HK1108213B - Information storage medium, and recording/reproducing apparatus and recording/reproducing method - Google Patents

Description

Information storage medium, recording/reproducing apparatus and recording/reproducing method

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an information storage medium and a recording/reproducing apparatus and method capable of flexibly operating a middle area of the information storage medium when the information storage medium is finalized.

Background

Information recording media such as optical discs are widely used in optical pickup apparatuses that record information on or reproduce information from the information recording media in a non-contact manner. Such optical discs are classified into either Compact Discs (CDs) or Digital Video Discs (DVDs) according to data recording capacity. Examples of optical disks that can be recorded, deleted, and reproduced include a CD-R of 650MB, a Rewritable (RW) CD, a DVD + R/RW of 4.7GB, a DVD Random Access Memory (RAM), and a DVD-R/ROM. In addition, next-generation high-density DVDs or blu-ray discs (BDs) having a recording capacity of 15GB or more are being developed.

Fig. 1A shows the structure of an exemplary rewritable optical disc. Fig. 1B illustrates a structure of an example optical disc for data reproduction. As shown in fig. 1A, the rewritable optical disc 100A includes: a lead-in area 110 generally located near the inner circumference of the optical disc 100A; a lead-out area 120 generally located near the outer circumference of the optical disc 100A; and a user data area 130 located between the lead-in area 110 and the lead-out area 120, and in which user data is recorded. Similarly, as shown in fig. 1B, the optical disc 100B for data reproduction also includes: a lead-in area 110 generally located near the inner circumference of the optical disc 100B; a lead-out area 120 generally located near the outer circumference of the optical disc 100B; and a user data area 130 located between the lead-in area 110 and the lead-out area 120, and in which user data is recorded. As shown in fig. 1A and 1B, the lead-in area 110 and the lead-out area 120 of both the rewritable optical disc 100A and the optical disc 100B for data reproduction are almost the same. However, the lead-in area 110 of the rewritable optical disc 100A shown in fig. 1A includes an optimum power test zone for Optimum Power Control (OPC), which is not required in the case of the optical disc 100B for data reproduction shown in fig. 1B.

The Optimum Power Control (OPC) is used to determine an optimum recording laser power setting for each optical disc and recording and/or reproducing apparatus combination. In particular, such OPC relates to recording user data in an optimum power test zone using multiple recording powers before a recording and/or reproducing apparatus records the user data on a rewritable optical disc to determine an optimum recording power for recording data on the optical disc (such as CD-R, CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, HD-DVD).

As shown in fig. 1A, in the rewritable optical disc 100A, an optimum power test area of a fixed size is allocated at a fixed position. Therefore, it is impossible to additionally allocate the optimum power test area on the optical disc or increase the size of the optimum power test area. Since the recording characteristics of an optical disc including a plurality of recording layers depend on the recording layer in which data is recorded first, the optimum power test zone for OPC should be placed in consideration of the recording characteristics of the optical disc. In particular, when the optimum power test area is allocated at the outer circumferential area of the optical disc, the recording characteristics of the outer circumferential area must be considered.

It is also necessary to consider that the recording characteristics of the outer circumferential area of an optical disc including a plurality of recording layers are inferior to those of an optical disc having a single recording layer. Similarly, when areas for other use purposes are allocated in the outer circumferential area of the optical disc in addition to the optimum power test area, the recording characteristics of the outer circumference must be considered.

For an optical disc including two recording layers L1 and L2, the recording characteristics of the recording layer L2 depend on whether data has been recorded in the recording layer L1 close to the pickup unit. In the case of continuously recording data, data is always recorded first in the recording layer L1. When test data is recorded in the optimum power test area for OPC included in the recording layer L2, a pre-recorded area should be allocated in the recording layer L1 in advance since the test data must be recorded in the recording layer L1 first.

However, such allocation of the pre-recorded area increases the manufacturing cost of the data recording and/or reproducing apparatus. Therefore, there is a need to selectively determine the allocation of the pre-recorded area and the optimum power test area for OPC. In this case, the optical disc requires an OPC area at a predetermined position and an OPC area that can be selectively used by the drive system.

In order to effectively record data in the outer circumferential area of the optical disc having the two recording layers L1 and L2 according to time, the position of the middle area in the optical disc may be different from the same position in the optical disc having a single recording layer. In this case, different designs of the optical disc having the two recording layers L1 and L2 are required to allocate the optimum power test zone for OPC in the outer circumferential area of the optical disc.

