Method and an apparatus for recording information, and an information recording medium

• US 20050018572A1
• Filed: 05/20/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Motoshi, Gushima, Toyoji
• Granted Patent: US 7,453,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/53.150
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1816 Testing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1883 Methods for assignment of alternate areas for defective areas
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/237 having exactly two recording layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/00736 Auxiliary data, e.g. lead-in, lead-out, Power Calibration Area [PCA], Burst Cutting Area [BCA], control information sector headers or adresses in prepits G11B7/00745; address data in track wobble G11B7/24082
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/1263 Power control during transducing, e.g. by monitoring

Abstract

In a method for recording information on an information recording medium having a data recording area for storing user data and a test area used for test recording by a recording apparatus, it is detected whether the test area is unusable when executing the test recording. The test recording is executed in the test area when the test area is detected not to be unusable, or executed in the data recording area when detected to be unusable. Management information relating to the test recording executed in the data recording area is recorded in a predetermined area. Hence, it is possible to eliminate a limit of number of times of test recording which depends on the size of the test recording area.

Claims

1. A method for recording information on an information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data and a non-user data area used for other purpose than recording of the user data, comprising:

recording, in the data recording area, the information intended to be recorded in the non-user data area, and

recording management information in a predetermined area, the management information relating to the recording of the information intended to be recorded in the non-user data area in the data recording area.

2. A method for recording information on an information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data, and a test area used for test recording by a recording apparatus, comprising:

detecting whether the test area is unusable when executing the test recording;

executing the test recording in the test area when the test area is detected not to be unusable, or executing the test recording in the data recording area when detected to be unusable; and

recording, in a predetermined area, management information relating to the test recording executed in the data recording area.

3. The information recording method according to claim 2, wherein the management information includes an address pointer indicating the location at which the test recording has been executed, the information recording medium further comprises a defect management area used for defect management of the data recording area, and the predetermined area is the defect management area.

4. The information recording method according to claim 3, wherein the information recording medium is of write-once type, and the test area is judged to be unusable when at least part of the test area is judged to be already recorded.

5. The information recording method according to claim 3, wherein the information recording medium is a disk recording medium from which recorded information is read out by an optical method and has a plurality of information recording layers, and

in the test recording in the data recording area, one of the recording layers is selected in descending order of distance between the recording layer and an information reading plane of the information recording medium, and an area of the selected layer is used for test recording.

6. The information recording method according to claim 3, wherein the information recording medium is a disk recording medium from which recorded information is read out by an optical method and has a plurality of information recording layers, and

only the recording layer physically farthest from an information reading plane of the information recording medium is used in the test recording in the data recording area.

7. The information recording method according to claim 3, wherein in the test recording in the data recording area, when the recording location of the user data to be recorded is inside of a predetermined location in the radial direction of the information recording medium, the test recording is made in a predetermined inside area in the data recording area, and if the predetermined inside area is unusable, the test recording is made in a predetermined outside area in the data recording area, and

when the recording location of the user data to be recorded is outside of the predetermined location in the radial direction of the information recording medium, the test recording is made in the predetermined outside area, and if the predetermined outside area is unusable, the test recording is made in the predetermined inside area.

8. The information recording method according to claim 3, wherein the data recording area includes a user data area and a spare area, a defect block in the user data area is replaced by the spare area, the management information further includes address pointers indicating the location of the defect block and the location of the replacement area within the spare area, and when the test area is detected to be unusable, the test recording is made in the spare area.

9. The information recording method according to claim 8, wherein the information recording medium has tracks formed concentrically or spirally, the user data area and spare area are disposed separately in the radial direction of the medium, and in the test recording in the data recording area, the track in the spare area is used sequentially in descending order of distance between the track and the user data area.

10. The information recording method according to claim 2, wherein the management information includes flag information indicating whether the test area is usable.

11. The information recording method according to claim 2, wherein the management information includes a defect list which registers, as a defect block, the area in the data recording area, which is used for the test recording.

