Having Unrecorded Location Indicating Patents (Class 369/53.24)
  • Patent number: 7266063
    Abstract: A method is used for calibrating a writing power of an optical storage carrier player. The player has an access device for writing data onto the optical storage carrier. The carrier includes a center, an inner power calibration area (first calibration area), a data storage area, and an outer power calibration area (second calibration area). The method determines a writing location of the data in the data storage area, and controls the access device to perform an optical power calibration process in either the inner power calibration area or the outer power calibration area according to the writing location. Once completed, the method then utilizes a result of the optical power calibration process to determine a required writing power, and finally controls the access device to write the data to the optical storage carrier in the writing location with the required writing power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: BenQ Corporation
    Inventors: Wai William Wang, Meng-Shin Yen, Tso-Tsai Chen
  • Patent number: 7263051
    Abstract: Audio-centered information is stored on a unitary medium by using a Table-of-Contents (TOC) mechanism that specifies an actual configuration of various audio items on the medium. In particular, each one of a set of one or more Track Areas gets at least two mutually logically conforming Sub-TOCs assigned. This allows to retrieve any constituent Sub-TOC part from at least any correct copy of the Sub-TOCs. Furthermore, one or more Master-TOCs are provided for specifically pointing to each of the Sub-TOCs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Johannes M. M. Verbakel, Johannes J. Mons, Muneyasu Maeda, Yoshizumi Inazawa, Tadao Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7251201
    Abstract: A method of searching a new writable address (NWA) for an optical recordable medium includes providing an optical pickup head and setting a first search starting point thereof; determining if NWA is located at the latest track and setting a search finishing point of the optical pickup head; setting a second search starting point as the distance between the search finishing point and the first search starting point is less than a first predetermined block time duration; decoding the stored digital information and lasting the step of decoding for a third predetermined block time from the first search starting point; and detecting whether a run-out block has been decoded during an N block time duration, wherein said N block time duration is less than said third predetermined block time duration, and determining said new writable address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Media Tek Inc.
    Inventor: Ping-Sheng Chen
  • Patent number: 7251207
    Abstract: A multi-level data processing method converts a binary data into a multi-level data having n bits per symbol, where n is an integer satisfying n?2. A {(n?1)×m}-bit binary data is arranged in upper (n?1) bits of multi-level data of m symbols, where m is an integer satisfying m?2, and a (m?k)-bit binary data is converted into m bits according to a predetermined conversion rule and arranged in a lower 1 bit of the multi-level data of m symbols, where k is an integer satisfying m>k?1, so as to convert a (n×m?k)-bit binary data into 1 set of multi-level data made up of m symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koubun Sakagami, Akihiko Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7230896
    Abstract: A bottom hold circuit generates a bottom hold signal (BH signal) from an RFDC signal from an RF amplifier, and sends it to a comparator. The comparator compares a reference level and the BH signal, and generates an Rfdet signal having H level if the BH signal was found to be lower than the reference level. The Rfdet signal is a signal having H level when a laser spot falls in a data-recorded area on an optical disk, and having L level when in a non-recorded area. When it was detected that Rfdet signal had H level throughout a single turn of the disk, a servo-processing microcomputer controls an optical pickup so as to apply tracking servo. This makes it possible to precisely detect a boundary position between the data-recorded area and non-recorded area. If the optical disk is decentered, the boundary area corresponded to the amount of decentering can successfully be isolated from the data-recorded area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Kobayashi, Takashi Enokihara
  • Patent number: 7224657
    Abstract: A compact disk (CD) recording end address compensation method is disclosed herein. The recording end address of the original recording session is compared with the recording start address of the second recording session. If two recording sessions are overlapped or staggered, the non-informational area such as pre-gap or Lead-out area is shortened or extended for compensate the mismatch. The invention makes it possible to ensure the desirable data be recorded without missing any piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Asustek Computer Inc.
