Abstract: A data managing method for an optical disc drive writing data into an optical disc having defects is provided. The optical disc has a user data area and a spare area. The optical disc drive includes a first buffering space and a second buffering space. The data managing method includes: when the first buffering space receives a data corresponding to a defect, not suspending the first buffering space from receiving the user data, and transferring the data, corresponding to the defect and in the first buffering space, to the second buffering space; and when data amount in the second buffering space reaches a predetermined value, suspending the optical disc drive from writing data in the first buffering space into the user data area, and driving the optical disc drive to write data in the second buffering space into the spare area.

Abstract: A data managing method for an optical disc drive writing user data into an optical disc having defects. The data managing method includes: determining whether to suspend a first buffering space from receiving the user data according to an amount of data stored in a second buffering space; when the first buffering space receives data corresponding to a defect of the optical disc, not suspending the first buffering space from reading the user data, and transferring the data corresponding to the defect in the first buffering space to a second buffering space; and when an amount of data stored in the second buffering space reaches a predetermined value, suspending the optical disc drive from writing data stored in the first buffering space into a user data area, and driving the optical disc drive to write data stored in the second buffering space into the spare area.

Abstract: A memory module of an electrical apparatus has a normal firmware section. A method for determining correctness of program code in the memory module includes making a value stored in at least one specific address match a first rule; providing a inspection instruction; and determining whether the value stored in at least one specific address matches the first rule or not according to the inspection instruction. The electrical apparatus executes the inspection instruction at power-on in order to determine correctness of the program code in the normal firmware section.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for writing data into a first storage on a chip and a system thereof. The method includes storing an initial firmware into a second storage on the chip, programming the first storage according to a specific data by utilizing the initial firmware, and blocking further programming operations applied to at least part of the specific data after the specific data is successfully stored in the first storage. Therefore the invention can save the external pin connections of the chip to prevent computer hackers from accessing or changing the content of the storage.

Abstract: An integrity check method applied to an electronic device includes: fetching at least one portion of external data into a specific memory, where the external data is stored within the electronic device; during fetching the portion of the external data into the specific memory, checking whether the size of the fetched data in the specific memory reaches a predetermined value, where the predetermined value is less than the total size of the external data; and when the size of the fetched data in the specific memory reaches the predetermined value, enabling an integrity check of the fetched data.

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: An electronic device comprises an interface unit, a control circuit and a microprocessor. The interface unit receives a first operational firmware from a host. The control circuit transfers the first operational firmware to a memory. The microprocessor executes the first operational firmware which stored in the memory. The microprocessor controls operations of the electronic device according to the first operational firmware. And the control circuit is electrically coupled to a non-volatile memory which stores a second operational firmware for performing a specific function also performed by the first operational firmware.

Abstract: A buffer management method is provided, particularly adaptable in an optical disc drive to access an optical disc. One or more data blocks are recorded to the optical disc in response to received write commands. Data blocks corresponding to the write commands are first buffered in a buffer of the optical disc drive. Thereafter, one or more write tasks may be organized based on the buffered write commands, each associated with a group of data blocks having consecutive destination addresses. A recording operation can be scheduled based on those write tasks, and the recording operation is performed to record the data blocks to the optical disc.

Abstract: An optical disc drive is provided, mainly comprising a buffer, a processor and a driving module for accessing an optical disc. The optical disc drive receives a plurality of write commands. Each write command comprises a data block and a destination address. The buffer buffers data blocks to be recorded to the optical disc with corresponding write commands in either a random mode or a sequential mode. The processor schedules a recording operation based on the write commands, and selectively switches the buffer to the random mode or to the sequential mode based on arrangements of data blocks buffered in the buffer. The driving module is controlled by the processor to perform the recording operation, whereby the data blocks are recorded to the optical disc when a start recording condition is met. Specifically, the start recording condition varies with the random or sequential modes.

Abstract: A weighted defect estimating apparatus and a related method for determining a defect estimation value are disclosed. The weighted defect detecting apparatus includes: a defect detecting unit for generating a defect value when a defect in a predetermined region of an optical disc is detected; a weighting circuit, electrically connected to the defect detecting unit, to generate a weighted defect value according to the defect value and a weighting factor corresponding to a location of the defect on the optical disc; and a computing module, electrically connected to the weighting circuit, for computing the defect estimation value according to a plurality of weighted defect values corresponding to the predetermined region.

