Abstract: In a write-once media, by using a selected area such as an area starting from a postscript-recording point in the main data area as an alternate area, by determining whether or not an address specified in a request such as a write request is an address at which data has been recorded on the basis of information on a sequential recording range and by recording pieces of alternate-address management information for replacing defective locations on the media and for renewing data recorded on the media in a table by letting the pieces of information coexist in the table, defective locations on the media can be replaced with other locations and data already recorded on the media can thus be renewed even without providing pre-allocated alternate area on the media. In addition, if the media is provided with an alternate area and the alternate area becomes insufficient for alternate-address processing, a selected region in the main data area can be used as a region supplementary to the insufficient alternate area.

Abstract: A write-once optical disc and a method and apparatus for recording management information of the write-once optical disc, are provided. The method includes sequentially recording data in the at least one recording-unit in the direction of increasing address; padding, with padding data, a remaining non-recorded part of a last recording-unit when terminating the sequential recording of the data; and recording padding identification information on the recording medium, the padding identification information identifying which part of the at least one recording-unit is padded.

Abstract: An address format for appropriately controlling the recording linear density and the number of information recording layers is provided in order to increase the recording capacity of an information recording medium such as an optical disc or the like in a range in which a necessary S/N ratio can be guaranteed. An optical disc includes an information recording layer having a concentric or spiral track, and has a format for describing a track address, which is pre-recorded on the track or is to be added to data that is to be recorded on the information recording layer. The format includes layer information regarding the information recording layer and address information regarding the track address.

Abstract: A big pattern for a run-in area which allows data reproduction to be performed stably even when the recording density of an optical disc is increased is provided. An optical disc according to the present invention includes tracks, each of which divided into a plurality of recording blocks. Each of the plurality of blocks includes a run-in area and a data area. In the run-in area, a prescribed run-in bit pattern is recordable; and in the data area, bit patterns having a plurality of bit lengths obtained by modulating data as a recording target in accordance with a prescribed modulation rule are recordable. In this optical disc, at least one of spatial frequencies corresponding to the bit patterns having the plurality of bit lengths is higher than a cutoff frequency. The run-in bit pattern recordable in the run-in area includes the bit patterns having the plurality of bit lengths, from which the bit pattern corresponding to the frequency higher than the OTF cutoff frequency has been excluded.

Abstract: An optical disk is equipped with a predetermined mark. A frequency generator outputs an FG pulse of frequency corresponding to the rotational speed of a spindle motor used for rotationally driving the optical disk. The edge of the FG pulse detected by an edge detection section is counted by an FG counter. An angle counter measures the duration of a time from appearance of an edge of the FG pulse until a point in time when the mark affixed to the optical disk 1 is detected. A count value of the FG counter, which has been acquired at the point in time when the mark is detected, and a count value of the angle counter are saved. In a case where a visible image is rendered, encoding of a visible image to be rendered is started when the count value of the FG counter and the count value of the angle counter have become equal to the respective saved values.

Abstract: Location information obtained from a positioning system 4 and environmental information such as time, temperature, air pressure and the like measured by an environmental information sensor 6 are associated with the reproduction history of music and are recorded in a history storage RAM 14, and music reproduced in the past at the same location as the present location is automatically selected and the music suitable for the location is automatically selected and reproduced based on the location information.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optical recording medium is provided in which interlayer crosstalk is low and in which stable and high-quality recording characteristics can be obtained. To this end, an optical recording medium comprises a first recording part which includes a first recording layer and a first light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side closer to a light receiving surface, and a second recording part which includes a second recording layer and a second light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side farther from the light receiving surface, the first recording part and the second recording part being stacked, wherein the thickness of the first light reflecting layer is smaller than the thickness of the second light reflecting layer.

