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: The present invention discloses a disk player for recording information on a disk and/or reproducing recorded information thereon. The disk player includes a wobble detection unit for detecting a wobble signal corresponding to a wobbling pattern formed along a track of the disk; and an information processing unit for detecting a pre-pit signal recorded on the disk using the wobble signal output from the wobble detection unit and a clock signal obtained by multiplying the wobble signal a predetermined number of times, and for processing the information recorded on the disk or the information to be recorded thereon according to the detected pre-pit signal. Since the detection of a synchronization signal can be performed more precisely, this disk player can reduce error in the recording and reproduction of data.

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. A time compensator determines the time delta between an initial write on the optical storage medium, such as formatting of the medium, and the current time, and then applies the time delta to determine a time compensation factor that adjust the write parameters of a focused laser beam that writes information to the optical storage medium.

Abstract: A wobble demodulator for reproducing digital information from an optical recording medium in which a track is formed in accordance with a wobble signal that is MSK-modulated so as to contain the digital information by a carrier signal with a predetermined frequency and a sine wave signal with a frequency different from that of the carrier signal, includes: a wobble signal detector for detecting a wobble signal of the track from the optical recording medium; a wobble PLL for detecting the carrier signal based on the wobble signal detected by the wobble signal detector; a multiplier for multiplying the carrier signal detected by the wobble PLL by the wobble signal detected by the wobble signal detector and outputting a multiplied output; a MSK detector for detecting a MSK modulation mark having a phase or a frequency different from that of the carrier signal, based on an integrated value obtained by integrating the multiplied output from the multiplier on a predetermined section basis; and a MSK synchronization

Abstract: An optical disk is provided for recording data of a signal modulated according to a predetermined modulation method in a form of concavo-convex pits. The optical disk includes a first area having a reflecting film partly removed, and a second area for recording pits which are different from pits satisfying requirements of the predetermined modulation method. The first area having the reflecting film partly removed includes a portion which is formed by removing the reflecting film, and has a length longer than a maximum pit length determined by the modulation method in a circumferential direction of the optical disk. When the pits recorded on the optical disk are physically copied as they are, physical copying of the optical disk can be prevented by utilizing such a difference that the authorized optical disk differs from a pirated copy in a combination of the respective reproduced signals of the first and second areas.

Abstract: An information storage medium according to an embodiment of this invention includes a wobble track whose wobble period is modulated by multi-frequency shift keying corresponding to playback control information, wherein the playback control information contains header data and address data, and the header data contains a VFO area formed from a predetermined frequency.

Abstract: For an optical recording medium having a phase change type recording layer on it's a substrate and having as read only area and a writable area in a recording area, a data recording method is provided which records data in the writable area. This data recording method comprises a transfer step of transferring program data recorded in the read only area in a practical form to an external computer, and an execution step (step A10) of automatically executing the program data in the external computer to record data in the writable area, which can facilitate manufacturing and reduce the possible of destruction or falsification of ROM data.

Abstract: An optical recording apparatus having a light source and an optical system. The medium is a substrate in the form of a substantially circular disk with grooves and lands alternately formed on the substrate in a radial direction. The grooves and lands both serve as recording tracks which are divided into recording units in a circumferential direction. Each recording unit has an address area devoid of the grooves including first and second address information. The first address information is formed on a first boundary between one track and an adjacent track on one side of the one track, and the second address information is formed on a second boundary between the one track and an adjacent track on an other side of the one track with the first address information and the second address information not existing at opposing positions on the boundaries of the one track.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting address information are provided. The apparatus for detecting address information from an optical disc on which a plurality of sectors are arranged and pre-pit data are recorded on each sector, includes: a window generation circuit for generating a detection window for detecting the pre-pit data; a data detection circuit for detecting the pre-pit data based on the generated detection window; a latch for latching the data detected by the data detection circuit to a larger number of bits than a pre-allotted number of bits; a synch information extraction circuit for generating synch information informing a time to refer to the latched data; and an address information extraction circuit for detecting address information by reading the latched data based on the generated synch information. Therefore, the address information recorded on an optical recording medium as land pre-pit (LPP) data can be efficiently detected.

Abstract: A recording medium and an information storage apparatus having high formatting efficiency are provided. The recording medium and the information storage apparatus give IDs for data to be stored. In one embodiment, one ID is provided for two data areas, and no two IDs are situated in line with each other on two adjacent tracks.