12. A method for recording information on an information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data and a control information recording area for storing control information other than the user data, comprising:

detecting whether the control information recording area is unusable, when recording the control information,

recording the control information in the control information recording area when the control information recording area is detected not to be unusable, or recording the control information in the data recording area when the control information recording area is detected to be unusable, and

recording management information in a predetermined area, the management information relating to the recording of control information in the data recording area.

13. The information recording method according to claim 12, wherein the management information includes an address pointer indicating the location at which the control information is recorded, the information recording medium further comprises a defect management area used for defect management of the data recording area, and the predetermined area is the defect management area.

14. The information recording method according to claim 12, wherein the information recording medium is of write-once type, and the control information recording area is judged to be unusable when at least part of the control information recording area is judged to be already recorded.

15. The information recording method according to claim 12, wherein the data recording area includes a user data area and a spare area, a defect block in the user data area is replaced by the spare area, the management information further includes address pointers indicating the location of the defect block and the location of the replacement area within the spare area, and the control information is recorded in the spare area when the control information recording area is detected to be unusable.

16. The information recording method according to claim 12, wherein the management information includes flag information indicating whether the control information recording area is usable.

17. The information recording method according to claim 12, wherein the management information includes a defect list which registers, as a defect block, the area in the data recording area, which is used for recording the control information.

18. An information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data, and a non-user data area used for other purpose than recording of the user data, wherein

the data recording area includes an area usable for storing information intended to be recorded in the non-user data area, and an area for storing management information relating to the recording of the information intended to be recorded in the non-user data area in the data recording area.

19. An information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data, and a test area used for test recording by a recording apparatus, wherein

the data recording area includes an area usable for test recording when the test area is unusable, and a management area for storing management information relating to the test recording executed in the data recording area.

20. The information recording medium according to claim 19, wherein the management information includes address information indicating the area used in the test recording in the data recording area.

21. An information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data, and a control information recording area for storing drive control information including recording and reproducing conditions depending on the combination of the recording apparatus and medium, wherein

the data recording area includes an area usable in recording of further drive control information when the control information recording area is unusable, and a management area capable of storing management information regarding the drive control information recorded in the data recording area.

22. The information recording medium according to claim 21, wherein the management information includes address information indicating an area in the data recording area, which is used for storing the drive control information.

23. An apparatus for recording information while optimizing recording and reproducing conditions on an information recording medium, the information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data, a defect management area used for defect management of the data recording area, a test area used for test recording, and a control information recording area for storing drive control information including the recording and reproducing conditions depending on the combination of the apparatus and medium, the apparatus comprising:

a detecting unit that detects whether the test area and the control information recording area are unusable;

a test recording unit that makes test recording, in the test area when the test area is detected not to be unusable by the detecting unit, or in the data recording area when detected to be unusable;

a drive control information updating unit that updates and records the drive control information including the optimum recording and reproducing conditions obtained on the basis of the execution result of the test recording, in the control information recording area when the control information recording area is detected not to be unusable by the detecting unit, or in the data recording area when detected to be unusable, and

a management information recording unit that records management information, the management information including at least one of a first address pointer indicating the location of the test recording and a second address pointer indicating the location at which the drive control information is updated and recorded.

24. A method for recording information in a predetermined direction to a continuous area on an information recording medium, comprising:

making test recording in an unused area following an area in which information has been already recorded, when recording additionally desired information on the information recording medium; and

recording the desired information in an area following the area in which the test recording is made.

25. The information recording method according to claim 24, wherein after the test recording, predetermined information is recorded in an unused area consecutive to the area in which the test recording is made, and the desired information is recorded in an unused area consecutive to the area in which the predetermined information is recorded.

26. An information recording medium for recording information in a predetermined direction in a continuous area, wherein

when recording additionally desired information, test recording is made in an unused area consecutive to the area in which information has been already recorded, and the desired information is recorded in an area following the area in which the test recording is made.

