Abstract: To provide enhanced operation of data storage devices and systems, various systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are provided herein. In a first example, a hard disk drive is provided. The hard disk drive includes rotating storage media for storing data and read/write heads positioned over the storage media and configured to write the data to the storage media and read the data from the storage media. The hard disk drive includes a storage control system configured to identify acceleration characteristics associated with the read/write heads. The storage control system is configured to execute storage operations using the read/write heads when the acceleration characteristics indicate a power consumption for the hard disk drive outside a peak power consumption range, and cache the storage operations when the acceleration characteristics indicate the power consumption for the hard disk drive within the peak power consumption range.

Abstract: Address information that has been error correction encoded is recorded on a second version of a recording medium after being transformed such that such that the address decoding cannot be performed by a playback device that is not compatible with the second version of the recording medium. The address decoding for the second version of the recording medium cannot be performed by the incompatible playback device (for example, a playback device that was manufactured to be compatible only with a first version of the recording medium). In other words, in the playback device that is not compatible with the second version of the recording medium, a state is created in which address errors cannot be corrected, so access is impossible (recording and playback are impossible).

Abstract: Address information that has been error correction encoded is recorded on a second version of a recording medium after being transformed such that such that the address decoding cannot be performed by a playback device that is not compatible with the second version of the recording medium. The address decoding for the second version of the recording medium cannot be performed by the incompatible playback device (for example, a playback device that was manufactured to be compatible only with a first version of the recording medium). In other words, in the playback device that is not compatible with the second version of the recording medium, a state is created in which address errors cannot be corrected, so access is impossible (recording and playback are impossible).

Abstract: An optical disc drive and a method of reading an optical disc are disclosed. The drive includes an I/O port, an optical pickup module and a format conversion unit. The I/O port couples a host to receive a read command of a host terminal file system format. The optical pickup module accesses the optical disc which contains data of a first file system format. The format conversion unit coupled between the I/O port and the optical pickup module includes a mapping information generation module, a memory module and a read-command processing module. The mapping information generation module controls the optical pickup module to access data and thereby to generate mapping information. The memory module stores the mapping information. The read-command processing module controls the optical pickup module to access the optical disc according to the read command by referring to the mapping information.

Abstract: Address information that has been error correction encoded is recorded on a second version of a recording medium after being transformed such that such that the address decoding cannot be performed by a playback device that is not compatible with the second version of the recording medium. The address decoding for the second version of the recording medium cannot be performed by the incompatible playback device (for example, a playback device that was manufactured to be compatible only with a first version of the recording medium). In other words, in the playback device that is not compatible with the second version of the recording medium, a state is created in which address errors cannot be corrected, so access is impossible (recording and playback are impossible).

Abstract: Address information that has been error correction encoded is recorded on a second version of a recording medium after being transformed such that such that the address decoding cannot be performed by a playback device that is not compatible with the second version of the recording medium. The address decoding for the second version of the recording medium cannot be performed by the incompatible playback device (for example, a playback device that was manufactured to be compatible only with a first version of the recording medium). In other words, in the playback device that is not compatible with the second version of the recording medium, a state is created in which address errors cannot be corrected, so access is impossible (recording and playback are impossible).

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a data reproducing apparatus includes a data recording medium, light source unit, light application unit, photodetector unit and control unit. An address mark string including address marks is formed on the data recording medium. The address marks are spaced from each other by a distance depending on address data. The light application unit is configured to split the light beam into a first branch light beam and a second branch light beam and apply the first and second branch light beams to the address mark string at different angles. The photodetector unit is configured to detect first reflected light beams and second reflected light beams from the address mark string to generate image data. The first and second reflected light beams result from the first and second branch light beams, respectively. The control unit is configured to reproduce address data based on the image data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a record carrier of a disc-like optically inscribable type, having a preformed track in which an auxiliarily signal comprising a sequence of codes is recorded by means of a preformed track modulation. The codes comprise a sequence of address codes (AC) specifying the addresses of the track portions in which said address codes (AC) are recorded and special codes (SC). The special codes (SC) can be distinguished from said address codes (AC) and specify control data for controlling a recording by a recording device. The sequence can be obtained by replacing in a sequence of address codes (AC) with consecutive address values a plurality of said address by special codes (SC). The periodic pattern of address codes and special codes has a predetermined positional relationship with respect to a predetermined reference address. Such as for example a positional shift with respect to the start of a Lead-in area.