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 controller for recording data on a CD with a DVD recorder. The controller includes an LPP decoder, an ATIP decoder for decoding address information of a CD, and an address converter for converting an ATIP address into an LPP address. When recording DVD format data on a CD, a write timing generation circuit is driven in response to the LPP address, which is converted from the ATIP address. The write data is modulated for use in the CD, and the intensity of the write data is adjusted for use in the CD.

Abstract: An information system according to the invention comprises a record carrier and a playback apparatus. The record carrier has information marks along a track thereof and exhibits first variations caused by existence and nonexistence of the information marks along the track. The first variations represent an information signal recorded on said record carrier. The record carrier further exhibits second variations caused by variations associated with the information marks. The phase of the second variations is coupled to the phase of the first variations.

Abstract: A data-arranging method similar to that of a RAM disk is adopted for a ROM disk to make the ROM disk highly compatible with the RAM disk. According to this method, buffer areas are allocated as a data run-in and a data run-out respectively preceding and succeeding a RUB (Recording Unit Block) used as a recording/reproduction unit. In addition, at locations separated from each other in the buffer areas by a distance equal in length to a sync-data gap in successive frames in the RUB, pieces of sync data (SA) are provided so that the sync data always appears at equal intervals in a signal reproduced from the ROM disk, providing a feature advantageous to establishment and protection of synchronization. It is thus possible to implement a ROM disk that is highly compatible with the RAM disk and advantageous to a synchronization system.

Abstract: An optical disk device which reproduces address information embossed and formed on an optical disk. Return light of laser light is detected by a photodetector which is split into at least two components along the radial direction and signals representing the return light are output. Address information is reproduced by selectively switching between a summation signal and a difference signal between two signals. When there is a focus deviation, the summation signal of two signals is used to reproduce the address information and when the optical disk is tilted, the difference signal of two signals is used to reproduce the address information.

Abstract: A disk drive has timing marks (TMs) on the disk, that are chosen to reduce the probability of misidentification of a TM in the presence of read errors. The disk drive searches for TMs within a fixed TM search window which extends past the TM on the disk. A TM preferably maximizes the post-shift sliding distance for m post-shifts of the TM pattern, where m corresponds to the TM search window boundary. In this manner, the probability of a misidentification of the TM due to a post-shift having a small distance from the TM pattern is reduced. The TM pattern also provides pre-shift error resistance.

Abstract: A method is designed to logically erase contents of a CD-RW disc in response to an erase command. The CD-RW disc is optically rewriteable, and has a program area and a PMA area. The program area is recorded with the contents in the form of tracks. The PMA area is recorded with at least two kinds of frames, one kind of frames containing identification information for identifying the CD-RW disc and the other kind of frames containing track information for indicating the tracks of the contents recorded in the program area. The method is carried out by the steps of accessing to the PMA area in response to the erase command, deleting all of frames which contain the track information from the PMA area, thereby logically erasing all of the contents from the program area, and reserving frames which contain the identification information in the PMA area, so that the CD-RW disc can be identified at rewriting thereof even after all of the contents are logically erased from the program area of the CD-RW disc.

Abstract: A discontinuous position detecting device for detecting a discontinuous position at which date and time information indicative of date and time of recording on a recording medium is discontinuous, the discontinuous position detecting unit including, a scanning unit that scans the recording medium in a first direction and in a second direction that is different from the first direction, a first detecting unit that detects a temporary discontinuous position located in a vicinity of the actual discontinuous position while the scanning unit scans the recording medium in the first direction, a second detecting unit that detects the actual discontinuous position while the scanning unit scans the recording medium in the second direction, and a scan controller that controls the scanning unit to scan the recording medium at a first scan speed except while the second detecting unit detects the actual discontinuous position, and to scan the recording medium at a second scan speed while the second detecting unit detects

Abstract: An optical data storage medium (1) is described. The medium (1) has an optically readable information layer with a first optical reflectivity. An annular zone (12), outside the user data recording area (2) has at least one first type (5) of sector provided with a permanent information mark (7), having a second optical reflectivity. The zone has at least one second type (6) of sector provided with a recordable identification mark (8), having a third optical reflectivity different from the first optical reflectivity. Thus, a hybrid bar code like structure, with both permanent and recordable information requiring little radial space, is provided. Further, methods to read such permanent information marks (7)/recordable identification marks (8) and to write such recordable identifications marks (8) are disclosed.

