Abstract: Four ECC blocks are recorded in a burst cutting area of an optical disc. Each ECC block is constituted by a BCA content code of 1 byte, content data length of 1 byte, and content data of 14 bytes. Of the BCA content data, the leading 6 bits are used for application ID and the remaining 2 bits are used for block number. Disc ID is stored in the content data. Since the four ECC blocks exist, the optical disc can be managed individually by four applications at the maximum. Thus it becomes possible to manage the same optical disc by a plurality of applications.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first circuit, a second circuit and a disc. The first circuit may be configured to (i) extract video data as data blocks from an input signal and (ii) perform error correction on the data blocks with a delta syndrome based iterative Reed-Solomon decoding. The second circuit may be configured (i) to decode corrected video data into a video format in a first state, (ii) encode the corrected video data a second state and (iii) share an external memory between the first circuit and the second circuit. The disc may be configured to store encoded video data in the second state.

Abstract: A method is provided of data storage by encoding a bit stream on a surface. The method involves printing coded data on the surface which encodes the bit stream, and printing alignment data on the surface which is indicative of a position of the coded data on the surface. The alignment data has a first registration structure indicative of a plurality of reference points indicative of a position of the coded data in an alignment direction, and a second registration structure indicative of a plurality of reference points indicative of a position of the coded data in a direction perpendicular to the alignment direction.

Abstract: A data decoding apparatus has: a check matrix including a submatrix which indicates a parity restriction and used for LDPC decoding; a first decoding module configured to decode data by using the submatrix so that the parity restriction is satisfied; and a second decoding module configured to LDPC-decode the decoded data by using the check matrix.

Abstract: An error correction device for an optical disk reproduction unit for reproducing recorded information from an optical disk recorded with a code row data added with an error code in the same direction as a sequence of recorded information in the recording portion of the optical disk, and recorded guide information recorded in an inerasable state as a guide for recording the code row data before the code row data is recorded, wherein a prepit decoder as a first position detection portion is configured to detect a physical configurational singular point in the recorded guide information as a first position, a second position generating portion is configured to generate a second position replacing the first position detected by the prepit decoder with the code row data position, and an error correction circuit is configured to erase-correct error in the code row data using the second position.

Abstract: An ECC block is constituted by RS(248,216,33). Of a data length of 216 bytes (symbols), only 16 bytes are allocated to BCA data and the remaining 200 bytes are used for fixed data having a predetermined value. Using the fixed data of 200 bytes and the BCA data of 16 bytes, parities of 32 bytes (symbols) are caculated. Only the BCA data of 16 bytes and the parities of the former 16 bytes of the 32-byte parities, that is, a total of 32 bytes only, are recorded in a burst cutting area of an optical disc. In decoding, error correction processing is carried out by using the fixed data of 200 bytes. The unrecorded parities of 16 bytes are processed as having been erased. Thus the error correction capability in a burst cutting area of an optical disc can be improved.

Abstract: Performing multiple Reed-Solomon (RS) software error correction coding (ECC) Galois field computations simultaneously in a RISC processor. A means is presented by which multiple Galois field computations are performed in parallel with one another. Processor, memory, and plurality of adders and/or multipliers are implemented appropriately to allow parallel Galois field computations to be performed. Multiplexing can be performed to govern the writing of resultants (generated using the adders and/or multipliers) back to the memory via feedback paths. This approach allows for parallel (as opposed to serial) implementation of the software ECC corrections with minimal area and power impact. In other words, very little space is required to implement this approach is hardware with nominal increase in power consumption, and this slight increase in power consumption provides a significant increase in ECC correction capability using this approach.

Abstract: A method of controlling a memory device connectable to a host for sending out a command to the memory device, having a medium including a plurality of sectors, a head for writing data into and reading data from the medium, and a buffer memory for storing information, the method has receiving information indicating an error of data read out from a sector by the memory device and storing identification information of the sector where the error has been detected in the buffer memory and receiving information indicating an error of data read out from a sector by the host and storing in the buffer memory identification information of the sector where the error has been detected such that in the absence of vacant area in the buffer memory, the identification information is written over into an address where information of sector error detected by the memory device has been stored.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus includes a storage unit including a plurality of memory elements each capable of holding an electric charge, each memory element indicating a 2-bit code which is related to each other so that the Hamming distance between adjacent codes is unity in four ranges determined by a charge amount with respect to three threshold values with the minimum or maximum value thereof as a fixed value; a reading unit that reads each 2-bit code by the charge amount which is held in each memory element using the three threshold values corresponding to each memory element; an error detector that detects whether a first bit string consisting of right bits of the 2 bit codes read or a second bit string consisting of left bits of the 2 bit codes read has an error; and a threshold changing unit that, upon detection of the error, changes a threshold value corresponding to the bit string having the error other than a fixed threshold value to secure a correct bit string.

