Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Storage medium structure – Optical track structure
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-07
2004-08-31
Edun, Muhammad (Department: 2655)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Storage medium structure
Optical track structure
C369S047150, C369S053100, C369S059100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06785219
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a data storage medium to which files managed using a volume/file structure are recorded and reproduced, and in which the number of data recording operations to any same area is limited, and to a data recording and reproducing method and data recording and reproducing apparatus using this data storage medium. More particularly, the present invention relates to a data storage medium having a volume/file structure for retrieving the latest file management information, which is recorded continuously in the space in file addition units for managing file information and address information for unrecorded areas in the volume space and can be reproduced in series to make access faster, and relates to a data recording and reproducing method and a data recording and reproducing apparatus using this data storage medium.
BACKGROUND ART
While media of various types have been used in recent years for recording digital data, CD-R discs in particular have quickly become commonly used as a low-cost recordable optical disc medium. The multi-session method is now well known as a technique for writing data to these CD-R discs; a data recording operation using this multi-session method is described next below with reference to the accompanying figures.
FIG. 14
shows the data structure of a CD-R disc to which files managed using the volume/file structure defined in the ISO 9660 standard are recorded using a multi-session method. In a multi-session recording method, files and file structure and volume structure for managing files are recorded in session units. Each session has a lead-in area, an inner link area, a user data area, and a lead-out area. It is to be noted that only the first session does not have a lead-in area; an outer link area is formed between sessions.
When recording data by session unit, a file and file structure and volume structure for managing the file are first recorded to the user data area. In order to make data reproduction easier for a CD-ROM drive, which is unable to detect a location in a unrecorded area of a CD-R disc because it is unable to detect the wobble address recorded to the CD-R disc, data containing address information is also recorded to the lead-out area, and data containing start address information for the next session is recorded to a lead-in area, when the CD-R disc is removed from the CD-R drive. The user area, lead-in area, and lead-out area are each recorded in separate data recording operations. The data recorded in the data recording operation for each area is the recording data with a link block and run-in block, or a run-out block and link block, added therebefore and thereafter. An inner link area or an outer link area comprising a run-out block, link block, and run-in block is thus formed at the junction between these areas.
A multi-session data recording operation is described next below.
FIG. 15
shows the directory structure used for managing files recorded to a CD-R disc. The directory structure shown in
FIG. 15
has a subdirectory (Dir-A) for managing a data file (File-a), a subdirectory (Dir-B) for managing a data file (File-b), and a subdirectory (Dir-C) for managing a data file (File-c) below the root directory. When data file (File-a), data file (File-b), and data file (File-c) are recorded during a first session, second session, and third session in accordance with this directory structure, the data structure described above with reference to
FIG. 14
is formed on the CD-R disc.
FIG. 16
is a flow chart describing a recording operation for creating a disc with the data structure shown in FIG.
15
. The data recording operation performed each session is described next below according to the steps shown in this flow chart.
(S
1601
) When a CD-R disc is inserted into the disc recorder, the disc recorder accesses the lead-in area reserved at a specific location at the inside circumference of the disc, and attempts to read the TOC data from this lead-in area. If the TOC data is reproduced from the lead-in area, a step (S
1602
) for retrieving the following session data is performed. However, if the data could not be reproduced because the lead-in area is unrecorded, the session data recording operation is performed according to the procedure beginning in step (S
1603
).
(S
1602
) If the TOC data is reproduced from the lead-in area, the disc recorder reads the start address of the following session contained in this TOC data, returns to step (S
1601
), and then tries to reproduce data from the lead-in area of the following session.
(S
1603
) When a lead-in area to which no data is recorded is detected, the file recorded as the session data and the file structure and volume structure for managing said file are generated as follow.
First, when data is not reproduced from the first lead-in area, the data file (File-a) to be recorded as the data for the first session, subdirectory (Dir-A) for managing data file (File-a) and a directory file for managing the root directory, and volume/file structure, such as a primary volume descriptor and path table, for managing these files and the directory file, are generated according to the ISO 9660 standard.
If TOC data is reproduced from the first lead-in area, the volume/file structure and directory file are read using the user data area start address contained in the last read TOC data. For example, with a disc to which only a first session has been recorded, data is read from user data area
1402
; with a disc that has been recorded through a second session, data is read from user data area
1405
. The content of the volume/file structure is then updated by adding the file to be recorded and a directory file for managing said file to the read data. For example, a new volume/file structure is generated data by adding file (File-b) and the directory file (Dir-B) of the subdirectory for managing data file (File-b) to the data read from user data area
1402
on a disc to which only a first session has been recorded; and by adding data file (File-c) and the directory file (Dir-C) of the subdirectory for managing data file (File-c) to the data read from user data area
1405
on a disc to which a second session has also been recorded.
(S
1604
) When the volume/file structure to be recorded to a user data area is generated, a lead-in area and run-out block of predetermined recording size are skipped, and the recording data generated in step (S
1603
) to which a predefined link block/run-in block and link block/run-out block have been added therebefore and thereafter is continuously recorded.
(S
1605
) When data recording to the user data area is completed, recording data having a predefined link block/run-in block and link block/run-out block added before and after the data recorded to the lead-out area is generated. The resulting recording data is then recorded continuously from the link block following the run-out block recorded in step (S
1604
). When recording the first session, for example, this operation records lead-out area
1403
and the link block/run-in block and run-out block/link block located therebefore and thereafter. When recording a second session, this operation records lead-out area
1406
and the link block/run-in block and run-out block/link block located therebefore and thereafter.
(S
1606
) When data recording to the lead-out area is completed, the start address of the next session is calculated with consideration for the predetermined recording size of the outer link area. The calculated start address of the next session is then embedded in the TOC data recorded to the lead-in area together with the start address for the user data area recorded in step (S
1604
).
Recording data comprising predefined link block/run-in block and run-out block/link block units before and after the recording data for the lead-in area is then generated. The resulting recording data is then recorded continuously from a specific position at the inside circumference of the disc if the first session is being recorded. As a result of this recording operation
Fukushima Yoshihisa
Goto Yoshiho
Sasaki Miyuki
Edun Muhammad
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
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