    Inventor: Steve Lee
  • Patent number: 7221634
    Abstract: The rewriting counts in respective areas of a rewritable medium are uniformized. If empty areas are present on the rewritable medium rearward of a recording start position in terms of addresses, then data is recorded in those empty areas. When no empty areas become available rearward of the recording start position, data is then recorded in empty areas forward of the recording start position. The numbers of times that data is recorded in recording areas of the recording medium are thus averaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Motohiro Terao, Hideki Ando, Satoshi Katsuo, Takashi Furukawa, Hisao Tanaka, Masaki Hirose, Takayoshi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 7215622
    Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus of determining a recording location of a high-density recording medium. The present method determines a targeted recording location on a high-density rewritable or read-only recording medium based on successively-detected frame syncs or their combination that includes at least one frame sync written after the targeted recording location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Woon Suh, Jin Yong Kim, Ik Beom Jeon
  • Patent number: 7215626
    Abstract: An optical disk recording apparatus is configured to record information on a multilayer optical disk having a general information recording area for recording general information and a management information recording area for recording management information which manages general information recorded on this general information recording area. In this optical disk recording apparatus, meaningless information is recorded on an unrecorded area in the management information recording area of the optical disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kazuto Kuroda
  • Patent number: 7206263
    Abstract: Track jumping on optical storage media whose address information items invalidate the track error signal at time intervals is intended to be configured more securely and more reliably. For this purpose, at the end of a coarse jump, one or more correction jumps are carried out if the optical scanner is not presently sweeping over an address information area and the track change frequency of the tracks crossed by the scanner falls below a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Christian Büchler, Martin Kuner, Stefan Kimmelmann
  • Patent number: 7203147
    Abstract: A storage medium initializing method includes the steps of detecting a mode corresponding to a recording format to be loaded on a storage medium; and initializing the storage medium according to the mode detected in the detecting step. A recording and reproducing method and apparatus are configured to detect a type of storage medium loaded onto the apparatus and adjust the recording and reproducing processes accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kawakami, Toshihide Ooba, Katsuyuki Koizumi
  • Patent number: 7187636
    Abstract: A tilt of a light beam to be radiated onto an information recording disk is corrected without using a dedicated tilt sensor. The correction is performed based on the characteristic that an offset amount between a tilt amount maximizing an RF signal amplitude and a further tilt amount maximizing an LPP signal amplitude is constant and independent of positions on the same disk. A pre-pit signal indicative of an existence/nonexistence of a pre-pit formed on the disk is produced from returned light of the light beam, while an RF signal is produced from bits of information recorded on the disk on the basis of the returned light. An optimum tilt-correcting amount is decided by making use of a relationship between the pre-pit signal and the RF signal at a particular tilt amount. The tilt amount is corrected using the optimum tilt-correcting amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Kato, Tatsuhiro Yone, Shigeru Yoshida, Kanji Ishihara
  • Patent number: 7177240
    Abstract: Optical disc systems and methods for controlling movement of an optical pickup to an innermost perimeter of an optical disc using track information are provided. For example, an optical disc system includes an optical pickup that includes a tracking actuator, a focus actuator, and an objective lens and radiates a laser beam onto the optical disc to detect light reflected from the optical disc. The optical disc system also includes a radio frequency amplifier, a sled motor, a servo driver, and a servo signal processor that includes an optical pickup movement determiner and outputs a servo control signal, the optical pickup movement determiner determining from a track-related signal whether tracks are detected on the optical disc at a current position of the optical pickup and outputting a track determination signal indicating whether the optical pickup has moved to the innermost perimeter of the optical disc, based on the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Je-Kook Kim, Young-Wook Jang
  • Patent number: 7145586
    Abstract: Marking an optical disc based on information related to the data side thereof is disclosed. Information related to the data side of the optical disc is first determined. A marking based on the data side of the optical disc as has been read is then written with a laser to a label area on either the data side or the label side of the optical disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Daryl Anderson, Mitchell A. Abrams, Michael A. Pate, Andrew L. Van Brocklin, Lawrence J. Gutkowski, Charles R. Weirauch
