JP2006066066A - Information recording medium, information recording method, information recording apparatus, information reproduction method and information reproduction apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To evade a concentration of rewriting with respect to an identical area and to prevent an occurrence of defect by sequentially moving an AV file area or a basic file structural area toward an outer portion from an inner portion in the case of a disk of which the number of times of data rewrite is limited. <P>SOLUTION: The highly reliable information recording medium capable of evading the concentration of the rewriting, the information recording/reproduction method and the information recording/reproduction system apparatus are provided, by which data are recorded sequentially from an unallocated area after an entry sector number and the data recording is sequentially repeated from an inner portion to an outer portion. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, a method and apparatus for recording information on the information recording medium, and a method and apparatus for reproducing information recorded on the information recording medium.

  There is an optical disc as an information recording medium having a sector structure. In recent years, high density, large capacity, and multimedia are progressing, and video and audio are enjoyed interactively using a plurality of data recorded on an optical disc. In the case of a disc on which interactive video data is recorded, a control file for controlling reproduction of AV data is recorded along with an AV file composed of a plurality of MPEG streams.

  Hereinafter, an example of the AV directory structure and the relationship between the AV file and the control file will be described with reference to the directory structure diagram of FIG. The AV directory in which the video / audio data is recorded is located under the root directory and includes AV files (AVfile-a), (AVfile-c), and (AVfile-d) including the video / audio data itself. A control file (Datafile) having information on these AV files is held. For example, the control file (Datafile) includes the title names of video and audio data recorded on the disc, the playback order of each title, and the positions of I pictures and P pictures required for special playback such as slow playback and fast forward. Contains information. In addition, when the control file and the AV file are made to correspond one-to-one, a plurality of control files may be recorded. The file is recorded with a predetermined file name under a predetermined directory so that the recording / reproducing apparatus can easily access the file.

  With reference to FIG. 21, an example of a data structure when these files are recorded on a DVD-RAM disc, which is a rewritable disc, using a volume file structure defined in the ECMA167 standard will be described. The upper side of the figure corresponds to the inner periphery of the disk, and the lower side corresponds to the outer periphery of the disk, and logical sector numbers are assigned in units of sectors from the beginning of the volume space. In the volume structure area 101, information for logically handling the disk as a volume is recorded, and the position information of the space bitmap 1021 and the position information of the file entry 1022 of the root directory are also recorded. In general, access to each file is performed using a logical block number. However, in this example, each file is accessed using a logical sector number for the sake of simplicity.

  The file structure area 1001 is an area in which a descriptor for defining the file structure is recorded. The space bitmap 1021 is a bitmap for managing an unallocated area to which a file structure or data can be allocated in the volume space in units of sectors, and indicates a state of a recorded area or an unallocated area for each logical sector. I have information. The file entry (root directory) 1022 has root directory attribute information and recording position information. The root directory 1023 has position information of the file entry 1024 of the AV directory (AVDir) recorded under the root directory.

  The file entry (AVDir) 1024 has attribute information and recording position information of the AV directory (AVDir) 1025, and the AV directory (AVDir) 1025 is an AV file (AVfile-a) recorded based on the AV directory (AVDir). ), AV file (AVfile-c), AV file (AVfile-d), and control file (Datafile) have location information of file entries 1026, 1027, 1028 and 1029 respectively.

  The file entries of these AV file and control file are the AV file (AVfile-a), AV file (AVfile-c), AV file (AVfile-d), and control file (Datafile) 1030 recorded in the file area 1002. Attribute information and position information. The file area 1002 is an area for recording data of AV files and control files.

  The defect management area 1003 includes a DMA (Defect Management Area) 1004 for managing the defect area and an alternative area 1005 for recording the contents of data to be recorded in the defect area. In the DMA, a replacement entry for managing a replacement source and a replacement destination is registered. The replacement entry has a defective area address 1045 and a replacement destination address 1046.

  Next, the process of overwriting and recording new video / audio data in an AV file (AVfile-d) will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 22 and the flowchart of FIG. It is assumed that the size of the video / audio data to be overwritten is larger than the video / audio data already recorded in the AV file (AVfile-d).

  (S1201) The system control unit 201 acquires, from the space bitmap 1021, position information of an insufficient unallocated area with respect to the AV file (AVfile-d) according to a control program incorporated as the file structure reproduction unit 1102. .

  (S1202) The system control unit 201 overwrites the AV file (AVfile-d) according to the control program built in the file recording unit 213, and performs the recording operation on the unallocated area acquired in step (S1201) with the optical disk drive device. 205 is instructed. The optical disk drive device 205 records the video / audio data transferred from the data memory 221 and overwrites and records the associated control data in the AV file control file (Datafile). When a defective area is detected in the file recording process, the optical disc drive apparatus 205 records the content of the AV file to be recorded in the defective area 1053 in the replacement area 1005, and stores the address 1045 and the replacement destination of the defective area 1053 in the DMA 1004. An alternative entry 1051 that is correspondence information of the address 1046 of 1053 is registered. The optical disc drive 205 notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation.

  (S1203) The system control unit 201 reflects the recording state of the unallocated area used in step (S1202) in the space bitmap 1021 according to the control program incorporated as the file structure recording unit 1101.

  (S1204) The system control unit 201 executes a space bitmap 1021 updated in the file structure area 1001, a file entry (Datafile) 1029 of the control file (Datafile) 1029 according to a control program incorporated as the file structure recording unit 1101, The optical disk drive 205 is instructed to perform the recording operation of the file entry (AVfile-d) 1028 of the recorded AV file. The optical disk drive 205 overwrites and records these file structures transferred from the file structure memory 1103 in the file structure area, and notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation.

  The replacement method of the defective area has been described by taking overwriting of the AV file as an example.

  In the lead-in area of the DVD-RAM disc, four data structure areas DMA (Defective Management Area) for defect management performed on sectors in the volume space are provided. In this area, every time a defect occurs, all DMAs are rewritten at the same position.

  In addition, for the sake of simplicity of explanation, the alternative area is arranged in the lead-in area. However, in the DVD-RAM disc, an alternative area is provided in an area sandwiched between the lead-in area and the volume space. Further, when the replacement area is insufficient due to frequent replacement, an additional replacement area is provided on the outer periphery of the volume space.

  In the case of a rewritable disc that can be rewritten 100,000 times with respect to the same sector, there is no problem even if rewriting to the same sector is concentrated. However, in the case of a rewritable disc in which the number of rewritable times is limited from about 100 to 1000 times, when the user newly creates / rewrites or deletes a file, the same area is frequently rewritten. However, there is a problem that defects are likely to occur, important data such as a file structure and a control file are damaged, and recording on a medium becomes impossible.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and by concentrating rewriting on the same area by sequentially moving the AV file area and the basic file structure area from the inner periphery to the outer periphery in a disk with a limited number of rewrites. The purpose is to avoid the occurrence of defects.

  The information recording medium of the present invention is an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, and includes a first information recording area capable of recording data by sequential repeated recording, An information recording area, wherein the first information recording area includes a plurality of blocks, and each of the plurality of blocks includes an area for recording version information indicating a version of the block, and the second information recording area. And pointer information corresponding to the latest version information is used as valid pointer information, thereby achieving the above object.

  The second information recording area may be an area in which data can be recorded by sequential repeated recording.

  Another information recording medium of the present invention is an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, and a plurality of first information recording areas capable of recording data by sequential repeated recording, , A second information recording area, and a third information recording area for recording identification information indicating which one of the plurality of first information recording areas is valid, the first information recording area Each of the areas includes a plurality of blocks, and each of the plurality of blocks records an area for recording version information indicating the version of the block and pointer information indicating the position of the second information recording area. The pointer information corresponding to the latest version information is used as valid pointer information, thereby achieving the above object.

  The identification information is rewritten in a specific area in the third information recording area, and when recording in the specific area becomes impossible, the specific information in the third information recording area It may be rewritten in an area other than the area.

  The third information recording area is an area where data can be recorded by sequential repetitive recording, and the third information recording area includes a plurality of blocks, and each of the plurality of blocks includes the block. The identification information corresponding to the latest version information may be used as valid identification information.

  The information recording method of the present invention is an information recording method for recording information on an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, and the information recording medium records data by sequential repeated recording. The first information recording area includes a plurality of blocks, and the information recording method includes one of the plurality of blocks. And specifying the version information indicating the version of the specified block and the pointer information indicating the position of the second information recording area in the specified block, The pointer information corresponding to the version information is used as valid pointer information, thereby achieving the above object.