Abstract: A device can receive information to be stored in a first part of a first portion of a block, read previously-stored information from a second part, and store the specified information in the first part and simulate storage of the previously-stored information in the second part while generating error detection information which is then stored in a second portion of the block. The device can read a specified subset of sections in a block, use part of each section to detect and/or correct an error in another part thereof, while avoiding reading the error detection information unless a section in the subset has an uncorrected error. Detected errors are corrected with successive correction stages, while maintaining for each section being processed in the stages a count of the number of other sections which are thereafter read in succession without error.

Abstract: A dynamic threshold detector for a magnetic storage medium comprises a transition detector that receives data comprising pairs of values based on data received from the magnetic storage medium, each of the pairs of values including a first value and a second value, and that determines states of the first and second values in the pairs. A threshold selector varies a magnitude of a threshold based on the determined states.

Abstract: A data storage format for encoding a bit stream on or in a surface. The format includes at least one data portion which encodes a data sequence including the bit stream followed by corresponding redundancy data. The data sequence is formed from interleaved codewords, each of which encodes at least part of the bit stream and redundancy data associated with the respective bit stream part. This allows errors in the data to be corrected by writing corrected data to the store, whilst the bit stream is maintained contiguously.

Abstract: An information storage medium includes a drive zone having a plurality of physical clusters or ECC blocks. When new drive data is recorded in the drive zone, the new drive data is recorded in a physical cluster or ECC block next to the physical cluster or ECC block containing the most recently recorded drive data. In the method of recording drive data, the drive data is recorded in a physical cluster or ECC block of the drive zone. When the drive zone is updated with the new drive data, the new drive data is recorded in the physical cluster or ECC block adjacent to physical cluster or ECC block containing the most recently drive data. The drive data recording method is applicable to a new format of information storage medium.

Abstract: A method for accelerating a tape backup system restore process receives a list of files that are to be restored and searches a tape catalogue to find tape volume and file sequence numbers for each file in the list of files, where the catalogue is an alphabetical listing of the contents of one or more backup tape volumes. The process appends the tape volume and file sequence numbers for each of the files to the list of files and then sorts the list of files according to tape volume and file sequence number. Accordingly, a list is obtained including the files that are to be restored, ordered according to the location of the files on the backup tape volumes. The restore process is accelerated by restoring files sequentially from this list and skipping over any intermediate files that are not on the list.

Abstract: When the miniaturization of a DRAM advances, the capacity of a cell capacitor decreases, and further the voltage of a data line is lowered, the amount of read signals remarkably lowers, errors are produced during readout, and the yield of chips lowers. To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a DRAM that: has an error correcting code circuit for each sub-array; detects and corrects errors with said error correcting code circuit in both the reading and writing operations; and further has rescue circuits in addition to said error correcting code circuits and replaces a defective cell caused by hard error with a redundant bit.

Abstract: Circuits, architectures, methods and algorithms for joint channel-code decoding of linear block codes, and more particularly, for identifying and correcting one or more errors in a code word and/or for encoding CRC (or parity) information. In one aspect, the invention focuses on use of (i) remainders, syndromes or other polynomials and (ii) Gaussian elimination to determine and correct errors. Although this approach may be suboptimal, the present error checking and/or detection scheme involves simpler computations and/or manipulations than conventional schemes, and is generally easier to implement logically.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining output signals of a Viterbi decoder. Firstly, in step (a), a plurality of digital signals are received through a path memory module of the Viterbi decoder with decoding an input signal; in step (b) the received digital signals in step (a) are compared with a default number; and in step (c), an output according to the comparison result provided by step (b) is determined.

