Write-once optical disc and method for recording management information thereon

• US 8,296,529 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Yong Cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): Campos, Yaima
• Assistant Examiner(s): DILLON, SAMUEL A
• Application Number:
  US10/934,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20050052972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,968 Days
• Field of Search: 711/5, 711/154, 369/272.1, 369/275.3
• US Class Current: 711/154
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2541 Blu-ray discs; Blue laser DVR discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]

Abstract

A write-once optical disc and a method and apparatus for recording management information on the disc are provided. The method includes recording an opened SRR information on a recording medium, and removing an identification of a certain SRR from the opened SRR information once the certain SRR is closed. The opened SRR information carries an identification of any opened SRR, and the number of opened SRRs allowed is at most a predetermined number.

Claims

1. A method of managing a recording medium, comprising the steps of:

generating at least one currently open recording range in a first session on a data area of the recording medium, the first session comprising one or more recording ranges, each currently open recording range having a recordable location;

recording management information onto at least one of first and second temporary management areas of the recording medium until the recording medium is finalized, the first temporary management area being allocated to a lead-in area by a predetermined size, the second temporary management area being allocated to a spare area by a non-predetermined size between 0 and a maximum size, the management information including one or more entries respectively corresponding to one or more recording ranges generated on the recording medium, each entry including a start address of a corresponding recording range and indication information for indicating whether the corresponding recording range is a start recording range of the first session, the management information also including a list of currently open recording ranges which has one or more identifications that identify each currently open recording range existing on the recording medium, a maximum number of the identifications included in the list of currently open recording ranges being limited to a predetermined number;

closing the first session, including changing every currently open recording range contained in the first session to a closed recording range, while not closing an unrecorded area of a currently open recording range located last in the first session, wherein a size of the first session is changed when the first session is closed;

after the first session is closed, creating a second session, wherein the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session becomes a start recording range of the second session for storing user data; and

recording a new list of currently open recording ranges onto at least one of the first and second temporary management areas, the new list of currently open recording ranges not including an identification corresponding to a recording range included in the list of opened recording ranges of the first session and subsequently changed when closing the first session from an open recording range to a closed recording range, the new list of currently open recording ranges including the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session as the start recording range of the second session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum number of the identifications is limited to 16.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a recorded area of the open recording range which has a start address but of which end address is not defined becomes a closed recording range when closing the first session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the closed recording ranges are included in the first session.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the management information in the temporary management area onto a plurality of management areas when the recording medium is to be finalized.

6. A recording medium, comprising:

a data area configured to allocate a first session having at least one currently open recording range, the first session comprising one or more recording ranges, each currently open recording range having a recordable location; and

first and second temporary management areas configured to store management information until the recording medium is finalized, the first temporary management area being allocated to a lead-in area by a predetermined size, the second temporary management area being allocated to a spare area by a non-predetermined size between 0 and a maximum size, the management information including a list of currently open recording ranges which has one or more entries respectively corresponding to one or more recording ranges allocated on the recording medium, each entry including a start address of a corresponding recording range and indication information for indicating whether the corresponding recording range is a start recording range of the first session, the management information also including one or more identifications that identify each currently open recording range existing on the recording medium, a maximum number of the identifications included in the list of currently open recording ranges being limited to a predetermined number,

wherein, when closing the first session, every recording range contained in the first session is changed to a closed recording range, while not closing an unrecorded area of a currently open recording range located last in the first session,

wherein a size of the first session is changed when the first session is closed,

wherein the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session becomes a start recording range of a second session created after closing the first session for storing user data, and

wherein at least one of the first and second temporary management areas stores therein a new list of currently open recording ranges, the new list of currently open recording ranges not including an identification corresponding to a recording range included in the list of opened recording ranges of the first session and subsequently changed when the first session from an open recording range to a closed recording range, the new list of currently open recording ranges including the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session as the start recording range of the second session.