Abstract: A write strategy setting apparatus applied in an optical disc drive includes a storage unit, an error calculator, and a write strategy controller. The storage unit stores an initial write strategy including a plurality of write strategy parameter sets corresponding to a plurality of data set types; the error calculator calculates an error value set for each data set type generated by the optical disc drive utilizing a corresponding write strategy parameter set in the initial write strategy, and stores the calculated error value set into the storage unit to thereby overwrite the write strategy parameter set; and the write strategy controller determines a modified write strategy by referring to a plurality of error value sets stored in the storage unit and the initial write strategy, and then storing the modified write strategy into the storage unit.

Abstract: A system for generating an output signal indicating a specific area on an optical disc is disclosed. The system includes: a detecting circuit, a header signal generator, a protection circuit, a counter and an output signal generator. The detecting circuit detects pre-recorded address information on the optical disc to generate a detection signal. The header signal generator detects headers on the optical disc to generate a header signal. The protection circuit computes a first counter value and reloads the first counter value according to the detection signal and the header signal, wherein the protection circuit does not reload the first counter value twice successively due to the header signal. The counter computes a second counter value and reloads the second counter value according to the first counter value. The output signal generator generates the output signal according to the first counter value.

Abstract: On an information record medium (10, 11), record information can be recorded one time or a plurality of times by a predetermined record format. An apparatus for manufacturing the information record medium by using a stamper (27, 28) is provided with an embossed pit array forming device (20 to 26, 50) for forming on the stamper as an embossed pit array, pre-record data (SFi) which is a predetermined data row to disable overwriting on the record information in a pre-record area, which is set in advance in a range including an area (13c) assigned to information required to control a reproduction of the record information, which is recorded by the predetermined record format.

Abstract: In an optical disc, a track on which data is recordable is divided into a plurality of blocks, and each block includes L pieces of sub blocks. On each sub block, M-bit first digital information specifying a block address of a block including the each sub block and N-bit second digital information capable of representing a numerical value equal to or larger than L are recorded.

Abstract: A big pattern for a run-in area which allows data reproduction to be performed stably even when the recording density of an optical disc is increased is provided. An optical disc according to the present invention includes tracks, each of which divided into a plurality of recording blocks. Each of the plurality of blocks includes a run-in area and a data area. In the run-in area, a prescribed run-in bit pattern is recordable; and in the data area, bit patterns having a plurality of bit lengths obtained by modulating data as a recording target in accordance with a prescribed modulation rule are recordable. In this optical disc, at least one of spatial frequencies corresponding to the bit patterns having the plurality of bit lengths is higher than a cutoff frequency. The run-in bit pattern recordable in the run-in area includes the bit patterns having the plurality of bit lengths, from which the bit pattern corresponding to the frequency higher than the OTF cutoff frequency has been excluded.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical disc and a registering method for labeling on a label side of the optical disc. More particularly, the label side has a plurality of turns of wobbled grooves connected in series to form a spiral track. The turns of the wobbled grooves are then to provide a registering reference.

Abstract: In a test disc, data (test data) is recorded in such a manner as to fill an entirety of a data region and, next to this test data, border-out data is recorded which contains information indicating that recording is prohibited. By determining whether the data can be played back appropriately from a position in the vicinity of an outer periphery of the disc where playback characteristics are apt to be unstable, whether the data can be played back appropriately from all of the regions is verified. Also, by determining whether it is possible to recognize that test disc is capable of recording, it is verified whether the border-out data can be smoothly acquired from the position in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the disc where playback characteristics are apt to be unstable.

Abstract: An optical medium storage device improves the usable life of re-writable optical storage mediums, such CD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM disks, by adjusting write parameters to compensate for time between an initial write on the optical storage medium and the current time, with adjusted write parameters fine-tuning signal-to-noise ratios and improving the number of reliable overwrites for the optical storage medium.

