medium according to an embodiment of this invention includes a management area for recording management information, and a data area for recording content data. The content data recorded in the data area contains a plurality of object data, each object data contains a plurality of data units, each data unit contains a plurality of packs, each pack contains at least one packet, the packet contains at least one transport stream packet, the management information recorded in the management area contains program chain information which manages the playback order of data contained in the object data, the program chain information contains cell information, and the cell information contains information that specifies an object to be played back.

Abstract: A digital signal recording disc has a first area and a second area. The second area differs from the first area. The first area stores a first-channel digital audio signal and a second-channel digital audio signal. The first-channel digital audio signal results from quantizing a first-channel analog audio signal with a first quantization bit number. The second-channel digital audio signal results from quantizing a second-channel analog audio signal with a second quantization bit number. The second area stores information of the first and second quantization bit numbers.

Abstract: An optical recording medium, on which a wobble signal having header information is recorded, an apparatus and method of recording the wobble signal, and an apparatus and method of reproducing the wobble signal are provided. The optical recording medium has a wobbled track on which user data is recorded. The wobble signal is recorded on the wobbled track. The wobble signal is a single-frequency signal having at least edge-modulated first header information. Accordingly, a clock signal as well as header information can be extracted more stably from the wobble signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a disk-like recording medium, a disk recording apparatus and a disk recording method, and a disk playback apparatus and a disk playback method. Disk ID is recorded over a circle of a burst cutting area on an optical disk. The circle is divided into n blocks, each of the blocks is divided into m frames, and ID information is recorded in each of the frames with k channel bits.

Abstract: An invention is provided for automatically formatting removable media at the application level. The method includes intercepting a write request to write to removable media, and determining if the removable media is unformatted. When the removable media is unformatted, the removable media is automatically prepared for content. The write request is then provided to an operating system, which performs a write operation on the removable media. In one aspect, the method can determine whether the write request is directed to a supported drive, which is a drive within a predetermined set of supported drives. In this aspect, if the write request is not directed to a supported drive, the write request can be provided to the operating system without formatting the removable media.

Abstract: The present invention is associated with a recording medium in which, to a data part constituted by frames obtained by attaching a synchronous signal to the data divided by a predetermined data length, data having a preamble part and a postamble part attached with at least one synchronous signal having a pattern different from that of the synchronous signal attached to the data part are recorded, a reproducing apparatus for reproducing this recording medium, and a recording apparatus for recording data to this recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus and method thereof detect a location of a pickup in an optical disc. A pickup reads and writes a signal from or to the optical disc. A spindle motor rotates the optical disc. A controller measures a rotational speed of the spindle motor to detect a current location of the pickup in the optical disc, wherein the pickup is determined to be located in an area of more than 90 minutes of the optical disc based on ATIP information recorded on the optical disc.

Abstract: An optical disc medium compares a track groove, along which main information is recorded. The track groove is divided into a plurality of blocks. The plurality of blocks each include a plurality of frames. The plurality of frames each include one shape of wobbles indicating sub information, among a plurality of prescribed shapes of wobbles. The plurality of blocks each have address information. The address information is represented by a string of at least one piece of sub information represented by the shape of wobbles of at least one of the plurality of frames.

Abstract: An optical disk medium includes a track groove thereon. On the optical disk medium, information is recorded along the track groove on a block unit basis. The block unit has a predetermined length. The block unit having the predetermined length includes a number of sub-blocks that are arranged along the groove. A sub-block mark is provided within each of the sub-blocks and used to identify the sub-block.

Abstract: During the recording of packetized data streams with a low bit rate, the packets are stored in data blocks having a constant size. Time stamps are used for the addressing of the data blocks, which time stamps describe the time duration which, in the case of the bit rate respectively present, is necessary for complete filling of a data block. A maximum time duration is prescribed, which corresponds to complete filling of a data block in the case of a predetermined minimum value of the bit rate. In the case of the minimum value of the bit rate being undershot, the last packet, in the time window of the maximum time duration of a data block, is not stored in this data block but rather in the subsequent data block.