Since the middle area is used when the pickup unit of the drive system moves between two or more recording layers, the small area must be longer than a predetermined length to obtain a desired jump performance. When the optical disc having the above-described structure is finalized to firmly determine the middle area, the middle area may not be sufficient for recording data.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Technical problem

Therefore, there is a need for an information storage medium including: a plurality of recording layers provided with at least one middle area, the middle area being used by a recording and/or reproducing apparatus to move among the plurality of recording layers, so that the middle area can be variably expanded when the information storage medium is finalized. Further, there is a need for a recording and/or reproducing apparatus provided with the ability to extend a middle area of an information storage medium including two or more recording layers and to record a predetermined pattern of data in the extended middle area.

Technical solution

Aspects and exemplary embodiments of the present invention advantageously provide an information storage medium and a recording and/or reproducing apparatus and method capable of flexibly operating a middle area of the information storage medium for efficient data recording when the information storage medium is finalized.

Advantageous effects

The present invention advantageously provides a recording method and technique for a multi-layered information recording medium (i.e., a disc) when such a disc having an OPC area for obtaining an optimum recording condition, such as recording power, in its outer circumference is finalized, with the result that, if the middle area of the disc is not large enough, the middle area can be flexibly expanded to ensure better data recording and reproduction.

Drawings

FIG. 1A shows a structure of an exemplary rewritable optical disk;

FIG. 1B illustrates a structure of an example optical disc for data reproduction;

FIG. 2A illustrates a structure of an optical disc according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2B illustrates a first middle area of the extended first recording layer when the optical disc illustrated in fig. 2A is finalized;

fig. 2C illustrates a second middle area of the extended second recording layer when the optical disc has the structure illustrated in fig. 2B;

FIG. 3A illustrates a structure of an optical disc according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3B illustrates a first middle area of the extended first recording layer when the optical disc illustrated in fig. 3A is finalized;

fig. 3C illustrates a second middle area of the extended second recording layer when the optical disc has the structure illustrated in fig. 3B;

FIG. 4A illustrates a structure of an optical disc according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4B illustrates a first middle area of the extended first recording layer when the optical disc illustrated in fig. 4A is finalized;

fig. 4C illustrates a third middle area of the extended second recording layer when the optical disc has the structure illustrated in fig. 4B;

FIG. 5A illustrates a structure of an optical disc according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5B illustrates a first middle area of the extended first recording layer when the optical disc illustrated in fig. 5A is finalized;

fig. 5C illustrates a third middle area of the extended second recording layer when the optical disc has the structure illustrated in fig. 5B; and

fig. 6 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary recording and/or reproducing apparatus using an optical disc according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Best mode

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information storage medium including at least one middle area used by a recording/reproducing apparatus that records/reproduces data on/from the information storage medium to move among a plurality of recording layers, wherein the at least one middle area is extended when the information storage medium is finalized.

A dedicated area for a special purpose may be disposed after the at least one middle area, and the at least one middle area may be extended to at least a portion of the dedicated area when the information storage medium is finalized.

The dedicated area may include a test area for testing data recording/reproducing characteristics of the information storage medium. Data having lead-out attributes is recorded in the at least one intermediate area.

The middle area may be variably disposed after the user data area where the user data is recorded, and an unrecorded area where the user data is not recorded may remain unrecorded, so that when the information storage medium is finalized, at least one middle area may be extended to at least a portion of the unrecorded area.

The at least one middle area may include a first middle area variably disposed after the user data area in which the user data is recorded and a second middle area fixedly disposed at a predetermined position within an outer circumference of the information storage medium, wherein the first middle area is extended to at least a portion of an unrecorded area in which the user data is not recorded when the information storage medium is finalized.

The at least one middle area may be variably disposed after the user data area where the user data is recorded, a dedicated area for a special purpose may be disposed after the at least one middle area, and the middle area may be extended to at least a portion of the dedicated area when the information storage medium is finalized.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording/reproducing apparatus for recording data on or reproducing data from an information storage medium. Such a recording/reproducing apparatus includes: a write/read unit recording data on or reading recorded data from an information storage medium; and a control unit controlling the writing/reading unit to record data on or read recorded data from the information storage medium, and extending at least one middle area formed in the information storage medium and used by the writing/reading unit to move between at least two recording layers of the information storage medium when the information storage medium is finalized.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording/reproducing method for recording data on or reproducing data from an information storage medium. The method comprises the following steps: when the information storage medium is finalized, at least one middle area, which is formed in the information storage medium and used by a recording/reproducing apparatus that records or reproduces data on or from the information storage medium, is extended to move between at least two recording layers of the information storage medium.