Abstract: The invention provides for a method, and related apparatus, of producing a Land Pre-Pit signal during playback of an optical disc and including the steps of obtaining an output signal from an optical detector and from which the Land Pre-Pit signal is to be derived, scaling the said output signal responsive to a determined amplitude of a high frequency crosstalk signal arising during reading of the disc and in a manner so as to increase the said output signal when the Land Pre-Pit identified as corresponding to a mark on the disc, and so as to decrease the output signal when the Land Pre-Pit is identified as corresponding to a space on the disc.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for formatting an optical recording medium, the optical recording medium having a spare area for replacing a defective area and a defect management area for managing the defective area, the apparatus including a recording/reproducing part configured to format the optical recording medium in response to a formatting request. The recording/reproducing part changes a portion of the spare area into a continuous portion of a user data area by formatting so that a size of the user data is increased. A controller is configured to create a new defect list for replacing an old defect list in the defect management area in response to changing of the spare area and to change a location information of the spare area to reflect the increased size of the spare area after formatting.

Abstract: An optical pickup is opposed to an inner-radius portion of an optical disc that is set, and pits (a modulation signal) are read by applying laser light for a DVD to the inner-radius portion. The read-out modulation signal is decoded by inputting it to a CD decoder. If decoded disc information includes particular verification data, the optical disc is judged to be a legitimate optical disc of a particular type and formation of a visible image on the label surface is permitted.

Abstract: A system for generating an output signal indicating a specific area on an optical disc is disclosed. The system includes: a detecting circuit, a header signal generator, a protection circuit, a counter and an output signal generator. The detecting circuit detects pre-recorded address information on the optical disc to generate a detection signal. The header signal generator detects headers on the optical disc to generate a header signal. The protection circuit computes a first counter value and reloads the first counter value according to the detection signal and the header signal, wherein the protection circuit does not reload the first counter value twice successively due to the header signal. The counter computes a second counter value and reloads the second counter value according to the first counter value. The output signal generator generates the output signal according to the first counter value.

Abstract: In order to select the latest defect management information, the latest selection information first is selected by searching a plurality of selection information areas for a currently active selection information area in which the latest selection information is recorded and subsequently the latest defect management information is obtained by searching a plurality of defect management areas for a currently active defect management area in which the latest defect management information is recorded. If there is no unused defect management area in which defect management information can be alternatively recorded in lieu of the currently active defect management area, recording operation is limited.

Abstract: At startup when reproduction from a recording medium such as an optical disc is started, search time for searching for management information to manage recording states of user data is shortened to reduce startup waiting time. The present invention provides a recording/reproducing method for performing recording/reproducing onto/from a recording medium having a first recording area to record user data, a second recording area to record management information to manage a recording state of the user data, and a third recording area to record non-user data other than the management information, wherein recording position information of the newest management information within the second recording area is recorded at a predetermined position in the third recording area.

Abstract: A high-density multi-layer optical disc and a method for managing layer formatting thereof. A high-density multi-layer optical disc such as a Blu-ray disc rewritable (BD-RE) dual layer includes management information, additionally recorded in a lead-in area, needed for identifying formatting status of a plurality of recording layers. After the management information is referred to, at least one unformatted recording layer is automatically formatted. Optionally, the unformatted recording layer is formatted on the basis of a formatting method selected by a user. The multiple recording layers formed on the high-density multi-layer optical disc can be conveniently and effectively formatted.

Abstract: A high-density multi-layer optical disc and a method for managing layer formatting thereof. A high-density multi-layer optical disc such as a Blu-ray disc rewritable (BD-RE) dual layer includes management information, additionally recorded in a lead-in area, needed for identifying formatting status of a plurality of recording layers. After the management information is referred to, at least one unformatted recording layer is automatically formatted. Optionally, the unformatted recording layer is formatted on the basis of a formatting method selected by a user. The multiple recording layers formed on the high-density multi-layer optical disc can be conveniently and effectively formatted.

Abstract: A recording and reproducing area and a reproduction-only area are formed by wobbling a groove formed in a spiral fashion to form a track to be tracked on a disk. The recording and reproducing area has address information recorded by wobbling of the groove and information recorded and reproduced by phase change marks on the track formed by the groove where the address information is recorded. The reproduction-only area has prerecorded information recorded by wobbling of the groove.

