HK1082103A - Information storage medium and method of recording and/or reproducing data thereon - Google Patents

Description

Information storage medium and method of recording and/or reproducing data thereon

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an information storage medium and a method of recording and/or reproducing data thereon, and more particularly, to an information storage medium in which information regarding a user data area is recorded inside and/or outside of a basic recording unit of the user data area, and a method of recording and/or reproducing data on the information storage medium.

Background

In general, optical discs are widely used as information storage media for optical pickup (pickup) apparatuses for recording/reproducing information in a non-contact manner. Optical discs include Compact Discs (CDs) or Digital Versatile Discs (DVDs) according to their information storage capacity. Examples of recordable optical discs are 650MB CD-R, CD-RW, and 4.7GB DVD + RW. In addition, HD-DVDs having a recording capacity of 20GB or more are under development.

FIG. 1 shows a disc having an inner boundary R from the disc_inTo the outer boundary R_outA lead-in area (B), a user data area (a), and a lead-out area (C) formed sequentially. In the optical disk, the number of sector addresses is from the inner boundary R_inTo the outer boundary R_outAnd (4) increasing. The user data area a includes a plurality of Error Correction Code (ECC) blocks.

Fig. 2 illustrates that information on an address of each ECC block is recorded as a groove wobble (groovewobbble) in a recordable optical disc because data can be randomly recorded or reproduced regardless of a sequence of physical addresses of a basic recording unit. In particular, in the case where the physical address is recorded as a groove wobble, information on the user data area is recorded as a groove wobble. However, the recordable optical disc has layers and does not include layer information. It is difficult to maintain consistency between formats of a recordable optical disc and a reproduction-only optical disc.

Fig. 3 shows that in a reproduction-only optical disc, each ECC block is composed of a total of 16 sectors from zero to a fifteenth sector, and a Sector Address (SA) is recorded at the head of each sector composing the ECC block. In other words, the reproduction-only optical disc stores information about user data, i.e., address information, in an ECC block of the user data area.

In contrast to recordable optical discs, reproduction-only optical discs do not have a groove in the user data area, which makes it necessary to record information about the user data area in a different manner than in recordable optical discs.

Recordable optical discs and reproduction-only optical discs have been developed to have a greater recording capacity. The recording capacity can be increased by shortening the wavelength of the recording light source or by increasing the numerical aperture of the objective lens. However, the recording capacity can also be increased by having a plurality of storage layers.

A DVD-ROM having a plurality of information storage layers is disclosed in U.S. patent No. 5,881,032.

Fig. 4A shows a sector address structure of a conventional optical disc having two information storage layers. Referring to FIG. 4A, the optical disc includes a first information storage layer L₁And a second information storage layer L₂. First information storage layer L₁And a second information storage layer L₂Having lead-in areas 1a and 2a, respectively, and lead-out areas 1b and 2b, respectively. In the first information storage layer L₁In, the number (X) of sector addresses is from the inner boundary R_inTo the outer boundary R_outAnd (4) increasing. In the second information storage layer L₂In, the number (X') of sector addresses is from the outer boundary R_outTo the inner boundary R_inAnd (4) increasing.

Having at least two information storage layersThe multi-layer optical disc of (1) is classified into an Opposite Track Path (OTP) type optical disc or a Parallel Track Path (PTP) type optical disc according to a direction in which information is reproduced. As shown in FIG. 4B, in the OTP optical disc, first, a first information storage layer L₁From the inner boundary R_inTo the outer boundary R_outIs reproduced and then the second information storage layer L₂From the outer boundary R_outTo the inner boundary R_inIs reproduced. In other words, the information storage layer L of the OTP optical disc₁And L₂The track rotation direction of (1) is opposite.