Detailed Description

Fig. 2A illustrates a structure of an optical disc according to an embodiment of the present invention. The optical disc shown in fig. 2A is a dual-layer optical disc including two recording layers, i.e., a first recording layer L1 and a second recording layer L2. In the disc structure shown in fig. 2A, the middle area and the dedicated area are fixed at predetermined positions of the outer circumference of the optical disc. Data may be recorded on a dual-layer optical disc in a back-light path (OTP) manner. For example, data may be recorded from the inner circumference to the outer circumference of the first recording layer L1 on the first recording layer L1, and from the outer circumference to the inner circumference of the second recording layer L2 on the second recording layer L2.

Referring to fig. 2A, the first recording layer L1 includes: a first data area 1 and a first outer area. The first outer region includes: a first middle area 2, a first unused area 3, a first buffer area 4, and a first dedicated area 5, which are sequentially arranged from an inner circumference of the optical disc to an outer circumference of the optical disc. Similarly, the second recording layer L2 includes a second data area 6 and a second outer area. The second outer region includes: a second middle area 7, a second dedicated area 8, a second buffer area 9, and a second unused area 10, which are sequentially arranged from the inner circumference of the optical disc to the outer circumference of the optical disc.

The first data area 1 of the first recording layer L1 and the second data area 6 of the second recording layer L2 represent areas in which user data is recorded. In the first and second middle areas 2 and 7, data of a predetermined pattern indicating the end of the first and second data areas 1 and 6, respectively, is recorded. The data recording and/or reproducing apparatus reads and decodes the data of the predetermined pattern and recognizes that the areas in which the data of the predetermined pattern is recorded are the first and second middle areas 2 and 7 instead of the first and second data areas 1 and 6. Typically, the predetermined pattern of data has derived properties.

The data recording and/or reproducing apparatus uses the first dedicated area 5 and the second dedicated area 8 for a special purpose. For example, the first dedicated area 5 and the second dedicated area 8 may be used as a test area for Optimal Power Control (OPC). However, the first and second dedicated areas 5 and 8 may also be used for purposes other than the test area. For example, information on data recording performed before the drive system records user data may be recorded in the first and second dedicated areas 5 and 8. Further, information on what data is recorded by what data recording and/or reproducing apparatus may also be recorded in the first dedicated area 5 on the first recording layer L1 and the second dedicated area 8 of the second recording layer L2, respectively.

As their names indicate, the first unused area 3 and the second unused area 10 represent areas that are not used at all. The recording characteristics of an optical disc including a plurality of rewritable recording layers depend on the recording layer in which data is first recorded. Specifically, the outer circumferential area of the optical disc has inferior recording characteristics to the inner circumferential area thereof. Accordingly, an area of the second recording layer L2 corresponding to the first dedicated area 5 of the first recording layer L1 is designated as a second unused area 10, so that no data is recorded in the second unused area 10. Similarly, an area corresponding to the second dedicated area 8 in the first recording layer L1 is designated as a first unused area 3, so that no data is recorded in the first unused area 3.

If the first and second dedicated areas 5 and 8 are used as test areas and data is to be recorded in the second recording layer L2, the laser beam passes through the first recording layer L1 and is incident on the second recording layer L2. The laser beam passes through the first unused area 3 and data is test recorded in the second dedicated area 8. Subsequently, the recording condition of the second recording layer L2 was identified in consideration of the characteristic parameters of the second recording layer L2 other than the test recording result.

The first and second buffer areas 4 and 9 are formed in consideration of eccentricity (eccentricity) of the optical disc and the size of the irradiation beam. In other words, when the laser beam is focused on the location of the second recording layer L2 by the objective lens of the data recording and/or reproducing apparatus, an area in the first recording layer L1 corresponding to the radius of the laser beam is affected by the laser beam. The sizes of the first and second buffer areas 4 and 9 may be predetermined according to the influence of a laser beam irradiated to other recording layers for recording data, the size of the beam, and the eccentricity of the optical disc.