7. The recording medium of claim 6, wherein the maximum number of the identifications is limited to 16.

8. The recording medium of claim 6, wherein the closed recording ranges are included in the first session.

9. An apparatus for managing a recording medium, comprising:

a pickup configured to read/record data from/to a first session of a data area of the recording medium, the first session comprising one or more recording ranges, wherein at least one of the one or more recording ranges in the first session is an currently open recording range having a recordable location, and the pickup further configured to read/record management information from/onto at least one of first and second temporary management areas of the recording medium until the recording medium is finalized, the first temporary management area being allocated to a lead-in area by a predetermined size, the second temporary management area being allocated to a spare area by a non-predetermined size between 0 and a maximum size, the management information including one or more entries respectively corresponding to one or more recording ranges generated on the recording medium, each entry including a start address of a corresponding recording range and indication information for indicating whether the corresponding recording range is a start recording range of the first session, the management information also including a list of currently open recording ranges which has one or more identifications that identify each currently open recording range existing on the recording medium, a maximum number of the identifications included in the list of currently open recording ranges being limited to a predetermined number;

a servo configured to control the pickup to read/record a signal from/onto the recording medium;

a data processor configured to process the signal read/recorded from/onto the recording medium; and

a microcomputer operatively coupled to the components above—

the pickup, the data processor and the servo, and configured to control the components so that the apparatus reproduces/records the management information from/onto at least one of the first and second temporary management areas of the recording medium,

wherein the microcomputer is further configured to control the components so that when closing the first session the apparatus changes every currently open recording range contained in the first session to a closed recording range, while not closing an unrecorded area of a currently open recording range located in the first session,

wherein a size of the first session is changed when the first session is closed,

wherein the microcomputer is configured to control the components so that the apparatus creates a second session after the first session is closed, the second session including the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session as a start recording range of the second session for storing user data, and

wherein the microcomputer is configured to control the components so that the apparatus records a new list of currently open recording ranges onto at least one of the first and second temporary management areas, the new list of currently open recording ranges excluding an identification corresponding to a recording range changed to be a closed recording range from the list of currently open recording ranges, the new list of currently open recording ranges including the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session as the start recording range of the second session.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the microcomputer is configured to control the components so that the apparatus reads or records the number of identifications from or onto the temporary management area, the number of identifications is limited to 16.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the microcomputer is configured to control the components so that the apparatus changes a recorded area of the open recording range which has a start address but of which end address is not defined into a closed recording range when closing the first session.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the closed recording ranges are included in the first session.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the microcomputer is configured to control the pickup to record the management information in the temporary management area onto a plurality of management areas when the recording medium is to be finalized.

14. A system for reproducing or recording data from or on a recording medium, comprising:

a recording/reproducing part including a microcomputer configured to generate at least one currently open recording range in a first session, the first session comprising one or more recording ranges, each currently open recording range having a recordable location,

the recording/reproducing part including a pickup configured to read/record management information from/onto at least one of first and second temporary management areas of the recording medium until the recording medium is finalized, the first temporary management area being allocated to a lead-in area by a predetermined size, the second temporary management area being allocated to a spare area by a non-predetermined size between 0 and a maximum size, the management information including one or more entries respectively corresponding to one or more recording ranges generated on the recording medium, each entry including a start address of a corresponding recording range and indication information for indicating whether the corresponding recording range is a start recording range of the first session, the management information also including a list of currently open recording ranges containing each currently open recording range number, a maximum number of currently open recording ranges included in the list of currently open recording ranges being limited to a predetermined number,

wherein the microcomputer is operatively coupled to the pickup and is configured to control the pickup to reproduce/record the management information from/onto at least one of the first and second temporary management areas of the recording medium,

wherein, when closing the first session, the microcomputer is configured to change every currently open recording range contained in the first session to a closed recording range, while not closing an unrecorded area of a currently open recording range located last in the first session, and

wherein a size of the first session is changed when the first session is closed,

wherein the microcomputer is further configured to create a second session after the first session is closed, the second session including the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session as a start recording range of the second session for storing user data, and

wherein the microcomputer is further configured to record a new list of currently open recording ranges onto at least one of the first and second temporary management areas, the new list of currently open recording ranges not including an identification corresponding to a recording range included in the list of opened recording ranges of the first session and subsequently changed when closing the first session from an open recording range to a closed recording range, the new list of currently open recording ranges including the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session as the start recording range of the second session;

an interface unit; and

a host operatively coupled to the recording/reproducing part and configured to communicate with the recording/reproducing part by transmitting a command via the interface unit.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the start recording range is an currently open recording range of the second session and the list of currently open recording range in the new management information includes an identification of the start recording range.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the microcomputer is configured to change a recorded area of the open recording range which has a start address but of which end address is not defined into a closed recording range when closing the first session.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the closed recording ranges are included in the first session.