FIG. 4C shows a structure having first to fourth information storage layers L₁、L₂、L₃And L₄The OTP multi-layer optical disc of (1). First to fourth information storage layers L₁、L₂、L₃And L₄Having first to fourth lead-in areas 1a, 2a, 3a and 4a, respectively, and first to fourth lead-out areas 1b, 2b, 3b and 4b, respectively, such that the lead-in and lead-out areas alternate in each of an inner boundary area and an outer boundary area of the optical disc. As shown in the reproduction direction of the four-layer optical disc of FIG. 4C, first, the first information storage layer L₁From the inner boundary R_inTo the outer boundary R_outIs reproduced and then the second information storage layer L₂From the outer boundary R_outTo the inner boundary R_inIs reproduced and then the third information storage layer L₃From the inner boundary R_inTo the outer boundary R_outIs reproduced, and then the fourth information storage layer L is reproduced₄To extend from the outer boundary R_outTo the inner boundary R_inIs reproduced.

Fig. 5 shows a PTP two-layer optical disc. Data is first retrieved from the first information storage layer L₁Inner boundary R of_inTo the outer boundary R_outIs reproduced and then from the second information storage layer L₂Inner boundary R of_inTo the outer boundary R_outIs reproduced. In other words, the information storage layers of the PTP optical disc are reproduced in the same track rotation direction. Here, a first information storage layer L₁Having a first lead-in area 1a in its inner boundary area and a first lead-out area 1b in its outer boundary area. Similarly, a second information storage layer L₂At its inner boundaryThe area has a second lead-in area 2a and a second lead-out area 2b in its outer border area.

The lead-in areas 1a, 2a, 3a, and 4a and the lead-out areas 1b, 2b, 3b, and 4b store information about the optical disc. The recordable optical disc also stores various recording conditions. Accordingly, the user data can be completely recorded on or reproduced from the optical disc by reading information from the lead-in area and the lead-out area. In particular, an information storage medium having a plurality of information storage layers stores information regarding the number of information storage layers in each information storage layer. Accordingly, information regarding the number of information storage layers can be detected from any information storage layer.

In the recordable information storage medium, since data recording or reproduction can occur randomly regardless of the sequence of physical addresses of basic recording units, information about an information storage layer, which is necessary in data recording, must be recorded in a user data area. In particular, in the case where a physical address is recorded as a groove wobble, information on an information storage layer can also be recorded as a groove wobble. In this case, in data recording or reproduction, information on the information storage layer can be reproduced using a push-pull channel signal.

On the other hand, a reproduction-only information storage medium does not have a groove wobble formed on its user data area, which makes it necessary to record information about an information storage layer in a different manner from that in a recordable information storage medium.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide an information storage medium, in which information regarding a user data area is read using a physical address of the user data area, or is read from areas right before and right after a basic recording area unit of the user data area; and a method of recording and/or reproducing data on the information storage medium.

Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

To achieve the above and/or other aspects of the present invention, there is provided an information storage medium including a user data area, wherein information regarding the user data area in which user data is recorded in at least one of a region right before and a region right after a basic recording unit of the user data area.

The basic recording unit of the user data area may be one of a physical cluster, an Error Correction Code (ECC) block, a sector, and a frame.

Information on the user data area may be recorded in at least one of a lead-in area and a lead-out area, which are immediately before and after the physical cluster, respectively.

The information storage medium may include at least two information storage layers, wherein information regarding the user data area may be recorded in at least one of an area right before and an area right after a basic recording unit of the user data area in different patterns for different information storage layers.

To achieve the above and/or other aspects of the present invention, there is provided a method of recording and/or reproducing data on an information storage medium having a user data area, the method including reading information on the user data area in which user data is recorded from at least one of a front area and a rear area of a basic recording unit of the user data area; and recording and/or reproducing data according to the information on the user data area.