In order to record data by using the first and second dedicated areas 5 and 8 as test areas in the disc structure as shown in fig. 2A, OPC tests are performed in the first and second dedicated areas 5 and 8 before data is recorded in the first and second data areas 1 and 6 of the first and second recording layers L1 and L2, respectively. Subsequently, data is recorded from the inner circumference of the first recording layer L1 to the outer circumference thereof. After the step of recording data in the first data area 1 of the first recording layer L1 is completed, data is recorded from the outer circumference to the inner circumference of the second recording layer L2. When the step of recording data in the second recording layer L2 is completed, finalization is performed on the disc. That is, data (e.g., 00h) having a lead-out attribute is recorded in the first middle area 2 of the first recording layer L1 and the second middle area 7 of the second recording layer L2, respectively.

If the predetermined space of the first middle area 2 of the first recording layer L1 and the second middle area 7 of the second recording layer L2 is not large enough, the first middle area 2 and the second middle area 7 may be expanded as shown in fig. 2B.

Fig. 2B illustrates the first middle area 2 of the first recording layer L1 being expanded when the optical disc illustrated in fig. 2A is finalized (i.e., data having a lead-out attribute is recorded in the first middle area 2 and the second middle area 7 upon completion of recording the data on the first recording layer L1 and the second recording layer L2). Referring to fig. 2B, the first middle area 2 may be extended to the first dedicated area 5 that has been used, thereby covering the first unused area 3 and the first buffer area 4. In other words, data having a lead-out attribute may be recorded up to the first dedicated area 5. In fig. 2B, the oblique line indicates the expanded first middle area 2. The first middle area 2 in fig. 2B is extended to the first dedicated area 5 so as to cover the first unused area 3 and the first buffer area 4. However, the first middle area may also be extended to a position between the first unused area 3 and the first dedicated area 5 of the first recording layer L1.

Fig. 2C shows the second middle area 7 of the extended second recording layer L2 when the optical disc has the structure shown in fig. 2B. Referring to fig. 2C, the second middle area 7 is extended to the second unused area 10, thereby covering the second dedicated area 8 and the second buffer area 9.

Fig. 3A illustrates a structure of an optical disc according to another embodiment of the present invention. The optical disc is a dual-layer optical disc including two recording layers, i.e., a first recording layer L1 and a second recording layer L2. However, in the structure of the optical disc shown in fig. 3A, the position of the middle area is variable; only the dedicated areas are fixed at predetermined positions of the first recording layer L1 and the second recording layer L2, respectively.

Further, when data is recorded on the optical disc having the first recording layer L1 and the second recording layer L2, if the capacity of user data to be recorded is less than the total recordable capacity of the optical disc, the data recording and/or reproducing apparatus determines the size of a data area in each of the first recording layer L1 and the second recording layer L2 and variably places the middle area.

Since the start position of the data area in each of the first recording layer L1 and the second recording layer L2 is predetermined, once the capacity of user data to be recorded is determined, the end position of the data area can be determined. The determined size of the data area should be smaller than the original size of the data area; therefore, the size of the outer area in each of the first and second recording layers L1 and L2 should be increased.

Referring to fig. 3A, the first recording layer L1 includes a data area and a first outer area. The data area includes: a first user data area 11, a first middle area 12, and a first unrecorded area 13, in which user data is actually recorded, are sequentially arranged from an inner circumference of the optical disc to an outer circumference of the optical disc. The first outer region includes: a first unused area 14, a first buffer area 15 and a first unused area 16.

Similarly, the second recording layer L2 includes a data area and a second outer area. The data area includes: a second user data area 17, a second middle area 18, and a second unrecorded area 19, in which user data is actually recorded, are sequentially arranged from the inner circumference of the optical disc to the outer circumference of the optical disc. The second outer region includes: a second unused area 20, a second buffer area 21, and a second dedicated area 22.

Fig. 3B shows the first middle area 12 of the first recording layer L1 expanded when the optical disc shown in fig. 3A is finalized. Referring to fig. 3B, the first middle area 12 of the first recording layer L1 may be extended to a portion 12-1 of the first unrecorded area 13.

Fig. 3C illustrates the second middle area 18 of the extended second recording layer L2 when the optical disc has the structure shown in fig. 3B. Referring to fig. 3C, the second middle area 18 of the second recording layer L2 is extended to a portion 18-1 of the second unrecorded area 19.