Abstract: Design, manufacture and use of optical discs that permit the concurrent and discriminable acquisition of signals from both operational features and nonoperational features is presented. The disc geometries and tracking schemes permit such discs to be read in, and data encoded by nonoperational features reported by, standard (or minimally-modified), optical disc readers. Single data layer first and second surface discs are described, as are multiple data layer discs. Use of the disks in analyte-specific assay is presented.

Abstract: Linking gap detecting device and method in which a light beam is irradiated to an information recording track of an optical recording medium; a light detecting signal is generated by receiving reflected light of the light beam irradiated to the information recording track; a synchronous signal is detected from the light detecting signal; it is judged whether the existing interval of the synchronous signal lies outside a predetermined interval range or not; and the linking gap is detected on the basis of a result of the judgment.

Abstract: An optical disk recording apparatus operates on an optical disk having circular tracks which are provisionally written with an index signal used for securing a constant linear velocity of the optical disk from an innermost circular track to an outermost circular track, and records data along the circular tracks at different linear densities on different annular zones of the optical disk. In the apparatus, a disk drive section rotates the optical disk while synchronizing the index signal successively read from the rotated optical disk with a predetermined reference clock signal to thereby maintain the constant linear velocity of the circular tracks. A clock generating section multiples or divides the reference clock signal by different rates to generate different writing clock signals in correspondence to the different annular zones of the optical disk.

Abstract: A record medium preventing a first drive device from reading data therefrom while allowing a second drive device to read the data therefrom wherein data-read operation is performed according to volume management information stored in the record medium, including a predetermined area which stores record-medium-identification information therein, and a volume management information area which is different from the first predetermined area, and stores the volume management information therein.

Abstract: A disk-shaped storage medium allowing the redundancy of an address part to be reduced and data to be recorded with a higher density, and a tracking method using the same are provided. In a disk-shaped storage medium in which a track is divided into a plurality of areas and address data are positioned in the plurality of areas, error detection codes are added to data common to adjacent tracks of the address data for identifying the data common to adjacent tracks. This enables the synchronous process to data in reproducing the address data to be carried out without using a unique synchronization pattern.

Abstract: In an optical disc, a wobble signal is to be detected by a simple configuration. In the optical disc, the address information, modulated onto a sinusoidal cannier signal by adding even harmonics signals to the sinusoidal carrier signal and by changing the polarity of the harmonics signals, is formed into the wobble signal. In detecting the wobble signal from the optical disc to demodulate the address information, in a method for detecting the wobble signal, an even harmonics signal and data clocks are generated, and the even harmonics signal so generated are multiplied with the reproduced wobble signal. The resulting product signal is integrated every data clock. The sign of the digital information is verified based on the integrated value at an end edge of the data clock.

Abstract: An optical disc having marks for dispersed addresses that can be easily detected with high precision. A dispersed address comprises synchronization marks, positive marks, and negative marks. Synchronization marks, positive marks, and negative marks are formed along a groove as partial discontinuities or partial modifications in the wobbled groove.

Abstract: An optical recording medium comprises a plurality of identifiers in association with address information, wherein: each identifier is provided on the optical recording medium; and each identifier comprises at least one of: a first pattern provided on the optical recording medium and representing a first code expressed by one bit; a second pattern provided on the optical recording medium and representing a second code expressed by one bit; and a third pattern provided on the optical recording medium and representing a third code expressed by one bit.

Abstract: A disk reproducing apparatus includes a variable gain amplifier (VCA) (32), and the VCA applies a radial push-pull signal including an address signal and an FCM leakage-in signal to a switch (38). The switch outputs only the address signal to a peak-hold circuit (40) on the basis of an FCM mask signal from a mask signal generation circuit (36). The peak-hold circuit generates a peak-hold signal of the address signal so as to be output to a DSP (30), and the DSP controls a gain of the VCA on the basis of the peak-hold signal. Then, the radial push-pull signal in which the gain is controlled on the basis of the address signal is applied to an address detection circuit (42), and the address signal is detected therein.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus for providing content data to terminal units includes a content data storage unit, a communication unit, an input information storage unit, an analysis unit, and a processing unit. The content data storage unit stores a plurality of pieces of content data. The communication unit transmits content data stored in the content data storage unit to a plurality of terminal units, and receives input information of each user with respect to the transmitted content data. The input information storage unit stores the input information received by the communication unit for each user. The analysis unit analyzes the preference of a target user on the basis of the input information of a similar user, which resembles the input information of the target user, stored in the input information storage unit. The processing unit processes content data to be transmitted to the terminal units in accordance with the analysis results by the analysis unit.