  Another information recording method of the present invention is an information recording method for recording information on an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, and the information recording medium records data by sequential repeated recording. A plurality of first information recording areas, a second information recording area, and a third information recording area, each of the first information recording areas including a plurality of blocks, The information recording method includes a step of recording identification information indicating which one of the plurality of first information recording areas is valid in the third information recording area, and the effective first information recording area. A step of designating one of the plurality of blocks included, version information indicating a version of the designated block in the designated block, and a position of the second information recording area Includes the step of recording the pointer information indicating, pointer information corresponding to latest version information is used as valid pointer information, thereby the objective described above being achieved.

  The information recording apparatus of the present invention is an information recording apparatus that records information on an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, and the information recording medium records data by sequential repeated recording. A first information recording area and a second information recording area, wherein the first information recording area includes a plurality of blocks, and the information recording apparatus includes one of the plurality of blocks. And means for recording version information indicating the version of the specified block and pointer information indicating the position of the second information recording area in the specified block, The pointer information corresponding to the version information is used as valid pointer information, thereby achieving the above object.

  Another information recording apparatus of the present invention is an information recording apparatus for recording information on an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, and the information recording medium records data by sequential repeated recording. A plurality of first information recording areas, a second information recording area, and a third information recording area, each of the first information recording areas including a plurality of blocks, The information recording apparatus includes: means for recording identification information indicating which one of the plurality of first information recording areas is valid in the third information recording area; and the valid first information recording area. Means for designating one of the plurality of blocks included, version information indicating a version of the designated block, and a position of the second information recording area in the designated block; And means for recording and inter information, pointer information corresponding to latest version information is used as valid pointer information, thereby the objective described above being achieved.

  The information reproducing method of the present invention is an information reproducing method for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, and the information recording medium stores data by sequential repeated recording. A first information recording area capable of recording; and a second information recording area. The first information recording area includes a plurality of blocks, and at least one of the plurality of blocks is included in the first information recording area. Is recorded with version information indicating the version of the block and pointer information indicating the position of the second information recording area, and the information reproducing method designates one of the plurality of blocks. Obtaining the pointer information recorded in the designated block according to the step and the version information recorded in the designated block. Includes a step of determining Luke, pointer information corresponding to latest version information is used as valid pointer information, thereby the objective described above being achieved.

  Another information reproducing method of the present invention is an information reproducing method for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, wherein the information recording medium is subjected to sequential repetitive recording. A plurality of first information recording areas capable of recording data, a second information recording area, and a third information recording area, wherein each of the first information recording areas includes a plurality of blocks; At least one of the plurality of blocks includes version information indicating the version of the block and pointer information indicating the position of the second information recording area, and the third information In the information recording area, identification information indicating which one of the plurality of first information recording areas is valid is recorded, and the information reproducing method includes the third information recording area, Obtaining the identification information, specifying one of the plurality of blocks included in the effective first information recording area indicated by the identification information, and being recorded in the designated block Determining whether to acquire the pointer information recorded in the designated block according to the version information, and pointer information corresponding to the latest version information is valid pointer information. As a result, the above object is achieved.

  The information reproducing apparatus of the present invention is an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, and the information recording medium stores data by sequential repeated recording. A first information recording area capable of recording; and a second information recording area. The first information recording area includes a plurality of blocks, and at least one of the plurality of blocks is included in the first information recording area. Is recorded with version information indicating the version of the block and pointer information indicating the position of the second information recording area, and the information reproducing apparatus designates one of the plurality of blocks. Whether to obtain the pointer information recorded in the designated block according to the version information recorded in the designated block. And means for determining, pointer information corresponding to latest version information is used as valid pointer information, thereby the objective described above being achieved.

  Another information reproducing apparatus of the present invention is an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, and the information recording medium performs sequential repetitive recording. A plurality of first information recording areas capable of recording data, a second information recording area, and a third information recording area, wherein each of the first information recording areas includes a plurality of blocks; At least one of the plurality of blocks includes version information indicating the version of the block and pointer information indicating the position of the second information recording area, and the third information In the information recording area, identification information indicating which one of the plurality of first information recording areas is valid is recorded, and the information reproducing apparatus includes the third information recording area, Means for acquiring the identification information, means for designating one of the plurality of blocks included in the effective first information recording area indicated by the identification information, and recorded in the designated block Means for determining whether to acquire the pointer information recorded in the designated block according to the version information, and the pointer information corresponding to the latest version information is valid pointer information. Used, thereby achieving the above objective.

  The information recording medium of the present invention defines the use order of unallocated areas registered in the space management structure, and records the latest file structure area while moving from the inner periphery to the outer periphery. As a result, it is possible to prevent occurrence of data loss or defect due to rewriting concentration in the same area, and improve data reliability.

(Definition of terms)
The terms used in this specification are defined below.

  (1) “Sequential repetitive recording” means that an unallocated area is searched in a predetermined recording area, an area is allocated based on the search result, and data is recorded in the allocated area. Searching for an unallocated area in a predetermined recording area is a search for an unallocated area in a certain direction from a predetermined position, and when the search reaches the end of the predetermined recording area, This is accomplished by searching for the next unallocated area from the beginning of the area. In this specification, “sequential repeated recording” is also referred to as “repetitive recording in a certain direction”. These are synonymous terms.

  (2) “AV data” refers to data representing at least one of video and audio.

  (3) “AV file” refers to a file containing AV data.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1. Embodiment 1
In the first embodiment, an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited, an information recording apparatus that records information on the information recording medium, and information reproduction that reproduces information recorded on the information recording medium The apparatus will be described.

  In the present embodiment, an information recording medium is assumed in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited to about 100 to 1000 times. However, the present invention can also be applied to an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites is limited to a smaller number and an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites is limited to a larger number. The information recording medium may be any type of information recording medium (for example, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, etc.). Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described with reference to an example in which the information recording medium is an optical disk.

  In addition, information recorded on the information recording medium or information reproduced from the information recording medium may be a file managed using a file structure based on the UDF (Universal Disk Format) standard compliant with the ECMA167 standard. For example, this embodiment will be described.

In the following description, a descriptor, a pointer, and the like recorded on an information recording medium as a volume file structure are data structures defined in the ECMA 167 standard or UDF (Universal Disk Format) standard unless otherwise specified. It shall have
1.1 Optical Disc Data Structure FIG. 1 shows an example of the optical disc data structure.

  A lead-in area, a volume space, and a lead-out area are formed on the optical disc. The lead-in area is provided on the inner peripheral side of the optical disc. The lead-out area is provided on the outer peripheral side of the optical disc. The volume space is sandwiched between the lead-in area and the lead-out area.

  A recording information zone 111 is assigned to the lead-in area. The recording information zone 111 includes a count unit and a plurality of registration units.

  A volume structure area 101, a latest file structure area 131, and AV file areas 102, 103, and 105 are allocated to the volume space. The unallocated areas 121, 122, 124, and 125 are areas where no valid data is allocated.

An extended recording information zone 112 is assigned to the lead-out area.
1.2 Configuration of Information Recording / Reproducing Device FIG. 2 shows an example of an information recording / reproducing device.

  The information recording / reproducing apparatus includes a system control unit 201, a memory circuit 202, a magnetic disk device 204, and an optical disk drive device 205. These components are connected to each other via an I / O bus 203.

  The system control unit 201 includes a volume structure recording unit 211 that records the volume structure, a volume structure playback unit 214 that plays the volume structure, a VAT structure recording unit 212 that records the VAT structure, and a VAT structure playback that plays the VAT structure. Means 215, space management structure recording means 251 for recording the space management structure, space management structure reproducing means 252 for reproducing the space management structure, basic file structure recording means 261 for recording the basic file structure, and basic file structure A basic file structure reproducing unit 262 for reproducing, a file recording unit 213 for recording file data, a file reproducing unit 216 for reproducing file data, and a defect area managing unit 217 are included. The system control unit 201 can be realized by, for example, a microprocessor including a control program and a calculation memory.

  The memory circuit 202 includes a data memory 221 that temporarily stores files, a VAT structure memory 222 that is used for operations and temporary storage of VAT structures, and a space management structure that is used for operations and temporary storage of space management structures. It includes a memory 253, a basic file structure memory 263 used for basic file structure calculations and temporary storage, a volume structure memory 223 used for volume structure calculations and temporary storage, and a defect list memory 224.

  The optical disk drive device 205 includes a drive control unit 231, a memory circuit 232, and a recording / reproducing unit 234. These components are connected to each other via an internal bus 233.

  The drive control unit 231 includes a recording information zone recording unit 271 that records information in the recording information zone, and a recording information zone reproducing unit 272 that reproduces information recorded in the recording information zone.

  The memory circuit 232 includes a recording information zone memory 273 used for calculation and temporary storage of information recorded in the recording information zone, and a buffer memory 241.

  The recording / reproducing means 234 records information on the optical disc 235 or reproduces information recorded on the optical disc 235.