Drawings

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

fig. 1 is a view illustrating a conventional single-layer optical disc;

fig. 2 is a view illustrating an address structure of an ECC block of a conventional recordable optical disc;

fig. 3 is a view illustrating an address structure of an ECC block of a conventional reproduction-only optical disc;

FIG. 4A is a view showing a sector address structure of a conventional two-layer DVD-ROM;

fig. 4B is a view illustrating the structure of lead-in and lead-out areas of a conventional Opposite Track Path (OTP) type DVD-ROM having four information storage layers;

fig. 4C is a view illustrating the structure of lead-in and lead-out areas of a conventional OTP-type DVD-ROM having four information storage layers;

fig. 5 is a view showing the structure of lead-in and lead-out areas of a conventional Parallel Track Path (PTP) type DVD-ROM having two information storage layers;

fig. 6 is a view illustrating a data structure of a lead-in area or a lead-out area of a recordable information storage medium related to the present invention;

fig. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a complete structure of a reproduction-only information storage medium related to the present invention;

fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of recording and/or reproducing data on an information storage medium according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of recording and/or reproducing data on an information storage medium according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a basic user data area unit of an information storage medium according to an embodiment of the present invention to which information regarding a user data area is recorded;

fig. 11A is a view illustrating a recording area unit of an information storage medium according to the present invention; and

fig. 11B is a view showing a sequence of a recording area unit according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. Hereinafter, the embodiments are described to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.

It should be understood that the information storage medium according to the present invention may be a recordable or reproduction-only storage medium. In addition, the recordable information storage medium may include a single information storage layer or a plurality of information storage layers. Each information storage layer may include a lead-in area, a user data area, and a lead-out area.

Fig. 6 illustrates that at least one of a lead-in area and a lead-out area of a recordable information storage medium includes a reproduction-only data zone 10, a rewritable data zone 30, and a connection zone 20 connecting the reproduction-only data zone 10 with the rewritable data zone 30.

The reproduction-only data zone 10 stores basic information about the information storage medium in the form of pits or a high frequency groove wobble. The reproduction-only data zone 10 includes an information storage medium-related information zone 10a in which the size, version number, and recording conditions of the information storage medium are recorded.

The connection zone 20 may include a transition zone for transitioning between the reproduction-only data zone 10 and the rewritable data zone 30. Alternatively, the connection region 20 may include a mirror region (mirror zone) or a wobble groove region.

The rewritable data zone 30 may include an information storage medium test zone 30a, a drive test zone 30b, an information storage medium control data zone 30c, and a defect management zone 30 d. The information storage medium control data zone 30c includes at least one information storage medium control zone for recording information regarding control of the information storage medium. In FIG. 6, the information storage medium control data zone 30c includes first through fourth information storage medium control zones 30c-1, 30c-2, 30c-3, and 30 c-4. The information storage medium control data zone 30c may further include at least one reserved area for recording other information, for example, reserved areas 30c-5 and 30 c-6. For example, data may be recorded in the user data in the form of a groove wobble.

Fig. 7 illustrates a reproduction-only information storage medium including at least one information storage layer including a lead-in area 40, a user data area 43, and a lead-out area 45. The lead-in area 40 and/or the lead-out area 45 record reproduction-only data, such as information about the information storage medium, and the user data area 43 records reproduction-only user data.

Groove tracks 47 and land tracks 48 are alternately formed on the lead-in area 40 and the lead-out area 45. Reproduction-only data, such as information on the information storage medium, is recorded in the form of a high-frequency groove wobble 49 on both sidewalls of each of the groove tracks 47 or the land tracks 48. The area in which data has been recorded as the high frequency groove wobble 49 is referred to as a high frequency data area.

For example, when the information storage medium is manufactured, user data is recorded as pits 50. Such an information storage medium is equivalent to a hybrid disc and requires different channels for reproduction. In a recordable information storage medium, reproduction-only data in a lead-in area is reproduced using a push-pull channel, and user data is reproduced using a sum channel. Similarly, in a reproduction-only information storage medium, a lead-in area can be reproduced using a push-pull channel, and a user data area can be reproduced using a sum channel. In this regard, consistency between the recordable information storage medium and the reproduction-only information storage medium can be obtained.

A method of detecting information regarding a user data area, for example, information regarding whether only one or a plurality of information storage layers exist, or information regarding from which information storage layer of a recordable or reproduction-only storage medium having the above-described structure data is reproduced will now be described.

