Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Dirk Hamelinck

Pope Ijtsma

Johannis Friso Rendert Blacquiere

Jakob Gerrit Nijboer

Steven Broeils Luitjens

A method and apparatus for recording digital information signals on a removable rewritable medium include recording control information on defect management. The recording medium includes predefined locations for enabling booting and/or file system read/write, where at least one of the predefined locations contains the control information.

Method and apparatus for immediately writing or reading files on a disc-like recording medium having control information on defect management

A device for recording records blocks of information on logical addresses on a record carrier at corresponding physical addresses. The logical addresses are translated into the physical addresses in dependence on defect management information that includes defect information on a defective status of physical addresses and remapping information on translating a logical address initially mapped to an initial physical address to an alternate physical address. The device has a real-time storage unit for writing real-time information blocks () to respective initial physical addresses irrespective of the defective status. When recording at a defective status location (), the real-time information block is temporarily stored in a memory (). In a separate period, when the writing of real-time information blocks is suspended, said temporarily stored real-time information blocks are additionally written to alternate physical addresses (). The defect management information () is updated to indicate that the real-time information block is present at both locations.

Defect management for real-time information

A device for recording information records blocks having continuous logical addresses on a record carrier at corresponding physical addresses. The logical addresses are translated into the physical addresses in dependence of defect management information, which includes remapping information indicative for translating a logical address initially mapped to a physical address exhibiting a defect to an alternate physical address in a defect management area. The device has a continuous data detection unit for detecting a logically continuous data, and a defect management reorganizing unit. The physical addresses of remapped logical addresses in the logically continuous data are determined, and the defect management information is reorganized by remapping at least one of the remapped logical addresses to a different defect management area. During read-out the remapped logical addresses in the logically continuous address range are retrieved from a single defect management area.

Device and method for recording information with reorganization of defect management information

A recording apparatus for recording digital audio/video signals on a removable rewritable disc like recording medium has been proposed. The apparatus comprises writing means () for recording the digital information signals and control means () for controlling the recording. The apparatus is capable of performing initialization, formatting and defect management of a rewritable medium. Further, the apparatus is capable of storing data in replacement areas instead of defect areas, which have been determined to be defective according to rules of the defect management. The control means () are adapted to re-record data from the replacement areas in the defect areas in order to improve playability of digital audio/video signals stored on the medium.

Apparatus for and method of recording digital audio/video signals

A device records information in blocks having logical addresses at a physical address in a track on a record carrier. The logical addresses are translated into the physical addresses in dependence of defect management information, which includes defect entries indicating locations for replacing defective physical addresses. A read-only state of the record carrier is obtainable via a no-replacement state indicated by substantially none of the defect entries being free for use. The device has a read-only unit for setting the record carrier to the read-only state by reading original replacement information indicating a writable state, storing the original replacement information in a hidden area, and writing defect management information that is modified to the no-replacement state. The record carrier may be re-opened by retrieving the original replacement information from the hidden area.

Device and method for recording information

A device for recording records a series of blocks () having continuous logical addresses, e.g. digitally encoded video, on a record carrier at a corresponding physical address range. Some physical addresses are assigned to defect management areas (). The logical addresses are translated into the physical addresses in dependence of the defect management information. The device has contiguous recording means for detecting if the allocated physical address range is interrupted by a subset of physical addresses assigned to a defect management area. If so, the subset of physical addresses is reallocated to the user data area. The series of blocks () is contiguously recorded extending over the subset of physical addresses. The defect management area may be eliminated, shifted to a new location () after the end of the recorded file or shifted to the end of the medium.

A method of recording digital information signals on a removable rewritable disc like recording medium, the method including 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 a 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.

Method of and apparatus for immediately writing or reading files on a disc-like recording medium having control information on defect management stored in a predefined location and such a disc-like recording medium

A device for recording information records blocks, having continuous logical addresses on a record carrier at corresponding physical addresses, translates logical addresses into physical addresses in dependence of defect management information. The, defect management information includes assignment information indicative of assignment of physical addresses in first parts of the track to at least one user data area, assignment of physical addresses in second parts of the track to defect management areas, and assignment of the defect management information to the defect management areas. A data type of recorded information is detected, such as the type being streaming for real-time data like digitally encoded video, or non-streaming for random data like computer data files. The device reassigns defect management area for changing the assignment information in dependence of the data type. For example, a contiguous defect management layout is converted into a distributed layout.

A recording medium (D) comprises a file system area (FSA), a data area (DAA) and an initial defect management area (DMA). A system comprises a drive (DR) for writing data (DA) to or reading data (DR) from the data area (DAA) or the defect management area (DMA), and a host (H) for sending data (DA) to or for receiving data (DA) from the drive (DR) when the drive (DR) is in a mounted state wherein a file system (FS) in the file system area (FSA) is available to the host (H). The method of accessing such a recording medium (D) detects (S) whether a shortage of free space in the defect management area (DMA) is to be expected, and if yes, allocates (S) supplemental defect management area (SDMA) at the cost of the data area (DAA). The file system (FS) is adapted to reflect the latest state of available data area (DAA) and the allocated supplemental defect management area (SDMA). The file system (FS) is adapted during an adaptation period related to a mounting or an unmounting phase wherein the host (H) mounts or unmounts the drive (DR). The host (H) unmounts or releases the drive (DR) when no further data has to be exchanged between the host (H) and the drive (DR).

Recording medium defect management

A recording apparatus for recording data on a rewritable optical recording medium includes a read/write head for reading and recording data, an error corrector for finding and correcting errors in the recorded data read, and a controller for controlling the recording and reading of the data. The recording apparatus is capable of performing fast and efficient examination of formatted recording medium in order to adapt a data recording strategy, so as to increase the efficiency of writing operations.

Recording apparatus and method of recording data

Method of immediately writing or reading files on a disc-like recording medium having control information on defect management stored in a predefined location

A blank writable disc contains a lead-in area followed by a program area, followed by a lead-out area. When the disc is inserted into a recorder, the disc is initialized by recording control data in a lead-in area. The control data defines a general purpose area (GPA) within the program area of the disc. Then user data is recorded within a user portion of the program area, the user portion being outside of the GPA. After the user data is recorded formatting of the disc begins. The formatting includes recording format data in the user portion of the program area. Then, prior to ejecting the disc from the recording apparatus, if the formatting of the disc is not yet complete, then the disc is finalized by recording additional control data in the lead-in area and in a lead-out area without completing the formatting of the entire disc.

Method of immediate writing or reading files on a disc like recording medium

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.

A method of recording digital information signals on a removable rewritable disc like recording medium, the method comprising a short initialization step whereafter a blanc, unformatted medium is ready to receive user data. The initialization step comprises defining a general purpose area on the recording medium which is not intended for recording user data but for defect management and special application programs.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Dirk Hamelinck