Abstract: An optical disc of write once type, a method and an apparatus of managing defect information on the optical disc of write once type, e.g., a BD-WO, are provided with a temporary defect management area (TDMA). The method includes preparing the temporary defect management area (TDMA) in which a temporary defect list (TDFL) is recorded as defect management information for managing a defective area on the optical disc, recording the most recent temporary defect list cumulatively with the previous temporary defect list in the temporary defect management area, and recording position information for indicating a position of the most recent temporary defect list in the temporary defect management area along with the temporary defect list to more effectively manage the temporary defect list.

Abstract: Method for managing a defective area on an optical disc of writable once type permitting, not only to read and reproduce a data written on a defective area of an optical disc, such as BD-WO regularly in data reproduction by writing the data on a spare area in place of the defective area and managing the data effectively, but also to select and search written location of defect list information, or TDFL information, which becomes effective as a disc finalize operation is executed, exactly, by writing and managing the TDFL information which is navigation information on the defective area, and the written location information and identification information which enable to select and search defect list information written in the DMA assigned to the LIA as the DDS information in a disc finalize operation, thereby permitting regular replacement writing operation, or regular replacement reproducing operation for the defective area.

Abstract: The optical disk is a data-writable optical disk and it has a defect processing selection area. Data indicating whether a defect processing is to be executed or not, or data indicating whether the defect processing is to be executed using a disk drive or using a computer is stored in the defect processing selection area. The address of this defect processing selection area is recorded by making the use of a wobbled guide groove.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for allocating a spare area to a recording medium, and a recording medium thereof. The method includes recording data in a data area of the recording medium according to a first recording operation, creating information regarding the adjusted spare area size, based on a defect contained in the recorded data, recording the information regarding the spare area and information regarding the defect, in the data recorded according to the first recording operation, as first temporary defect information in the data area, and recording defect management information for managing the first temporary defect information as first temporary defect management information in a temporary defect management information area which is present in at least one of a lead-in area, a lead-out area, and an outer area of the recording medium. Accordingly, a spare area is allocated to a recording medium according to the occurrence rate of defects in the recording medium, resulting in effective use of a data area.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for managing disc defects in a disc using a temporary defect management area in the disc, and the disc, where the method includes recording in a data area user data; and recording in a temporary defect management area, which is present in at least one of a lead-in area and a lead-out area, which temporary defect information and temporary defect management information regarding the user data recorded in the data area are recorded. Accordingly, the method and apparatus are applicable to recordable discs and capable of effectively using the defect management area.

Abstract: The invention provides a searching and recording method to search a corresponding replacement block for a defect block to correctly record digital data onto an optical recording medium. When the digital data which is designated to be recorded in a predetermined block in a data area of a target data management area (DMA) is determined to be recorded in another block, inspect the detect table to find an idle recording entry in a target detect table block (DTB) corresponding to the target DMA for recording. If no spared entry in the corresponding target DTB, sequentially leapfrog around the target DTB back and forth to search in the adjacent DTB for any idle entry. Record the digital data in a replacement block corresponding to the entry in the spare area of a DMA corresponding to the searched DTB.

Abstract: A recording medium having a spare area for defect management, and a method of allocating the spare area. A plurality of zones are formed as one group without prescribing the relationship between a zone and a group. Spare areas include a spare area for slipping replacement and a spare area for linear replacement. The spare are for slipping replacement is first allocated, and the spare area for linear replacement is allocated according to the size of an area remaining after the spare area for slipping replacement is used and the purpose for which a disc is used. When the spare area for linear replacement becomes deficient during use of the disc, a supplementary spare area for linear replacement is allocated in sequence from the rearmost of a logical file area, such that the spare area can be more flexibly and effectively allocated.

Abstract: A disc with a temporary defect management information area and a defect management area includes a defect management area that is present in at least one of a lead-in area, a lead-out area, and an outer area, a temporary defect information area which is formed in the data area and in which temporary defect information is recorded, and a temporary defect management information area which is present in at least one of the lead-in area, and the lead-out area. Accordingly, it is possible to record user data in a recordable disc, especially, a write-once disc, while performing defect management thereon, thereby enabling efficient use of a defect management area having a limited recording capacity.

