Optical disc apparatus capable of multiple write sessions in a single track

• US 6,198,707 B1
• Filed: 08/05/1997
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Kazutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDI, NABIL Z
• Application Number:
  US08/906,290
• Time in Patent Office: 1,309 Days
• Field of Search: 369/60, 369/59, 369/48, 369/54, 369/32, 369/58, 369/44.28
• US Class Current: 369/47.25
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/20 Driving; Starting; Stopping; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/28 Speed controlling, regulating, or indicating G11B19/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1217 on discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1403 characterised by the use of two levels
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10694 output interface, i.e. the way data leave the buffer, e.g. by adjusting the clock rate
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10731 wherein the buffer I/O can be temporarily suspended, e.g. by refusing to accept further data to be buffered
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1074 involving a specific threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10814 involving specific measures to prevent a buffer underrun
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1225 frame, i.e. a subunit of a sector containing user data, e.g. a sync frame
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1235 session, i.e. a contiguous area having its own lead-in area, program area and lead-out area
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1277 for managing gaps between two recordings, e.g. control data in linking areas, run-in or run-out fields, guard or buffer zones
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3063 Subcodes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0037 with discs

Abstract

An optical disc apparatus includes a pause circuit for pausing data encoders upon receiving a pause signal so that a write operation may be paused without writing dummy data, thereby maintaining data succession. The optical disc apparatus also includes a circuit for accurately determining a write start location by referring to previously written data. A processor generates a pause signal when the amount of data in the optical drive apparatus data buffer is low, and removes the pause signal when additional data from a host is received. The processor may also automatically reduce the write speed of the optical disc apparatus upon a pause condition, thereby preventing the necessity for excessive pausing.

Claims

1. An optical disc apparatus for recording data on an optical recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

encoding means for encoding data;

a counter for a channel bit phase locked loop signal based on an EFM signal;

a register storing an offset value coupled to the counter for applying the offset value to the counter to allow for accurately determining a start write location at an end of data previously written on the optical recording medium;

writing means for writing the encoded data on the optical recording medium based on the start write location; and

means for pausing the encoding means to maintain data succession.

3. The optical disc apparatus of claim 1, further comprising control means for controlling the write operations of the optical disc apparatus;

wherein the control means pauses a write operation when an amount of available data from a host is below a preset level, waits for additional data to be transmitted from the host, and resumes writing when additional data is received.

5. The optical disc apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for reducing the writing speed of the optical disc apparatus after pausing the write operation.

2. An optical disc apparatus for recording data on an optical recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

encoding means for encoding data;

a counter for a frame sync signal coupled to a frame offset register which stores a frame offset which is applied to the counter for accurately determining a start write location at an end of data previously written on the optical recording medium;

writing means for writing the encoded data on the optical recording medium based on the start write location; and

means for pausing the encoding means to maintain data succession.

4. The optical disc apparatus of claim 2, further comprising control means for controlling the write operations of the optical disc apparatus;

wherein the control means pauses a write operation when an amount of available data from a host is below a preset level, waits for additional data to be transmitted from the host, and resumes writing when additional data is received.

6. The optical disc apparatus of claim 2, further comprising means for reducing the writing speed of the optical disc apparatus after pausing the write operation.

7. An optical disc apparatus for recording and reproducing data for a data recording medium, wherein said optical disc apparatus includes writing means for maintaining data succession by maintaining a count of an EFM frame sync signal and sub code block signal and switching on and off an encoder based on the count in a start portion and an end portion of data written on the optical recording medium, wherein switching on of the encoder is accurately controlled by applying a frame offset stored in a register to the count.