  • Patent number: 7126895
    Abstract: A method is designed for recording data on a recordable area of an optical disk by irradiating thereto an optical beam having a writing power effective to write the data in the recordable area including a non-recorded area which is blank and a recorded area which is recorded with old data. The method is performed by the step of performing either of an initial writing operation or an overwriting operation for recording of new data on the optical disk, the initial writing operation irradiating the optical beam onto the non-recorded area to initially write the new data, the overwriting operation irradiating the optical beam onto the recorded area to write the new data over the old data, and the step of controlling to change the writing power of the optical beam between the initial writing operation and the overwriting operation so as to secure the recording of the new data in both of the initial writing operation and the overwriting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Seiya Yamada
  • Patent number: 7102974
    Abstract: To provide a method for optimizing the optical output from an optical head when recording data onto an optical disk, each time a suspension of data recording onto the disk is determined, the optical head reads data recorded onto the disk before the suspension, and recording state of this data is judged. Based on the judged recording state, the optical output from the optical head to be emitted when resuming the data recording is controlled. A timing at which to suspend data recording can be desirably set, so that the recording state of the recorded data in the disk can be judged at desirable timing in data recording operation, so that the optical output from the optical head is controlled based on the judged recording state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Tsukihashi, Yasushi Hanamoto, Katsuki Hattori
  • Patent number: 7085214
    Abstract: Data is recorded on packet basis to a track of an optical recording medium and the data is pseudo-erased by erasing contents information of the track having the data. Information indicating the end position of the packet containing the data is recorded on the optical recording medium and a new data is recorded to the track where the data has been pseudo-erased in accordance with the information indicating the end position of the packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yukio Shishido
  • Patent number: 7082089
    Abstract: Data is recorded on packet basis to a track of an optical recording medium and the data is pseudo-erased by erasing contents information of the track having the data. Information indicating the end position of the packet containing the data is recorded on the optical recording medium and a new data is recorded to the track where the data has been pseudo-erased in accordance with the information indicating the end position of the packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yukio Shishido
  • Patent number: 7079462
    Abstract: In an optical disk data erasing apparatus, it is judged whether a loaded optical disk is a write-once optical disk or not, and when the optical disk is a write-once optical disk, disk recording information of the optical disk is obtained according to an instruction from a host computer, and overwriting of the optical disk is performed by irradiating the optical disk with a laser beam having a recording power equal to or higher than that at recording, thereby erasing data recorded on the optical disk. Therefore, the optical disk data erasing apparatus can completely erase the data recorded on the optical disk, easily and inexpensively, without having to use a special apparatus, and without generating substances detrimental to environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Yokokawa
  • Patent number: 7079463
    Abstract: In an optical disk data erasing apparatus, it is judged whether a loaded optical disk is a write-once optical disk or not, and when the optical disk is a write-once optical disk, disk recording information of the optical disk is obtained according to an instruction from a host computer, and overwriting of the optical disk is performed by irradiating the optical disk with a laser beam having a recording power equal to or higher than that at recording, thereby erasing data recorded on the optical disk. Therefore, the optical disk data erasing apparatus can completely erase the data recorded on the optical disk, easily and inexpensively, without having to use a special apparatus, and without generating substances detrimental to environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Yokokawa
  • Patent number: 7068578
    Abstract: In an information recording device and method, user data are recorded in a recording medium having two or more recording layers and having a data area in which user data is recordable for each recording layer. A closing command is received after recording of user data in the data area of the recording medium is performed in response to a user-data write request. A minimum amount of lead-out data are written to the recording medium following an end position of the recorded user data in the data area of the recording medium, based on the received closing command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takanobu Matsuba
  • Patent number: 7023779