Abstract: Address information that has been error correction encoded is recorded on a second version of a recording medium after being transformed such that such that the address decoding cannot be performed by a playback device that is not compatible with the second version of the recording medium. The address decoding for the second version of the recording medium cannot be performed by the incompatible playback device (for example, a playback device that was manufactured to be compatible only with a first version of the recording medium). In other words, in the playback device that is not compatible with the second version of the recording medium, a state is created in which address errors cannot be corrected, so access is impossible (recording and playback are impossible).

Abstract: A high-density optical disc such as BD-RE (Blu-ray Disc Rewritable) or BD-ROM, and a recording/reproducing method thereof are disclosed.

Abstract: A buffer control system for generating a buffered signal having reduced buffer delay time between playback of tracks includes a controller module for providing an end target and for selection of a servo data signal corresponding to a desired track; a compare circuit coupled to the servo data signal for comparing a timestamp of the servo data signal to the end target, and asserting an end match signal when the timestamp of the servo data signal matches the end target; and a data buffering unit for storing the servo data signal as stored data to fill a capacity of an internal memory, and streaming out the buffered signal from the stored data in the internal memory when the capacity has reached a predetermined level; wherein the controller module is for updating selection of the servo data signal according to a next desired track upon assertion of the end match signal.

Abstract: A device for controlling access to an optical disc includes a control word calculator and a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO). The control word calculator is arranged to calculate a control word corresponding to a radius where the optical disc is accessed. In addition, the NCO is arranged to generate an output frequency according to the control word, wherein the output frequency is utilized for accessing the optical disc. An associated method for controlling access to an optical disc includes: calculating a control word corresponding to a radius where the optical disc is accessed; and generating an output frequency according to the control word, wherein the output frequency is utilized for accessing the optical disc.

Abstract: A gap servo control method and apparatus for increasing a disturbance cancellation capability and decreasing the occurrence of an overshoot in a near-field optical disc drive include: generating an actuator driving signal of a transient response process by using a signal obtained by removing a disturbance contained in the gap error signal using a first band when a level of a gap error signal reaches a first level; and generating the actuator driving signal of the transient response process by using a signal obtained by removing the disturbance contained in the gap error signal using a second band when the level of the gap error signal reaches a second level.

Abstract: An optical disk device of the present invention includes a spindle motor, an optical pick-up, and a rotation control portion. The spindle motor is a rotational drive portion that rotates an optical disk, on an information recording surface of which a plurality of addresses are recorded. The optical pick-up records an information signal onto and plays back the information signal from the information recording surface of the optical disk that is rotated by the spindle motor. The rotation control portion controls the rotation of the optical disk by the spindle motor. In this case, the rotation control portion performs control based on a first reference signal that can be read off the optical disk, such that the optical disk is rotated at a speed that is based on a specified clock count.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a high-density recording medium and a method and apparatus for controlling data playback thereof. Playback control information, such as channel bit length information, is recorded in a burst cutting area (BCA) of a high-density optical disc in a wobble type. When the high-density optical disc is reproduced, the playback control information is detected in a push-pull signal detection mode and the optimum data playback operation corresponding to the recording capacity of the optical disc is performed on the basis of the detected playback control information. Alternatively, bit error rates (BERs) are calculated while a plurality of predetermined bit detection modes are sequentially performed, one of the bit detection modes corresponding to the smallest one of the calculated BERs is selected and the data playback operation is performed in the selected bit detection mode.

Abstract: This optical disk device includes a read means which reads data from an optical disk upon which data is recorded at a variable bit rate for each sector. Moreover, this optical disk device includes a buffer memory which sequentially stores data which has been read by the read means, and a replay means which sequentially reads out and decodes data stored in the buffer memory, and replays that data. Furthermore, this optical disk device includes a control means which, when a command for special replay is issued, calculates the address of the sector currently being decoded by the replay means based upon the address of the sector currently being read by the read means, and upon the amount of data stored in the buffer memory. And the control means commands the read means to read out, from the optical disk, a sector to be jumped to.