Generally, a physical address is recorded to each basic recording unit of a user data area in which data is recorded.

An information storage medium according to an embodiment of the present invention includes at least one information storage layer.

In the case where an information storage medium includes two information storage layers, physical addresses No. 0 to No. 30000 are recorded in a first information storage layer, and physical addresses No. 30001 to No. 60000 are recorded in a second information storage layer. Accordingly, the number of information storage layers included in the information storage medium can be detected using the physical addresses. For example, each time a pickup approaches an optical disc to record/reproduce data from the optical disc, a physical address of a single basic recording area is read out. At this time, in the case where the read physical address falls within the range of 0 to 30000, it is recognized that the corresponding basic recording area belongs to the first information storage layer, and on the other hand, in the case where the read physical address falls within the range of 30001 to 60000, it is recognized that the corresponding basic recording area belongs to the second information storage layer.

FIG. 8 illustrates a first information storage layer L showing a search for an information storage medium having at least one information storage layer according to the present invention₁A flow chart of the method of (1). In operation 100, an information storage medium is loaded on a turntable of an optical recording/reproducing drive. In operation 110, the optical pickup reads information about the information storage medium from the information storage medium. In operation 120, the optical pickup moves to the recording/reproducing layer, for example, to record or reproduce data to or from the recording/reproducing layer. At this time, the optical pickup accesses the recording/reproducing layer to focus on and track the recording/reproducing layer, thus reading out an address from the tracked recording/reproducing layer. In operation 130, it is determined whether the read address belongs to a predetermined address group. As described above, in the case where it is determined that the read-out address falls within the range of 0 to 30000, the tracked recording/reproducing layer is identified as, for example, the first information storage layer L in operation 140₁Accordingly, data is recorded to the first information storage layer L₁Or from the first information storage layer L₁Is reproduced.

However, in case that it is determined that the reproduced address does not fall within the range of 0 to 30000, the optical spot formed by the optical pickup device is focused on another layer in operation 150. In operation 160, the process of determining whether the read address belongs to a predetermined address group is repeated. That is, in the case where it is determined that the read-out address belongs to a predetermined address group corresponding to a specific layer, recording or reproduction is performed on the layer. Otherwise, the address of the other layer is checked. By repeating these processes, a specific layer, for example, the first information storage layer L₁Can be discovered.

FIG. 9 illustrates a first information storage layer L showing a search for an information storage medium having a plurality of storage layers according to the present invention₁And a second information storage layer L₂A flow chart of the method of (1). In operation 1000, an information storage medium is loaded on a turntable of an optical recording/reproducing drive. In operation 1100, an optical pickup device reads information about an information storage medium from the information storage medium. In operation 1200, the optical pickup moves to the recording/reproducing layer, for example, to record or reproduce data to or from the recording/reproducing layer. At this time, the optical pickup accesses the recording/reproducing layer to focus on and track the recording/reproducing layer, thus reading out an address from the tracked recording/reproducing layer. In operation 1300, it is determined whether the read address belongs to a predetermined address group. As described above, in case it is determined that the read-out address falls within the range of 0 to 30000, the tracked recording/reproducing layer is identified as, for example, the first information storage layer L in operation 1400₁Accordingly, data is recorded to the first information storage layer L₁Or from the first information storage layer L₁Is reproduced.

However, in the case where it is determined that the read-out address does not fall within the range of 0 to 30000, the optical spot formed by the optical pickup device is focused on another layer in operation 1500. In operation 2100, it is determined whether the read address belongs to a predetermined address group, for example, address groups numbered 30001 to 60000. At the determination of read-outIn the case where the address of (a) falls within the range of 30001 to 60000, the tracked recording/reproducing layer is identified as, for example, the second information storage layer L in operation 2200₂Accordingly, data is recorded to the second information storage layer L₂Or from a second information storage layer L₂Is reproduced.

In the above, a method of searching for a specific layer and recording/reproducing the same has been described. In the case of an information storage medium having three or more information storage layers, it should be understood that the above method can be applied to locating one or more desired storage layers for operations including recording and/or reproduction.