    Abstract: An optical disc storing a copyrighted digital product has a data area in which N processed parts are provided in order to certify that the stored digital product is an original one. A BCA provided on the optical disc stores judgment criteria information as well as N pieces of physical feature information. The judgment criteria information includes a numeric value N being the total number of processed parts, and a numeric value M being an integer between 0 and N inclusive and representing the security level to be assured for the digital data stored. When a numeric value P being the total number of processed parts in a normal state exceeds the numeric value M, a reproduction device reproduces the optical disc. When the numeric value P falls short of the numeric value M, the reproduction device does not reproduce the optical disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiichi Kawashima, Takashi Yumiba, Kouichi Morioka
  • Patent number: 7023780
    Abstract: A link writing method for a recordable or rewritable compact disk includes recording a writing interruption address and enabling a succeeding writing process after the writing interruption. Enabling a succeeding writing process includes searching the linking area and enabling a start writing signal and activating a laser power. The method can link a succeeding writing area with a previously written interrupted area with sufficient accuracy to allow the data frame to be successfully processed by error correction within the host drive. The linking area may be positioned by counting the values of the interrupted block, the interrupted data frame, and the interrupted bit count or by detecting a blank area. Other techniques for positioning the linking area include detecting an unwritten area having a length greater than a maximum or writing a characteristic pattern after an interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
    Inventors: Jyh-Shin Pan, Chao-Long Tsai
  • Patent number: 7020060
    Abstract: A CPU (50) generates a real recording address y from y=n(x?m)+m, where absolute time x is obtained from an ATIP decoder (48). Recording density scale factor is denoted by n and recording start address is denoted by m. Using the real recording address y, an encoder (40) performs encoding and data recording is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Tsukihashi
  • Patent number: 7016281
    Abstract: An optical disc that has a recognition mark area behind a recorded area and in which the last data in the recorded area is stably accessed, the recognition mark area can be accessed without bringing about an abnormal state, and the first data in a succeeding recorded area, if it exists, is stably accessed. An unrecorded area (5) is provided outside the recorded area (4) of the optical disc (1). A mark area (6) is provided between the recorded area (4) and unrecorded area (5). A recognition mark area (6d) is provided in the mark area (6) in order to recognize the boundary between the recorded area (4) and the unrecorded area (5). In the mark area (6), first and second buffer areas (6b and 6c) are provided respectively in front of and behind the recognition mark area (6d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kanda, Mitsurou Moriya, Mitsuteru Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 6996049
    Abstract: An optical disk recording apparatus is configured to record information on a multilayer optical disk having a general information recording area for recording general information and a management information recording area for recording management information which manages general information recorded on this general information recording area. In this optical disk recording apparatus, meaningless information is recorded on an unrecorded area in the management information recording area of the optical disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kazuto Kuroda
  • Patent number: 6987631
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of reading and writing data from and to a data storage device is provided. One method of practicing the present invention comprises placing, or leaving an unused track, row or column adjacent to a medium track containing apparatus information. Another method of practicing the present invention comprises placing, or leaving an unused track, row or column adjacent to both sides of the medium track containing the apparatus information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Iomega Corporation
    Inventor: Darren Glen Moss
  • Patent number: 6970409
    Abstract: An information recording apparatus capable of detecting an accurate tracking error even if a reflectance or a transmittance of respective information recording layers varies when information is recorded onto a multilayer optical information recording medium having a plurality of information recording layers, wherein the apparatus comprises a detecting device for detecting a position of a boundary portion between a recorded area where the information has already been recorded and an unrecorded area in the information recording layer; an inhibiting device for inhibiting recording the information onto an area in one information recording layer in a case where the boundary portion in an information recording layer may affect a tracking servo for recording the information onto said one information recording layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Araki, Takanori Maeda
  • Patent number: 6963526