Abstract: The drive apparatus of the present invention includes a recording/reproduction section and a drive control section. The drive control section determines a physical address indicating a location at which data can be recorded next in the determined track of a write-once recording medium as a next writable address, based on the last recorded address in the track; compares the physical address corresponding to the logical address included in the recording instruction with the next writable address; when the physical address corresponding to the logical address is smaller than the next writable address, controls the recording/reproduction section to record the data at a specific location in the user data area other than the location indicated by the physical address corresponding to the logical address in the recording instruction; generates new disc management information; and controls the recording/reproduction section to record the new disc management information in the disc management information area.

Abstract: An information recording medium 1 at least comprises a substrate 13 having a microscopic pattern 20, which is constituted by a shape of continuous substance of approximately parallel grooves formed with a groove section G and a land section L alternately, a recording layer 12 formed on the microscopic pattern 20 and a light transmission layer 11 formed on the recording layer. The microscopic pattern 20 is formed so as to satisfy a relation of P<?<NA and a thickness of the light transmission layer 11 is within a range of 0.07 to 0.12 mm, wherein P is a pitch of the groove section G or the land section L, ? is a wavelength of reproducing light beam and NA is a numerical aperture of an objective lens. Further, there provided an information recording medium, which is improved in cross erase and recorded in high density, and a reproducing apparatus and a recording apparatus for the information recording medium.

Abstract: In a track jumping scan control device wherein an optical beam is irradiated on an optical disc provided with a header region capable of a mark-recording operation with respect to both of land and groove tracks adjacent in a radial direction of the disc and comprising prepits, and a signal based on a reflected light resulting therefrom is used to make the optical beam jumping-scan with respect to a predetermined track, a full track jumping scan for making the optical beam track-jump between the land tracks or the groove tracks or a half track jumping scan for making the optical beam track-jump from the land track to the groove track or from the groove track to the land track is executed as the track jumping scan. Which of the two track jumping scans is executed is selected in accordance with a cycle at which the header region is set.

Abstract: The recording apparatus (300A) of the present invention includes a drive apparatus (320). The drive apparatus (320) includes a head section (334) for performing a recording operation or a reproduction operation for an information recording medium (100) and a drive control section (331) for controlling the head section (334). The drive control section (331) receives an update instruction including a third address indicating at least a part of the locations of the information recording medium (100) at which the first address information is recorded and the second address information.

Abstract: A recording medium equipped with recording/reproducing control information, and a method and apparatus for controlling the recording medium using the control information are disclosed. The recording medium includes: a data area in which data is recorded; and a management area in which control information is recorded, wherein the management area includes a plurality of first control information units equipped with the control information and a plurality of second control information units, the second control information unit being formed by grouping at least one first control information units among the plurality of first control information units, and the control information includes information indicating the number of consecutive second control information units among the plurality of second control information units. Therefore, the recording medium can be effectively controlled.

Abstract: A high-density optical disc such as BD-RE (Blu-ray Disc Rewritable) or BD-ROM, and a recording/reproducing method thereof are disclosed. Diverse additional information such as disc reflectivity information, disc layer information or disc type information is efficiently recorded in a particular information field included in a data unit recorded on the burst cutting area of a high-density optical disc or a particular 1-byte address field included in an address unit recorded on the high-density optical disc so that it can be read when the high-density optical disc is loaded in an optical disc apparatus or when a data recording or reproducing operation for the high-density optical disc is carried out. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve optimal optical power control and automatic gain control or identification of a current position, while enabling a normal data recording or reproducing operation corresponding to the type of the optical disc.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a maximum rotational speed of a recording medium, are discussed. The method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes determining an imbalance error of the recording medium, and variably setting a maximum rotational speed of the recording medium based on the determined imbalance error.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling the spin rate of an optical device. A device driver provides notification that media has been inserted into the optical device. A control service determines the format of information on the media. The spin rate of the optical device is locked or unlocked based on the format.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus allows an optical pickup to seek to a physical address 30000Hex, and controls high-speed CLV of a spindle motor to be 1.04-multiple speed of CLV so as to set rotational speed of the spindle motor at 1440 rpm, before reproducing information from NBCA. The optical disc apparatus acquires spindle output for the spindle motor during the CLV control, and calculates an average value of the acquired spindle output, and further stores the calculated average value. When reproducing the information of NBCA, the optical disc apparatus controls the spindle output to be the average value of the spindle output so as to control the rotational speed of the spindle motor at 1440 rpm. This makes it possible for the optical disc apparatus to reproduce the information of NBCA without using an FG.