Referring to fig. 3A, if data is recorded to a point "a" in the first user data area of the first recording layer L1, the first middle area 12 is formed after the point "a". Referring to fig. 3B, data is recorded in the first middle area 12. If the first middle area 12 is not large enough, data invades the first unrecorded area 13 and is recorded therein. Referring to fig. 3C, after completing the step of recording data in the first middle area 12 of the first recording layer L1, data is recorded in the second middle area 18 of the second recording layer L2. If the second middle area 18 of the second recording layer L2 is not large enough, data invades the second unrecorded area 19 of the data area and is recorded therein.

Fig. 4A illustrates a structure of an optical disc according to another embodiment of the present invention. The optical disc is also a dual-layer optical disc including two recording layers, i.e., a first recording layer L1 and a second recording layer L2. However, in the structure of the optical disc shown in fig. 4A, the middle area is fixed at a predetermined position or is variably allocated within the outer circumference of the optical disc, and the dedicated area is fixed at a predetermined position of the outer circumference of the optical disc.

Referring to fig. 4A, the first recording layer L1 includes a data area and a first outer area. The data area includes: a first user data area 31, a first middle area 32, and a first unrecorded area 33, in which user data is actually recorded, are sequentially arranged from an inner circumference of the optical disc to an outer circumference of the optical disc. The first outer region includes: a fixed second middle area 34, a first unused area 35, a first buffer area 36 and a first dedicated area 37.

The second recording layer L2 includes a data area and a second outer area. The data area includes: a second user data area 38, a third middle area 39, and a second unrecorded area 40, in which user data is actually recorded, are sequentially arranged from the inner circumference of the optical disc to the outer circumference of the optical disc. The second outer region includes: a fixed fourth middle area 41, a second dedicated area 42, a second buffer area 43, and a second unused area 44.

Fig. 4B shows the first middle area 32 of the first recording layer L1 expanded when the optical disc shown in fig. 4A is finalized. Referring to fig. 4B, the first middle area 32 of the first recording layer L1 may be extended to a portion 32-1 of the first unrecorded area 33.

Fig. 4C shows the third middle area 39 of the expanded second recording layer L2 when the optical disc has the structure shown in fig. 4B. Referring to fig. 4C, the third middle area 39 of the second recording layer L2 is extended to a portion 39-1 of the second unrecorded area 40.

Referring to fig. 4A, if data is recorded up to a point "B" in the first user data area 31 of the first recording layer L1, a first middle area 32 is formed after the point "B". Referring to fig. 4B, data is recorded in the first middle area 32. If the first middle area 32 is not large enough, data invades the first unrecorded area 33 and is recorded therein. Referring to fig. 4C, after completing the step of recording data in the first middle area 32 of the first recording layer L1 and the portion 32-1 of the first recording layer L1, data is recorded in the third middle area 39 of the second recording layer L2. If the second middle area 39 of the second recording layer L2 is not large enough, data invades the second unrecorded area 40 of the data area and is recorded therein.

The disk structure of fig. 3A differs from the disk structure of fig. 4A in that: the first middle area 12 of the first recording layer L1 and the second middle area 18 of the second recording layer L2 shown in fig. 3A are variable, while the first middle area 34 of the first recording layer L1 and the second middle area 41 of the second recording layer L2 shown in fig. 4A are initially fixed at predetermined positions, and the first middle area 32 and the third middle area 39 are also arranged at positions where data recording in the data area ends.

Fig. 5A illustrates a structure of an optical disc according to another embodiment of the present invention. Similar to fig. 3A to 3C and fig. 4A to 4C, the optical disc is also a dual-layer optical disc including two recording layers (i.e., a first recording layer L1 and a second recording layer L2). However, in the structure of the optical disc shown in fig. 5A, the middle area and the dedicated area are fixed at predetermined positions or are variably disposed within the outer circumference of the optical disc.

Referring to fig. 5A, the first recording layer L1 includes a data area and a first outer area. The data area includes: a first user data area 51 where user data is actually recorded, a first middle area 52, a first unused area 53, a first buffer area 54, a first dedicated area 55, and a first unrecorded area 56, which are sequentially arranged from the inner circumference of the optical disc to the outer circumference of the optical disc. The first outer region includes: a fixed second middle area 57, a second unused area 58, a second buffer area 59, and a second dedicated area 60.

