Recording and playing back device with error correction

• US 7,149,160 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2001
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Keiji, Takase, Makoto, Kibashi, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, GAUTAM
• Application Number:
  US09/955,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20020075735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,912 Days
• Field of Search: 369/83, 369/53.35, 369/53.37, 369/47.34, 369/47.14
• US Class Current: 369/47.14
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1883 Methods for assignment of alternate areas for defective areas
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/183 wherein at least one additional attempt is made to read or write the data when a first attempt is unsuccessful
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers

Abstract

If the number of retries made before data is read successfully reaches or exceeds a predetermined number, the data is saved in spare sectors SS and then data sectors DS which originally stored the data are overwritten. Furthermore, both when data is saved in spare sectors SS and when data is written over data sectors DS, appropriate pointer information in RDM table stored in a reserved area RA including a nonvolatile memory is updated as required.

Claims

1. A method of processing data in a data storage device, comprising:

(a) reading data from a data sector;

(b) if step (a) is unsuccessful, initiating a data overwrite process by changing a pointer information of the data to RDM(d);

(c) preparing a spare sector and changing the pointer information to RDM(s);

(d) writing the data to the spare sector and conducting a read test thereof;

(e) if the read test of step (d) is unsuccessful, repeating steps (c) and (d);

(f) if the read test of step (d) is successful, storing the pointer information to RDM(s);

(g) if step (f) is unsuccessful, switching the pointer information back to RDM(d) and then performing step (o);

(h) if step (f) is successful, switching the pointer information back to RDM(d);

(i) overwriting the data sector and conducting a read test thereof;

(j) if step (i) is unsuccessful, changing the pointer information to RDM(s) and then performing step (o);

(k) if step (i) is successful, releasing the spare sector;

(l) changing and storing the pointer information to RDM(d);

(m) if step (l) is unsuccessful, the pointer information remains RDM(s) and then performing step (o);

(n) if step (l) is successful, proceeding to the next step; and

(o) ending the method.

2. A method of overwriting data in a disk drive storage device, comprising:

(a) attempting to read data from data sectors until a predetermined number of attempts is attempted;

(b) if the data cannot be read in step (a), initiating a data overwrite process by changing a pointer information of the data to RDM(d);

(c) preparing spare sectors and changing the pointer information to RDM(s);

(d) attempting to write the data to the spare sectors and conduct a read test thereof for the predetermined number of attempts;

(e) if the read test of step (d) is unsuccessful, repeating steps (c) and (d);

(f) if the read test of step (d) is successful, attempting to store the pointer information to RDM(s) for the predetermined number of attempts;

(g) if the pointer information is not stored in step (f) is unsuccessful, switching the pointer information back to RDM(d) and then performing step (o);

(h) if the pointer information is stored in step (f), switching the pointer information back to RDM(d);

(i) attempting to overwrite the data sectors and conduct a read test thereof for the predetermined number of attempts;

(j) if the read test of step (i) is unsuccessful, changing the pointer information to RDM(s) and then performing step (o);

(k) if the read test of step (i) is successful, releasing the spare sectors;

(l) attempting to change and store the pointer information to RDM(d);

(m) if the pointer information is not stored in step (l), the pointer information remains RDM(s) and then performing step (o);

(n) if the pointer information is stored in step (l), proceeding to the next step; and

(o) ending the method.