Abstract: When an optical storage drive executes a control procedure or operation, a method of handling an interrupt request includes utilizing the optical storage drive to receive an interrupt request from a control circuit; checking whether the interrupt request is a read command; if the interrupt request is a read command, checking whether data indicated by the read command is in a buffer; and if the indicated data in the buffer, transferring the corresponding data to the control circuit from the buffer to respond to the interrupt request.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory is installed in an electronic device. A method for updating a firmware code stored in a non-volatile memory includes: providing an updating control unit having a command set; providing the updating control unit with a trigger signal to enable at least one command of the command set; and utilizing the updating control unit to read/write the non-volatile memory according to the enabled command to update the firmware code. Wherein each command of the command set is a memory read/write command. The method further includes updating at least one command of the command set in real time. The present invention further provides an electronic device corresponding to the method.

Abstract: A system for recording a data on an optical storage medium comprises an apparatus. The apparatus includes an integrated circuit, a data buffer, and a microprocessor. The system separates data preparation operations and encoding operations so the recording performance is improved. A method for recording a data on an optical storage medium comprises the following steps: generating a set of data prepare batch values; providing a data prepare batch controller to generate a set of data prepare control signals in response to the set of data prepare batch values; and providing a data prepare circuit to prepare the data in response to the set of data prepare control signals.

Abstract: An apparatus for selectively rebuffering at least a portion of a data block read from an optical storage medium. The apparatus comprises a storage device for buffering the data block, and a rebuffering control module for rebuffering a specific portion into the storage device according to a previous decoding result, and thereby updating the buffered data block.

Abstract: A method of searching a new writable address (NWA) for an optical recordable medium includes providing an optical pickup head and setting a first search starting point thereof; determining if NWA is located at the latest track and setting a search finishing point of the optical pickup head; setting a second search starting point as the distance between the search finishing point and the first search starting point is less than a first predetermined block time duration; decoding the stored digital information and lasting the step of decoding for a third predetermined block time from the first search starting point; and detecting whether a run-out block has been decoded during an N block time duration, wherein said N block time duration is less than said third predetermined block time duration, and determining said new writable address.

Abstract: A system containing both software and hardware to perform secure operations especially suited for Digital Right Management. The system has hardware to accelerate Elliptic Curve calculations, hash algorithms, and various encryption algorithms. The system runs on encrypted software, and the software is checked for integrity before it boots.

Abstract: A method for dynamically adjusting an operating speed of a microprocessor for the microprocessor to access at least a serial flash memory (together with a random access memory). The method includes reducing an executing speed of the microprocessor if the required data in the serial flash memory (or the random access memory) is not well prepared and executing the microprocessor at a normal speed if the required data in the serial flash memory (or the random access memory) is well prepared.

Abstract: A weighted defect estimating apparatus and a related method for determining a defect estimation value are disclosed. The weighted defect detecting apparatus includes: a defect detecting unit for generating a defect value when a defect in a predetermined region of an optical disc is detected; a weighting circuit, electrically connected to the defect detecting unit, to generate a weighted defect value according to the defect value and a weighting factor corresponding to a location of the defect on the optical disc; and a computing module, electrically connected to the weighting circuit, for computing the defect estimation value according to a plurality of weighted defect values corresponding to the predetermined region.

Abstract: A method for duplicating a second data recorded in a source storage medium to a target optical storage medium, wherein a first area of the target optical storage medium is recorded with a first data, the method includes: identifying the target optical storage medium as a blank optical storage medium and directly copying the second data recorded in the source storage medium to a second area of the target optical storage medium; and writing at least one of a start location, an end location, and a total length of the second data recorded on the target optical storage medium into the target optical storage medium.

Abstract: In a process for recording a data onto an optical storage medium which includes a fault correction mechanism, a detection system is preferably coupled to an optical data recorder comprising a data generating device and a data reading device. The data generating device generates the recorded data. The data reading device reads a reflection signal from the optical storage medium and generates a read-out signal to the determination device. A reflection signal is read from the medium to detect whether the recorded data can be reliably read out under this mechanism. A determination device of the detection system outputs a faulted data information signal in responsive to the reflection signal based on rules of the fault correction mechanism. The determination device further comprises a fault detection module. The fault detection module would receive the read-out signal and output a write fault signal as the faulted data information signal.