The information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 has both a function for recording information on the optical disc 235 and a function for reproducing information recorded on the optical disc 235. Therefore, the information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 can be regarded as an “information recording apparatus” for recording information on the optical disc 235. In this case, components not related to the function of recording information on the optical disc 235 can be omitted. Also, the information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 can be regarded as an “information reproducing apparatus” for reproducing information recorded on the optical disc 235. In this case, components not related to the function of reproducing the information recorded on the optical disc 235 can be omitted.
1.3 Formatting Process FIG. 3 shows the format processing procedure for formatting the optical disc 235. The formatting process is executed by the information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. Hereinafter, each step shown in FIG. 3 will be described in detail.

  (S301) The system control unit 201 creates a volume structure including parameters specified in advance, such as a volume name, and stores the volume structure in the volume structure memory 223 of the memory circuit 202. Further, the system control unit 201 instructs the optical disk drive 205 to record the volume structure stored in the volume structure memory 223 on the optical disk 235. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the volume structure recording unit 211. The optical disc drive 205 records the volume structure at a predetermined position on the optical disc 235, and notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation when this recording operation is completed.

  (S302) The system control unit 201 creates a basic file structure and stores the basic file structure in the basic file structure memory 263 of the memory circuit 202. Further, the system control unit 201 instructs the optical disk drive 205 to record the basic file structure stored in the basic file structure memory 263 on the optical disk 235. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the basic file structure recording unit 261. The optical disk drive device 205 records the basic file structure at a predetermined position on the optical disk 235, and notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation when the recording operation is completed.

  (S 303) The system control unit 201 creates a space management structure and stores the space management structure in the space management structure memory 253 of the memory circuit 202. At this time, the position information of the unallocated area 422 is registered in the unallocated space entry 453 in consideration of the capacity of the VAT structure area allocated in step (S304). Further, the system control unit 201 instructs the optical disk drive device 205 to record the space management structure stored in the space management structure memory 253 on the optical disk 235. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the space management structure recording unit 251. The optical disk drive device 205 records the space management structure at a predetermined position on the optical disk 235, and notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation when the recording operation is completed.

  (S304) The system control unit 201 creates a VAT structure and stores the VAT structure in the VAT structure memory 222 of the memory circuit 202. Further, the system control unit 201 instructs the optical disk drive device 205 to record the VAT structure stored in the VAT structure memory 222 on the optical disk 235. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the VAT structure recording unit 212. The optical disc drive device 205 records the VAT structure at a predetermined position on the optical disc 235, and notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation when the recording operation is completed.

  (S305) The system control unit 201 instructs the optical disc drive 205 to record in the recording information zone. The drive control unit 231 creates a first registration block 176 including an entry sector number (pointer information) indicating the position of the end of the latest file structure area and a version number (version information) for identifying a valid registration block. Then, the first registration block 176 is stored in the recording information zone memory 273 of the memory circuit 232, and the first registration block 176 is recorded at a predetermined position on the optical disk 235. For example, the drive control unit 231 records the first registration block 176 in the first registration unit 142, and records a count block including the identification number of the registered unit for which recording has been performed at the head of the count unit. The above-described operation of the drive control unit 231 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the drive control unit 231 as the recording information zone recording unit 271. When the recording operation ends, the optical disk drive device 205 notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation.

  In this embodiment, the registration block recording operation and the count block recording operation are described separately. However, these recording operations may be performed simultaneously.

  FIG. 4 shows the structure of data recorded on the optical disc 235 after the formatting process is executed.

  In the volume structure area 101, a volume structure is recorded. The volume structure has a volume recognition column 441 having volume recognition information, a basic volume descriptor 442 having volume attribute information, a processing system descriptor 443 having information for the processing system, and partition information. A partition descriptor 444, a logical volume descriptor 445 having logical volume identification information, an unallocated space descriptor 446 having information on an unallocated area in the volume space, and a terminal indicating the end of a basic descriptor string It includes a descriptor 447, a logical volume integrity descriptor 448 having information on the maintenance status of the logical volume, and a start volume descriptor pointer 449 having access start information for the volume. The information recorded in this volume structure area is not limited to this order or this type.

  A basic file structure is recorded in the basic file structure area 432 of the latest file structure area 341. The basic file structure includes a file set descriptor 450, a root directory 451, and a file entry (root directory) 452.

  The space management structure is recorded in the space management structure area 421 of the latest file structure area 341. The space management structure includes an unallocated space entry 453.

  A VAT structure is recorded in the VAT structure area 401 of the latest file structure area 341. The VAT structure includes VAT454 and VATICB455. VAT454 and VATICB455 are data structures defined by the UDF standard. The recording position of data on the optical disk is represented by using a virtual address on the virtual address space and a logical address on the logical address space. The VAT 454 holds a correspondence relationship between virtual addresses and logical addresses. VATICB 455 indicates a recording position of VA 454. VATICB 455 is allocated to the last sector of the area where data is recorded.

  The recording information zone 111 includes a count unit 141 for designating a valid registration unit number, and a plurality of registration units including a first registration unit 142 and a second registration unit 143. Only the first count block 171 indicating the identification number of the first registration unit 142 is recorded in the count unit 141. In the first registration unit 142, a first registration block 176 having an entry sector number 464 indicating the position information of the latest file structure area 431 is recorded.

After the second count block in the count unit 141 is unrecorded, after the second registration block in the first registration unit 142 is not recorded, and after the second registration unit 143 is also unrecorded. .
1.4 File Recording Process FIG. 5 shows a file recording process procedure for recording a file on the optical disc 235. The file recording process is executed by the information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. Each step shown in FIG. 5 will be described below by taking as an example a case where an AV file (AVfile-a), an AV file (AVfile-b), and their control files are recorded on the optical disk 235 having the data structure shown in FIG. Will be described in detail.

  (S501) The system control unit 201 acquires position information 467 of an unallocated area from the unallocated space entry 453 read into the space management structure memory 253. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the space management structure recording unit 251.

  (S502) The system control unit 201 allocates an unallocated area according to the position information of the unallocated area acquired in step (S501), and records data of the AV file (AVfile-a) 641 in the allocated area. The optical disk drive 205 is instructed as follows. Further, the system control unit 201 creates a file entry (AVfile-a) 642 of the AV file (AVfile-a) 641, stores this file entry in the data memory 221, and stores this file entry in the AV file (AVfile-a). a) The optical disk drive 205 is instructed to record in an area continuous with the area where the data of 641 is recorded. Similarly, the system control unit 201 instructs the optical disc drive 205 to record the data of the AV file (AVfile-b) 643 and the file entry (AVfile-b) 644 in a continuous area. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the file recording unit 213. The optical disc drive 205 records these data at a predetermined position on the optical disc 235, and notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation when the recording operation is completed.

  (S503) The system control unit 201 creates a basic file structure and stores the basic file structure in the basic file structure memory 263 of the memory circuit 202. Further, the system control unit 201 instructs the optical disk drive 205 to record the basic file structure stored in the basic file structure memory 263 on the optical disk 235. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the basic file structure recording unit 261. The optical disk drive device 205 records the basic file structure at a predetermined position on the optical disk 235, and notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation when the recording operation is completed.

  (S504) The system control unit 201 creates a space management structure and stores the space management structure in the space management structure memory 253 of the memory circuit 202. At this time, in consideration of the capacity of the VAT structure area 602 allocated in step (S505), the position information 666 of the unallocated area # 1 (623) and the position information 667 of the unallocated area # 2 (621) are not allocated. Registered in the space entry 652. Further, the system control unit 201 instructs the optical disk drive device 205 to record the space management structure stored in the space management structure memory 253 on the optical disk 235. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the space management structure recording unit 251. The optical disk drive device 205 records the space management structure at a predetermined position on the optical disk 235, and notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation when the recording operation is completed.

  (S505) The system control unit 201 creates a VAT structure and stores the VAT structure in the VAT structure memory 222 of the memory circuit 202. Further, the system control unit 201 instructs the optical disk drive device 205 to record the VAT structure stored in the VAT structure memory 222 on the optical disk 235. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the VAT structure recording unit 212. The optical disc drive device 205 records the VAT structure at a predetermined position on the optical disc 235, and notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation when the recording operation is completed.

  (S506) The system control unit 201 instructs the optical disc drive 205 to record in the recording information zone. The drive control unit 231 creates a second registration block 177 including an entry sector number (pointer information) indicating the end position of the latest file structure area and a version number (version information) for identifying a valid registration block. Then, the second registration block 177 is stored in the recording information zone memory 273 of the memory circuit 232, and the second registration block 177 is continuously located at a predetermined position of the optical disc 235 (the area where the first registration block 176 is recorded). In the recording area). The above-described operation of the drive control unit 231 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the drive control unit 231 as the recording information recording unit 271. When the recording operation ends, the optical disk drive device 205 notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the recording operation.

  FIG. 6 shows the structure of data recorded on the optical disc 235 after the file recording process is executed.