The second recording layer L2 includes a data area and a second outer area. The data area includes: a second user data area 61, a third middle area 62, a third dedicated area 63, a third buffer area 64, a third unused area 65, and a second unrecorded area 66, where user data is actually recorded, are sequentially arranged from the inner circumference of the optical disc to the outer circumference of the optical disc. The second outer region includes: a fourth middle area 67, a fourth dedicated area 68, a fourth buffer area 69 and a fourth unused area 70.

Fig. 5B illustrates the first middle area 52 of the first recording layer L1 expanded when the optical disc illustrated in fig. 5A is finalized. Referring to fig. 5B, the first middle area 52 may be extended to a first dedicated area 55 that has been used, thereby covering a first unused area 53 and a first buffer area 54. In other words, data having a lead-out attribute may be recorded up to the first dedicated area 55. In fig. 5B, the first middle area 52 is extended to the first dedicated area 55 so as to cover the first unused area 53 and the first buffer area 54. However, the first middle area 52 may also be extended to a position between the first unused area 53 and the first dedicated area 55.

Fig. 5C illustrates the third middle area 62 of the extended second recording layer L2 when the optical disc has the structure shown in fig. 5B. Referring to fig. 5C, the third middle area 62 may be extended to a third dedicated area 65 that has been used, thereby covering a third unused area 63 and a third buffer area 64.

As can be seen from fig. 5A, the first middle area 52 and the first dedicated area 55 of the first recording layer L1 and the third middle area 62 and the third dedicated area 63 of the second recording layer L2 are variable. Initially, the second middle area 57 and the fourth dedicated area 60 of the first recording layer L1 and the fourth middle area 67 and the fourth dedicated area 68 of the second recording layer L2 are fixed at predetermined positions of the outer circumference of the optical disc. However, the first middle area 52 and the first dedicated area 55 of the first recording layer L1 and the third middle area 62 and the third dedicated area 63 of the second recording layer L2 may be flexibly extended according to the amount of data to be recorded. In other words, as shown in fig. 5A, when the drive system knows the amount of data to be recorded on the optical disc, the first intermediate area 52, the third intermediate area 62, or the first dedicated area 55 and the third dedicated area 63 are expanded and formed after the point "C" to which data is recorded.

Before recording data to the data area, if the dedicated area is used as a test area, the data is test-recorded in the dedicated area. As shown in fig. 5A, if data is recorded to a point "C" in the first user data area 51, a first middle area 52 is formed after the point "C".

Referring to fig. 5B, data is recorded in the first middle area 52 to finalize the optical disc. If the first middle area 52 is not large enough, data will encroach up to the first dedicated area 55 and be recorded therein. Referring to fig. 5C, after the step of recording data to the first middle area 52 of the first recording layer L1 is completed, data is recorded to the third middle area 62 of the second recording layer L2. If the third middle area 62 is not large enough, data invades up to the third unused area 65 of the data area and is recorded therein.

Referring now to fig. 6, there is shown a schematic block diagram of a data recording and/or reproducing apparatus using a disc 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 6, the data recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes: a write/read unit 80 and a control unit 90. For simplicity, the data recording and/or reproducing apparatus 200 will be referred to as a drive system that may be located internally (within the host) or externally (within a separate box (not shown) connected to the host), whether in whole or in part. Further, the disc 100 may be any type of optical disc, such as: CD-R, CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, HD-DVD implemented in the manner described with reference to FIGS. 2A-2C, 3A-3C, 4A-4C, and 5A-5C.

The writing/reading unit 80 including a pickup records data on a disc 100, which is an optical information storage medium according to the present invention, and reads the recorded data from the disc 100 for data reproduction. The control unit 90 controls the writing/reading unit 80 so that the writing/reading unit 80 can record data on the disc 100 according to a predetermined file system, and processes the data read by the writing/reading unit 80 to obtain valid data. Specifically, when the disc 100 including the dedicated area for recording data in the outer circumference of the disc 100 is finalized, the control unit 90 expands the middle area if the middle area is insufficient.

As shown in fig. 6, the control unit 90 includes: a system controller 91, a host interface (I/F)92, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP)93, a radio frequency amplifier (RF AMP)94, and a servo 95. For data recording, the host I/F92 receives a write command from a host (not shown) and transmits the write command to the system controller 91. The system controller 91 controls the DSP 93 and the servo 95 to execute a write command received from the host I/F92. The DSP 93 receives data to be recorded from the host I/F92, adds additional data such as parity bits for performing error correction on the data, and Error Correction Code (ECC) encodes the addition result. Subsequently, the DSP 93 generates an ECC block (i.e., an error correction block) and modulates the ECC block using a predetermined method.