According to an aspect of the present invention, another method of detecting information on a user data area is provided below. That is, information on a user data area, for example, information on a layer, is recorded in at least one of two areas right before and right after a basic recording unit in which data is recorded. The basic recording unit having data can be a physical cluster, an Error Correction Code (ECC) block, a sector, a frame, or the same class, and its capacity is not limited.

Fig. 10 illustrates an ECC block of an information storage medium according to the present invention. The ECC block includes a plurality of sectors, and information on a user data area is recorded inside and/or outside the ECC block to be used as address information. Accordingly, the information about the user data area recorded inside and/or outside the ECC block is an address of the ECC block. The ECC block address may include layer information indicating the number of information storage layers included in the information storage medium. In other words, the layer information is recorded using the address.

Fig. 11A illustrates a case in which data is recorded in a physical cluster of information storage media according to the present invention. Referring to fig. 11A, a run-in area and a run-out area are disposed right before and right after a physical cluster, respectively, to record additional data. Fig. 11B shows a sequence of physical clustering. Here, information regarding the user data area, for example, layer information, can be recorded in at least one of the lead-in area and the lead-out area. Another embodiment of the present invention includes at least two information storage layers, and layer information about each information storage layer is stored in at least one of a lead-in area and a lead-out area to record layer information in different patterns for different layers.

For example, in an information storage medium having two information storage layers, a first information storage layer L₁Can be formed in a mark (or pit) -space pattern of 5T/5T/5T/5T, and a second information storage layer L₂Can be formed in a mark (or pit) -space pattern of 8T/8T. Such different consecutive patterns of the same interval enable the number of information storage layers to be identified.

According to another aspect, the first information storage layer L₁Can be formed in a pattern of mark (or pit) -space spaces of 2T/9T/2T/9T, and a second information storage layer L₂Can be formed in a mark (or pit) -space pattern of 9T/2T/9T/2T. Therefore, by randomly combining the different sized intervals in the different patterns, the number of information storage layers can be identified.

Accordingly, the information storage layer can be easily detected by different patterns in two areas just before and just after the basic recording unit of the user data area, for example, at least one of the lead-in area and the lead-out area. For example, the basic recording unit may be a physical cluster, an ECC block, a sector, a frame, or the same class.

Industrial applicability

As described above, in an information storage medium and a method of recording and/or reproducing data thereon according to the present invention, data can be efficiently recorded and/or reproduced using the above-described method even in the case where a user data area has no groove wobble, thereby providing information on the user data area, for example, information on whether the information storage medium includes a single layer or a plurality of layers or information on an information storage layer. The present invention is effectively applied to a reproduction-only information storage medium that does not have a groove wobble and that realizes reliable data reproduction. Also, information regarding the user data area can be recorded on the recordable information storage medium using the present method, in addition to a method of recording data in a groove wobble.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.

Claims (38)

1. An information storage medium comprising a user data area, wherein information regarding the user data area in which user data is recorded in at least one of an area right before and an area right after a basic recording unit of the user data area.

2. The information storage medium of claim 1, wherein the basic recording unit of the user data area is one of a physical cluster, an Error Correction Code (ECC) block, a sector, and a frame.

3. The information storage medium of claim 2, wherein the information regarding the user data area is recorded in at least one of a lead-in area and a lead-out area that are immediately before and after the physical cluster, respectively.

4. The information storage medium of claim 3, wherein:

the information storage medium has at least two information storage layers, an

Information regarding the user data area is recorded in different patterns for different information storage layers in at least one of an area right before and an area right after a basic recording unit of the user data area.

5. The information storage medium of claim 3, wherein the information on the user data area is recorded using an address.

6. The information storage medium of claim 3, wherein the information regarding the user data area is storage layer information.

7. The information storage medium of claim 6, wherein the storage layer information is recorded using an address.

8. The information storage medium of claim 1, wherein:

the information storage medium has at least two information storage layers, an

Information regarding the user data area is recorded in different patterns for different information storage layers in at least one of an area right before and an area right after a basic recording unit of the user data area.