Abstract: A record carrier (1) has a servo track (4) indicating an information track (9) intended for recording information blocks represented by marks, this servo track (4) having a periodic variation of a physical parameter. Due to cross-talk, there exists a variation in the wobble signal called wobble beat. The track pitch t and the wobble period p, p being the length of a wobble period, are chosen in such a way that 2?t/p?n+½ where n is integer. The choice results in a reduced wobble beat. A recording and/or playback device has apparatus for recording/reading the information blocks and for generating a wobble signal.

Abstract: An invention is disclosed for automatically formatting removable media. A default media image is generated in computer memory in response to detecting unformatted media in a computer drive. The media image includes default file system structures for the media. In response to receiving a request to read the media, data is returned based on the default file system structures. However, the removable media is automatically prepared for content in response to receiving a request to write information to the media, wherein the default media image in memory is committed to the media.

Abstract: The present invention provides an information recording/reproducing device capable of ejecting an information recording medium during a process of formatting the medium or continuously writing data on the medium, characterized in that the device records a variable length of a lead-out in a lead-out area on the information recording medium; and the device allows the information recording medium to be ejected after the recording of the lead-out is completed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for authenticating a data storage medium (such as an optical disc including a compact disc, CD or a digital versatile disc, DVD) in which data are nominally stored in a plurality of sectors have a defined sector size containing a first total number of bits. A number of altered sectors are formed on the medium each having a second total number of bits different from the first total number of bits. The altered sectors will provide readback data at a different rate than a nominal rate determined by the defined sector size. The altered sectors are used to verify the medium as being an authorized copy and prevent unauthorized copying efforts.

Abstract: An apparatus for reading and/or writing data markings of an optical recording medium having data markings arranged along a track and header markings arranged laterally offset with respect to the center of the track, the apparatus having a header identification unit. According to the present invention an intermediate track signal is formed, which enables direction identification during the traversal of tracks. The present invention comprises an apparatus having a header sequence detector, a track crossing detector and an intermediate track detector, wherein the intermediate track detector is connected to outputs of the header identification unit, the track crossing detector and the header sequence detector, and generates an intermediate track signal.

Abstract: In an error counting apparatus and method, there are provided a reproducing section for reproducing the optical disc and a counter for counting the error number of the pre-pit signal based on an output of the reproducing section. When it is detected that the reproducing section come up to the reproduction of the emboss portion, a counting operation of the counter is started in response to this detection. When it is detected that the reproducing section has reproduced the optical disc in the predetermined interval after the counting operation is started, the counting operation of the counter is stopped in response to this detection.

Abstract: An optical disc has a plurality of sectors, where each of the plurality of sectors includes a plurality of frames. A sub information bit value of “0” or “1” is assigned to the plurality of frames constituting a sector, excluding the first and last frames. Edge positions are displaced so that leading/lagging errors appear in accordance with a certain rule when data fields of the frames to which the sub information bit value “1” is assigned are read. Edge positions are displaced so that leading/lagging errors appear in accordance with a reversal of the certain rule when data fields of the frames to which the sub information bit value “0” is assigned are read.

Abstract: A method for recording information on a rewritable recording medium includes recording synchronizing signal information in a synchronizing signal portion on the medium, recording data information in a data portion of the medium after the synchronizing signal portion by forming marks in the data portion, and substantially randomly inverting the marks and spaces between the marks each time the information is recorded. The marks for particular areas of the medium are different in a physical property from other areas of the medium and data information is recorded in association with both ends of each of the marks. Upon rewriting of at least the recorded synchronizing signal information, a length of the synchronizing signal portion changes and a start position of the synchronizing signal portion changes, and wherein a change of the synchronizing signal information start position is smaller than a change of the length of the synchronizing signal portion.

Abstract: An apparatus (22) for recording and reproducing digital information uses a disk recording medium (23) in which data recording area is divided into plural zones in the radial direction, and defect information is managed for each zone. The apparatus comprises a formatting portion (26) for executing the formatting process of the disk recording medium (23), a detecting portion (24) for obtaining defect information that were detected in the last formatting process of the disk recording medium (23), and a controlling portion (25) for informing the formatting portion (26) of a zone to be formatted next in the decreasing order of the number of defects in accordance with the defect information obtained by the detecting portion (24).

