Optical disk apparatus

• US 6,418,099 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• 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:
  US09/741,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20010001265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 369/44.32, 369/47.33, 369/47.28, 369/47.29, 369/47.3, 369/47.32, 369/47.34
• US Class Current: 369/47.11
• 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 which records data on optical disc data recording media, comprising:

a pausing means which pauses a recording operation to avoid a buffer under run;

a restarting means which restarts the recording operation and maintains data succession between an end position where the recording operation is paused and a start position where the recording operation is restarted;

a CIRC and CD-ROM encoding means for generating encoded data; and

a storing means for storing said encoded data in a memory;

wherein said pausing means maintains said stored encoded data encoded by said encoding means in said memory while the recording operation is paused.

2. The optical disc apparatus of claim 1, wherein said restarting means further comprises:

a detecting means which detects the end position based on synchronizing a clock with data written prior to pausing, thereby permitting the restarting means to restart the recording operation from the end position.

3. The optical disc apparatus of claim 2, wherein said detecting means further comprises:

a counting means which counts a channel bit phase locked loop (PLL) signal based on synchronizing the clock with data written prior to pausing.

4. The optical disc apparatus of claim 2, wherein said detecting means further comprises:

a counting means which counts a frame synchronization signal based on synchronizing the clock with data written prior to pausing.

5. The optical disc apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a judging means which causes the pausing means to pause the recording operation when data supplied by an external device to be optically recorded on the data recording media has not been transmitted in time, said judging means also causing the restarting means to restart the recording operation when at least one block of data to be recorded on the media has been fully transmitted to said optical disc apparatus.

6. The optical disc apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a judging means which causes the pausing means to pause the recording operation when a buffer which holds data transmitted by an external device to be optically recorded on the data recording media contains a volume of data less than or equal to a low threshold, said judging means also causing the restarting means to restart the recording operation when the volume of data in the buffer is greater than or equal to a high threshold.

7. The optical disc apparatus of claim 1, wherein data is initially recorded at a first recording speed, and wherein the optical disc apparatus further comprises:

a changing means which changes the rate of recording while the recording operation is paused so that when the restarting means restarts the recording operation, the recording operation is performed at a second recording speed different from said first recording speed.

8. The optical disc apparatus of claim 1, wherein data is initially recorded at a first recording speed and wherein the optical disc apparatus further comprises:

a judging means which causes the pausing means to pause the recording operation when data supplied by an external device to be optically recorded on the data recording media has not been transmitted in time, said judging means also causing the restarting means to restart the recording operation at a second recording speed more suitable to a data transmission rate of the external device.

9. The optical disc apparatus of claim 8, wherein said second recording speed is less than said first recording speed.

10. The optical disc apparatus of claims 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, wherein said pausing means pauses the recording operation without writing a run out block.

11. The optical disc apparatus of claim 10, wherein said optical disc apparatus writes a run out block after recording a predetermined length of data.

12. The optical disc apparatus of claim 11, wherein data supplied by an external device to be optically recorded on the data recording media is divided into a plurality of subdata which are recorded with a plurality of recordings.

13. An optical disc apparatus for recording data on optical disc data recording media, comprising:

a pause circuit which pauses a recording operation to avoid a buffer under run;

a restarting circuit which causes said optical disc apparatus to restart the recording operation and maintain data succession between an end position where the recording operation is paused and a start position where the recording operation is restarted; and

an encoder for generating CIRC and CD-ROM encoded data;

wherein said optical disc apparatus is arranged such that said encoded data is stored in a memory; and

wherein said optical disc apparatus is arranged such that said stored encoded data is maintained in said memory while the recording operation is paused.

14. A circuit for preventing a buffer under run in an optical disc apparatus for recording data on optical disc data recording media by pausing a record operation to avoid a buffer under run and restarting the recording operation while maintaining data succession between an end position where the recording operation is paused and a start position where the recording operation is restarted, said circuit comprising:

an encoder for generating CIRC and CD-ROM encoded data; and

a device for storing said encoded data in a memory;

wherein said circuit is arranged such that said stored encoded data is maintained in said memory while the recording operation is paused.