  In the volume structure area 101, a volume structure is recorded. The details of the volume structure are as described with reference to FIG.

  In the AV file area 601, an AV file (AVfile-a) 641, a file entry (AVfile-a) 642, an AV file (AVfile-b) 643, and a file entry (AVfile-b) 644 are recorded. Has been.

  The basic file structure area 632 of the latest file structure area 631 records the basic file structure. The basic file structure includes a control file (Datafile) 645 having related information of an AV file, a file entry (Datafile) 646, an AV directory (AVDir) 647, a file entry (AVDir) 648, and a file set descriptor 649. And a root directory 650 and its file entry (root directory) 651. The AV directory (AVDir) 647 includes position information of the file entry (AVfile-a) 642 of the AV file (AVfile-a) 641, and position information of the file entry (AVfile-b) 644 of the AV file (AVfile-b) 643. including.

  The file set descriptor 649, the root directory 650, and the file entry (root directory) 651 are recorded at a new recording position (logical address). By updating the logical address in VAT 653 describing the correspondence between the virtual address and the logical address, it becomes possible to access the new recording position using the same virtual address as before. For example, the recording position of the file set descriptor 649 specified from the logical volume descriptor 445 is specified using a virtual address. Even if the file set descriptor 649 is recorded at a new recording position (logical address), a new address of the file set descriptor 649 is updated by updating the logical address in the VAT 653 that describes the correspondence between the virtual address and the logical address. It is possible to access various recording positions.

  The space management structure is recorded in the space management structure area 622 of the latest file structure area 631. The space management structure includes an unallocated space entry 652.

  A VAT structure is recorded in the VAT structure area 602 of the latest file structure area 631. The VAT structure includes VAT653 and VATICB654.

The recording information zone 111 includes a count unit 141 for designating a valid registration unit number, and a plurality of registration units including a first registration unit 142 and a second registration unit 143. Only the first count block 171 indicating the identification number of the first registration unit 142 is recorded in the count unit 141. In the first registration unit 142, a first registration block 176 and a second registration block 177 having an entry sector number 663 indicating the position information of the latest file structure area 631 are recorded. The fact that the second registration block 177 is the latest registration block with a valid entry sector number 663 is to compare the version number 463 of the first registration block 176 with the version number 662 of the second registration block 177. Recognized by.
1.5 Space Management Structure Hereinafter, the space management structure will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  The space management structure is a structure for managing position information of an unallocated area that is a continuous area in which data can be recorded and exists in the volume space. The space management structure is always recorded after some data is recorded on the optical disk.

  The unallocated space entry 155 that is a space management structure includes a descriptor tag 185 indicating that it is an unallocated space entry, and position information of at least one unallocated area existing in the volume space (in the example shown in FIG. 1). , Position information 186 of the unallocated area # 1, position information 187 of the unallocated area # 2, position information 188 of the unallocated area # 3, position information 189 of the unallocated area # 4).

  In order to record the latest information while moving from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the optical disc, the position information of the unallocated area is stored in the unallocated space entry 155 in order from the unallocated area existing after the latest file structure area 131 toward the outer periphery. be registered. When the position information of the outermost unallocated area is registered in the unallocated space entry 155, the position information of the unallocated area is registered in the unallocated space entry 155 in order from the innermost unallocated area to the outer periphery. The

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the unallocated area # 1 (124) is an unallocated area that first exists after the latest file structure area 131. Therefore, the position information 186 of the unallocated area # 1 (124) is registered in the unallocated space entry 155 as the first position information.
Next, the position information 187 of the unallocated area # 2 (125) located at the end of the volume space is registered in the unallocated space entry 155 as the second position information. Next, the position information 188 of the unallocated area # 3 (121) located at the innermost circumference in the volume space is registered in the unallocated space entry 155 as the third position information. Finally, the position information 189 of the unallocated area # 4 (122) is registered in the unallocated space entry 155 as the fourth position information. Thus, the position information of the unallocated area # 1 (124), the unallocated area # 2 (125), the unallocated area # 3 (121), and the unallocated area # 4 (122) are in the unallocated space. Registered in entry 155.

  By registering unallocated areas in the unallocated space entry 155 in the above-described order and recording data in the unallocated area in the order registered in the unallocated space entry 155, the latest file structure area is recorded on the optical disk. You can record while moving. As a result, rewriting of data can be avoided from concentrating on a specific area, and defect occurrence and data loss can be avoided.

  In addition, when a file recorded on the optical disk is deleted or edited, the area on the optical disk that has been used up to that point may become unnecessary. The position information of the area that has become unnecessary is registered in the unallocated space entry 155 as position information of a new unallocated area. The order of the position information of new unallocated areas newly registered in the unallocated space entry 155 is calculated from the position information of unallocated areas already registered in the unallocated space entry 155. As a result, the position information of the new unallocated area is inserted at a predetermined position in the unallocated space entry 155.

  In the present embodiment, the method of determining the order in which the position information of the unallocated area is registered in the unallocated space entry 155 depending on the position of the unallocated area in the volume space has been described. As a result, the position information of the unnecessary area may be registered at the end of the unallocated space entry 155 as the position information of the new unallocated area. In this way, data rewriting can also be performed by a method of determining the order of registering the location information of the unallocated area in the unallocated space entry 155 depending on the time when the unnecessary area is collected as a new unallocated area. It is possible to avoid concentrating on a specific area.

  The recording method from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the present invention can also be applied to a write-once disc.

  Although the case where there is one control file that requires data reliability in FIG. 8 has been described, a plurality of control files may be recorded on the optical disc. In this case, the control file may be recorded in the basic file structure area or in the AV file area. When the size of the control file is small or the number of control files is small, it is preferable to record the control file in the basic file structure area. This is because it is easy to access the control file. When the size of the control file is large or the number of control files is large, it is preferable to record the control file in the AV file area. This is because the size of the latest file structure area can be kept small. It is obvious that by recording the control file and its file entry in the AV file area, it is possible to avoid rewriting data in a specific area when updating the control file.

It is also possible to perform repeated recording in a certain direction from the recording position information for indicating the next recording position designated by the entry sector number. Furthermore, the recordable position information of the information recording area is acquired from the space management structure.
1.6 Data Structure of Recording Information Zone FIG. 9 shows an example of the data structure of the recording information zone 111. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the recording information zone 111 includes one count unit and 250 registration units.

  The count unit includes 10 count blocks. Each of the ten count blocks is formed in, for example, an ECC block unit that is a minimum recording unit. In one of the 10 count blocks, identification information indicating which registered unit of the 250 registered units is valid (for example, a registration to which a registered block in which a valid entry sector number is recorded belongs) Unit identification number) is recorded. The count unit is used to retrieve a valid registration unit from 250 registration units. By using the count unit, it is possible to obtain the latest entry sector number by reading only one valid registration unit without reading and searching all the registered units.

  The count block is rewritten when the identification number of a valid registration unit is changed. Therefore, the number of times that the count block is rewritten is very small compared to the number of times that the registered block is rewritten.

  The count block is used in order from the first count block (first count block) among the 10 count blocks included in the count unit. One count block is repeatedly used any number of times until the count block becomes unrecordable. Possible causes of the count block being unrecordable include, for example, the number of times of rewriting exceeding the number of times of rewritable being performed, and the occurrence of a defective state due to dust adhering to the count block. If the first count block becomes unrecordable, the second count block is used. If the second count block becomes unrecordable, the third count block is used. In this way, the count block is rewritten until it becomes unrecordable, and when the count block becomes unrecordable, the next count block is used. Therefore, the count block can be searched at a higher speed as the number of rewrites is smaller.

  Each of the first registration unit to the 250th registration unit includes 10 registration blocks. Each of the ten registered blocks is formed in units of ECC blocks, which is the minimum recording unit. Each of the ten registered blocks records an area for recording a version number (version information) indicating the version of the registered block and an entry sector number (pointer information) indicating the end position of the latest file structure area. And an area for.

  Each time recording to the latest file structure area is performed, a version number and an entry sector number are recorded in one registration block selected from the first registration block to the tenth registration block in one registration unit. The Each time recording to the latest file structure area is performed, the registration block in which the version number and entry sector number are recorded is changed. For example, when recording is first performed in the latest file structure area, the version number and entry sector number are recorded in the first registration block, and when recording is performed in the latest file structure area for the second time The version number and entry sector number are recorded in the second registration block. Thus, the version number and the entry sector number are recorded in each of the registration blocks in order from the first registration block to the tenth registration block. After the version number and the entry sector number are recorded in the tenth registration block, the version number and the entry sector number are again recorded (overwritten) in the first registration block. Thereafter, the version number and the entry sector number are again recorded (overwritten) one by one in the registration block in order from the first registration block to the tenth registration block.

