The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 23, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 01, 1999
Richard C. Vining, Elk River, MN (US);
Kent Macleod, Hopkins, MN (US);
Plasmon IDE, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Abstract
A method for selectively enabling writing of data multiple times onto a write-once read-many optical disk by a host system, the disk having a disk type indicator, and each sector having a SWF field and a flag field and user data, wherein new data bits replace existing data bits in a one-for-one ratio without mapping, comprising the steps of: reading a disk type indicator; setting a firmware flag allowing writing to the disk if the disk type is erasable WORM; receiving a write command from the host system, the command specifying a sector to write to; reading the contents of the disk SWF and flag fields for the sector; overwriting all user data on the sector with all zeroes if the firmware flag is set; replacing every user data bit in the sector with a zero in a one-for-one ratio without mapping; and resetting the contents of the disk SWF and flag fields to indicate the sector is available for writing. Apparatus for selectively enabling writing of data multiple times onto a write-once read-many optical disk by a host system, the disk having a disk type indicator, and each sector having a SWF field and a flag field and user data, wherein new data bits replace existing data bits in a one-for-one ratio without mapping, comprising an optical disk drive having: a spindle motor rotating an optical disk; an optical assembly/laser generating a laser beam adapted to heat a minute region on the optical disk; a bias magnet affecting the polarity of the heated region; a write/read channel driving the optical assembly/laser and bias magnet; a write/read controller adapted to process a unique erase command and thereby controlling the optical assembly/laser and bias magnet to write every user data bit of a sector to zero in a one-for-one ratio without mapping; and a small computer system interface receiving write commands from a host system.