    Abstract: When data in a volume in the excess of a specification of a disc is recorded on an optical disc (D) (overburn recording), overburn area information indicating a position to terminate data recording is set in a volatile memory (333) of an optical disc recording apparatus (300). The optical disc recording apparatus records the data in an overburn area of the optical disc by referring to the overburn area information set in the volatile memory and terminate the recording of the data when the recording position in the current point in time agrees with the position to terminate recording indicated by the overburn area information that is set in a second storage area (333b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Takemoto, Hisanori Itoga
  • Patent number: 6928041
    Abstract: A pre-pit detecting apparatus which, when a light beam is radiated onto an optical recording medium having a recording surface with pre-pits repeatedly formed between tracks, receives light reflected by the recording surface with first and second light receiving faces, obtains the push-pull signal corresponding to the light receiving signals for the first and second light receiving faces, and binarizes the push-pull signal by using a threshold value to generate a pre-pit detection signal. It is judged which area of a plurality of areas including at least a not-yet-recorded area corresponds to a position of the recording surface where the light beam is radiated is performed to judge. Then the threshold value is set in accordance with the judgement result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Kato, Naoharu Yanagawa, Tatsuhiro Yone, Yuko Muramatsu, Shinji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6928037
    Abstract: A method for playing a recording medium, in particular an optical storage disc, used to access titles more quickly. Stored in a run-in area of the recording medium is at least one address area that includes at least one address of a beginning of a title stored on the recording medium. The recording medium is played in a player having a read device. When the at least one address area is read out, the at least one address of a title beginning is converted to a start time of exactly one time unit and stored in a memory, with the start time corresponding approximately to the playing time of the recording medium up to the addressed title beginning. To position the read device at the beginning of the title, the track jump time is calculated directly from the corresponding start time stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Maier, Thomas Freitag
  • Patent number: 6898172
    Abstract: A hybrid disc including a preformed portion; and the preformed portion including a partial preformed session and a writeable portion including a wobbled groove which is adapted to be written to by a writer to complete the partial preformed session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Donald A. Fairman, Bruce Ha, William J. Mueller, Larry L. Smearer
  • Patent number: 6882609
    Abstract: In the context of a DVD-RAM read-type architecture in which an optical storage medium (20) makes use of an eccentric wobble (164) to attain synchronisation information, a wobble PLL (179) is held in an acquired state whenever header regions (32, 33) embossed at regular intervals across the optical storage medium (20) are detected. More specifically, large dc variations associated with voltage spikes caused by header regions (32, 33) are scaled (260) relative to a dynamically varying amplitude envelope of the extracted wobble signal (164), such as to identify a start location (300) for each header region. The wobble PLL (179) is effectively allowed to free-run and hold state during periods of header, thereby mitigating the likelihood that the wobble PLL will loose lock during the header regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Williams, David I. Boddy, Nicholas A. I. Mihailovits
  • Patent number: 6879554
    Abstract: A method for reproducing information recorded on a disc is provided. In the method, a reproduction signal is irradiated towards the disc to produce a corresponding read signal. Also, the reproduction signal is positioned at a first position within a non-program area of the disc and is attempted to be focused on the disc. If the reproduction signal is focused on the disc, the method determines if the read signal has a valid signal level. If the read signal does not have the valid signal level when the reproduction signal is positioned at the first position, the reproduction signal is moved to a second position within a program area of the disc while the reproduction signal remains focused on the disc. Then, the method determines if the read signal has the valid signal level when the reproduction signal is positioned at the second position. Also, a disc player that employs the method and a software program that instruct a controller to perform operations in accordance with the method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Shimamura, Kenichi Takahashi, Shinya Honjou, Takashi Sasaki, Koichi Kikuchi, Yoshihiro Hashizuka, Hideaki Yoshimura, Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6876615
    Abstract: Data is recorded on packet basis to a track of an optical recording medium and the data is pseudo-erased by erasing contents information of the track having the data. Information indicating the end position of the packet containing the data is recorded on the optical recording medium and a new data is recorded to the track where the data has been pseudo-erased in accordance with the information indicating the end position of the packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yukio Shishido