Abstract: An optical disk drive capable of securing reliable reproduction of a wobble signal even under a constant angular velocity control of a recordable or rewritable optical disk is disclosed. The optical disk has a guide track wobbled to produce a constant frequency when the optical disk is driven under a constant linear velocity control. An optical pickup unit detects the light reflected from the optical disk, and a wobble signal reproducing section takes out a wobble signal. The wobble signal reproducing section has two band-pass filters; a first band-pass filter detects a center frequency of the wobble signal, which is caused to vary under the constant angular velocity control, and a second band-pass filter has a center frequency set to the detected center frequency whereby the wobble signal is extracted by the second band-pass filter. The extracted wobble signal is subsequently demodulated address information.

Abstract: An optical disk comprises a first recording area for recording contents data and data for recording and reproducing the contents data, and a second recording area for recording secondary data on the contents recorded in the first recording area, the secondary data being recorded as stripe marks longer in radial direction. Further, the second recording area comprises a first section for recording control data on the second recording area, a second section for recording data not to be inhibited to be outputted from a recording and reproducing apparatus for the optical disk, and a third section for recording data to be inhibited to be outputted from a recording and reproducing apparatus. The control data recorded in the first section includes an identifier which shows whether said second recording area includes said third section or not. By using the data to be inhibited to be outputted in the second recording area, a copyright of contents is protected and illegal use of software is prevented.

Abstract: During recording operations, decay processing is performed with regard to reflected light information signals (I1 and I2) during periods wherein the laser output is recording power which is comparatively high level, i.e., wherein data pits are being formed on the disk, and during recording operations, decay processing is not performed with regard to reflected light information signals during periods wherein the laser output is reproducing power which is comparatively low level, i.e., wherein the pits are not being formed on the disk. Accordingly, address information can be extracted in a stable manner while recording.

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: An optical disc having marks for dispersed addresses that can be easily detected with high precision. A dispersed address comprises synchronization marks, positive marks, and negative marks. Synchronization marks, positive marks, and negative marks are formed along a groove as partial discontinuities or partial modifications in the wobbled groove.

Abstract: An audio recording medium, methods for recording data on and reproducing data from the audio recording medium, and recording and reproducing apparatuses therefor. In the audio recording medium, audio data are recorded in a plurality of tracks in predetermined write units, and identification data for indicating the start position of each of the tracks, such as mute data, are recorded in write units segregated from the predetermined write units of the audio data. Thus, if a mute period is unnecessary, the mute data can be easily removed.

Abstract: An information recording/reproducing apparatus irradiates a light beam on an optical disc on which pre-pits are formed, and performs recording and/or reproduction of information with respect to the optical disc according to a recording clock produced based on a wobble signal and a pre-pit signal. When recording information onto the optical disc having the pre-pits, a light beam is radiated to thereby extract the wobble signal and pre-pit signal. Then, according to the wobble signal and the pre-pit signal, a recording clock signal is produced, and information is recorded based on the recording clock signal. When producing a pre-pit signal, a push-pull signal is produced from the reflected light from the optical disc, and this signal is compared with a reference level to thereby detect a pre-pit. Here, when a pre-pit is not detected, the reference level is changed and the detection processing of the pre-pits is executed again.

Abstract: An optical head device includes a light source for emitting light; a collection optical system for collecting the light emitted by the light source to an information memory medium including at least one of a track having a mark or a space selectively arranged, and a track having a prescribed groove; a light detector having a plurality of detection areas for receiving the light reflected by the information memory medium and outputting a signal in accordance with a light amount of the light received; a division element for dividing the light reflected by the information memory medium and allowing the light to be received by the light detector; a switch element for receiving a first signal and a second signal, which are respectively obtained in accordance with the reflected light incident on a first prescribed area and a second prescribed area of the division element and outputting either one of the first signal or the second signal, the first and second prescribed areas being obtained by dividing the division e

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: 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: An information recording medium has a plurality of stacked recording layers. Each recording layer has a spiral track which defines a plurality of rounds, and at least one index header aligned in the radial direction of the disk to partially intercept the spiral track. The index header has address data of each round of the spiral track, which is formed by embossed pits, and some or all of the index headers of the first and second recording layers are laid out to overlap each other when viewed from the predetermined surface.

