Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for recording information on a recordable multi-layer DVD disc wherein information is incrementally recorded on the disc such that the area regarded as containing written information on the first information layer is substantially equal to the area regarded as containing written information on the second information layer. However, an area regarded as containing written information may comprise an area where no information is recorded. In this way a recordable disc is produced from which DVD-ROM players can retrieve the recorded information.

Abstract: An optical disc (1) for storing digital data, comprising a first storage area (10) for storing a first type of digital data and a second storage area (20) for storing a second type of digital data. Each of the first and second areas comprises a user-data area (11, 21). Furthermore, the storage areas (10, 20) are logically independent. The second storage area (20) has a defect management area (22a, 22b) associated with the user-data area (21) of the second storage area (20) for storing defect management data.

Abstract: A device for recording information writes marks in a track on a record carrier of a writable type. The device records the information according to a predefined recording format like DVD for constituting a recording area containing user data preceded by a lead-in zone and followed by a lead-out zone located at the end of the user data. The device has a lead-out unit for finalizing the record carrier for playback on a reading device for read-only type record carriers. The finalizing starts with determining if data written in the recording area extends up to a predefined physical position. If the data extends at least up to the predefined position, no lead-out information is recorded, and if not, lead-out information is recorded up to the predefined position.

Abstract: Data storage system (1) comprises: an optical disc (2) having a storage space (3) for receiving sectors of data; a disc drive (10), suitable for writing information to the disc; a host (20), capable of cooperating with the drive; the host being designed to send to said drive a write encrypted sector command WESC(EKI) for commanding said drive to write one or more bus-encrypted sectors to said disc, WESC(EKI) including an encryption key identifier EKI; the drive being designed, in response to receiving said WESC(EKI), to evaluate the value of EKI, and, if the value of EKI indicates a bus-encrypted user data portion (32E), to decrypt this user data portion, to generate a header portion (31) with bus encryption information BEI, to combine this header portion with the decrypted user sector portion (32) to make a data sector (30), and to write the data sector (30) to the disc.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a corresponding device for managing defective storage units on a record carrier, in particular on a rewritable optical record carrier. To avoid synchronization errors of a drive when accessing storage units located before or after a defective storage unit, it is proposed according to the present invention not only to map the actual defective storage unit (U1) but also one or more storage units (U2-U5) located before and/or after the defective storage unit (U1) as defective.

Abstract: A device for recording information writes marks in a track on a record carrier of a re-writable type. The device records the information according to a predefined recording format like DVD for constituting a recording area containing user data preceded by a lead-in zone. The device has a formatting unit (36) for formatting the record carrier. First it is detected if the record carrier has been recorded before. If so, a size is determined of a pre-existing contiguously written area that extends from the beginning of the recording area. The formatting includes writing data on the record carrier indicating that the recording area does not contain user data. Formatting status information is provided on the record carrier indicating the size of the pre-existing contiguously written area.

Abstract: A device for recording information on a record carrier (11) is arranged for formatting a multilayer record carrier. The device has formatting means (16) for formatting the record carrier according which formatting includes de-icing by, in the event that locations in the user data area have not yet been recorded, writing dummy data (60) on the locations. The formatting means (16) determine a first radial position (50) and a first layer (40), which first radial position is indicative of a location on the first layer on which user data will be recorded first according to a predefined recording format. Subsequently said de-icing is started by writing of dummy data on a second layer (41) of the record carrier at the first radial position, opposite the location of the first user data (55). Hence a de-iced area (58) is created opposite the user data (55).

Abstract: When writing on a recordable medium the recorder can encounter write errors. When a write error occurrs the record carrier is discarded. By ignoring write errors in sections of the record carrier comprising unused information, for instance sections of the lead-in or lead-out the record carrier no longer needs to be discarded.

Abstract: A device for recording information on a storage medium (11) is arranged for formatting the storage medium. The device has receives a format command according to a protocol (ATA/ATAPI). The device has formatting means for formatting a multilayer storage medium according to the format command. The formatting includes recording, on each layer (L0, L1) of the multilayer storage medium, a first control zone (71, 72) at a first radial position on the layer and a second control zone (73, 74) at a second radial position on the layer for forming an annular data zone of a selected size between the control zones. If the format size is smaller than a maximum available size on the storage medium, the control zones are positioned on substantially equal radial positions for forming radially corresponding annular data zones (75, 76). The required format size equals the sum of the selected sizes of each annular data zone.

Abstract: A method is described for recording information on a multi-layered optical disc (2), the disc comprising two storage spaces (LO, L1) in adjacent storage layers (40, 41). Data to be recorded are received from a source. On recording, the data are organized to form cells (35), each cell corresponding to a certain amount of data. The cells are first recorded in the first storage space (LO) until the last storage address (N) of the first storage space, and then the recording process makes a transition to the first storage address (N+1) of the second storage space. The size of the last cell to be recorded in the first storage space is determined in relationship to the size of the remainder part (R) of the first storage space, such that the transition from the first storage space to the second storage space corresponds to a cell boundary (34).