Abstract: A disk apparatus of this invention includes a defect detection unit configured to detect a defect of a disk, a setting unit configured to set an actual recording area, where information can actually be recorded, of all recording areas of the disk on the basis of the defect detection result by the defect detection unit, and a recording unit configured to record user information in the actual recording area set by the setting unit.

Abstract: An information recording medium of this invention includes a lead-in area, data area and lead-out area and further includes a user area which is an area defined in the data area and in which user data is recorded, a list management area which is an area defined in at least one area among the lead-in area and lead-out area, for storing a spare area list for defining a spare area for compensating for a defective area existing in the user area by a preset capacity in a preset position in the data area, and a spare area defined in the data area by the spare area list stored in the list management area.

Abstract: An optical information storage medium includes a lead-in area, a user data zone in which user data is recorded, and a lead-out area. Write protection information is recorded in at least one of the lead-in area and the lead-out area, together with defect management information. Information is recorded and/or reproduced according to the defect management information and the write protection information. The write protection information indicates a size of a write protected area differentiated from a plurality of sizes of write protected areas of the optical information storage medium.

Abstract: In order to enable recording and reproduction from optical disks with defect management formatted with different group configurations without changing the firmware of the conventional apparatus and to allow the size of the spare area to be specified at initialization, the position information indicating the position of the defect management area is recorded in the control data area provided in the read-only area of the optical disk, and the information indicating the first address or size of the spare area is included in the defect management area.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for transferring data between a host device and a data storage device having a first memory space and a second memory space. The host issues access commands to store and retrieve data. The device stores write data associated with write commands in the first memory space pending transfer to the second memory space. An interface circuit evaluates relative proximity of first and second sets of LBAs associated with pending first and second write commands, and forms an adaptive bi-directional write skip mask when the sets of LBAs fit within a predetermined mask interval. The mask is preferably slidably adjustable to encompass both sets of LBAs and is preferably expandable to accommodate additional sets of LBAs. The data within the mask are treated as a combined write command and are thereafter written in an order corresponding to an order in which the data appear in the mask.

Abstract: An information recording medium includes a disk information area; a user area including a plurality of sectors; and a spare area including at least one sector which, when at least one of the plurality of sectors included in the user area is a defective sector, is usable instead of the at least one defective sector. The spare area is located radially inward from the user area. A physical sector number of a sector to which a logical sector number “0” is assigned, among the plurality of sectors included in the user area and the at least one sector included in the spare area, is recorded in the disk information area.

Abstract: A recording medium having a spare area for defect management and the management information of the spare area, a spare area allocation method, and a defect management method. When a primary spare area is allocated for slipping replacement and linear replacement upon initialization, and a remaining portion of the primary spare area after slipping replacement and allocated for linear replacement after initialization are insufficient, a supplementary spare area is allocated.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus for recording data into a recording medium taking as recording unit a sector corresponding to a predetermined amount of information signal, comprises a file management unit (5) to classify an information signal for recording into the recording medium (101) into a number, two or more, of groups depending upon the importance of the information signal, and a write/read unit (6) to record the information signal into the recording medium (101) while dealing with a defective sector, if any, in the recording medium (101) in a manner designated for the group to which the information signal has been classified to belong at the above classifying step, and record a highly important information signal, when a defective sector is found by checking up the information signal recorded in the recording medium (101), into another sector.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is reading out information correctly from a defective area when a recording medium having a plurality of defective management areas is used. If information is read out correctly from two or more defective recording areas of the recording medium, that information is used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for minimizing performance degradation resulting from reassignment of data to alternate sectors as a result of a defect within the original sector. For example, when a request for writing data “a” into a sector A is made but the data is written into an alternative sector A′ in an alternative sector area X because the sector A is defective. Therefore, when a write request for writing data “b” into a sector B is made subsequently, re-assignment is performed to a sector B′ subsequent to the alternative sector A′. Similarly, a defective sector C for which a request for writing data “c” is made is re-assigned an alternative sector C′. Thus, the successive data a, b, and c are written into the successive sectors A′, B′, and C′ in the same alternative sector area X, minimizing performance degradation.