The RF AMP 94 converts the data output from the DSP 93 into an RF signal. The write/read unit 80 including the pickup records the RF signal transmitted from the RF AMP 94 onto the disc 100, receives a servo control command from the servo 95, and servo-controls the pickup of the write/read unit 80.

Specifically, when the operation of recording data in the data area of the disc 100 is completed, the system controller 91 finalizes the disc 100. Here, the middle area indicates that recording of data into the data area is completed, and the data is recorded in the middle area, which is formed such that the pickup unit is movable between two or more recording layers. If the middle area of the predetermined size is not large enough, the system controller 91 expands the middle area and controls the write/read unit 80 to record data in the expanded middle area.

For data reproduction, the host I/F receives a read command from the host. The system controller 91 is initialized for data reproduction. The writing/reading unit 80 irradiates a laser beam onto the disc 100, receives the laser beam reflected by the disc 100, and outputs an optical signal. The RF AMP 94 converts an optical signal received from the write/read unit 80 into an RF signal, and outputs modulated data obtained using the RF signal to the DSP 93. Further, the RF AMP 94 supplies a servo signal obtained using the RF signal to the servo 95.

The DSP 93 demodulates the modulated data, performs ECC error correction on the demodulated data, and outputs the obtained data after the ECC error correction. The servo 95 receives a servo signal from the RF AMP 94 and a servo control command from the system controller 91, and servo-controls the pickup of the write/read unit 80. The host I/F92 sends data output from the DSP 93 to the host. The data recording and/or reproducing apparatus as shown in fig. 6 may be a separate apparatus or may be divided into a recording apparatus (i.e., recorder) and a reading apparatus (i.e., player).

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, other information storage media, such as a blu-ray (BD) disc, an advanced optical disc system (AOD), and a holographic data storage apparatus, may also be used as long as the middle area can be extended in the manner described with reference to fig. 2A to 2C, 3A to 3C, 4A to 4C, and 5A to 5C. Further, both the middle area and the dedicated area may be fixed and/or variable in a designated area of the optical disc. Data may be recorded on a dual-layer or multi-layer information recording medium in a Parallel Track Path (PTP) manner, that is, a direction in which data is recorded on the first recording layer L1 may be the same as a direction in which data is recorded on the second recording layer L2. Similarly, the system controller may be implemented as a chipset with firmware, or a programmed general purpose or special purpose computer having implemented the methods as described with reference to FIGS. 2A-2C, 3A-3C, 4A-4C, and 5A-5C. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (5)

1. A recording/reproducing apparatus for recording or reproducing data on or from an information storage medium, comprising:

a write/read unit recording data on or reading recorded data from an information storage medium; and

a control unit controlling the writing/reading unit to record data on the information storage medium or to read the recorded data from the information storage medium; extending at least one middle area, which is provided in the information storage medium and used by the write/read unit to move between at least two recording layers of the information storage medium, when the information storage medium is finalized, wherein the at least one middle area is located between a user data area for user data and a dedicated area; extending the at least one middle area to at least a portion of the dedicated area when the information storage medium is finalized,

wherein the control unit uses the dedicated area as a test area for testing data recording/reproducing characteristics of the information storage medium.

2. The recording/reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit further controls the write/read unit to record and read data having the lead-out attribute in the at least one extended middle area.

3. The recording/reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit variably places the at least one middle area after a point in the user area to which the user data is recorded, the remaining user data area remains unrecorded, and extends the at least one middle area to at least a portion of the unrecorded area when the information storage medium is finalized.

4. The recording/reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit variably places the first middle area after a point in the user data area up to which the user data is recorded, except for the second middle area fixed at a predetermined position of an outer circumference of the information storage medium, the remaining user data area remains unrecorded, and extends the first middle area to at least a portion of the unrecorded area when the information storage medium is finalized.

5. The recording/reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit variably places at least one middle area after a point in the user data area up to which the user data is recorded, places a dedicated area after the at least one middle area, and extends the at least one middle area to at least a portion of the dedicated area when the information storage medium is finalized.