  In this way, by recording the version number and the entry sector number in order for each registered block, it is possible to avoid data rewriting from being concentrated on a specific registered block.

  The position indicated by the entry sector number (pointer information) is not limited to the end position of the latest file structure area. The position indicated by the entry sector number (pointer information) may be an arbitrary position (for example, a predetermined position) in an arbitrary area (for example, the second information recording area) on the optical disc 235. The second information recording area may be an area where data can be recorded by sequential repeated recording.

  In the present embodiment, data is repeatedly recorded sequentially for each of 250 registration units. That is, each of the 250 registration units is an example of a first information recording area in which data can be recorded by sequential repeated recording. In this manner, by sequentially and repeatedly recording data in each of the plurality of divided areas, it is possible to improve the reliability of all areas and increase the speed of reading from each area.

  The latest registration block is managed so as to have the largest version number in the registration unit to which the registration block belongs. The maximum version number indicates the latest version information. The entry sector number (pointer information) corresponding to the largest version number (latest version information) is used as a valid entry sector number (valid pointer information).

  In the example shown in FIG. 9, the third registration block having the version number (3) is the latest registration block. In this way, by setting the number of registration blocks included in the registration unit to 10, the latest registration block can be recognized only by reading a maximum of 10 registration blocks.

  When one or more registration blocks cannot be used in one registration unit, the next registration unit is used. For example, if the registered block in the first registered unit becomes a defective block (or if the version number of the registered block in the first registered unit reaches a certain value), the second registered Unit is used. Valid registration units are identified by a counting unit. Thus, it is not necessary to search all 250 registration units in order to identify valid registration units.

  By providing a preliminary recording information zone in which a copy of information recorded in the recording information zone 111 is recorded in the extended recording information zone 112 shown in FIG. 1, the reliability of the recording information zone 111 can be improved. This is because if the entry sector number cannot be read from the recording information zone 111 due to a read error, the entry sector number may be read from the extended recording information zone 112.

  The information recording zone 111 is not necessarily provided in the lead-in area or the lead-out area. For example, the information recording zone 111 may be arranged further on the inner peripheral side of the lead-in area. Alternatively, the information recording zone 111 may be arranged in the volume structure area 101. Also in these cases, an effect of preventing rewriting of data from concentrating on a specific sector can be obtained. This is because in the case of performing sequential repeated recording, the entry sector number can indicate the end position of the recorded area.

  The number of count blocks is not limited to ten. The number of count blocks can be any number greater than or equal to one. The number of registration blocks is not limited to ten. The number of registration blocks can also be any number greater than or equal to one.

  The number of registered units is not limited to 250. The number of registration units can be any number greater than or equal to one. When the number of registered units is 1, the count unit can be omitted. This is because there is no need to search for a valid registration unit. That is, the recording information zone may be configured to include only one registration unit. For example, when the number of registration blocks is sufficiently large, the recording information zone can be configured to include only one registration unit.

  The recording unit in the recording information zone may be a sector unit and need not be limited to an ECC block unit.

  Note that identification information indicating that the recording information zone is allocated to a predetermined area of the optical disc may be recorded in advance on the optical disc. With this identification information, it is possible to guarantee that an optical disc having a limited number of rewrites has high reliability when the optical disc is shipped. This is because the limitation on the number of rewrites can be compensated for an optical disc with a limited number of rewrites by repeatedly recording data sequentially using the recording information zone.

  Note that the write-once disc can be regarded as a recordable disc in which the number of rewrites is limited to zero. By using the recording information zone described above, even when the number of additional recordings is increased, it is possible to recognize an effective registration unit and an effective registration block recorded therein at high speed. Further, when the number of additional recordings is increased and all recording information zone registration units are used, additional recording can be performed by assigning the recording information zone in the extended recording information zone.

  Also, by increasing the number of registered blocks in one registered unit or increasing the number of count blocks in one count unit, it is also possible to provide a recording information zone having an appropriate data structure with a write-once disc It is. For example, by making the number of count blocks in the count unit the same as the number of registered units, the count blocks can be updated as many times as the number of times the registered units are updated. Further, by making the number of count blocks in the count unit larger than the number of registered units, the count block can be updated to the next count block even if it cannot be updated due to a defective block or the like.

  In order to avoid the concentration of data rewriting in a specific count block in the count unit, data may be repeatedly recorded sequentially in the count unit. That is, the count unit is an example of a third information recording area in which data can be recorded by sequential repeated recording. In this case, each count block included in the count unit includes a version number (version information) indicating the version of the count block and an identification number (identification information) of the registration unit, similarly to the above-described registration block. It will be.

  The latest count block is managed to have the largest version number in the count unit. The maximum version number indicates the latest version information. The registration unit identification number (identification information) corresponding to the largest version number (latest version information) is used as the valid registration unit identification number (valid identification information).

  By sequentially and repeatedly recording data in each unit for each of the count unit and the registration unit, old information is left in the count block and the registration block. Thereby, the information (file) before being updated can be held on the optical disc, and the information (file) can be used as a backup.

  In addition, since the recording method described above can be applied to a write-once disc in addition to a rewritable disc, the recording method can be shared between the rewritable disc and the write-once disc.

In an optical disk with a limited number of rewrites, the registration block in the registration unit may be used repeatedly as many times as possible until the registration block becomes unrecordable instead of performing sequential repeated recording. Good. Thereby, the reading time from the registration unit can be shortened. The reason why the registration block cannot be recorded includes, for example, that the number of times of rewriting exceeds the number of times that the rewriting is possible, and that a dust or the like is attached to cause a defect state. If the registration block becomes unrecordable, the next registration block is used. The count block is repeatedly used until the count block becomes unrecordable, and the register block is used many times until the record block becomes unrecordable, thereby shortening the readout time from the count unit. In addition, the reading time from the registration unit can be shortened.
1.7 File Reproduction Processing FIG. 7 shows a file reproduction processing procedure for reproducing a file recorded on the optical disc 235. The file playback process is executed by the information recording / playback apparatus shown in FIG. In the following, each step shown in FIG. 7 will be described in detail, taking as an example the case of reproducing an AV file (AVfile-d) 158 from the optical disk 235 having the data structure shown in FIG.

  Note that the optical disk 235 having the data structure shown in FIG. 1 deletes the AV file (AVfile-b) from the optical disk 235 having the data structure shown in FIG. 6, and the AV file (AVfile-c) and AV file (AVfile). -D).

  (S 701) Upon detecting that an optical disc has been inserted into the optical disc drive device 205, the drive control unit 231 designates the position of the first count block 171 of the count unit 141 in the recording information zone 111.

  (S702) The drive control unit 231 determines whether or not the designated count block in the count unit 141 is in an unrecorded state. If "Yes", the process proceeds to step (S704), and if "No", the process proceeds to step (S703).

  (S703) The drive control unit 231 designates the position of the next count block in the count unit 141.

  (S704) The drive control unit 231 acquires the identification number (identification information) of the registered unit from the last count block among the count blocks that are not in the unrecorded state.

  (S705) The drive control unit 231 performs a reproduction operation on the first registered block of the registered unit designated by the registered unit identification number, and acquires a version number (version information).

  (S706) The drive control unit 231 designates the position of the next registration block of the designated registration unit.

  (S707) The drive control unit 231 performs a reproduction operation on the designated registered block. If the registered block designated by this playback operation is in an unrecorded state, or if the version number recorded in the registered block is smaller than the previously acquired version number, the process proceeds to step (S709). In cases other than that described here, process flow proceeds to Step S708.

  (S708) The drive control unit 231 designates the position of the next registration block in the designated registration unit.

  (S709) The drive control unit 231 obtains the entry sector number recorded in the latest found registration block, and stores the entry sector number in the recording information zone memory 273.

  The operation of the drive control unit 231 described in (S701) to (S709) is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the drive control unit 231 as the recording information reproducing unit 272.

  (S710) The system control unit 201 acquires the entry sector number stored in the recording information zone memory 273 of the optical disc drive 205 as information (pointer information) indicating the end position of the latest file structure area. The system control unit 201 instructs the optical disc drive 205 to reproduce the VATICB 157 recorded at the end of the latest file structure area. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the VAT structure reproduction unit 215. The optical disk drive 205 reads the VATICB 157 recorded at the end of the latest file structure area and stores it in the VAT structure memory 222 of the memory circuit 202.

  Next, the system control unit 201 interprets the position information of the VAT included in the read VATICB, reads the VAT 156 recorded in the VAT structure area 108 according to the same control procedure as the VATICB, and reads the VAT of the memory circuit 202. Store in the structural memory 222.

  (S711) The system control unit 201 performs processing for converting a virtual address into a logical address using the VAT acquired in step (S710), and sets the file entry (root directory) 154 as a starting point from the file set descriptor 152. The root directory 153 is read. In addition, the file entry (DataDir) 149 and the control file (Datafile) 148 are sequentially read out together with the file entry (AVDir) 151 and the AV directory (AVDir) 150 recorded together in the same area, thereby recording the AV file. Get location and related information. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the basic file structure playback unit 261.