18. A method of managing a recording medium having a data area, the method comprising steps of:

reading management information from at least one of first and second temporary management areas of the recording medium until the recording medium is finalized, the first temporary management area being allocated to a lead-in area by a predetermined size, the second temporary management area being allocated to a spare area by a non-predetermined size between 0 and a maximum size, the management information one or more entries respectively corresponding to one or more recording ranges generated on the recording medium, each entry including a start address of a corresponding recording range and indication information for indicating whether the corresponding recording range is a start recording range of the first session, the management information including a list of currently open recording ranges, wherein the list of currently open recording range includes one or more identifications which identify each currently open recording range existing on the recording medium, a maximum number of the identifications included in the list of currently open recording ranges being limited to a predetermined number;

determining whether a recording range in a first session allocated to the data area is either an currently open recording range having a recordable location or a closed recording range having no recordable location;

closing the first session, including changing every currently open recording range contained in the first session to a closed recording range, while not closing an unrecorded area of a currently open recording range located last in the first session, wherein a size of the first session is changed when the first session is closed;

after the first session is closed, creating a second session including, as a start recording range for storing user data, the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session; and

recording new management information corresponding to the second session onto at least one of the first and second temporary management areas, wherein the new management information includes a new list of currently open recording ranges not including an identification corresponding to a recording range included in the list of opened recording ranges of the first session and subsequently changed when closing the first session from an open recording range to a closed recording range, the new list of currently open recording ranges including the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session as the start recording range of the second session.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the maximum number of identifications is limited to 16.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the closed recording ranges are included in the first session.

21. An apparatus of managing a recording medium having a first session comprising one or more recording ranges on a data area of the recording medium, comprising:

a microcomputer configured to determine whether a recording range in the first session is an currently open recording range having a recordable location or a closed recording range having no recordable location;

a pickup configured to read management information from at least one of first and second temporary management areas of the recording medium until the recording medium is finalized, the first temporary management area being allocated to a lead-in area by a predetermined size, the second temporary management area being allocated to a spare area by a non-predetermined size between 0 and a maximum size, the management information including one or more entries respectively corresponding to one or more recording ranges generated in the recording medium, each entry including a start address of a corresponding recording range and indication information for indicating whether the corresponding recording range is a start recording range of the first session, the management information also including a list of currently open recording ranges, wherein the list of currently open recording ranges includes one or more identifications that identify each currently open recording range existing on the recording medium, a maximum number of the identifications included in the list of currently open recording ranges being limited to a predetermined number;

a servo configured to control the pickup to read/record a signal from/onto the recording medium; and

a data processor configured to process the signal read/recorded from/onto the recording medium,

wherein the microcomputer is operatively coupled to the components above—

the pickup, the data processor and the servo, and the microcomputer is configured to control the components so that the apparatus closes the first session,

wherein, when closing the first session, the apparatus changes every currently open recording range contained in the first session to a closed recording range, while not closing an unrecorded area of a currently open recording range located last in the first session, wherein a size of the first session is changed when the first session is closed, and

wherein the microcomputer is configured to control the components so that after closing the first session the apparatus creates a second session including, as a start recording range of the second session for storing user data, the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session, and the microcomputer is configured to control the components so that the apparatus records new management information onto at least one of the first and second temporary management areas, the new management information including a new list of currently open recording ranges not including an identification corresponding to a recording range included in the list of opened recording ranges of the first session and subsequently changed when closing the first session from an open recording range to a closed recording range, the new list of currently open recording ranges including the unrecorded area of the currently open recording range located last in the first session as the start recording range of the second session.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the maximum number of the identifications is limited to 16.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the new management information includes an entry corresponding to the start recording range of the second session.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the microcomputer is configured to control the components so that the apparatus changes a recorded area of the open recording range which has a start address but of which end address is not defined into a closed recording range when closing the first session.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the closed recording ranges are included in the first session.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the recording ranges are sequentially included in the first and second sessions.