Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Hideki Hosoya

Masahiko Enari

Akio Aoki

Satoshi Shikichi

Kazuhiko Matsuoka

Kazuo Minoura

Kenichi Suzuki

Hiroshi Matsuoka

Masayuki Usui

Fumiaki Kawaguchi

Hiroshi Hara

Hiroshi Inoue

Tomoyuki Hiroki

Kiyonobu Endo

Kazunori Suzuki

Wataru Sakagami

Shigeto Kanda

Hiroto Kitai

Shigeyuki Taniwa

Information is recorded on an information recording medium including a partition. Predetermined information is recorded on at least the partition of the recording medium, and it is confirmed whether the predetermined information has been normally recorded. When the predetermined information is not normally recorded, rerecording is executed. After the predetermined information is normally recorded, dummy data is recorded on a remaining region other than on a region in which the predetermined information has been recorded, so as to eliminate an unoccupied region in the partition. Recording dummy data eliminates a vacant region of the partition. The dummy data can be a specific character train, a periodic repetition of data, a specific character, or continuation of data.

Information recording method for preventing alteration, information

A signal converting method comprises the steps of converting the continuation of a binary signal representative of data into the continuation of blocks including a binary signal of at least two bits, converting the continuation of the blocks into the continuation of a ternary or higher signal, the blocks differing in the data arrangement therein from each other corresponding to the different bits of the signal level of the ternary or higher signal, and substituting, if a predetermined number of bits indicative of the same signal level continue in the continuation of the ternary or higher signal, a special bit having a signal level differing from the signal level of any other bit for the last one of the predetermined number of bits.

Data reproducing method and apparatus for determining the interval

An information recording and/or reproducing apparatus which can prohibit an optical head from trying to access a data track which does not exist on the optical recording medium. The information recording and/or reproducing apparatus is used with an optical recording medium having a plurality of tracks. The information recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprises an optical head which irradiates the optical recording medium with a light beam and detects reflected light from the optical recording medium, a device for controlling the apparatus so as to read information about a number of the tracks of the optical recording medium, and memorize the information as an initial action. The optical head is moved by a driving device within a range according to the memorized information.

Information recording and/or reproducing apparatus and method for use

An information recording/reproducing operation is performed in accordance with a command from a host computer via a small computer system interface on an information recording medium having a plurality of tracks, each of which has a plurality of sectors arranged thereon. When an error occurs during execution of a command accompanied by an operation of reproducing information from the information recording medium, the command is terminated by using a check condition status, and status information of all sectors on a track, of the information recording medium, which includes a logical block in which the error has occurred is set in sense data.

Information recording/reproducing method

A file managing method is disclosed. In the method, data is sequentially recorded with a predetermined continuous recording unit basis in a data section, and a flag indicative of addition of file data is provided in directories which manage file data. When data is additionally recorded into existing files, the data to be added is sequentially recorded into a data section as another file. The directories to manage the additional file data are recorded into a directory section by incrementing the flag. In the reproducing mode, the files having the same name and different flags are managed as a single file which has been divisionally recorded in accordance with the order of the numbers of the flags. In the recording mode of the additional data, if an invalid data section exists in the last recording information unit of the file into which the data is added, the data recorded in the last recording information unit is stored into a buffer memory and the data to be newly added is additionally sequentially recorded after the stored data. In the reproducing mode, the file other than the file whose flag has the maximum value among the files having the same file name and the different flags are managed as a recording unit region in which the last recording unit region is invalid.

Method for recording, reproducing and managing file data on a recording

A method of recording information on a recording medium which is incapable of erasing and overwriting. The method uses an information processing system comprising an information recording apparatus to record and verify information to the recording medium. A controller is also used to control the recording apparatus, and a first computer is connected to the controller through a small computer interface. A plurality of logical blocks are provided on the recording medium, and different addresses are assigned to the blocks. When information is written to the blocks, a good status signal is provided when no error occurs. When an error occurs, the controller suspends the recording of the information, and produces sense data which comprises (i) an information byte indicative of an address of the logical block in which the error first occurred, and (ii) a last written block byte indicative of the address of the logical block in which the recording was last executed before the recording was suspended. When an error occurs, the host computer will send a command for retrying recording into a logical block next to the logical block indicated by the last written block byte of the sensed data. Thus, double recording can be prevented.