Abstract: An information storage medium includes a drive zone having a plurality of physical clusters or ECC blocks. When new drive data is recorded in the drive zone, the new drive data is recorded in a physical cluster or ECC block next to the physical cluster or ECC block containing the most recently recorded drive data. In the method of recording drive data, the drive data is recorded in a physical cluster or ECC block of the drive zone. When the drive zone is updated with the new drive data, the new drive data is recorded in the physical cluster or ECC block adjacent to physical cluster or ECC block containing the most recently drive data. The drive data recording method is applicable to a new format of information storage medium.

Abstract: A storage medium managing device is provided which can employ a set of management information containing suitable information from a plural sets of management information contained in the storage medium. An optical disc apparatus (1) manages an optical disc (2) having a plurality of management areas for containing management information with which data is managed and which is recorded in the management areas in a predetermined sequence. The apparatus includes a management information retrieving section (52) for reading the management information in the same sequence as the predetermined recording sequence to retrieve primary management information which is management information that is first retrieved normally.

Abstract: An information recording medium, a recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and a recording and/or reproducing method in which an access time and a frequency of seek operations can be reduced in the information recording medium implementing logical overwrite, thereby allowing noise and power consumption to be reduced. The information recording medium includes: a first area in which user data is recorded and replacement data for replacing defect data among the user data by logical overwrite is recorded; and a second area in which the user data recorded in the first area is copied and recorded, wherein when the user data recorded in the first area is copied and recorded in the second area, the replacement data for replacing the defect data is copied and recorded in a location where the detect data would have been recorded.

Abstract: A method for adopting an orphaned I/O port of a storage controller is disclosed. The storage controller has first and second redundant field-replaceable units (FRU) for processing I/O requests and a third FRU having at least one I/O port for receiving the I/O requests from host computers coupled to it. Initially the first FRU processes the I/O requests received by the I/O port and the third FRU routes to the first FRU interrupt requests generated by the I/O port in response to receiving the I/O requests. Subsequently, the second FRU determines that the first FRU has failed and is no longer processing I/O requests received by the I/O port, and configures the third FRU to route the interrupt requests from the I/O port to the second FRU rather than the first FRU, in response to the determining that the first FRU has failed.

Abstract: The present invention is provided for producing check data or recovery data in a disk array. According to the present invention, a plurality of buffers receives and stores the data respectively for a plurality of operation units to perform operations to produce check data. An output selector selects one of the buffers and sends the check data to the coupled disk drive. When recovering the data in a disk drive, by using the buffers coupled to the other disk drives, the data or the check data stored in the other disk drives are sent to the operation units to perform operations on the data and the check data to produce recovery data. The recovery data is then sent to the disk drive to be recovered by selecting the buffer coupled to the disk drive to be recovered via the output selector. In addition, the buffers can be coupled to a plurality of input selectors, which are used for selecting to send data in one of the buffers to the coupled operation units.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing method, a recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and a computer readable recording medium storing a program for performing the method. A recording unit block in which invalid data is partially padded is written on an information storage medium along with padding information indicating that the invalid data is included in the recording unit block. The padding information is useful in determining whether the recording unit block includes the padding data. Accordingly, unnecessary retrial processes of a drive system are reduced such that the performance of the drive system is improved and error correction capability is enhanced.

Abstract: Suitability of a recording medium for being recorded to and/or reproduced from by an apparatus is determined. Address information is read from a recording medium having at least a first area in which data is recordable, a second area, and a third area. The second area is followed by the first area which is followed by the third area. The address information includes first address information, which represents the position of the second area, and/or second address information which represents the position of the third area. A possible error in the address information is detected based on an error detection code generated for the address information. Whether the recording medium is suitable for being recorded to or reproduced from by the apparatus is determined based on a result of the detecting step. The recording medium is suitable when no error is detected and is unsuitable when an error is detected.

Abstract: A method of decoding DVD-format data may include: receiving a demodulated error correction code (ECC) block of DVD-format data; parity-of-inner-code-correcting (PI-correcting) the demodulated ECC block as needed; identifying any errant column within the PI-corrected block which merits PO-correction; and selectively PO-correcting only the errant PI-corrected columns to obtain a decoded version of ECC block.