9. The information storage medium of claim 1, wherein the information on the user data area is recorded using an address.

10. The information storage medium of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the user data area is storage layer information.

11. The information storage medium of claim 10, wherein the storage layer information is recorded using an address.

12. A method of recording and/or reproducing data on an information storage medium having a user data area, the method comprising:

reading out information on a user data area in which user data is recorded from at least one of a front area and a rear area of a basic recording unit of the user data area; and

data is recorded and/or reproduced according to the information on the user data area.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the basic recording unit of the user data area is one of a physical cluster, an Error Correction Code (ECC) block, a sector, and a frame.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the information regarding the user data area is recorded in at least one of a lead-in area and a lead-out area, which are immediately before and after the physical cluster, respectively.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the information storage medium has at least two information storage layers, an

Information regarding the user data area is recorded in different patterns for different information storage layers in at least one of an area right before and an area right after a basic recording unit of the user data area.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the information on the user data area is recorded using an address.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the information on the user data area is storage layer information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the storage layer information is recorded using an address.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the basic recording unit of the user data area is a physical cluster, an

Information on the user data area is recorded in at least one of a lead-in area and a lead-out area, which are immediately before and after the physical cluster, respectively.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the information storage medium has at least two information storage layers, an

Information regarding the user data area is recorded in different patterns for different information storage layers in at least one of an area right before and an area right after a basic recording unit of the user data area.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the information on the user data area is recorded using an address.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the information on the user data area is storage layer information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the storage layer information is recorded using an address.

24. The information storage medium of claim 1, wherein the information storage medium is a recordable information storage medium.

25. The information storage medium of claim 1, wherein the information storage medium is a reproduction-only storage medium.

26. The information storage medium of claim 1, wherein the information storage medium is one of a recordable and reproduction-only optical disc.

27. The information storage medium of claim 2, wherein the information on the user data area is recorded using addresses of one or more ECC blocks.

28. The information storage medium of claim 3, wherein the information storage medium is a reproduction-only storage medium.

29. The information storage medium of claim 3, wherein each information storage layer comprises a lead-in area, a lead-out area, and a user data area.

30. The information storage medium of claim 4, wherein the different pattern is one of a different continuous pattern of the same interval and a different pattern of intervals of different sizes.

31. The information storage medium of claim 8, wherein the different pattern is one of a different continuous pattern of the same interval and a different pattern of intervals of different sizes.

32. A method of operating a storage medium having a user data area, the method comprising:

accessing information on a user data area in which user data is recorded from at least one of a front area and a rear area of a basic recording unit of the user data area; and

the storage medium is operated according to the accessed information.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising identifying a layer of the storage medium based on the accessed information, wherein the operation of the storage medium includes recording and/or reproducing data for the layer.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the identifying of the layer comprises identifying the layer in response to the accessed information belonging to a predetermined group of addresses.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising identifying a desired layer of the storage medium based on a range to which the accessed information belongs.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the identifying of the desired layer comprises:

identifying a storage layer of the storage medium as a desired layer in response to the accessed information belonging to the predetermined range;

and

in response to the accessed information not falling within the predetermined range, another storage layer of the storage medium is accessed to determine whether the information it accessed falls within the predetermined range.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the operation of the storage medium comprises recording and/or reproducing data for a desired layer.

38. The method of claim 32, further comprising identifying a storage layer of the storage medium, wherein the identifying of the storage layer comprises:

identifying a first layer of the storage layer in response to the accessed information belonging to a first predetermined range;

in response to the accessed information not belonging to the first predetermined range, accessing a second layer of the storage layer to determine whether the accessed information belongs to a second predetermined range;

identifying a second layer of the storage layer in response to the accessed information belonging to a second predetermined range; and

in response to accessed information of the second layer not belonging to the second predetermined range, another layer of the storage layer is accessed to determine whether the accessed information belongs to the second predetermined range.