Abstract: Recording is started in an INC mode at the time of start of initial data recording (step S1). Next, it is determined whether recording onto an unrecorded region is possible in the INC mode (step S2). If it is determined that the recording is impossible, next, temp lead-out is recorded at a last portion of a recording region (step S4). Then, a recording mode for format 2 RMD is changed (step S5). Next, format 3 RMD is newly created, and is recorded in RMD in a management region (step S6). Then, the recording is restarted in a ROW mode (step S7).

Abstract: An optical recording medium and a method and apparatus for assigning a spare area in a rewritable optical recording medium are provided. According to an embodiment, there is provided an apparatus for assigning a spare area in a storage medium assignable at least one spare area, characterized by assigning a spare area within or to a predetermined maximum allowable size, the spare area being assignable to a first size smaller than the predetermined maximum allowable size, or assignable to a second size same as the predetermined maximum allowable size, wherein the spare area is assignable during a formatting process of the storage medium, or in-use status different than the formatting process of the storage medium, and the spare area is located at an outer radius of the storage medium.

Abstract: A method of managing defects considering compatibility with a rewritable disc, a reproducing and/or recording apparatus implementing the same, a write-once recording medium therefore, and a medium including computer readable code controlling the implementation of defect management. The method includes providing a plurality of temporary defect management areas on the write-once recording medium; performing defect management using the plurality of temporary defect management areas; and when one among the plurality of temporary defect management areas is exhausted, writing full flag information indicating that the one temporary defect management area is exhausted to at least one among remaining temporary defect management areas. Accordingly, defect management can be efficiently performed.

Abstract: A write-once disc includes: a plurality of update areas in which a predetermined kind of updated information is recorded; at least one main access information area in which main access information is recorded, the main access information indicating a final update area in which finally updated information is recorded among the plurality of update areas; and at least one sub access information area in which sub access information is recorded, the sub access information indicating a location of the finally updated information recorded in the final update area. Accordingly, an access time for reading a predetermined kind of information required to use the write-once disc can be reduced.

Abstract: A write-once optical recording medium and a method and apparatus for recording management information on the recording medium, are provided. The recording medium includes at least one recording layer and SRR information on the recording layer. The SRR information pertains to at least one SRR and includes a header, an SRR entry list, and a terminator. The SRR entry list includes a plurality of SRR entries, each of the SRR entries pertaining to an SRR and including at least one status area for storing therein session start information.

Abstract: A digital data demodulator which can reduce a loss of decodable digital data, and increase capability of reproducing digital data inputted through a transmission line even when an error occurs in the transmission line. In the digital data demodulator, a specific pattern detector (113) detects a specific pattern to be included in a modulation code, from a bit string inputted through a transmission line (104). A modulation code identifying unit (117) generates a demodulation data strobe signal (119) according to a phase of the modulation code including the specific pattern. An error corrector (121) samples demodulation data (109) in response to the demodulation data strobe signal (119) and reproduces the data to the original digital data.

Abstract: An information recording method, including detecting a synchronous signal and first address information from a recording medium, on which the synchronous signal and the first address information have been preformatted in a wobbled groove track, which is divided into a first unit with a predetermined length on the wobbled groove track. The method further includes constructing the track into second units, the second unit having a length different from the first unit with the predetermined length, and generating second address information indicating the constructed second units.

Abstract: An optical disk physical has a recording region divided into zones, each zone including physical tracks adjacent to each other. An integer number of sectors are provided in each physical track. The angular recording density is higher in the more outward zones such that the linear recording density is substantially constant throughout the recording region, and logical tracks are formed of a predetermined number of sectors. independent of the physical tracks. The conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from a host device is easy. The addresses written in headers of the sectors in the logical track in which data are actually recorded, including substitute sectors used in place of defect sectors, are preferably consecutive to further facilitate the conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from the host device.