Abstract: There is provided an information recording medium having a plurality of recording layers (layer L0, layer L1) for recording information. At least one of the recording layers (layer L0, layer L1) has a management information area where recording speed management information defining the maximum possible recording speed when recording information is recorded.

Abstract: An apparatus for setting an offset in a DVD player includes: an offset measuring unit which measures one or more offset parameters for initial reproducing operations of the DVD player; and an offset setting unit which, when the offset measuring unit measures the one or more offset parameters a number of times, calculates an average value of the measured offset values of the one or more offset parameters and sets, for each of the one or more offset parameters of the DVD player, the average value as a set offset value.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using physical synchronization markers during optical disc data acquisition are provided. In accordance with this invention, physical synchronization markers on optical discs and/or disc covers can be used to determine absolute and/or relative positions on the disc or cover and control data acquisition. A method for acquiring data includes detecting at least one physical synchronization marker and reading data in response to detecting the marker.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling operation of a motor system that addresses the design challenges for the small form factor optical disk system. The present invention includes starting the operation of a motor including windings and a rotor; placing the motor in a first operational state; driving the motor from the first operational state to a second operational state; and sensing a variation in an electrical waveform induced by driving of the motor to determine a cycle period from which the speed of the motor can be determined.

Abstract: In a rewritable compact disc having a wobble groove on a substrate, crystal and amorphous states of a phase-change recording layer are an unrecorded/erased state and a recorded state, respectively. When the recording layer is exposed to recording light, amorphous marks assuming the recorded state are formed. At any of 2-, 4- and 8-times velocities with respect to a reference velocity (1-times velocity) whose linear velocity is 1.2–1.4 m/s, modulation m11 of a recorded signal when the recording light of approximately 780 nm in wavelength irradiates the recording layer via an optical system with NA=0.5 or 0.55 is 60–80%. A topmost level Rtop of reflectivity of the eye pattern of the recorded signal during retrieving at the 1-times velocity is 15–25%, and a jitter of the individual length of marks and inter-mark spaces during retrieving at 1-times velocity is 35 ns or less.

Abstract: The invention relates to a record carrier of a disc-like optically inscribable type, having a preformed track in which an auxiliarily signal comprising a sequence of codes is recorded by means of a preformed track modulation. The codes comprise a sequence of address codes (AC) specifying the addresses of the track portions in which said address codes (AC) are recorded and special codes (SC). The special codes (SC) can be distinguished from said address codes (AC) and specify control data for controlling a recording by a recording device. The record carrier is provided with an extended area (XAA) proceeding a program calibration area (PCA), the extended area (XAA) comprising special codes (SC) representing additional control information for controlling a recording.

Abstract: Information indicative of disk-applicable recording speeds is incorporated in lead-out start time information within ATIP information that is recorded in pre-grooves located in a lead-in area of an optical disk. Once the optical disk is inserted in an optical disk recording device, the lead-out start time information is read out, so that recording is performed on the optical disk after a recording speed is automatically set to a highest settable speed value within a range specified by the read-out lead-out start time information. This arrangement can reliably prevent recording at speeds beyond predetermined limit values unique to the optical disk.

Abstract: An optical disc recording device controls a rotational rate of an optical disc and an optical disc recording device recording using a constant angular velocity method, thereby efficiently using the performance of the optical disc. A CPU reads management information (a maximum address value) for a farthest recording region, which is located at a circumference farthest from a center of the optical disc. A distance from the center of the optical disc to the farthest circumference of the recording region is calculated based on the read maximum address value. The rotational rate is calculated based on the calculated distance so that the recorded data rate of the farthest recording region is a maximum recorded data rate for the optical disc, and therefore is set to be used by a servo controller.