Abstract: A method for managing a defective area of a write-once optical recording medium, and an optical recording medium using the same, are provided. The method includes steps of firstly writing replacement data in a predetermined area, the replacement data corresponding to a defective area detected during a data reproduction operation; secondly writing locator information in the predetermined area, the locator information indicating respective positions of the defective area and the corresponding replacement data; and thirdly writing a supplementary access pointer in a lead-in area, the access pointer for accessing the locator information written in the predetermined area. The predetermined area, which may be located inside or outside the data area, stores supplementary defect list information enabling data read operations when defective areas are newly detected by a host after recording data on a write-once type disc such as a BD-WO disc.

Abstract: A defective area on a write-once type optical recording medium, e.g., such as a BD-WO, is effectively managed with a method that can efficiently replace and/or record data that has been recorded in a defective area of the disc, e.g., in a spare area of a data area of the BD-WO. During the reproduction of data, the data that has been recorded and replaced can be read out and reproduced from an area other than a spare area. New TDFL information may be recorded cumulatively with the previous TDFL information as defect management information for the defective area, or repeatedly recorded at least twice in a certain recording region, e.g., a recording region chosen from a lead-in area, the data area, and a lead-out area, so that the temporary defect list information can be accurately and reliably secured.

Abstract: A recording medium of writable once type, and a method and apparatus for managing a defective area on the recording medium are provided. The method includes detecting an existence of a defective area within a data area of the recording medium once data are written onto the data area in a data writing operation; writing data written in the defective area onto a spare area of the data area if the defective area is detected; writing temporary management information pertaining to the defective area, onto a temporary management area on the recording medium; and writing access information for accessing the temporary management information, onto a reserved area on the recording medium.

Abstract: This invention provides an information recording medium, and a method and apparatus for writing to/reading from a recording medium in which a starting point of a spare area is variable relative to a starting point of a data area. Information concerning a variable boundary between the data area and the spare area is stored on the recording medium. A method and apparatus for writing/reproducing data to/from the recording medium is also provided. In a preferred embodiment, the recording medium is an optical disc.

Abstract: The optical disk is a data-writable optical disk and it has a defect processing selection area. Data indicating whether a defect processing is to be executed or not, or data indicating whether the defect processing is to be executed using a disk drive or using a computer is stored in the defect processing selection area. The address of this defect processing selection area is recorded by making the use of a wobbled guide groove.

Abstract: A disc recording apparatus (A) for writing data onto a sector providing a recording area (B2) on a magneto-optical disc (B) performs a retry upon failure in the writing until a predetermined number of retries is reached, treats the sector as a defective sector upon failure in the last retry of the predetermined number of retries, and writes the data onto another sector. During a physical formatting, A CPU (11) records in medium management information (B1) on the recording disc (B) a retry count as retry count information for each of recovered sectors recovered from the failure through success in the writing of data during the retry. When actual data is written onto the physically formatted magneto-optical disc (B), and upon detection of a defective sector failed in the writing of the actual data, the CPU (11) selects a replacement sector for the defective sector. The replacement sector has a retry count stored as the retry count information smaller than that of the defective sector.

Abstract: This invention provides an information recording medium, and a method and apparatus for writing to/reading from a recording medium in which a starting point of a spare area is variable relative to a starting point of a data area. Information concerning a variable boundary between the data area and the spare area is stored on the recording medium. A method and apparatus for writing/reproducing data to/from the recording medium is also provided. In a preferred embodiment, the recording medium is an optical disc.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for storing defect management information to record real time data and a corresponding medium and defect managing method and a medium and method of recording real time data. The recording medium stores information representing use or non-use of linear replacement defect management in which a defective area on the recording medium is replaced with the spare area, in order to record real time data. While maintaining compatibility between the defect managing method and a defect managing method based on a current DVD-RAM standard, i.e., while allowing a report of the fact that there are blocks which have not been linearly replaced, linear replacement is not performed when real time data is recorded. Thus, real time data can be recorded and reproduced.