Abstract: A recording medium on which a recording/reproducing unit block is recorded, an apparatus to record and/or reproduce data on/from the recording medium, and a method of recording/reproducing the data on/from the recording medium. The recording/reproducing unit block comprises invalid data used in disc certification, and an identifier to indicate that the invalid data is included in the recording/reproducing unit block, the invalid data being used during the disc certification on a portion of the recording medium or the entire recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an encode circuit coupled to receive input data and configured to generate corresponding codewords and a decode circuit coupled to receive codewords and detect an error in the codewords (and may, in some cases, correct the error). Each codeword comprises a plurality of b-bit portions (b is an integer greater than one). Additionally, each codeword comprises a first set of b check bits used to detect a magnitude of an error in a b-bit portion of the plurality of b-bit portions. Each codeword further comprises a second set of w check bits used to locate which one of the plurality of b-bit portions is the b-bit portion containing the error (w is an integer greater than zero and less than b).

Abstract: A first run length encoder implements run length modulation of a first information signal to generate a second information signal of a run-length-limited code while subjecting the second information signal to DSV control and adding a sync signal to the second information signal to get a third information signal. A converter changes the third information signal into an NRZI signal including information code words. A parity generator produces original parity signals in response to the information code words in the NRZI signal, and combines the information code words and the original parity signals to form a first parity-added signal. A second run length encoder implements run length modulation of only the original parity signals in the first parity-added signal to convert the first parity-added signal into a second parity-added signal while subjecting the second parity-added signal to DSV control. The second parity-added signal is recorded on a recording medium.

Abstract: A data coding apparatus and method for recording digital data on a storage device are provided, where the recording apparatus reduces the number of times that memory is accessed by storing only additional information and parity information when ECC encoded data are temporarily stored in an external memory, and performs data coding without any clock loss by scrambling only a specific field on-the-fly when the data stored in the external memory are read.

Abstract: A method for controlling read velocity in a disk device is provided. When reading data on the disc, the method first reads each SYNC of blocks to form an ECC code, read data to decode, and checks and corrects decoded data to generate decoded errors. The type of decoded errors are classified and counted to form reference parameters of a rule base. A fuzzy engine checks if the counting number exceeds the threshold of the parameter, and executes the operation of the rule to control read velocity and enhance the data transfer rate in the disk device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for error correction of an encoded data stream. A demodulated data stream is saved in an input buffer. A first correction process is performed on-the-fly in the input buffer. The data is transferred to an external SDRAM after correction. A data frame is copied from the external SDRAM to an embedded SRAM. A multipass correction is started in the embedded SRAM. The corrected data frame is copied back from the embedded SRAM to the external SDRAM.

Abstract: A method of error correction code (ECC) debugging for a system comprising, receiving data having an ECC, determining whether a data error has occurred, generating a syndrome of an error result, decoding flipped data bits, processing the received data and the decoded flipped bits to correct the data, outputting corrected data having an ECC, receiving a trap update signal, and saving the decoded flipped data bits responsive to receiving the trap update signal.

Abstract: A storage area network (SAN) management application generates device allocation reports displaying foundation variables, device specific parameters, and computed, derived fields for different types of storage arrays, without burdening the allocation report with extraneous parameters through the use of a layout indicative of the information included on the report, providing a streamlined and seamless allocation report. The SAN management application defines a layout indicative of the foundation variables, device attributes, and derived fields requested in an allocation report. The user selected layout indicates the requested allocation parameters for a report, indicative of the foundation variable, device attributes, and derived fields, and also indicates the device usage metrics for computing the derived fields from the foundation variables and device attributes.

Abstract: A method of correcting and detecting errors in a sector of data stored in a DVD format is provided. The method includes: calculating an initial error detection value for data within the sector, performing an error correction operation on the data within the sector and determining an updated, intermediate error detection value responsive to the error correction operation, using a target error detection value and one of the initial error detection value and the intermediate error detection value to determine that the sector doesn't include errors, processing an outer code to provide a set of error patterns and error locations, and determining if any of the error locations are for data within the sector and not correcting data corresponding to the error locations within the sector.