27. The information recording medium according to claim 26, wherein after the test recording, predetermined information is recorded in an unused area consecutive to the area at which the test recording is made, and the desired information is recorded in an unused area consecutive to an unused area consecutive to an area at which the predetermined information is recorded.

28. An apparatus for recording information in a predetermined direction in a continuous area on an information recording medium, the apparatus comprising a recording unit that records information to the information recording medium, and a controller that controls the operation of the recording unit,

wherein when recording additionally desired information to the information recording medium, the controller controls the recording unit so that the test recording is made in an unused area consecutive to the area at which the information has been already recorded and the desired information is recorded in an area following the area in which the test recording is made.

29. The information recording apparatus of claim 28, wherein the controller controls the recording unit so that after the test recording, predetermined information is recorded in an unused area consecutive to the area in which the test recording is made, and the desired information is recorded in an unused area consecutive to the area in which the predetermined information is recorded.

30. An apparatus for recording information on an information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data and a non-user data area used for other purpose than recording of the user data,

wherein the apparatus comprises a recording unit that records information to the information recording medium, and a controller that controls the operation of the recording unit, and

wherein the controller controls the recording unit so that the information intended to be recorded in the non-user data area is recorded in the data recording area, and management information is recorded in a predetermined area, the management information relating to the recording of the information intended to be recorded in the non-user data area in the data recording area.

31. An apparatus for recording information on an information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data, and a test area used for test recording,

wherein the apparatus comprises a recording unit that records information to the information recording medium, and a controller that controls the operation of the recording unit, and

wherein the controller controls the recording unit so that it is detect whether the test area is unusable when executing the test recording, a test recording is executed in the test area when the test area is detected not to be unusable, or executed in the data recording area when detected to be unusable, and management information relating to test recording executed in the data recording area is recorded in a predetermined area.

32. An apparatus for recording information on an information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data and a control information recording area for storing control information other than the user data,

wherein the apparatus comprises a recording unit that records information to the information recording medium, and a controller that controls the operation of the recording unit, and

wherein the controller controls the recording unit so that it is detected whether the control information recording area is unusable when recording the control information, the control information is recorded in the control information recording area when the control information recording area is detected not to be unusable, or recorded in the data recording area when the control information recording area is detected to be unusable, and management information is recorded in a predetermined area, the management information relating to recording of control information in the data recording area.

33. A controller for controlling a recording unit which records information on an information recording medium,

wherein the controller controls the recording unit so as to record information in a predetermined direction in a continuous area on the information recording medium, and

wherein when recording additionally desired information to the information recording medium, the controller controls the recording unit so that test recording is made in an unused area consecutive to the area at which the information has been already recorded and the desired information is recorded in an area following the area in which the test recording is made.

34. A controller for controlling a recording unit which records information on an information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data and a non-user data area used for other purpose than recording of the user data,

wherein the controller controls the recording unit so that the information intended to be recorded in the non-user data area is recorded in the data recording area, and management information is recorded in a predetermined area, the management information relating to the recording of the information intended to be recorded in the non-user data area in the data recording area.

35. A controller for controlling a recording unit which records information on an information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data, and a test area used for test recording,

wherein the controller controls the recording unit so that it is detect whether the test area is unusable when executing the test recording, a test recording is executed in the test area when the test area is detected not to be unusable, or executed in the data recording area when detected to be unusable, and management information relating to the test recording executed in the data recording area is recorded in a predetermined area.

36. A controller for controlling a recording unit which records information on an information recording medium comprising a data recording area for storing user data and a control information recording area for storing control information other than the user data,

wherein when recording the control information, the controller controls the recording unit so that it is detected whether the control information recording area is unusable, the control information is recorded in the control information recording area when the control information recording area is detected not to be unusable, or recorded in the data recording area when the control information recording area is detected to be unusable, and management information is recorded in a predetermined area, the management information relating to the recording of the control information in the data recording area.