Abstract: A recording medium for storing defect management information to record real time data, a defect managing method therefor, and a method of recording real time data. The recording medium stores information representing use or non-use of linear replacement defect management in which a defective area on the recording medium is replaced with the spare area, in order to record real time data. While maintaining compatibility between the defect managing method and a defect managing method based on a current DVD-RAM standard, i.e., while allowing a report of the fact that there are blocks which have not been linearly replaced, linear replacement is not performed when real time data is recorded. Thus, real time data can be recorded and reproduced.

Abstract: A recording medium for storing defect management information to record real time data, a defect managing method therefor, and a method of recording real time data. The recording medium stores information representing use or non-use of linear replacement defect management in which a defective area on the recording medium is replaced with the spare area, in order to record real time data. While maintaining compatibility between the defect managing method and a defect managing method based on a current DVD-RAM standard, i.e., while allowing a report of the fact that there are blocks which have not been linearly replaced, linear replacement is not performed when real time data is recorded. Thus, real time data can be recorded and reproduced.

Abstract: A method of recording drive information on an optical disc and an optical disc having drive information recorded using the method. The method of recording drive information comprises including a plurality of physical clusters in a drive region where disc drive information is recorded, recording the drive information in a set of a plurality of consecutive and available physical clusters, and recording an address of a reliable physical cluster, which is the first physical cluster of the plurality of consecutive and available physical clusters, in a separate region other than the drive region.

Abstract: A method for replacing a defective block with a good block in an optical disk allows data recording operations to be effectively performed. The method temporarily stores data that would have otherwise been recorded in a defective area of an optical disc in a temporary buffer. The method then stores the data in the temporary buffer in a spare area of the optical disc after the normal data recording operation is completed, or if the amount of data in the buffer exceeds a predetermined memory capacity. The method can continuously and quickly perform a general data recording operation, effectively avoid a system load increase due to frequent track movements on an optical disc, and appropriately record real-time data without the loss of data.

Abstract: A method for real time recording and playback of data to and from an optical recording medium, and a method for managing a file thereof is disclosed. In the present invention, the host controls real time data writing by providing a signal requesting for information on a defective area to the device for recording/playback of data to/from an optical disk before providing a write command. Accordingly, the write command is generated such that data is not written on the defective areas, based upon the returned information on the defective area. Alternatively, the host may first provide a write command to the device for recording/playback of data to/from an optical disk, upon which information on defective areas is returned. Thus, the host generates and provides a new write command such that data is not written on a defective area based upon the returned information on the defective area.

Abstract: A method and system for managing a plurality of defects that may cause an error during a write operation in a write-once data storage disk is provided. A host system sends a write command to a disk drive that contains the storage disk. The process detects any errors that may occur during the write operation. When an error is detected, a “skip list” containing the addresses of physical sectors on the disk that are to be skipped during a read operation is updated, the write operation is suspended, and the process attempts to rewrite the data in another sector. If the rewrite is performed successfully, the write operation continues. Otherwise, the write operation is terminated and the host device is notified. While the disk drive is operative, the skip list is preferably maintained in a buffer memory, but periodically the entries in the skip list are copied to the disk for permanent storage. Before a read operation begins, the skip list is copied from the disk to the memory.

Abstract: A recording medium and a spare area management method for an optical recording medium are provided. The spare area management method utilizes an identification information to indicate whether a primary spare area is full or a supplementary spare area has been assigned or extended, as necessary. The spare area management method improves the performance of the driver by replacing a defective block with a spare block nearer to the defective block.

