Abstract: Medium recording and reproduction apparatus and method can prevent prohibition of disc recording due to the fact that laser power calibration area becomes unusable by studying a management information update method during data recording. When usable capacity of the laser power calibration area is monitored and the capacity is reduced, management information area to be currently updated is changed to another layer.

Abstract: According to the present invention, even if tracking fails during reproduction of information from an optical disk and a movement is made to an adjoining track, the reliability of data to be transferred is improved and a countermeasure can be taken immediately. An unrecorded area decision unit decides based on the amplitude of a reproduction signal whether a block concerned is a recorded area or an unrecorded area. A track-off detection unit monitors a tracking servo signal, detects occurrence of a tracking failure, and registers a block, which is recognized as an area where the tracking failure has occurred. If the block is an unrecorded area and recognized as an area where a tracking failure has occurred, reproduction is ceased but data signifying that the block is an unrecorded area is not transferred to an upper-level system and retry is performed to achieve reproduction.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a plurality of devices in which a first device has a connecting unit connected with a host device to perform a data transfer with the host device, a second device shares a temporarily recording area with the first device to perform the data transfer between the first and second devices via the temporarily recording area, and the data transfer is performed by using the temporarily recording area shared with the first device and using the connecting unit of the first device when the second device performs the data transfer with the host device, in this way, a power consumption is reduced.

Abstract: Provided is a technology in which a controller for controlling read/write performed to/from an optical disc includes a processor for controlling an interface, a temporary memory unit, a rotation control unit, and an optical control unit. The controller causes the processor to shift to a hibernate state when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and causes the processor to recover from the hibernate state into an active state when the interface receives a first command. The processor receives the first command from the interface, instructs the rotation control unit to drive the optical disc at a predetermined target rotational speed, instructs the optical control unit to perform a processing specified by the first command, transmits a completion notification of the first command to the interface with a delay, receives a second command after transmitting the completion notification of the first command, and executes the processing of the second command.

Abstract: When data is to be written on an optical disc in the unit of a sector, an attempt is made to read a block A to which a write sector belongs for the purpose of judging whether the block can be normally read. If the block A is not successfully read, it is judged to be a defective area, and an alternative write is performed in an alternative area in the unit of a sector. The alternative write may be performed so that a plurality of sectors belonging to the same block are dispersively written in different blocks d, E. When new data is to be written in a new sector in such a situation, data is acquired from the dispersed other sectors, merged with the new data, and collectively rewritten in the same block E.

Abstract: The speed of recording or reproduction of data to or from an HDD in an information processor is increased. This is achieved without an increase in device size, system changes, or other inconvenience. A cache memory configured by, for example, a flash memory for the data to be recorded to or reproduced from the HDD is provided not on the HDD side but on the ODD side. When, after the HDD has been replaced, there is inconvenience in using this cache memory as a cache for the data to be recorded, the cache memory is used only as a cache for the data to be reproduced, and if data in the cache memory and data on the HDD do not match each other, the cached data is invalidated.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a plurality of devices in which a first device has a connecting unit connected with a host device to perform a data transfer with the host device, a second device shares a temporarily recording area with the first device to perform the data transfer between the first and second devices via the temporarily recording area, and the data transfer is performed by using the temporarily recording area shared with the first device and using the connecting unit of the first device when the second device performs the data transfer with the host device, in this way, a power consumption is reduced.

Abstract: Medium recording and reproduction apparatus and method can prevent prohibition of disc recording due to the fact that laser power calibration area becomes unusable by studying a management information update method during data recording. When usable capacity of the laser power calibration area is monitored and the capacity is reduced, management information area to be currently updated is changed to another layer.

Abstract: Provided is a technology in which a controller for controlling read/write performed to/from an optical disc includes a processor for controlling an interface, a temporary memory unit, a rotation control unit, and an optical control unit. The controller causes the processor to shift to a hibernate state when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and causes the processor to recover from the hibernate state into an active state when the interface receives a first command. The processor receives the first command from the interface, instructs the rotation control unit to drive the optical disc at a predetermined target rotational speed, instructs the optical control unit to perform a processing specified by the first command, transmits a completion notification of the first command to the interface with a delay, receives a second command after transmitting the completion notification of the first command, and executes the processing of the second command.

Abstract: An information recording method using a read modify write operation includes determining whether a write command is inconsistent or not, on the basis of a unit of a cluster. When the write command onto the rewritable type optical disk needs verification and the read modify write operation is executed, then a verify process is conducted only upon a part of the information, which is written through the read modify write operation. The method achieves an increase in recording speed and an improvement on reliability of recorded information through the read modify write, even when the verify process is unnecessary.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to curtail the time required from the receipt of a demand for certification processing of a rewritable optical disk from an apparatus of the higher order to the receipt of a demand for recording processing. In order to achieve this object, a digital data recording method for recording on a rewritable optical disk includes certification processing including a first step of recording certification data for the certification processing on the optical disk, a second step of recording user data different from the certification data on the optical disk after the first step, and a third step of reproducing the data recorded in the first step or the second step after the second step, and switches the certification processing based on the result reproduced in the third step.