  (S712) Finally, the system control unit 201 executes a read operation of the file entry (AVfile-d) 159 and the AV file (AVfile-d) 158, and completes the file reproduction operation. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the file playback unit 216.

  Note that a copy of the data may be recorded in another location in order to avoid that the data cannot be read due to a read error during reproduction. The latest file structure area to be moved by sequential recording may be duplicated, and the position information thereof may be designated by the recording information zone. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the spare latest file structure area 2103 and the main latest file structure area 2107 are recorded in the preliminary recording information zone 2101 and the main entry sector number 2151 recorded in the registration block recorded in the main recording information zone 2102. And the spare entry sector number 2152.

  After performing sequential recording with verification, there is a possibility that playback may become impossible due to scratches or dust. In such a case as well, a main latest file structure area 2107 and a spare latest file structure area 2103 are provided in the volume space so that the latest file structure can be read out, and the position information is set as the main entry sector number 2151 and the spare entry sector, respectively. The number 2152 may be registered in the lead-in area. Thereby, the data reproduction reliability is improved.

  The information recorded in the spare latest file structure area 2103 is basically preliminary information of information recorded in the main latest file structure area 2107, but the VAT 2145 recorded in the VAT structure area 2110 contains the virtual address and the main latest information. Whereas the VAT 2135 recorded in the VAT structure area 2106 is a correspondence table with the logical address of the latest file structure recorded in the file structure area 2107, the latest file structure recorded in the preliminary latest file structure area 2103 It is a correspondence table with the logical address.

  Note that the position information of the main latest file structure area 2107 is the main entry sector number 2151, the position information of the spare latest file structure area 2103 is the spare entry sector number 2152, and the main recording information zone 2102 and the preliminary recording information zone of the lead-in area 2101 may be registered together. At this time, the preliminary recording information zone 2101 is an area in which preliminary information of information registered in the main recording information zone 2102 is registered. The configuration and usage of the main or preliminary recording information zone is the same as that of the recording information zone shown in the first embodiment.

  The position information of the spare latest file structure area may be specified by an offset address from the main entry sector number. The offset address may be specified by, for example, main entry sector number -256, main entry sector number -512, main entry sector number +256, main entry sector number +512, and the like. The offset value may be registered in the information recording zone.

  It is obvious that the effect of the present invention can be obtained even when the recording information zone is provided not in the lead-in area but in the volume space. The entry sector number may be recorded in a volume space such as the volume structure area 101, for example. Even in this case, the same effect as when the entry sector number is recorded in the lead-in area can be obtained.

  By having recording position information such as an entry sector number to indicate the next recording start position, data is repeatedly recorded in a certain direction so that the area to be rewritten is dispersed in the information recording area of the information recording medium. be able to.

  Note that the method for registering the preliminary information of information recorded in the main recording information zone may be performed independently in the main recording information zone 2102 and the preliminary recording information zone 2101. In this case, the count block or the registration block is recorded while avoiding the defective area by using the recording with verify. Therefore, in the main recording information zone 2102 and the preliminary recording information zone 2101, the number of the count block or registration block that becomes the defective area is Different.

  In the preliminary recording information zone 2101, duplicate information may be recorded in the same count block and registration block as in the main recording information zone 2102. In this case, it is not necessary to perform recording with verification in the preliminary recording information zone 2101, and recording is executed even in a defective state.

  In the present embodiment, the information recorded in the preliminary latest file structure area is copy information of the main latest file structure. However, in order to shorten the recording time, only the file structure updated since the previous recording may be recorded in the preliminary latest file structure area. When the main latest file structure area cannot be read, a backup of the data can be restored using the spare latest file structure and the previous main latest file structure. The previous main latest file structure can be obtained from the previous registered block based on the version number and from the entry sector number recorded in the registered block.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the latest file structure recorded in the volume space is duplicated, and the position information is held in the lead-in area, so that the file structure is indispensable for recording and reproduction to the file while performing sequential recording. The robustness of the area can be improved in an information recording medium with a limited number of rewrites. Furthermore, by reliably recording the recording information zone, which is the position information designation area of the multiplexed latest file structure area, playback reliability is ensured for discs that cannot be played due to scratches or dust. Improves.

  It is obvious that both the latest file structure area and the entry sector number can be used for duplication or more such as duplication.

  In the ECMA167 standard, a file entry of an AV file is defined as a part of the file structure, but in the present embodiment, it is recorded in the AV file area in order to simplify the description.

  In the case of an information recording medium on which no AV file is recorded, it is obvious that the effect of the present invention can be obtained even if the file recorded in the AV file area is a control file. At this time, the control file and its file structure are sequentially recorded in the volume space.

  In the present embodiment, the file structure using the VAT structure is recorded in the latest file structure area, but the latest file structure area specified by the entry sector number is also used in, for example, MS-DOS. The file structure of another file system such as a FAT file system may be recorded. Even if a file structure other than the VAT structure is used, the effect of avoiding the concentration of rewriting on a disk with a limited number of rewrites can be obtained by using the entry sector number recorded in the recording information zone.

In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the system records a control file in the basic file structure area in order to recognize information recorded in a plurality of AV files when a disc is inserted. If only the file recorded on the disk needs to be recognized, it is not necessary to record the control file and its file entry in the basic file structure area. At this time, since the basic file structure area is further reduced, the reading time is shortened. When this basic file structure area is recorded within one ECC block which is the minimum unit for reading, the drive device needs to read only once. As described above, the information recording medium of the present invention moves data to be updated and recorded including the latest file structure area from the inner periphery to the outer periphery, thereby preventing data loss and defect due to rewriting concentration and improving data reliability. be able to.
2. Embodiment 2
In the second embodiment, a method for sequentially recording an AV file in an AV file area allocated in advance in the volume space and a defect management method for information recorded in the latest file structure area will be described.

  AV data recorded in the AV file area is recorded without performing verification because it is necessary to record data continuously in time. On the other hand, the file management information such as the file set descriptor and the control file are required to have data reliability. Therefore, the verification is performed after recording to ensure the reliability of data at the time of recording. In general, an AV file has a large data size, and a control file and file management information have a small data size. Thus, the characteristics of AV data and non-AV data are different. An example in which an area for recording AV data and an area for recording non-AV data are separated will be described.

  When management of unallocated areas is performed in a table format as in the first embodiment, recording is performed sequentially by defining the registration order of management information for unallocated areas. In the second embodiment, a case will be described in which an unallocated area is managed using an improved bitmap recorded in the space management structure area, and sequential recording is performed in the AV file area in the volume space.

In the following description, descriptors, pointers, and the like recorded in the information recording medium as a volume file structure are data structures defined in the ECMA 167 standard or UDF (Universal Disk Format) standard unless otherwise specified. It shall have
2.1 Data Structure of Optical Disc FIG. 11 shows an example of the data structure of the optical disc 235.

  In the volume space, the volume structure area 101, the replaceable file structure area 1303, and the AV file area 1308 are allocated in advance at fixed positions. The substitutable file structure area 1303 has a space management structure area 1306 as a part of the latest file structure area. An improved bitmap is recorded in this space management structure area.

  The bit map is a map showing a recording state for each area of a certain unit such as a sector or an ECC block. The recording state of a certain unit area is indicated by 1 bit, with 1 being a recorded state and 0 being an unrecorded state. A set of bits indicating the recording state of all sectors is called a bitmap. In the second embodiment, the bit map indicates the recording state of the unit. The merit of managing the unallocated area with the bitmap is that the size of the bitmap is fixed because the unallocated area is designated using a bit for each unit area to be managed.

  A unit is a recording management unit composed of one or more sectors. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which one unit is about 5000 sectors.

A recording information zone 111 is assigned to the lead-in area. An alternative designation information area 1302 having an alternative unit number 1310 and alternative area address information 1311 is assigned to the recording information zone 111. This replacement designation information area replaces the latest file structure area 1304 with the replaceable area 1307 of the replaceable file structure area 1303 and other units. As a result, when rewriting concentrates on the latest file structure area 1304 of the substitutable file structure area 1307, or when the entire area becomes unrecordable, the entire medium becomes unrecordable by substituting. The latest file structure area can be continuously recorded.
2.2 File Recording Process FIG. 13 shows a file recording process procedure for recording a file on the optical disc 235. The file recording process is executed by the information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. Hereinafter, each step shown in FIG. 13 will be described in detail.

  (S1501) The system control unit 201 obtains a start unit number 1330 from the top of the improved bitmap 1313 read into the space management structure memory 253. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the space management structure recording unit 251.