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and reproducing digital information using a disk recording medium in which a data recording area is divided into plural zones in the radial directions, and defect information is managed for each of the plural zones. The apparatus preferably includes means for formatting the disk recording medium; and means for controlling the order of format by informing the formatting means of a zone to be formatted next at an interval of one or more zones and of the neighboring zones if the number of defects in the zone is higher than the threshold value.

Abstract: A method and device for recording multiple information volumes on a record carrier, usually called multi-session recording, has a mapping unit (31) for opening a session by recording intro data including a first buffer zone at the beginning of the start zone of the volume, and a session control block (SDCB) in a remaining blank area of the start zone after the buffer zone. The session control block includes volume data indicative of the status and the contents of the session. The session is closed by recording session control data indicating that the information volume is closed in the remaining blank area, and closure data after the last user information recorded in the data zone for constituting the end zone of the volume. Further, the device has a detecting unit (32) for retrieving the session control block from said start zone.

Abstract: A recordable optical information medium includes a recording area including a guide groove on which a recording material layer is provided for forming at least one recording mark which represents first information modulated by a first modulation system; and a pit area including at least one concave and convex type pit which represents second information modulated by a second modulation system. The guide groove and the at least one pit have substantially the same depth. The first modulation system and the second modulation system are different from each other.

Abstract: Method of registering a running time on an information carrier, the information carrier comprising main data and subcode data, the running time being indicated in a subcode channel by a subcode time expressed in accordance with a predetermined format. A pseudo-running time is described by incrementing the subcode time in accordance with a pseudo-tempo, which is different from an actual tempo, the actual tempo representing a tempo in accordance with the actual running time. The invention further relates to an information carrier and an apparatus.

Abstract: This invention achieves high-density recording while preventing recording units from overlapping. Recording is done to form a gap between predetermined recording units. Since this gap is formed, even when a rotation driving mechanism of a medium suffers rotation nonuniformity, two neighboring recording units never overlap each other, and destruction of recording data can be prevented.

Abstract: A multisession compatible disk player including: a multisession decision portion (6) that decides whether a disk has plural sessions based on session format information recorded in a lead-in area of a first session on the disk; a disk format decision portion (10) that decides whether the disk is a read-only disk based on disk format information recorded in the lead-in area of the first session on the disk; a disk type decision portion (7) that decides the type of the disk based on the results of decision by the multisession decision portion and the disk format decision portion; and a control portion (9) that controls the playback of the disk based on the result of decision by the disk type decision portion.

Abstract: A data recording medium on which digital data including work data such as a music tune or an image is recorded in a data recording area, and on which identification information enabling identification particular to the recording medium is recorded in an identification information recording area, whereas discrimination information indicating the presence/absence of the identification information is recorded in a lead-in area. The location of the digital data recorded on the recording medium is managed in accordance with the identification information for carrying out identification proper to the recording medium recorded on the recording medium, thus realizing multiple uses of the work data, such as duplication for a plurality of times.

Abstract: A recordable optical information recording medium having an address t for each sector, comprises: an area A1 starting from an address t1 to which access is made only when a recording apparatus performs recording operation; an area A2 starting from an address t2 to which access is made either when the recording apparatus performs the recording operation or when the recording apparatus performs reproducing operation; and an area A3 starting from an address t3 to which access is made either when either the recording apparatus or a reproducing apparatus performs recording or when either the recording apparatus or the reproducing apparatus performs reproducing. The addresses t are set consecutively with respect to a physical arrangement of the sectors in each of the areas A2 and A3, and the area A1 has at least one inconsecutive part at which the addresses t are not consecutive with respect to the physical arrangement of the sectors.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus capable of reproducing the data to be reproduced correctly by judging the lead-in region of first session on a multi-session disc. The reproducing apparatus reproduces a multi-session disc composed of a plurality of sessions, each comprising a lead-in region recording index information including the information of reproduction start time measured from the disc innermost peripheral position, program region recording program tracks storing contents to be reproduced, and lead-out region, corresponding to the start position of each program track stored in the multi-session disc. This reproducing apparatus comprises an optical pickup for reading out the index information of specified session, and a session judging unit for judging if the lead-in region of the specified session is the lead-in region of the first session of the multi-session disc or not, on the basis of the information of the reproduction time included in the index information being read out by the optical pickup.