Abstract: A method for managing data on an optical discincludes two different memory areas allocated in the memory of an optical disc drive, one is used to temporarily store an original defect table from the optical disc, the other is used to temporarily store new used-entries established during a data write-in. All newly established used-entries are sorted and stored in the same memory area but remain separate from the used-entries in the original defect table in the other memory area. Only when the optical disc drive stops accessing data, all used-entries in the two memory areas are combined and sorted, which results in an updated defect table written back onto the optical disc.

Abstract: A method comprises utilizing an optical disk drive to manage defects on an optical disk. When a targeted block is defective, the method writes all data in an original packet to an alternative packet without temporarily storing the data in a memory of the optical disk drive, thereby saving memory resources.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed to provide a defect map structure that can increase the throughput of a recording apparatus when the recording apparatus accesses a data recording medium. A defect register method according to the present invention includes the steps of detecting initial defective sectors, generating a primary defect map (PDM) where each absolute block address of initial defective sectors (D.ABA) is individually registered, discriminating a series of defective sectors consisting of a plurality of initial defective sectors with continuous D.ABA, which exist in the same track (tracks having the same cylinder identification number CYL and head identification number HED) from the individual resister PDM, and generating a PDM, where this series of defective sectors is registered in a batch, by registering a first absolute block address of the series of defective sectors (D.ABA.ST), and defective sector length (number of defective sectors D.LE) of the series of defective sectors.

Abstract: This invention provides an information recording medium, and a method and apparatus for writing to/reading from a recording medium in which a starting point of a spare area is variable relative to a starting point of a data area. Information concerning a variable boundary between the data area and the spare area is stored on the recording medium. A method and apparatus for writing/reproducing data to/from the recording medium is also provided. In a preferred embodiment, the recording medium is an optical disc.

Abstract: An optical disc and a method for recording data on the optical disc. The method for recording data on the optical disc capable of recording/reproducing includes the step of performing linking before a physical cluster in which recording starts to be continuously done. The recording method proposes a standard for handling continuous recording, overwriting and a defective region, thereby ensuring compatibility of a disc recording/reproducing apparatus while improving reliability of recording/reproducing of an optical disc.

Abstract: A method of recording digital information signals on a removable rewritable disc like recording medium, the method comprising recording user data on a logical area of the disc and, prior to removal of the disc out of a recording/reproducing apparatus, finalizing the disc with a lead-in and lead-out area comprising predefined medium format data. A general purpose area within the logical area for other use than recording of user data, is being reserved. Such as use may be for example defect management. Further the method involves interrupting recording a lead-in area or a lead-out area at predefined splice points whenever a request for user data is made.

Abstract: A disk drive has on-board soft error recovery procedures for recovering data following a soft error, and the capability to selectively disable or limit this feature. Preferably, a set of data storage devices are used to store heterogeneous data, i.e., to store some alphanumeric data, and some multimedia data. If a disk drive is selected for storage of multimedia data, the soft error recovery is disabled, and soft errors are simply transmitted to the host system as data. If each disk surface may be independently allocated to data of different types, soft error recovery may be independently disabled for each disk surface.

Abstract: In a rewritable optical recording medium, a recording surface is divided into a plurality of zones by setting pitch intervals in the radial direction to be constant and a data area and a spare area for a defective sector are allocated in each zone. As for a capacity of the spare area in each zone, a predetermined total capacity of spare areas is allocated so that a spare ratio K=D1/D2 of a capacity D2 of the spare areas for a capacity D1 of the data areas becomes almost the same in the zones.

Abstract: An apparatus (22) for recording and reproducing digital information uses a disk recording medium (23) in which data recording area is divided into plural zones in the radial direction, and defect information is managed for each zone. The apparatus comprises a formatting portion (26) for executing the formatting process of the disk recording medium (23), a detecting portion (24) for obtaining defect information that were detected in the last formatting process of the disk recording medium (23), and a controlling portion (25) for informing the formatting portion (26) of a zone to be formatted next in the decreasing order of the number of defects in accordance with the defect information obtained by the detecting portion (24).