Abstract: A recording medium, and a method and apparatus for recording management information on the recording medium, are provided. According to an embodiment, there is provided a method for recording management information on a recording medium, the method comprising: determining whether recording of padding data in a recordable area of a recordable recording-range of the recording medium is performed, when the recordable recording-range is changed to be a non-recordable recording range; and recording padding indicator information indicating whether the recording of padding data is performed.

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 write-once optical recording medium and a method and apparatus for recording management information on the recording medium, are provided. The recording medium includes at least one recording layer and SRR information on the recording layer. The SRR information pertains to at least one SRR and includes a header, an SRR entry list, and a terminator. The SRR entry list includes a plurality of SRR entries, each of the SRR entries pertaining to an SRR and including at least one status area for storing therein session start information.

Abstract: A disc-shaped information recording medium has a first and a second recording layer. A buffer area is arranged adjacent to a recording area of each of the layers for preventing deviation of the recording position onto/from each of the layers. A first part of the information is written along a first track path on the first recording layer, a predetermined amount of first buffer data in a part of the buffer area of the first recording layer is written into the first recording layer, and inter-layer jump is performed from the first recording layer to the second recording layer. A predetermined amount of second buffer data in the buffer area of the second recording layer is written in the second recording layer and write element is controlled to write a second part of the information to be recorded, on the second recording layer by changing the recording direction.

Abstract: A wobble clock generator with a protective mechanism that can avoid interference generated from a phase-modulated wobble signal. The wobble clock generator has an arithmetic/logic circuit and a phase-locked loop. The arithmetic/logic circuit calculates a period count value by counting a period of a wobble signal according to a reference clock, and compares an average value with the period count value for outputting a control signal. The phase-locked loop is electrically connected to the arithmetic/logic circuit for generating a wobble clock according to the control signal and the wobble signal. When the control signal corresponds to a first logic level, the phase-locked loop compares the wobble signal with the wobble clock to drive the wobble clock to be synchronized with the wobble signal. When the control signal corresponds to a second logic level, the phase-locked loop holds the wobble signal without synchronizing the wobble clock with the wobble signal.

Abstract: An ADIP (address in pre-groove) signal detection circuit is capable of correctly and quickly detecting discontinuous points in a wobble signal, and has a simple configuration in a wobble detection system of an optical disc device such as a DVD+R/RW, and an ADIP signal detection method thereof. The ADIP signal detection circuit performing the ADIP signal detection method includes one or two window comparators, two edge detection circuits each consisting of an exclusive OR circuit and an AND circuit, and two discontinuous point determination circuits each consisting of a flip-flop and a counter. Therefore, the ADIP signal detection circuit has a simple configuration so that it can be easily implemented. Also, since the ADIP signal detection circuit has a fast operation speed, the ADIP signal detection circuit detects discontinuous points correctly and quickly.

Abstract: A write-once optical disc and a method and apparatus for recording management information of the write-once optical disc, are provided. The method includes closing an opened session by closing all opened sequential recording-units of the opened session, opening a new session having a new sequential recording-unit, and recording session start information on the recording medium. The session start information indicates whether or not the new sequential recording-unit is a start of the new session.

Abstract: In an information recording method and apparatus which is capable of improving a recording density of an optical recording medium, a carrier signal is detected in an optical recording medium preformatted as first unit regions by modulating a synchronous signal dividing a track into first unit regions having a certain volume and address information indicating the first unit regions as time information format, and the address information is restored by the detected carrier signal. The restored address information is converted into a linear code, the converted linear code is counted with a clock signal varied in accordance with a volume of the second unit regions different from a volume of the first unit regions. Logical address information indicating the second unit regions is generated, and a record clock signal varied in accordance with a recording density of the second unit regions is generated, accordingly a recording density of an optical recording medium can improve.