Abstract: An optical reproducing method adds a dummy signal to at least a leading or trailing side of a recording signal recorded on an information recording medium. The duty ratio of the dummy signal is not greater than 50%, and the recording start position of the combined recording signal and dummy signal is shifted at random.

Abstract: A recordable optical information recording medium having an address t for each sector, comprises: an area A1 starting from an address t1 to which access is made only when a recording apparatus performs recording operation; an area A2 starting from an address t2 to which access is made either when the recording apparatus performs the recording operation or when the recording apparatus performs reproducing operation; and an area A3 starting from an address t3 to which access is made either when either the recording apparatus or a reproducing apparatus performs recording or when either the recording apparatus or the reproducing apparatus performs reproducing. The addresses t are set consecutively with respect to a physical arrangement of the sectors in each of the areas A2 and A3, and the area A1 has at least one inconsecutive part at which the addresses t are not consecutive with respect to the physical arrangement of the sectors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an information recording apparatus, an information recording method, an information recording medium, an information reproducing apparatus and an information reproducing method by which in the case in which the present invention is applied to an optical disk system by, for example, a compact disk or the like and data or the like related to copyright is recorded by partial change of a pit shape or the like, the data can be reproduced with certainty without repeatedly recording the data. According to the present invention, with regard to a defect having a size by which at least main data can be reproduced correctly, 1 bit of sub-data SB is allocated to a pit row or the like having a predetermined length or more such that the sub-data SB can be reproduced correctly.

Abstract: A data-arranging method similar to that of a RAM disk is adopted for a ROM disk to make the ROM disk highly compatible with the RAM disk. According to this method, buffer areas are allocated as a data run-in and a data run-out respectively preceding and succeeding a RUB (Recording Unit Block) used as a recording/reproduction unit. In addition, at locations separated from each other in the buffer areas by a distance equal in length to a sync-data gap in successive frames in the RUB, pieces of sync data (SA) are provided so that the sync data always appears at equal intervals in a signal reproduced from the ROM disk, providing a feature advantageous to establishment and protection of synchronization. It is thus possible to implement a ROM disk that is highly compatible with the RAM disk and advantageous to a synchronization system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an information recording apparatus, an information recording method, an information recording medium, an information reproducing apparatus and an information reproducing method by which in the case in which the present invention is applied to an optical disk system by, for example, a compact disk or the like and data or the like related to copyright is recorded by partial change of a pit shape or the like, the data can be reproduced with certainty without repeatedly recording the data. According to the present invention, with regard to a defect having a size by which at least main data can be reproduced correctly, 1 bit of sub-data SB is allocated to a pit row or the like having a predetermined length or more such that the sub-data SB can be reproduced correctly.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and reproducing digital information using a disk recording medium in which a data recording area is divided into plural zones in the radial direction, and defect information is managed for each of the plural zones, wherein the apparatus formats a DMA area for recording the defect information before formatting a user data area, and finishes the formatting process as an error without formatting the user data area if a defect occurs during the formatting process of the DMA area.

Abstract: A copy-protected optical disc, including a preformed identification number (ID) in the ATIP signal and the subcode which is impressed upon the optical disc and a number of other optical discs during optical disc manufacture, a unique identification number for the optical disc which was written on the optical disc after it is manufactured; and an encrypted program written onto the optical disc wherein the encryption of such program is based upon the preformed ID and the unique ID and includes two or more selectable security levels.

Abstract: A data-demodulating method for demodulating a variable-length code (d, k; m, n; r) having a basic code length of n bits to data having a basic data length of m bits. A train of codes is received, and a sync signal having a pattern that breaks a maximum run is detected. The pattern is repeated twice continuously and the minimum run is repeated no more than six times. The first bit of the sync signal is “1” when the train of modulated codes that immediately precedes the sync signal is included in a termination table used to terminate, at a desired position, a code when less than a predetermined number of variable length codes are available.