Abstract: When user data fails to be recorded in an address of a user data area, the same data is recorded in an address of a spare area. Information indicating that the data for the address of the user data area is recorded in the address of the spare area is registered in a DL that is loaded in a buffer memory, and the information is recorded in a currently-valid DL area of DMA1. As similar thereto, the information is recorded in a currently-valid DL area of DMA2. If the recording fails, the DL is alternatively recorded in another DL area of the same DMA2. Thereafter, DDSs of DMA2 are deleted, and then, without changing information of the number of times of updating the DDSs, only the staring address of the DL of the DDSs is updated. According to the updating method, it is possible to shorten the time required for updating management information of a medium in an information recording/reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: A data reproducing method for reproducing data, upon an optical disk of rewritable type, having an alternated block management area, a data area, on which recording/reproducing of the information is conducted by a unit of block, and an alternation area, on which recording/reproducing of information including a defective sector therein is conducted by the unit of block, through an information recording/reproducing apparatus enabling to execute Read Modify Write operation thereon, comprising the following steps of, in case where said alternation areas are in a plural number thereof when executing Read Modify Write operation onto said optical disk of rewritable type: executing reproducing on said data area including the defective sector therein, by only one (1) time; executing reproducing on said alternation area, thereafter, so as to hold data reproduced; and thereby reproducing the data. With this, it is possible to increase speed (i.e.

Abstract: A recording method and a recording apparatus capable of optimally arranging data on a write-once type optical disc. In a write-once type optical disc recording method with respect to a disc having a read-in, a user area, and a read-out by employing defect management information, the user area is divided into 3, or more pieces of R-zones; at least 2 recordable R-zones having recordable areas are present. When an unrecordable R-zone having no recordable area is present on the read-in side rather than two, or more pieces of the R-zones among the R-zones having the recordable areas, a linear replacement destination of a logical overwriting is determined to such an R-zone other than an R-zone having a recordable area, which is located adjacent to the unrecordable R-zone.

Abstract: A data read/write device writes to or reads from an optical disc medium having thereon a plurality of areas in which management information is redundantly stored. Conditions for setting a read/write operation are indicated in third management information stored in the inner circumferential area. The pickup of the device performs the steps of: reading a first management information group from the inner circumferential area; retrieving a piece of third management information based on the corresponding valid address included in the first management information group; moving to the outer circumferential area and reading a second management information group; and if the update count of the second management information group is higher than that of the first management information group, retrieving a piece of third management information based on the corresponding valid address included in the second management information group.

Abstract: A recording method and a recording apparatus capable of optimally arranging data on a write-once type optical disc. In a write-once type optical disc recording method with respect to a disc having a read-in, a user area, and a read-out by employing defect management information, the user area is divided into 3, or more pieces of R-zones; at least 2 recordable R-zones having recordable areas are present. When an unrecordable R-zone having no recordable area is present on the read-in side rather than two, or more pieces of the R-zones among the R-zones having the recordable areas, a linear replacement destination of a logical overwriting is determined to such an R-zone other than an R-zone having a recordable area, which is located adjacent to the unrecordable R-zone.

Abstract: When data is to be written on an optical disc in the unit of a sector, an attempt is made to read a block A to which a write sector belongs for the purpose of judging whether the block can be normally read. If the block A is not successfully read, it is judged to be a defective area, and an alternative write is performed in an alternative area in the unit of a sector. The alternative write may be performed so that a plurality of sectors belonging to the same block are dispersively written in different blocks d, E. When new data is to be written in a new sector in such a situation, data is acquired from the dispersed other sectors, merged with the new data, and collectively rewritten in the same block E.

Abstract: According to the present invention, even if tracking fails during reproduction of information from an optical disk and a movement is made to an adjoining track, the reliability of data to be transferred is improved and a countermeasure can be taken immediately. An unrecorded area decision unit decides based on the amplitude of a reproduction signal whether a block concerned is a recorded area or an unrecorded area. A track-off detection unit monitors a tracking servo signal, detects occurrence of a tracking failure, and registers a block, which is recognized as an area where the tracking failure has occurred. If the block is an unrecorded area and recognized as an area where a tracking failure has occurred, reproduction is ceased but data signifying that the block is an unrecorded area is not transferred to an upper-level system and retry is performed to achieve reproduction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method or an apparatus for recording data additionally by acquiring replacement data easily even when the latest disc management information cannot be read out of the disc. When updating TDMS (Temporary Disc Management Structure), an update reason of a corresponding TDMS and a TDDS (Temporary Disc Definition Structure) start address in a previously recorded TDMS are recorded in disc management information as additional information. If the latest TDMS cannot be read out of the disc but the additional information can be read out, the additional information are referred to determine the latest LRA for use in additional data recording on the disc.

Abstract: When user data fails to be recorded in an address of a user data area, the same data is recorded in an address of a spare area. Information indicating that the data for the address of the user data area is recorded in the address of the spare area is registered in a DL that is loaded in a buffer memory, and the information is recorded in a currently-valid DL area of DMA1. As similar thereto, the information is recorded in a currently-valid DL area of DMA2. If the recording fails, the DL is alternatively recorded in another DL area of the same DMA2. Thereafter, DDSs of DMA2 are deleted, and then, without changing information of the number of times of updating the DDSs, only the staring address of the DL of the DDSs is updated. According to the updating method, it is possible to shorten the time required for updating management information of a medium in an information recording/reproducing apparatus.