Abstract: The invention provides a method for reading information of an optical data storage medium. First, one sector of the optical data storage medium is obtained. The sector is then decoded to check if the sector is reliable. When the sector is not reliable, a data rescue process referring to spec-defined or pre-defined information of the physical specification of the sector is performed in order to obtain disc fundamental information of the optical data storage medium.

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: Apparatuses and methods for defect replacement when an optical storage medium is read are provided. When the defect management is LOW, a pick-up head retrieves a set of data from the optical storage medium; a defect detector detects whether there is a defect in the set; if yes, a processor determines whether a replacement for the defect is in the set; and if yes, an interface transmits the replacement from the set.

Abstract: A random access control method is provided, implemented in an optical disc drive for recording data to an optical disc. In the optical disc drive, a buffer stores a plurality of write commands each associated with a data block bound to a destination address. A processor controls the buffer to build a disc write task from the write commands in which addresses are organized in order. A drive unit is controlled by the processor, performing a recording operation to record the data blocks to the optical disc according to the disc write task; wherein the processor further controls the drive unit to verify the recorded data blocks after completing the recording operation.

Abstract: A defect detecting method for an optical disc accessed by an optical pickup head, including: (a) detecting if any defect exists in a detected region of the optical disc after data is written to the detected region; (b) while writing data to the optical disc, detecting if any defect exists on the optical disc according to reflection from the optical pickup head to thereby generate a first defect detecting result; and (c) switching from one of the steps (a) and (b) to the other of the steps (a) and (b).

Abstract: A random access control method is provided, implemented in an optical disc drive for recording data to an optical disc. In the optical disc drive, a buffer stores a plurality of write commands each associated with a data block bound to a destination address. A processor controls the buffer to build a disc write task from the write commands in which addresses are organized in order. A drive unit is controlled by the processor, performing a recording operation to record the data blocks to the optical disc according to the disc write task; wherein the processor further controls the drive unit to verify the recorded data blocks after completing the recording operation.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for defect replacement when an optical storage medium is read are provided. When the defect management is LOW, a pick-up head retrieves a set of data from the optical storage medium; a defect detector detects whether there is a defect in the set; if yes, a processor determines whether a replacement for the defect is in the set; and if yes, an interface transmits the replacement from the set.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for defect replacement when an optical storage medium is read are provided. When the defect management is LOW, a pick-up head retrieves a set of data from the optical storage medium; a defect detector detects whether there is a defect in the set; if yes, a processor determines whether a replacement for the defect is in the set; and if yes, an interface transmits the replacement from the set.

Abstract: A method for defect management of a rewritable optical disc is provided. The rewritable optical disc has a data area comprises recording units for storing a target data and a replacement area comprising first replacement units for replacing defective recording units of the data area. First, a fragmented status of the target data is calculated, wherein the fragmented status reflects a dispersion level of the first replacement units in view of a distribution of the defective recording units. The fragmented status is then compared with a threshold value to determine whether to perform a defragment operation about the target data. Finally, the defragment operation about the target data is performed by rearranging the first replacement units in accordance with the sequence of the defective recording units.

Abstract: An apparatus for writing encoded data into a storage medium includes a quality-check signal generator, a defect judgment unit and a verification unit. The quality-check signal generator is utilized for generating a quality-check signal; the defect judgment unit is coupled to the quality-check signal generator and is utilized for generating a defect judgment result according to the quality-check signal; and the verification unit is coupled to the defect judgment unit and is utilized for referring to the defect judgment result to selectively verify the encoded data that have been written into the storage medium.

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: An optical storage system, for dynamically controlling the rate of recording data to an optical medium includes: a buffer, for buffering data to be recorded to the optical medium; a data recording block, coupled to the buffer and the optical medium, for recording data from the buffer to the optical medium at a recording speed; and a control block, coupled to the buffer and the data recording block, for monitoring an amount of data buffered in the buffer, and adjusting the recording speed by comparing at least one criteria with the amount of data buffered in the buffer.

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 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 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: A random access control method is provided, implemented in an optical disc drive for recording data to an optical disc. In the optical disc drive, a buffer stores a plurality of write commands each associated with a data block bound to a destination address. A processor controls the buffer to build a disc write task from the write commands in which addresses are organized in order. A drive unit is controlled by the processor, performing a recording operation to record the data blocks to the optical disc according to the disc write task; wherein the processor further controls the drive unit to verify the recorded data blocks after completing the recording operation.

Abstract: A spare area management method for a blu-ray rewritable disc and a disc drive implementing this method, as well as a novel blu-ray rewritable disc. The disc has a plurality of spare areas. According to the present invention, boundary of each spare area is found, and information thereabout such as a start address and size of each spare area are stored. Such boundary information is variable as the spare areas are used. In addition, the boundary information is written to the disc. Therefore, it is possible to more efficiently use the spare areas of the disc.

Abstract: A spare area allocation method for an optical disc and a disc drive implementing this method. The disc has a plurality of spare areas. When a defect is found, weights are given to the respective spare areas according to various conditions such as seek time comparison, existence of old defect and host instruction for the defect. By comparing the final weight of the respective spare areas, the available spare area with the greatest final weight is selected. A replacement for the defect is then allocated to the selected spare area. By using this method, when a new defect is found, the most appropriate one of the spare areas can be selected to assign a replacement for the defect.

Abstract: A method of providing a defect list of a data storage media for a disc drive system. The defect list comprises a plurality of list entries. The method comprises dividing the list entries of the defect list into a plurality of groups, and providing at least one of the groups for the disc drive system.