Abstract: A storage medium initializing method includes steps of recording on a storage medium a management table configured to manage a replacement area for a defect area in a data area in the storage medium; recording a unique identification on the storage medium; and recording management data in the data area. The step of recording a unique identification includes recording the unique identification on the storage medium, but outside an area managed by the management data. The method optional includes initialization and cancellation steps.

Abstract: An information recording medium includes a data area for recording user data, and a defect management area for recording a defect list for managing N number of defect areas existing in the data area, where N is an integer satisfying N≧0. The defect list includes a header located at a fixed position in the defect list, N number of defect entries respectively including position information on positions of the N number of defect areas, and an anchor. The header, the N number of defect entries, and the anchor are located in this order. The header includes a defect list identifier for identifying the defect list, first update times information, and a defect entry number representing the number of the defect entries. The anchor includes an anchor identifier for identifying the anchor, and second update times information.

Abstract: A method for real time recording and playback of data to and from an optical recording medium, and a method for managing a file thereof is disclosed. In the present invention, the host controls real time data writing by providing a signal requesting for information on a defective area to the device for recording/playback of data to/from an optical disk before providing a write command. Accordingly, the write command is generated such that data is not written on the defective areas, based upon the returned information on the defective area. Alternatively, the host may first provide a write command to the device for recording/playback of data to/from an optical disk, upon which information on defective areas is returned. Thus, the host generates and provides a new write command such that data is not written on a defective area based upon the returned information on the defective area.

Abstract: Information recording media 101 and 102 usable for either a first recording density D1 or a second recording density D2 each include a user data area 106 in which user data is to be recorded, a first defect management information area 108 in which first defect management information for managing a defect area in the user data area is to be recorded, and a second defect management information area 109 in which second defect management information having an identical content to that of the first defect management information is to be recorded. The first and second defect management information areas 108 and 109 are located such that angles &thgr;1 and &thgr;2 made by start blocks thereof fulfill the relationships of 150°≦&thgr;1≦210° and 150°≦&thgr;2≦210° (&thgr;1: in the case of the first recording density, and &thgr;2: in the case of the second recording density).

Abstract: A multi-layered information recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, the multi-layered information recording medium comprising: a user data area for recording user data; and a plurality of spare areas including at least one replacement region, wherein when the user data area includes at least one defect region, the at least one replacement region may be used in place of the at least one defect region, wherein a first spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a first user data area of a first recording layer, a second spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a second user data area of a second recording layer, and the first spare area and the second spare area are positioned approximately at the same radial position on the multi-layered information recording medium.

Abstract: A multi-layered information recording medium comprising a plurality of recording layers, a user data area for recording user data, provided in at least two of the plurality of recording layers, and a defect list storing area for storing a defect list. When at least one defective area is detected in the user data area, the defect list is used to manage the at least one defective area.

Abstract: A technology for managing a defective area of a rewritable optical recording medium is disclosed. This technology (1) returns information on a defective area to a host when the defective area is first encountered, (2) writes the data intended for the defective area to another area within the user area (also known as the data area) under the control of the control unit, (3) writes positional information about the defective area on a particular position in the data area, and (4) corrects information in the ICB with reference to the positional information about the defective area. This prevents the reduction of recording capacity otherwise caused by the use of spare areas and improves an efficiency of use of the disk in a rewritable optical recording medium. This is achieved by replacing a defective block with another block within the data area only when a defect is encountered and making a file system to manage the defective areas.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is achieved by a security medium creating method for providing a recording medium with security, the method including a medium defect information acquiring step of acquiring medium defect information concerning a medium defect of a first recording medium including recording data requiring security, a medium defect information recording step of recording the foregoing medium defect information acquired by the foregoing medium defect information acquiring step on a second recording medium, and a false defect information recording step of recording false medium defect information in a predetermined defect information recording area in which the foregoing medium defect information of the foregoing first recording medium is recorded so as to provide the security, wherein an access to the foregoing first recording medium is made impossible by the foregoing false defect information recording step.