  • Patent number: 6850473
    Abstract: An optical disc apparatus, such as CD-WO and the like, realizes stabilization of a waiting state after recording to an optical disc, and realizes stabilization during switching of rotational speed. The optical disc apparatus has a CPU for performing an administration which makes a laser pickup follow a track in a predetermined area on the optical disc, seek a head of the area when the laser pickup exceeds the area, and repeat the following operation and the seeking operation until a next command is issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaki Toyota
  • Patent number: 6845069
    Abstract: An information editing apparatus for editing recording information already recorded on a write-once recording medium such as DVD-R is provided. In this apparatus, a remaining capacity in the DVD-R is detected. Then, it is determined whether the recording information can be edited or not on the basis of the detected remaining capacity and an amount of information to be recorded in the unrecorded area by editing the recording information. Further, a result of the determination is notified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Nakahara, Takao Sawabe, Nobuyuki Takakuwa, Masayoshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6845073
    Abstract: An information playback apparatus is provided, which displays the status of playback in a way more suitable to the human sense as well as detects and then displays as new information the feature characteristic of audio information such as a music selection. The frequency of occurrence of variations in amplitude of audio information to be played back is measured at each predetermined frequency. The measured frequency of occurrence is displayed in a predetermined area of a display unit as the feature information of beat densities with respect to the playback elapsed time of the audio information to be played back. An index display unit is displayed in a substantially circular playback speed display unit. The amount of audio information to be sequentially played back corresponding to elapsed time is divided by a predetermined value to determine a remainder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamada, Tomohiko Kimura, Koichiro Sakata, Takeaki Funada, Hiroyuki Isobe, Junichi Takagaki, Tetsuya Kikuchi, Gen Inoshita, Ko Atsumi
  • Publication number: 20040257937
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Hisae Kato, Yoshikazu Yamamoto, Hiroshi Ueda, Motoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 6834034
    Abstract: In an optical disk data erasing apparatus, it is judged whether a loaded optical disk is a write-once optical disk or not, and when the optical disk is a write-once optical disk, disk recording information of the optical disk is obtained according to an instruction from a host computer, and overwriting of the optical disk is performed by irradiating the optical disk with a laser beam having a recording power equal to or higher than that at recording, thereby erasing data recorded on the optical disk. Therefore, the optical disk data erasing apparatus can completely erase the data recorded on the optical disk, easily and inexpensively, without having to use a special apparatus, and without generating substances detrimental to environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Yokokawa
  • Publication number: 20040223437
    Abstract: An optical disc playback apparatus, which has an optical pickup receiving reflected light from an optical disc, comprises a signal level detector that detects a level of a signal obtained from the reflected light; and a determining circuit that, based on the level, determines which side the optical pickup is located on, an information recording area or an information non-recorded area of the optical disc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Sanyo Electric Co, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shiono
  • Patent number: 6816446
    Abstract: An optical recording apparatus includes a CD-R drive which writes data to a CD-R. A close session processor performs session closing in order to enable a CD-ROM drive, which is only capable of reading data, to read information written to the CD-R. An LCD panel displays information concerning session closing performed by the close session processor. A control unit causes the LCD panel to display the information concerning session closing based on whether session closing has been performed by the close session processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Chisato Yoshida, Fumihiko Kaise
  • Publication number: 20040213117
    Abstract: A method for reproducing contents of an information recording medium, having at least one data zone, is disclosed, wherein a determination is made as to whether the entirety of a requested reproduction zone included in the data zone of the information recording medium contains data, or at least a part thereof belongs to a non-recorded zone at a predetermined timing on or after a point in time when the reproduction request is made. Then, when a reproduction request is made for a reproduction zone including such non-recorded zone, it is subsequently determined at the predetermined timing that the non-recorded zone is present in the reproduction zone, and an error process starts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20040208100
