Method of discriminating disk type and reproducing apparatus thereof

• US 6,643,238 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2001
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Nakajima, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): EDUN, MOHAMMAD N
• Application Number:
  US09/933,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20020044509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 369/47.1, 369/47.39, 369/47.41, 369/47.46, 369/53.1, 369/53.11, 369/53.2, 369/53.22, 369/53.37, 369/53.41, 369/53.45, 369/59.1, 369/44.13
• US Class Current: 369/53.22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/12 by sensing distinguishing features of or on records, e.g. diameter end mark
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/007 Arrangement of the information on the record carrier, e.g. form of tracks , actual track shape, e.g. wobbled, or cross-section, e.g. v-shaped; Sequential information structures, e.g. sectoring or header formats within a track
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/00745 Sectoring or header formats within a track formats in general G11B20/12

Abstract

A disk type discrimination method for optical disks is designed to function also with a DVD-RW of version 1.0, in which, with avoiding access to an unreadable zone, the compatibility with disks in the conventional versions including a DVD-R can be maintained, and a reproducing apparatus thereof. When a medium loaded in a reproducing apparatus is judged as a DVD, by detecting the presence or absence of wobble, searching a control data zone if the wobble is not present, if present, searching an RW physical format information zone to confirm type information, if the type information is the DVD-RW, searching again the data area to perform reproduction, if the DVD-R, searching a control data zone to confirm the DVD-R, and then reproducing, with avoiding access to an unreadable zone, the compatibility with disks in the conventional versions including the DVD-R is maintained.

Claims

1. A method of discriminating a disk type for discriminating the disk type between a first disk in which a first area in a lead-in area has an unreadable area and disk type information is recorded in a readable second area different from the first area, and a second disk in which disk type information is recorded in a readable first area in a lead-in area, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence or absence of wobble at a predetermined position on a disk; and

when said wobble is not detected, searching said first area to read said disk type information, and, when said wobble is detected, searching said second area to read said disk type information, thereby discriminating the disk type.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first area is a control data zone, said second area is an RW physical format information zone, said first disk is a DVD-RW, and said second disk is a DVD-R, said method comprising the steps of:

when said wobble is not detected, searching said control data zone to read disk type information, and judging whether or not the disk type is a DVD-ROM; and

when said wobble is detected, searching said RW physical format information zone to read the record information, when the record information is 0, searching said control data zone to read said disk type information, and judging whether or not the disk type information is the DVD-R.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first area is a control data zone, said second area is an RW physical format information zone, said first disk is a DVD-RW, and said second disk is a DVD-ROM (also including a DVD-Video), said method comprising the steps of:

when said wobble is not detected, searching said control data zone, and judging whether or not the disk type is the DVD-ROM (also including the DVD-Video); and

when said wobble is detected, searching said RW physical format information zone to read the disk type information, and judging whether or not the disk type is the DVD-RW.

4. A disk reproducing apparatus capable of reproducing a first disk in which a first area in a lead-in area has an unreadable area and disk type information is recorded in a readable second area different from said first area, and a second disk in which disk type information is recorded in a readable first area in a lead-in area, said apparatus comprising:

a wobble detection section for detecting the presence or absence of wobble;

a disk type information read section for, when said wobble is not detected, searching said first area to read said disk type information, and, when said wobble is detected, searching said second area to read said disk type information; and

a reproduction control section for performing a reproduction operation in accordance with said disk type information.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first area is a control data zone, said second area is an RW physical format information zone, said first disk is a DVD-RW, and said second disk is a DVD-R, and

said reproduction control section, when said wobble is not detected, searches said control data zone to read the disk type information, and, after confirming the disk type to be DVD-ROM (also including a DVD-Video), performs reproduction, and, when said wobble is detected, searches said RW physical format information zone to read the record information, when the record information is 0, searches said control data zone to read said disk type information, and, after confirming that the disk type information is the DVD-R, performs reproduction.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first area is a control data zone, said second area is an RW physical format information zone, said first disk is a DVD-RW, and said second disk is a DVD-ROM (also including a DVD-Video), and

said reproduction control section, when said wobble is not detected, searches said control data zone to read the disk type information, and, after confirming that the disk type is the DVD-ROM (also including the DVD-Video), performs reproduction, and, when said wobble is detected, searches said RW physical format information zone to read said disk type information, and, after confirming that the disk type information is the DVD-RW, performs reproduction.