Abstract: A method for copying information from a multi-layered optical source disc (2S) to on a multi-layered optical target disc (2T) is described. A first portion (67) of the source data is located in a first source storage space (LsO), and a second portion (68) of the source data is located in a second source storage space (LsI). The first source data portion has a logical end address (M) smaller than the physical end address (Nt) of the first target storage space (LtO). All source cells from the first source storage space are recorded into a first target data portion (77) of the first target storage space. The remainder portion (74) of the first target storage space is defined as a dummy data portion. Then, the cells from the second source data portion (68) are recorded into a second target data portion (78) of the second target storage space (LtI).

Abstract: The invention relates to a record carrier having a data zone (7) and an initial zone (25) and comprising a main channel storing content and a side channel storing address information and data relevant for making recordings. It further relates to methods and devices for protecting content stored on a record carrier and for reading out protected content. To provide a record carrier with content protection information (20, 22, 24, 26, 28) stored on it, which can be used with legacy devices without causing confusion, which can substantially be produced without extra production steps and which can be easily read by common devices, it is proposed to store said content protection information (20, 22, 26, 28) for protection of said content in said side channel in said data zone (7).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for writing on a multi-layer disc are described. The occurrence of a layer jump, due to the fact that e.g. the storage space available on a first layer is exhausted, is anticipated by monitoring the storage space available remaining. When approaching the layer jump a calibration procedure for recording on a second layer is launched, so that when the layer jump is actually taking place, recording can be resumed on the second layer with minimum delay.

Abstract: A method and device for recording information blocks on a record carrier is described. The device has control means 20 for recording and retrieving position data indicative of the position of the recorded information blocks. The control means include a mapping unit 31 for determining in which region the information block is recorded and a detection unit 32. The region is one of a number of consecutive regions constituting the recordable area. The mapping unit records a random signal unit in a unit location in a mapping area. The unit location indicates region, and the unit length of the random signal unit is smaller then the length of information block. The detection unit 32 detects the presence of the recorded random signal units in mapping area and so determines if a region contains at least one information block. The highest written address is found by detecting the highest written unit location in the mapping area, and subsequently searching region for the presence of recorded marks.

Abstract: The rewritable data storage medium (1) has a rewritable recording layer (9) provided with a tracking structure (8). Said layer (9) has a data recording area (5). An erasable identification mark is present in an identification mark area (4, 4?) other than the data recording area (5). The data recording area (5) has a first tracking structure (8?), whereas the identification mark area (4, 4?) is substantially free from a tracking structure or has a second tracking structure (8?) substantially different from the first tracking structure (8?). Thus erasure of the identification mark is practically impossible, because the location of the erasing spot of a recorder cannot be controlled precisely in radial direction.

Abstract: A method and device for recording information signals on a partly recorded writable record carrier (11), e.g. an optical disc. An information signal represents at least one information unit. The record carrier has a recording track which comprises preformed track position information indicative of locations for recording the information units. From the information signal a modulated signal is generated, and the recording track is scanned for recording the modulated signal. If recording is after and adjacent an existing recorded unit, linking information is read from an end boundary area of the existing recorded unit and used for logically generating the modulated signal. If recording is before and adjacent to an existing unit, linking information is read from a begin boundary area of the existing unit and thereafter used for logically generating the modulated signal.

Abstract: A method and device for recording information blocks on a record carrier is described. The device has control means 20 for recording and retrieving position data indicative of the position of the recorded information blocks. The control means include a mapping unit 31 for determining in which region the information block is recorded and a detection unit 32. The region is one of a number of consecutive regions constituting the recordable area. The mapping unit records a random signal unit in a unit location in a mapping area. The unit location indicates said region, and the unit length of the random signal unit is smaller then the length of said information block. The detection unit 32 detects the presence of the recorded random signal units in said mapping area and so determines if a region contains at least one information block. The highest written address is found by detecting the highest written unit location in the mapping area, and subsequently searching said region for the presence of recorded marks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for protecting content comprising embedded copy protection data stored on an information carrier.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for protecting content stored on an information carrier. In order to avoid that a user illegally circumvents a copy protection mechanism such as a watermark protecting said content to get an illegal access to said content, a method comprising the following steps is proposed:—reading a unique identifier present on said information carrier,—storing in a first memory information relating to illegal access actions on said information carrier using said identifier,—refusing access to said information carrier after a predetermined number of illegal access actions.

Abstract: A method and device for recording information blocks on a record carrier is described. The device has control means 20 for recording and retrieving position data indicative of the position of the recorded information blocks. The control means include a mapping unit 31 for determining in which region the information block is recorded and a detection unit 32. The region is one of a number of consecutive regions constituting the recordable area. The mapping unit records a random signal unit in a unit location in a mapping area. The unit location indicates said region, and the unit length of the random signal unit is smaller then the length of said information block. The detection unit 32 detects the presence of the recorded random signal units in said mapping area and so determines if a region contains at least one information block. The highest written address is found by detecting the highest written unit location in the mapping area, and subsequently searching said region for the presence of recorded marks.