    Abstract: An optical disc that has a recognition mark area behind a recorded area and in which the last data in the recorded area is stably accessed, the recognition mark area can be accessed without bringing about an abnormal state, and the first data in a succeeding recorded area, if it exists, is stably accessed. An unrecorded area (5) is provided outside the recorded area (4) of the optical disc (1). A mark area (6) is provided between the recorded area (4) and unrecorded area (5). A recognition mark area (6d) is provided in the mark area (6) in order to recognize the boundary between the recorded area (4) and the unrecorded area (5). In the mark area (6), first and second buffer areas (6b and 6c) are provided respectively in front of and behind the recognition mark area (6d).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kanda, Mitsurou Moriya, Mitsuteru Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20040170102
    Abstract: An input signal is quantized into a quantization-resultant signal. The quantization-resultant signal is compressed into a compression-resultant signal. The compression-resultant signal is formatted into a formatting-resultant signal corresponding to a predetermined format for a digital recording disc. The formatting-resultant signal includes segments corresponding to user data areas prescribed in the predetermined format. The compression-resultant signal is placed in the segments of the formatting-resultant signal. The formatting-resultant signal is encoded into an encoding-resultant signal of a CD format. The encoding-resultant signal is recorded on a recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2004
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: Victor Company of Japan, LTD
    Inventors: Shoji Ueno, Norihiko Fuchigami, Yoshiaki Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20040170098
    Abstract: An information recording medium includes a data area for recording data; and a drive information area for recording at least one piece of drive information. The data area is divided into a plurality of segmented areas in a radial direction of the information recording medium. Each at least one piece of drive information includes a recording and reproduction condition corresponding to at least one of the plurality of segmented areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Fukushima, Hiroshi Ueda, Motoshi Ito, Kenji Takauchi
  • Publication number: 20040156283
    Abstract: An information recording apparatus includes: a unit for applying a predetermined processing to record information divided into error correction units and generating processed record information including a plurality of record units; and a unit for recording the processed record information on an information record medium; a unit for recording, after the recording of the processed record information, predetermined dummy information of an information amount corresponding for the plurality of record units, on the information record medium, subsequent to the processed record information recorded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventors: Kazuo Kuroda, Toshio Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20040151100
    Abstract: A method for searching for at least one recordable area in which real time data can be recorded from at least one empty area included in an information recording medium includes a first step of setting at least one of a starting end and a terminating end of the section so as to match at least one of a starting end and a terminating end of at least one empty area, and determining whether or not the section fulfills an unused area condition regarding the size and the number; and a second step of determining at least one empty area, included in an area on an information recording medium including at least one section fulfilling the unused area condition, as a recordable area in which real time data can be recorded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Akito Harada, Yoshiho Gotoh
  • Publication number: 20040151101
    Abstract: Optical recording medium having an indication of a recording capacity, and method for indicating a recording capacity of an optical recording medium facilitates recording or reproducing of an accurate amount of data by indicating the initial recording capacity determined by default and the varied recording capacity by additional allocation of the spare area and the like on particular area of the optical recording medium, and conducting the data writing or reading with reference to the initial recording capacity or the varied recording capacity depending on a state of variation of the recording capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Cheol Park, Kyu Hwa Jeong
  • Publication number: 20040145990
    Abstract: A writable area detection device for an optical recording/reproducing apparatus comprises a waveform rectification unit for comparing an RF signal read from a user data area of a recording medium with a reference signal, and outputting a rectified pulse signal; a pulse generation unit for generating a signal having a pulse width including a section in which a high frequency signal of the rectified pulse signal is regularly distributed; a latch unit for latching the signal generated in the pulse generation unit; and a detection unit for detecting the section in which the high frequency signal is regularly distributed by using an output signal of the latch unit and an output signal of the pulse generation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Soo-Jung Chang, Gae-Ok Cho, Jung-Eun Lee