Optical disc apparatus

• US 7,385,902 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Kazutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDI, NABIL Z
• Application Number:
  US11/048,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20050128914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 369/44.13, 369/275.3, 369/47.27, 369/47.28, 369/47.32, 369/47.33, 369/47.34, 369/47.1, 369/47.2, 369/59.25, 369/53.33, 369/53.35, 369/53.36, 369/47.42, 369/47.31
• US Class Current: 369/59.25
• 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 which records data on a CD-R or CD-RW data recording media, comprising:

a decoder which carries out error correction;

pausing means which pauses a recording operation; and

restarting means which restarts the recording operation and links data at an end position where the recording operation is paused and data at a start position where the recording operation is restarted, such that data recorded at said start and end positions can be error corrected and reproduced; and

wherein said pausing means pauses the recording operation without writing a run out block.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said start position is located at said end position within a ±

2 bit clock error.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said restarting means operates in response to data generated by said decoder.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pausing means uses a pause signal to mask a clock signal to an encoding device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said restarting means discontinues said pause signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said restarting means restarts the recording operation without writing a link block or a run in block.

7. A device for recording data on an optical recording media, said device comprising:

a decoder for carrying out error correction;

a pause circuit for pausing a recording operation; and

a restart circuit for restarting the recording operation such that data at a start position where the recording operation is restarted is linked to data at an end position where the recording operation is paused, such that data recorded at said start and end positions can be error corrected and reproduced; and

wherein said pause circuit is arranged to pause the recording operation without writing a run out block.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said start position is located at said end position within a ±

2 bit clock error.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein said restart circuit operates in response to data generated by said decoder.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein said pause circuit uses a pause signal to mask a clock signal to an encoding device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said restart circuit discontinues said pause signal.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein said restart circuit restarts the recording operation without writing a link block or a run in block.

13. A method of recording data on an optical recording media, said method comprising the steps of:

pausing a recording operation without writing a run out block; and

subsequently, restarting the recording operation such that data at a start position where the recording operation is restarted is linked to data at an end position where the recording operation is paused, such that data recorded at said start and end positions can be error corrected and reproduced.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said start position is located at said end position within a ±

2 bit clock error.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said recording operation is restarted without writing a link block or a run in block on said optical recording media.