Abstract: The information medium of the present invention is provided with a lead-in region and a data region in which information signals can be recorded, wherein the lead-in region has a recordable portion in which information signals can be recorded. An identifier I1 specifying a recording speed that can be adopted when recording information signals to the data region is provided in the recordable portion of the lead-in region, increasing the precision with which the recording speed is specified.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce the time a host computer requires to recognize a recordable disc such as CD-R/CD-RW. The method includes the steps of determining whether or not an optical disc loaded in the optical disc recording/reproduction apparatus is an optical disc onto which data is likely to be written (S46), and if the preceding step S46 determines the loaded disc as an optical disc onto which data is likely to be written, acquisition of disc information required for recording on the optical disc is performed by the host computer inter-relatedly with a spinup in the same step (S47). Thus, the optical disc recording/reproducing apparatus returns the disc information to the host computer in step (S4E) without performing the step (S4D) for acquiring the disc information after the completion of the spinup (S4A) for the optical disc onto which data is likely to be written. Thus, the time required for recognizing a recordable disc can be reduced when the disc is loaded.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus comprises an information obtaining device which obtains necessary information for reproduction from a loaded recording medium and a reproduction control device which exerts control to reproduce recorded information from the recording medium based on the obtained information, and the apparatus prompts a user to select a type of the recording medium, accepts selection of the type of the recording medium from the user, and obtains the necessary information for reproduction from the recording medium according to the selected type of the recording medium.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus comprises a determination device which determines a type of a loaded recording medium, an information obtaining device which obtains necessary information for reproduction from the recording medium according to the determined type of recording medium and a reproduction control device which exerts control to reproduce recorded information from the recording medium based on the obtained information, and the apparatus prompts a user to select the type of the recording medium in the case where the determination device cannot determine the type of the recording medium or the information obtaining device cannot normally obtain the necessary information for reproduction, and accepts selection of the type of the recording medium from the user, and obtains the necessary information for reproduction from the recording medium according to the selected type of the recording medium.

Abstract: Conventionally, as in the case of switching between a DVD-R and a DVD-RAM, when the method of record mark arrangement in a track is changed, the physical format of the disk is also changed. This makes it difficult to ensure compatibility between pieces of data recorded by a plurality of different methods of record mark arrangement. According to the present invention, sector address data and block address data are recorded in each sector by using wobbling or deformation of a recording groove. Then, depending on which address is used, sector data structure is modified, thereby making it possible to select an address data detection and a data structure on a disk in a single physical format depending on the purpose.

Abstract: An information recording medium of this invention has a spiral track. The spiral track has one or more header fields per round of the spiral track, and a data field located between neighboring header fields. The data field has a variable length corresponding to an integer multiple of a predetermined length Lw so as to minimize a deviation between the n-th header field in a predetermined round of the spiral track, and the n-th header field in a round different from the predetermined round in the track direction.

Abstract: Conventionally, as in the case of switching between a DVD-R and a DVD-RAM, when the method of record mark arrangement in a track is changed, the physical format of the disk is also changed. This makes it difficult to ensure compatibility between pieces of data recorded by a plurality of different methods of record mark arrangement. According to the present invention, sector address data and block address data are recorded in each sector by using wobbling or deformation of a recording groove. Then, depending on which address is used, sector data structure is modified, thereby making it possible to select an address data detection and a data structure on a disk in a single physical format depending on the purpose.

Abstract: A disc playback system according to this invention, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a pickup 1 for reading information from an information disc 2 on which data are recorded at a constant linear velocity, a disc motor 16 for rotating the information disc 2, a digital signal processing means 7 for digitizing data according to the playback format of the information disc 2, an interface means 19 for transmitting the digitized data to an external device and a buffer memory 18 for temporarily containing the data, and further includes a means for detecting the linear velocity and track pitch of the information disc 2 to decide the reference value for the velocity control of the disc motor 16 on the basis of the detected values of the linear velocity and track pitch and the value of the maximum radius of the data record area. According to the so-constructed disc playback system, the maximum playback velocity of the system can be obtained even in the case of discs having different track pitches.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus of recording data onto a disk recording medium in zoned-CLV mode while adjusting recording speed and recording condition adequately at every speed change point between zones. The present invention detects a current recording position while recording data along a track of the disk recording medium, adjusts a recording speed and resets both a write strategy and a base B-level used for running OPC to be suitable for the adjusted recording speed. The present invention can record input data onto a writable disk with the most suitable writing condition at the highest allowable speed.