  (S1502) The system control unit 201 instructs the optical disc drive 205 to record the AV file (AVfile-d) 146 sequentially from the unit # 40 specified by the start unit number 1330. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the file recording unit 213.

  (S1503) The system control unit 201 updates the file structure including the management information of the recorded AV file (AVfile-d), and records the updated file structure in the latest file structure area 1304. 205 is instructed. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the basic file structure recording unit 261.

  At this time, if the latest file structure area 1304 in the substitutable file structure area 1303 becomes unrecordable due to concentration of the number of rewrites, scratches, dust, or the like, the system control is performed when a write error is returned from the optical disk drive device 205. The unit 201 updates the basic file structure in order to change the recording position, and instructs recording in the substitutable area 1307.

  When the replaceable area 1307 becomes unrecordable due to scratches or dust again and the write error is returned from the optical disc drive 205, the system control unit 201 records sequentially from the AV file area 1308. In order to use the unit # 56, which is the next recording start unit, as the substitutable file structure area, the unit # 56 is instructed to record the basic file structure area reflecting the change in recording position. As described above, when a write error occurs during recording of the latest file structure area, the data recorded in the latest file structure area is updated and recorded in an unrecordable substitutable area. Furthermore, if there is no unrecorded area in the replaceable area, the startable unit number is used to allocate the replaceable file structure area to the unallocated area and update the data recorded in the latest file structure area. To the beginning of the substitutable file structure area. When a replaceable file structure area is allocated to a unit that is an unallocated area, a replaceable area of a predetermined size is placed in an unrecorded state, so even if a write error occurs in recording the latest file structure area Alternative recording becomes possible.

  The drive control unit 232 instructs the recording / reproducing means 234 to record the basic file structure in the unit # 56, and when the recording is completed, the drive control unit 232 sets 56 to the alternative unit number 1410 of the recording information zone 111 in the lead-in area. The address information of the latest file structure area is recorded in the alternative area address information 1411. Thereafter, the drive control unit 232 notifies the system control unit 201 of the completion of the processing.

  (S1504) Finally, the system control unit 201 forms an improved bitmap 1412 reflecting the state of the unallocated area of the disk, and records it in the space management structure area 1403 of unit # 56. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the space management structure recording unit 251.

  At this time, the unit number 57 indicating the first unallocated area after the recorded unit is registered in the first start unit number of the improved bitmap, and the units # 40 to # 56 recorded by this processing are registered. The bit indicating the recording state is changed to 1 indicating the recorded state.

  FIG. 12 shows the structure of data recorded on the optical disc 235 after the file recording process is executed on the optical disc 235 having the data structure shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the second cycle of the sequential recording from the inner periphery to the outer periphery in the AV file area is shown. In the information recording medium in which the number of rewrites is limited, the recording start position is designated by the start unit number, so that sequential recording can be repeatedly performed from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the disc in the AV file area.

  Note that the next recording start position may be specified by an address instead of specifying the start unit number. By designating the next recording start position by the address, it becomes possible to designate a fine recording start position as compared with the case of designating the next recording start position by the start unit number. Note that the previous recording end position may be designated instead of the next recording start position.

  In the present embodiment, the designation of the unallocated area that can be recorded in the AV file is made in units, and the designation of the area in which the AV file is recorded is made in units of logical sectors. The designation of the area in which the file is recorded may be specified in units.

  Although an example in which only the AV file is recorded in the AV file area has been shown, the file entry of the AV file may be recorded in the AV file area as described in the first embodiment.

  Also, when the control file size is large or the number of control files is large, the control file and its file entries are recorded in the AV file area, so that data rewriting is concentrated in a specific area when the control file is updated. Can be prevented.

  Note that when data is recorded in the volume structure area and the latest file structure area, recording with verification is performed, and when data is recorded in the AV file area, recording without verification is performed. The recording with verify is a recording method for confirming whether data can be read after recording. Non-verification recording is a recording method in which it is not confirmed whether data can be read after recording.

  In the present embodiment, the system control unit 201 manages the latest file structure area after replacement. However, in a system where the drive area is managed by the drive control unit 231, the replacement area may be managed by a method called linear replacement. In the linear replacement, the drive control unit manages the correspondence between the logical address information designated by the system control unit and the physical address information in which the data is actually recorded, and instead of accessing the instructed logical address during playback. In this method, information is read from the corresponding physical address. At this time, the system control unit does not need to update the recording position information with the replacement to the basic file structure.

In this way, in the medium in which the sizes of the file structure area and the AV file area are defined in advance by performing the substitution process in two stages of substitution to the replaceable area and allocation of the replaceable file structure area to the unit. Even if the number of times of rewriting is unexpectedly increased, recording / reproducing on the medium can be continued.
2.3 File Reproduction Processing FIG. 14 shows a file reproduction processing procedure for reproducing a file recorded on the optical disc 235. The file playback process is executed by the information recording / playback apparatus shown in FIG. In the following, each step shown in FIG. 14 will be described in detail, taking as an example the case of reproducing an AV file (AVfile-d) 158 from the optical disk 235 having the data structure shown in FIG.

  (S1601) When the optical disk is inserted, the drive control unit 231 reads the alternative unit number 1410 and the alternative area address information 1411 from the alternative designation information area 1302 of the recording information zone, and notifies the system control unit 201 of it. The above-described operation of the drive control unit 231 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the drive control unit 231 as the recording information zone reproducing unit 272.

  The system control unit 201 determines whether or not the read alternative unit number 1410 is 0. In the case of 0, the process proceeds to (S1603). If it is other than 0, the process proceeds to (S1602).

  (S1602) The system control unit 201 reproduces the basic file structure from the basic file structure area of the latest file structure area recorded in the unit having the designated unit number based on the alternative unit number and the alternative area address information. .

  In the example shown in FIG. 12, the alternative unit number 1410 is 56. Accordingly, the basic file structure is read from the basic file structure area 1402 of the latest file structure area 1401 recorded in the unit # 56.

  (S1603) The system control unit 201 reproduces the basic file structure from the basic file structure area of the latest file structure area recorded in the replaceable file structure area allocated in advance based on the alternative area address information.

  In the example shown in FIG. 11, the alternative unit number 1410 is 0. Therefore, the basic file structure is read from the basic file structure area 1305 of the latest file structure area 1304 recorded in the replaceable file structure area 1303.

  Note that the operation of the system control unit 201 described in (S1602) and (S1603) is achieved by, for example, executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the basic file structure playback unit 262.

  (S1604) The system control unit 201 interprets the basic file structure and reproduces the target AV file (AVfile-d) 158. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the file playback unit 216.

  In the present embodiment, since the size of the AV file is generally larger than the size of the control data, the AV file is managed in units. For this reason, the recording position of the AV file is designated by using the unit number instead of the logical sector number, thereby simplifying the designation of the recording position.

  In the present embodiment, the unallocated areas are registered in the bitmap in the order from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the disk. For this reason, sequential repetitive recording is realized by designating the next recording position with the start unit number. In the method of managing the unallocated area using the table as shown in the first embodiment instead of the bitmap, the unallocated area is registered in the table in order from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the disk, and the next time according to the entry sector number. Specify the recording start position.

  In the second embodiment, rewriting of the latest file structure is concentrated because the substitutable file structure area is pre-allocated to the volume space. However, depending on the replacement designation information area in which the recording information zone is provided, a different location is set. Since recording is possible, it is possible to prevent the entire medium from being unusable.

  Also, by using the start unit number provided in the improved bitmap recorded in the space management structure area, the recording start position in the AV file area can be acquired. As a result, it is possible to record AV files sequentially while avoiding rewriting concentration. Further, by registering the start unit number at the head of the space management structure, it is possible to start recording from the recording start position immediately after acquiring the space management structure.

  In the first embodiment, the latest file structure area is sequentially recorded. However, in the second embodiment, the data is rewritten in the latest file structure area every time the data is updated. As described in the first embodiment, the latest file structure area can be replaced using the free area information recorded in the space management structure area and the replacement area address information indicating the position allocated as the latest file structure area. Sequential repetitive recording may be performed within the structure area. For example, when updating data, until the end of the substitutable file structure area, the position following the position of the area where the latest file structure area is allocated (that is, the position indicated by the pointer information) in a certain direction (for example, the disk Searches the unallocated area (from the inner periphery to the outer periphery), allocates an area based on the search result, records the latest file structure area data in the allocated area, and ends the substitutable file structure area If the latest file structure area is recorded, the unallocated area is searched in a certain direction from the beginning of the substitutable file structure area, the area is allocated based on the search result, and the latest file structure is assigned to the allocated area. Area data may be recorded.

  As described above, the replaceable file structure area is configured such that another area (for example, the latest file structure area) can be allocated to a part of the replaceable file structure area. Further, another area (for example, the latest file structure area) assigned to a part of the replaceable file structure area is configured to be movable within the replaceable file structure area. Thus, data can be repeatedly recorded in a certain direction so that the latest file structure area is distributed over the entire substitutable file structure area.

