Method and recording device for selecting an optimized write strategy and recording medium for use by the method

• US 20030058765A1
• Filed: 07/29/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Schreurs, Gerard Elise Noel, Luyten, Geert
• Granted Patent: US 7,038,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/47.53
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/26 Speed-changing arrangements; Reversing arrangements; Drive-transfer means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/182 using test patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0045 Recording G11B7/006, G11B7/0065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/126 Circuits, methods or arrangements for laser control or stabilisation

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and recording device for selecting an optimal write strategy for a specific type of optical recording disk. Such an optimal write strategy is selected even when the optical recording disk is of a type that has not been previously encountered or when the optical recording disk is otherwise unrecognized by an optical disk drive. The optimal write strategy and associated settings are selected from a set of write strategies stored in a disk drive. The disk drive bases its selection of the write strategy on the performance results of test writings conducted on the optical disk. The method entails testing the write strategies first at the maximum possible write speed and if necessary, at successively lower speeds until a write strategy that achieves a minimum acceptable write quality is identified or until the minimum write speed is reached. The selected optimal write strategy may be stored in the recording device or, alternatively, on the optical recording disk itself.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a write strategy from a set of write strategies, comprising the steps of

writing at least one test pattern to the information carrier while applying at least one write strategy from the set of write strategies,

reading the written test pattern(s) from the information carrier, and

determining which write strategy of the set of write strategies is optimal for writing information to the information carrier based on at least one parameter derived from reading the test pattern(s).

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said writing of the test pattern(s) is accomplished by applying all of the write strategies from the set of write strategies.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said writing of the test pattern(s) is accomplished by applying at least two distinguishable sets of settings for each write strategy, which method also comprises the step of selecting an optimal set of settings related to the selected optimal write strategy based on at least one parameter derived from reading the test pattern(s).

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optimal write strategy is stored in the set of write strategies.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein each write strategy in the set of write strategies relates to at least one type of information carrier for which the write strategy has been determined as optimal.

6. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said optimal write strategy and said optimal set of settings related to said optimal write strategy are stored in the set of write strategies.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein each write strategy and at least one set of settings related to that write strategy in the set of write strategies relates to at least one type of information carrier for which the write strategy and the set of settings related to that write strategy have been determined as optimal.

8. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, also comprising the step of selecting said determined optimal write strategy for subsequently writing information to the information carrier.

9. A method for selecting a write strategy from a set of write strategies, where said selected write strategy will be used to write information to a target information carrier, which method comprises the steps of

identifying the type that corresponds to the target information carrier,

if the target information carrier type is related to a write strategy in the set of write strategies,

selecting the related write strategy for writing information to the target information carrier, and

if said target information carrier is not related to a write strategy in the set of write strategies,

selecting an optimal write strategy for writing information to the information carrier using any one of the methods as claimed in claims 1 to 7.

10. A method for selecting a write strategy from a set of write strategies, where the selected write strategy will be used to write information to an information carrier, which method comprises the steps of

a) initializing parameters that establish a minimum acceptable write quality,

b) setting a write speed to a first write speed,

c) writing at least one test pattern to an information carrier while applying at least one write strategy from the set of write strategies,

d) reading the written test pattern(s) from the information carrier,

e) determining whether at least one write strategy of the set of write strategies for writing to the information carrier achieves the minimum acceptable write quality,

f) selecting one of the set of write strategies that achieve the minimum acceptable write quality,

g) if none of the write strategies achieves the minimum acceptable write quality, determining whether there is a second write speed lower than the first write speed;

h) if there is a second lower write speed, setting the write speed to the second lower write speed and repeating the method as from step c), and

i) if there is no second lower write speed, selecting the write strategy for writing to the information carrier that achieves the best write quality.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first write speed is a maximum possible write speed.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10, where the selected one of the set of write strategies that achieves the minimum acceptable write quality is the write strategy that offers the best write quality.

13. A method as claimed in any one of the claims 8 to 12, also comprising the step of writing information identifying the selected optimal write strategy on the information carrier.

14. An information carrier comprising an area in which parameters related to the information carrier are stored, which parameters are used for setting recording means in a recording device for recording information on the information carrier, characterized in that the area comprises at least one parameter identifying a selected optimal write strategy for the information carrier, the selected optimal write strategy being selected by means of a method as claimed in claim 13.

15. A recording device for writing information to an information carrier, comprising

a radiation source for generating a sequence of radiation pulses according to a write strategy,

control means for controlling the recording device, and

storage means for storing a set of write strategies,

the control means being arranged to execute a method as claimed in any one of the claims 8 to 12 for selecting an optimal write strategy from the set of write strategies.

16. A recording device for writing information to an information carrier, comprising

a radiation source for generating a sequence of radiation pulses according to a pre-selected write strategy,

control means for controlling the recording device, and

read means for reading at least one parameter identifying a selected optimal write strategy for the information carrier, the selected optimal write strategy being selected by means of a method as claimed in claim 13,

the control means being arranged to set the pre-selected write strategy from the at least one parameter identifying the selected optimal write strategy.