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:
May. 13, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 31, 1999
Toshiyuki Oi, Kawasaki, JP;
Masaoki Ohtsuka, Kawasaki, JP;
Fujitsu Limited, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
In an information storage apparatus, a substitution process for substitutionally storing information, when an error occurs in storing the information is prevented from being repeatedly performed with a substitutional area defined in the same recording zone, so that wasteful execution of the substitution process is prevented. The information storage apparatus stores information on a recording medium having a plurality of recording zones, each of the recording zones being divided into a plurality of sectors. A substitutional area is defined in each of the recording zones so as to substitutionally store information when an error occurs in storing the information. A defective sector detecting unit detects a defective sector in each of the recording zones. A control unit controls an operation for storing information so as to store the information, when a number of defective sectors included in a first one of the recording zones is greater than a predetermined value, in the substitutional area of a second one of the recording zones other than the first one of the recording zones in which the information is to be stored. The predetermined number is smaller than a maximum number of defective sectors includable in the substitutional area.