Abstract: This invention provides method and apparatus for controlling a reproduction speed of an optical disk, which detects the condition of an optical disk and changes the reproduction speed automatically to a pre-determined speed corresponding to the detected disk condition. The method according to this invention comprises the steps of detecting the condition of an optical disk through the characteristics of an RF signal reproduced from the optical disk; adjusting the reproduction speed of the optical disk to a pre-determined speed appropriate for the detected disk condition.

Abstract: When a recording condition judgement section (28) determines a recording condition of the recording of data onto a disk, and the recording is discontinued in response to the decision, a recording speed setting section (29) switches a recording speed to a speed one step slower than the previous recording speed. With this arrangement, when the recording condition is inferior, the recording is discontinued to thereby avoid a recording failure. Moreover, the recording speed is corrected stepwisely so that a disk adaptable recording speed can be set.

Abstract: An optical disc record carrier having at least one wobbled groove that permits information recording on both groove and land tracks is provided. Each groove has a sync wobbling modulated with a continuous signal and an address wobbling. The address wobbling includes an address portion including address information of each sector. The address portion comprising presence of a first predetermined number of wobbles and absence of a second predetermined number of wobbles. The presence and absence correspond to respective logical values of binary system. The grooves and lands are substantially the same in width throughout and wobble in phase.

Abstract: A DVD-RAM disk reproduction apparatus for reducing an error during detection of ID data, which includes a first operational amplifier for obtaining a sum signal resulting from the addition of four picked-up signals picked up by divided-by-four photodiodes from a DVD-RAM disk having a header region and a recording region, second and third operational amplifiers for respectively obtaining two sum signals corresponding to the upper and lower regions of the header region resulting from the addition of the first and second picked-up signals and the third and fourth picked-up signals, respectively, a fourth operational amplifier for obtaining a difference signal between the two sum signals, a header region detector for detecting upper and lower header region signals corresponding to the upper header region and the lower header region based on the difference signal, and detecting a header region signal corresponding to a header region by logically summing the two detected signals, a first multiplexer for selecting o

Abstract: An information recording medium of this invention has a spiral track. The spiral track has one or more header fields per round of the spiral track, and a data field located between neighboring header fields. The data field has a variable length corresponding to an integer multiple of a predetermined length Lw so as to minimize a deviation between the n-th header field in a predetermined round of the spiral track, and the n-th header field in a round different from the predetermined round in the track direction.

Abstract: The recording medium of this invention is recorded with a plurality of digital data and a plurality of reproduction path information defining a reproduction order of the plurality of digital data, wherein the plurality of reproduction path information includes first reproduction path information defining a reproduction order of all of the plurality of digital data recorded on the recording medium and second reproduction path information defining a reproduction order of at least one of the plurality of digital data recorded on the recording medium.

Abstract: An optical disc and associated recording/reproducing apparatus is described which creates and reads wobbled tracks on the optical disc. Wobbled tracks are formed in correspondence to a wobble signal which is phase modulated with address information. Phase modulation is used to convert the address information to the wobble signal. The carrier to noise ratio (C/N) of the address information is good, and it is possible to shorten the wobbling amplitude of the tracks while maintaining addressing capabilities. It is thus possible to arrange the track pitch in a high density, and increase the recording capacity of the optical disc.

Abstract: A disk recording or playback device comprises a pickup movable along the rear surface of a disk, a motor for moving the pickup, arithmetic means for calculating the position of the pickup on the disk, and timer means for measuring the time taken for the movement of the pickup. Predetermined for controlling the operation of the pickup are a specified distance L1 the pickup is to be moved, and a standard period of time T1 taken for the pickup to move the distance L1. The pickup is moved the specified distance L1 by energizing the motor, and the time taken for the movement and measured by the timer means is compared with the standard time T1. The voltage to be supplied to the motor is calculated from the result of comparison. When the measured time is approximate to the standard time T1, the value of the voltage for the motor is temporarily stored in a nonvolatile memory.