Method for retrying recording information into a next logical block by

Either one of recording or reproduction of data is effected by use of an information processing system that includes a recording/reproducing apparatus for effecting at least one of recording of data on or reproduction of data from a recording medium on which a plurality of tracks are provided, a controller for controlling the recording/reproducing apparatus and a host computer connected to the controller via a small computer interface. A partition command is sent from the host computer to the controller through the small computer interface so that the data tracks are divided into a plurality of logical partitions to designate the sector size to be used in each partition. The parameters for the partition division and the sector size are stored in the memory in the controller on the basis of the partition command signal sent from the host computer. A selection command for designating either one of the divided partitions is sent from the host computer to the controller via the small computer interface. The controller controls the information recording/reproducing apparatus so as to effect either one of recording of data on or reproduction of data from the data track in the partition designated by the selected command according to the parameters stored in the memory.

Method for recording/reproducing information on recording medium in

A method of and apparatus for reproducing data from a recording medium on which data is recorded as an arrangement of pits of predetermined lengths, formed at intervals, the pits including at least two kinds of pits differing in the level of a detection signal generated when the pits are detected, and the interval between the pits having at least two kinds of values. A signal subjected to modulation by the pits is read out from the medium. The read-out signal is compared with each of a plurality of reference values having different values. A clock signal is generated from a signal representing a comparison of the read-out signal with a smallest reference value of the plurality of reference values. The interval between the pits is detected from the read-out signal using the generated clock signal as a reference. Data is reproduced from the result of the comparison and the detected interval between the pits.

An information recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprises a head section to record and/or reproduce information onto/from an information recording medium having a shape other than a circular shape, holding device for holding the information recording medium and rotating the medium, moving device for moving the holding device in a predetermined direction, detecting device for detecting a rotating position of the information recording medium held to the holding device, and control device for controlling movable guide device in correspondence to a signal from the detecting device.

Apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information

A method for changing a file name of one of data on a record medium having a plurality of data and a plurality of directories for the data including file names of the data recorded thereon, includes the steps of recording on the record medium a first change directory including the file name of the one data and information indicating that the change directory is a directory for changing the file name; and recording on the record medium a second change directory including a new file name to be imparted to the one data.

Method for changing a file name of a directory in a non-rewritable

According to the optical information recording and reproducing apparatus of the present invention, in an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information while performing a relative reciprocating movement between a recording and/or reproducing head and an optical information recording medium having information tracks, plural spots including a spot having the function of recording and/or reproducing information formed on said recording medium by said head are arranged so as to be located on the same information track in said recording medium. Further, by switching the functions which at least two spots have during forward movement and during backward movement of said relative movement, it is possible to arrange the spots having roles in accordance with the recording and reproducing apparatus and have them function in a predetermined order. Thus, the present invention has an effect that a stable and correct recording and/or reproduction of information with high speed becomes possible.

Optical information recording and reproducing apparatus with switchable

The information recording method of the present invention comprises steps of recording information on a recording medium by a recording head during forward movement, reading the information recorded during the forward movement in the opposite sequence to the recording sequence during backward movement, and checking if the information has been correctly written or not based on the information read during the backward movement.

Information recording method for reciprocally recording and verifying

An apparatus for effecting recording and/or reproduction of information by illuminating a recording medium with a light beam. This apparatus is provided with a motor for moving the medium and the light beam, one actuator for moving the light beam in a direction transverse to information tracks, another actuator for moving an optical head in a direction transverse to the information tracks, a control circuit for moving the light beam from one track to another, and another control circuit for moving the optical head toward an area excluding the recording area of the track at a predetermined timing. A recording/reproducing method of this invention utilizes the aforesaid apparatus, after the light beam has reached the area excluding the recording area on a particular track, the light beam is moved to a different track and the optical head is then moved in the same direction as the direction of movement of the light beam at a predetermined timing. Then, the light beam scans the recording area to record or reproduce information.

Apparatus for and method of recording and/or reproducing information by

A tracking device usable in an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus for an optical information record medium on which a plurality of tracks are arranged substantially parallel in a first direction. The device includes a light source, a first optical system for forming a small spot on the record medium by converging a light beam from the light source, a second optical system for obtaining the light beam from the record medium, a detecting device for receiving the light beam obtained by the second optical system to output a tracking signal, a vibrating device for vibrating the spot relative to the record medium in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a control device for effecting tracking control with respect to a track, and a selecting device for selectively actuating the vibrating device and the control device in accordance with the tracking signal from the detecting device.

Tracking device to effect tracking pull-in in an optical recording and

In an optical information recording medium of the type wherein information is recorded or reproduced when a light beam scans each of a plurality of mutually parallel tracking tracks, an auxiliary track is extended between the adjacent tracking tracks and has at least one portion in parallel with the tracking tracks. In a method of recording or reproducing information by scanning a light beam on each of a plurality of mutually parallel tracking tracks on the recording medium, the recording medium has an auxiliary track which is extended between the adjacent tracking tracks and which has at least one portion in parallel with the tracking tracks and the light beam is kicked in the parallel portion of the auxiliary track.

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Yokohama, Japan

Hideki Hosoya