Abstract: An information recording medium includes a lead-in area and a data area for storing contents information. The lead-in area includes a first lead-in information area and a second lead-in information area. The first lead-in information area corresponds to a first playback mode. The second lead-in information area corresponds to a second playback mode different from the first playback mode. The first lead-in information area has a first depth and is designed for storing lead-in information related to the contents information stored in the data area. The second lead-in information area includes pre-pits having a second depth greater than the first depth. The pre-pits represent predetermined information, such as information of copyright protection, related to the contents information stored in the data area.

Abstract: A label printer system includes a disk storage medium including a thermally-sensitive layer formed on at least a portion of an upper surface. A rotational drive rotates the disk storage medium and a transverse drive moves a laser substantially transversely with respect to the disk storage medium. A memory includes a symbol set and a label printer driver. A processor uses the label printer driver to control the rotational drive and the transverse drive in order to thermally write the symbol set to the thermally-sensitive layer of the disk storage medium, using the laser.

Abstract: A recording medium of the recordable type in the form of a multi-layer disc or the like which is improved in compatibility and feasibility in use and a recording apparatus and a recording method ready for the recording medium are disclosed. A region for recording interlayer folding back position information is set on the recording medium (for example, “End sector number in Layer 0” or a session item type 3). In response to a fact that recording on a certain recording layer reaches a maximum recording range or that data recording advances from a certain recording layer to a next recording layer, interlayer folding back position information is recorded on the recording medium. This signifies that such recording is performed when advancement of the data recording to another recording layer is performed at a stage prior to disc closing or session closing or when it is predicted that such advancement of the data recording occurs soon.

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: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for content reproduction, a recording medium, and a program that make it possible to edit taken images easily and automatically in accordance with an intention of an editor. Each time a reproduction is performed, a reproduction start point and a reproduction end point of VOBU units of images reproduced by a disk camcorder are recorded in Play Data 81. The recorded reproduction start point and reproduction end point are read, and edit points representing a reproduced section of a longest, a shortest, or an average length are obtained. The obtained edit points are registered in a UD_PGCIT 94. Scenes are reproduced in order on the basis of the edit point data in the UD_PGCIT 94, and thus automatic edit reproduction is performed. The present invention is applicable to disk camcorders.

Abstract: An information storage medium according to an aspect of this invention comprises a rewritable area, the rewritable area comprises a user area to store user data, and a defect management area to store defect management information used to manage defective areas on the rewritable area, the defect management area comprises first and second defect management reserved areas, the first defect management reserved area being used to store the defect management information in an initial state, and the second defect management reserved area being used to store the defect management information which is transited at a predetermined timing.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for searching for a writable area of a write-once information recording medium, comprising a searching portion and a control portion. The searching portion searches for an unrecorded area using a prescribed address as a reference. The control portion provides a candidate address indicating a candidate for a writable area based on a result of the search, and performs a determination procedure for determining whether or not there is a defective area address indicating an address matching the candidate address in defect management information. When it is determined that there is not the defective area address indicating an address matching the candidate address, the control portion determines an area indicated by the candidate address as the writable area.

Abstract: A method of controlling recording of data with respect to each track of a once-writable optical disc, includes: detecting whether a shock error occurs during recording of track information; if the shock error is detected, stopping the recording of the track information and estimating a position where the recording of the track information has stopped; recording dummy data from a backward position behind the estimated position as much as a predetermined period of time, for a predetermined period of time; and defining an error track from a start position of a track to a position where the recording of the dummy data has ended.

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 digital audio player and a method for providing audio playlist files. The audio data player comprises a DSP coupled with data storage. Data storage is a high-volume storage device such a hard drive for storing audio data files. The method provides playlist records in a playlist file for use by audio data player by locating audio data files stored on data storage, reading content information for the audio data files, determining file pointers locating the audio data files, sorting the content information and file pointers by at least a portion of the content information, determining indexing information indicating the location and number of playlist records related by content information, and storing the content information, indexing information and file pointers in playlist records in a playlist. The method includes creating a number of playlist files, each sorted by different content information such as ID3 tag information stored in MP3 files, for example, artist, album, genre, and title.