Abstract: Apparatus for passively tracking expired data in a dynamic memory includes a time stamp memory configurable for storing information relating to a refresh status of one or more corresponding data entries in the dynamic memory. The apparatus further includes a timer configurable for defining a desired window of time in which a refresh operation of data in the dynamic memory is to occur in order to ensure that the data is valid. Control circuitry is coupled to the time stamp memory and to the timer. The control circuitry is operative to manage the information stored in the time stamp memory relating to the refresh status of the one or more corresponding data entries in the dynamic memory.

Abstract: A data processor that reduces the chip area of a semiconductor substrate. The data processor includes a detection circuit for generating an error detection code with digital data. A correction circuit generates an error correction code with the digital data that includes the error detection code. A control circuit controls the detection processing circuit and the correction processing circuit in accordance with a control program. The data processor further includes a first external memory and a serial/parallel conversion circuit. The first external memory stores a control program. The serial/parallel conversion circuit receives data of the control program in a serial state from the first external memory and provides a second external memory with the control program data in a parallel state when the data processor is activated.

Abstract: When an ECC error correction fails in both VMGI and VMGI_BUP, when the ECC error correction failed due to damage of PI in VMGI and PI for the same portion in VMGI_BUP is intact, in a case where the ECC error correction succeeds by using PI in VMGI_BUP as PI in VMGI, the ECC error correction succeeds by merging with a portion where the ECC error correction succeeded, or the ECC error correction succeeds by estimation based on the file size for the portion where the ECC error correction failed even by the merging and in a case where a re-writable optical disc is used, a correct management information file is newly written at an address different from the originally assigned address.

Abstract: A system for decoding coded data printed in ink on a surface. The coded data includes an encoded bit stream and associated redundancy data, and a registration structure of clock tracks indicative of a position of the coded data in the direction perpendicular to an alignment direction and two alignment lines for each clock track. The system has a store for storing the coded data and a decoder for determining a codeword format for the coded data, reading the coded data from the store using the determined format, correcting errors in the encoded bit stream, and writing the corrected data to the store. The coded data is read so as to de-interleave the encoded bit stream and redundancy data into codewords. The decoder uses an alignment PLL to determine a position of the alignment lines so as to determine the position of each respective track and update the alignment PLL.

Abstract: One or more methods and systems of effectively retrieving data stored in a media of a storage device are presented. The one or more methods and systems are implemented by way of correcting and detecting errors using a multi-stage decoding process. In one embodiment, the storage device comprises a magnetic hard drive. In one embodiment, the system and method applies an encoding/decoding technique that allows error correction and detection to be performed over a number of successive decode stages or processing stages. Use of the system and method increases the maximum number of symbol errors that may be corrected in an encoded codeword, providing an improvement in data recovery.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use with memory systems and memory modules are included among the embodiments. In exemplary systems, error-correction coding (ECC) data is temporally multiplexed with user data on the same data bus lines in a burst mode transfer, such that separate chips and data lines are not required to support ECC. The memory devices on the modules each contain additional indirectly addressable ECC segments associated with addressable segments of the device. The temporally multiplexed ECC data is read from and written to the indirectly addressable segment associated with the addressable data transmitted in the burst mode transfer. In some embodiments, two types of burst modes are supported, one which includes ECC data and one which does not. This allows one type of memory module to support both ECC and non-ECC systems, and in some cases to use ECC for some data and not for other data in the same system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A data coding apparatus and method for recording digital data on a digital versatile disk (DVD) are provided, where the DVD recording apparatus reduces the number of times that memory is accessed by storing only additional information and parity information when ECC encoded data are temporarily stored in an external memory, and performs data coding without any clock loss by scrambling only a specific field on-the-fly when the data stored in the external memory are read.

Abstract: The information processing method of the present invention detects redundant circuits as described below by means of an information processor that is provided with: a storage unit for storing circuit operation information that uses hardware description language and a library for performing a logic synthesis of the circuit operation information and converting to a net list; and a display unit. The information processor hierarchically arranges statement by statement the circuit operation information that is stored in the storage unit, and then refers to the library, performs a logic synthesis of the circuit operation information that has been hierarchically arranged and converts to a net list. The information processor then detects redundant fault sites, which are sites that are logically redundant from the net list, and displays information showing the redundant circuits that contain the redundant fault sites on the display unit.