Abstract: A push-pull signal is detected from light reflected from a disk-shaped storage medium on which wobbling grooves are formed as recording tracks and address information is recorded by forming pre-pits on lands between adjacent grooves. A fundamental amplitude variation signal indicating the fundamental amplitude variation of the push-pull signal is acquired, and a reference voltage is generated by adding an offset voltage to the fundamental amplitude variation signal. Pre-pits are detected by comparing the push-pull signal with the reference voltage. Because the reference voltage is produced on the basis of the fundamental amplitude variation signal indicating the variation components of the push-pull signal due to the wobbling of grooves and noise, the variation components due to the wobbling and noise are reflected in the reference voltage. Furthermore, the variation components of the push-pull signal corresponding to the pre-pits are also reflected to a properly small extent in the reference voltage.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting BCA on the surface of an optical disc are disclosed. The method includes utilizing an internal free running clock to detect a sync pattern, starting demodulation of data on detection of sync ID 1 by utilizing the internal free running clock, and utilizing the transition between row boundaries to determine which sync ID 1 was used for initializing demodulation.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for variable data density patterned media. The apparatus includes a patterned media recording surface comprising a plurality of sectors. Each sector may include a synchronization region configured to generate a signal in a read head, a first data region with a first data density configured to generate a signal with a first frequency, and at least a second data region with a second data density configured to generate a signal with a second frequency. The system includes a hard disk drive and the apparatus. The method includes sensing a signal in a read head, synchronizing the frequency and phase of a write clock with a predetermined frequency and phase of a synchronization region, and modifying the frequency of the write clock after a period of time determined in response to at least one physical characteristic of the disk.

Abstract: There is provided an optical disc having preformed thereon a spiral wobbled track as a grove and/or land along with data is to be recorded. The track is wobbled for a series of predetermined signal units each composed of an FSK information bit part based on a waveform resulted from FSK modulation of information bit and a singe-frequency part based on a waveform of a single frequency. The FSK modulation uses two different frequencies of which the one is the same as the single frequency and the other is different from the single frequency. These different frequencies are in such a relation that each of them has an even number of wobbles and an odd number of wobbles alternately in a predetermined cycle.

Abstract: An abnormality in text data recorded on a CD conforming CD-TEXT format is detected so that a proper display can be created. In the case of text data recorded in a double-byte character code (step 1002), if the text data is XX 00 (step 1006) or 00 XX (step 1008), it is determined that abnormality has been detected. Alternatively, a character position is determined by counting recorded characters, and the character position is compared with recorded character position information to detect the presence or absence of abnormality.

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: 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: An optical disc reproducing apparatus includes a reproducing section which reproduces a first audio data item involving a predetermined number of main track and recorded in a first recording area on the optical disc, and a second audio data item involving an extra track in addition to a main track containing the same contents as those of the predetermined number of main track and recorded in a second recording area on the optical disc, and an identification section which identifies each of the main track and the extra track for the second audio data item, based on the number of tracks for the first audio data and the second audio data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for copying the data content of a source multi-session DVD-storage medium to a destination multi-session DVD-storage medium, wherein the data content is organized in sessions and files, and each session contains a file allocation table storing at least the physical start address of each file within a session, and wherein the address space between two adjacent sessions on said DVD-storage media is different. The apparatus comprises a read unit for reading data from said first storage medium, a write unit for writing data on said second storage medium, and a controller unit for controlling said read unit and said write unit. An address converting unit adapted to analyze the file allocation table of each session and to apply a predetermined address offset to each address in the file allocation table before writing said data to the second storage medium is also provided.

Abstract: In step S1, the address generator generates address information composed of a sync signal which is recorded on an optical disc, address data and an error correction code for the address data, pre-encodes and supplies it to a modulator. At the same time, a carrier signal generator generates a carrier signal which is to carry the address information, and supplies it to the modulator. In step S2, the modulator makes MSK modulation of the carrier signal supplied from the carrier signal generator on the basis of the pre-encoded address information supplied from the address generator, and supplies a resultant MSK modulation signal to a wobbling unit. In step S3, the wobbling unit forms, on the optical disc, a spiral groove wobbled adaptively to the MSK modulation signal supplied from the modulator. In this optical disc, a given address can be accessed quickly and accurately.