Abstract: Four ECC blocks are recorded in a burst cutting area of an optical disc. Each ECC block is constituted by a BCA content code of 1 byte, content data length of 1 byte, and content data of 14 bytes. Of the BCA content data, the leading 6 bits are used for application ID and the remaining 2 bits are used for block number. Disc ID is stored in the content data. Since the four ECC blocks exist, the optical disc can be managed individually by four applications at the maximum. Thus it becomes possible to manage the same optical disc by a plurality of applications.

Abstract: A memory controller and methods implement minimized latency and maximized reliability when data traverses multiple buses. The memory controller includes a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) error correcting code (ECC) checking and correcting circuit and a high speed bus (HSB) ECC checking and correcting circuit. In a first mode for implementing minimized latency, read data is applied directly to the DRAM ECC checking and correcting circuit, bypassing the HSB ECC checking and correcting circuit. In a second mode for implementing maximized reliability, the read data is applied though the HSB ECC checking and correcting circuit to the DRAM ECC checking and correcting circuit.

Abstract: A storage device performs error correction for all data read from media. Correctly read data or data that is corrected following the reading is transferred to a host for use. If the error correction fails, the storage device transfers a unique error code. The host distinguishes the received data between normal one and unique one. The normal data flows into main data handling routine and the unique code flows into error data handling routine. The processed results of both data are stored into system memory area in the host. The host controls the read out schedule and response to the unique code. This method can prevent the host breakdown from data trouble in the external storage device.

Abstract: A method of detecting address information for an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, including: detecting and/or correcting by using the characteristic of a medium when additional data has a specific value with respect to an area of the medium among address area data on the medium, and/or the characteristic of an address that the address increases by specified unit, an error in detected address area data and outputting the result of error detection and/or correction; and providing optimal address information by using the result of the error detection and/or correction.

Abstract: Data is arranged to one block obtained after a CIRC process so that a predetermined data pattern is recorded into a predetermined portion on a disc. By tracing back an encoding step of a Cross-Interleave Reed-Solomon Code (CIRC), a layout of recording data of one block before the CIRC process for allowing the predetermined data pattern to be recorded into the predetermined portion is obtained. An error correcting process of a CD-ROM mode 1 is executed. If a position of a parity coincides with data for forming the predetermined data pattern, a value of user data of an encoding sequence to form the parity is changed. After error correction encoding of a CD-ROM is executed, encoding of the CIRC is executed to the recording data of one block.

Abstract: A data recording/reproducing method and apparatus for correcting data errors on a recording medium even with the use of a conventional ECC. The data recording/reproducing apparatus includes a generation unit that generates predetermined data units by dividing an ECC sector including error correction codes generated by an error correction encoder into prescribed data units and encoding the prescribed units into iterative encoded data units using an iterative encoder so that the predetermined data units may include the iterative-encoded data units, a recording unit, a reproducing unit, an iterative decoder for conducting iterative decoding on the predetermined data units, and an error correction decoder. The apparatus further includes a distribution unit for distributing the predetermined data units generated by the generation unit. The distribution unit distributes the iterative encoded data units using at least two ECC sectors and records the distributed data units on a recording medium.

Abstract: A packet communication apparatus, which includes a CPU, a memory, and a packet communication circuit, acts as an interface between a network-connected controlled object and a network terminal that remotely monitors and controls the controlled object, and transmits and receives a packet between the controlled object and the network terminal, further includes a copy and operation unit that is a hardware unit for executing the checksum calculation to check for a packet error and the copy operation. The copy and operation unit performs the packet data copy operation and the checksum calculation simultaneously between a sending buffer/receiving buffer, formed in the memory and used by the packet communication circuit, and a work area used by a communication processing program, thus reducing the load of the CPU and increasing the communication processing speed.

Abstract: One or more methods and systems of effectively retrieving data stored in a media of a storage device are presented. The one or more methods and systems are implemented by way of correcting and detecting errors using a multi-stage decoding process. In one embodiment, the storage device comprises a magnetic hard drive. In one embodiment, the system and method applies an encoding/decoding technique that allows error correction and detection to be performed over a number of successive decode stages or processing stages. Use of the system and method increases the maximum number of symbol errors that may be corrected in an encoded codeword, providing an improvement in data recovery.