  In the second embodiment, data can be repeatedly recorded sequentially in both the AV file area and the substitutable file structure area, and concentration of the number of rewrites over the entire disk can be avoided. Thus, by dividing one area into a plurality of areas and performing sequential repeated recording on each area, it is possible to improve data reliability and speed up reading of a target file or the like.

In this way, data can be repeatedly recorded in a certain direction in each of the area for recording the file and the area for recording the recording position information for indicating the next recording start position in the area.
3. Embodiment 3
In the third embodiment, an example in which AV files are sequentially recorded in the AV file area by a table that simultaneously manages the recording position of the file and the position of the unallocated area as in a FAT file system applied to a hard disk or the like. Will be explained.

  When constructing a system compatible with the hard disk, the hard disk and the optical disk can be handled by one file system by introducing the FAT file system to the optical disk.

In the following description, a descriptor, a pointer, and the like recorded in an information recording medium as a volume file structure are data structures defined in the ECMA107 standard known as a FAT file system unless otherwise specified. It shall have
3.1 Data Structure of Optical Disc FIG. 15 shows an example of the data structure of the optical disc 235.

  In the volume space, a system area 1701, a latest file structure area 1702, and an AV file structure area 1703 are allocated in advance.

The latest file structure area 1702 is FAT (File Allocation).
Table) area 1704, root directory area 1705, AV directory area 1706, and data file area 1707. In the FAT area 1704, FAT having chain information of directory and file recording positions and cluster recording state information is recorded.

  The FAT is a table in which cluster recording information having recording information for each cluster is recorded by the number of clusters. In the directory entry recorded in the root directory area 1705 or the AV directory area 1706, the start cluster number of the directory or file is registered. In the example shown in FIG. 15, the directory entry (AVfile-a) 1713 has the start cluster number 1 of the AV file (AVfile-a) 144. The FAT chain information can be reproduced by following the chain information by registering the subsequent cluster number 2 in cluster # 1, which is the starting cluster of the AV file (AVfile-a). I have to. In the value field of the chain information, EOF indicates the end of the file, and a specific value is, for example, hexadecimal FF8.

Note that a cluster is a recording management unit composed of one or more sectors, and in the third embodiment, one cluster has an example of about 5000 sectors as in the unit shown in the second embodiment.
3.2 File Recording Process FIG. 16 shows a file recording process procedure for recording a file on the optical disk 235. The file recording process is executed by the information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. Hereinafter, each step shown in FIG. 16 will be described in detail.

  (S1801) The system control unit 201 reads the FAT from the first FAT area 1704 of the latest file structure area 1702, searches for the cluster number marked as start point information, and unallocated area information in ascending order from the marked cluster number. Get the. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the space management structure recording unit 251.

  (S1802) The system control unit 201 sequentially records AV files in order from the designated start point cluster. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the file recording unit 213.

  (S1803) The system control unit 201 records the AV directory area, the root directory area, the data file and the FAT area to which the recorded AV file information is added in the latest file structure area. In the FAT recorded at this time, the cluster information in which the chain information and start point information of the recorded file are registered is updated. For example, in FIG. 15 showing the data structure after the AV file (AVFile-c) 146 is recorded, since the next recording start point is cluster # 56, 1 is set as the start point information of the cluster # 56 information of FAT1710. be registered. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the basic file structure recording unit 261.

  In the present embodiment, the second cycle of the sequential recording from the inner periphery to the outer periphery in the AV file area is shown. In the case of an information recording medium in which the number of rewrites is limited, the recording to the AV file area is similarly repeated repeatedly in the first and subsequent cycles.

  For simplification of explanation, it is assumed that the control file, which is a data file, is recorded as a part of the latest file structure area and is not assigned a cluster number but managed by a logical sector number. However, the data file may be recorded in a cluster in the AV file area as a data file for controlling the information of the AV file.

  In the third embodiment, the AV directory area, root directory area, data file, and FAT area are recorded in the latest file structure area in accordance with the basic file structure recording means 261. The FAT has a space management structure function, but also manages files at the same time. Therefore, the FAT is handled by the basic file structure recording means and the basic file structure reproduction means.

  In the third embodiment, the start point information for performing the sequential recording is recorded as bit 1. However, for example, another value such as FFh may indicate the start point of the sequential recording. It is self-explanatory.

  In the third embodiment, the sequential recording start position can be obtained even if the data structure in which the unallocated area information and the file chain information are managed in the same table as in the FAT is used, and rewriting concentration is concentrated in the AV file area. It is possible to record AV files sequentially while avoiding them.

  In the second embodiment, the start unit number is registered at the head of the space management structure. However, in the third embodiment, start point information is registered as a part of each cluster information of the space management structure. When this starting point information is registered in the reserved bytes of each cluster information, compatibility with the operating system of the existing computer can be maintained without extending the FAT standard.

  Note that the two-stage defect management method described in the second embodiment can be applied to the latest file structure area including the FAT area in the present embodiment.

A cluster that cannot be used because a defect has occurred in the AV file area may be registered in the FAT 1710 in the FAT area 1704. In this case, for example, FFh is registered as the value of the starting point information.
4). Embodiment 4
In the fourth embodiment, an example of a defect management method when an AV file, a control file, and a volume file structure are sequentially recorded on a disc with a limited number of rewrites will be described.

  When the sequential recording is performed as in the first embodiment to avoid the concentration of rewriting and the generation of the defective area itself is prevented, the use of the disk is repeated and the defective area increases.

In the following description, the defective area is defined as a minimum unit of one ECC block including an area that cannot be recorded or an area that cannot be reproduced.
4.1 Data Structure of Optical Disc FIG. 17 shows an example of the data structure of the optical disc 235.

  Defect areas 1902, 1906, 1906 and 1910 exist in the volume space. Also, a defect list structure area 1908 for registering these defect areas is allocated. In the defect list structure area 1908, a system stream directory 1923 in which a data structure for the system is registered, a file entry 1924 thereof, and a file entry 1925 of a non-allocated space stream are recorded. The non-allocation space stream is a data structure defined to register a defective area or an area where a volume file structure cannot be allocated. In the present embodiment, the non-allocated spatial stream is used for registering the position information of the defect area.

  FIG. 18 shows a procedure of file recording processing for recording a file on the optical disc 235. The file recording process is executed by the information recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. In the following, each step shown in FIG. 18 will be described in detail, taking as an example the case of recording an AV file (AVfile-c) on the optical disc 235 having the data structure shown in FIG.

  (S2001) The system control unit 201 sequentially records AV files (AVfile-c) from the unallocated area after the specified entry sector number. If a defective area 1906 is detected in the recording of the AV file, the system control unit 201 skips the defective area and continues recording on the next unallocated area. Therefore, the area where the AV file is actually recorded is the first extent 1921 of the AV file area 1905 and the second extent 1922 of the AV file area 1907. The above-described operation of the system control unit 201 is achieved, for example, by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the file recording unit 213.

  (S2002) The system control unit 201 creates a file entry (AVfile-c) 147 in which the position information of the first extent 1921 and the second extent 1922 in which the AV file (AVfile-c) is recorded is registered. The file entry (AVfile-c) 147 is stored in the basic file structure memory 235 of the memory circuit 263.

  (S2003) The system control unit 201 records a control file (Datafile) 148 in the subsequent unallocated area. If a defective area is detected in the recording of the control file, the recording is continued for the unallocated area that skips the defective area, as in the recording of the AV file shown in step (S2001).

  (S2004) The system control unit 201 creates a file entry (Datafile) 149 in which position information of an area (extent) in which the control file (Datafile) 148 is recorded is registered, and the file entry (Datafile) 149 is stored in the memory circuit 263. In the basic file structure memory 235. When a control file is recorded in a plurality of extents for detecting a defective area, all the extent position information is registered in the registration of the recording position information of the control file as in the AV file.

  (S2005) The system control unit 201 sets the file entry 1925 of the non-allocated space stream in which the position information of the defective area detected in the volume space is registered together with the system stream directory 1924 having the defect list structure and the file entry 1923 thereof. The file entry 1925 is created and stored in the basic file structure memory 235.

  Further, the system control unit 201 creates an unallocated space entry 1925 in which the position information of the unallocated space is registered, excluding the position information of the unallocated area recorded in the file recording process and the detected defective area, The unallocated space entry 1925 is stored in the basic file structure memory 235.

  At the same time, the system control unit 201 adds the recorded AV file and control file information to the AV directory (AVDir) 150, the file set descriptor 152, the root directory 153, the root directory file entry 154, and the recorded AV. File entries 145 and 159 in which position information and attribute information of the files (AVfile-a) 144 and (AVfile-d) 158 are registered, and VAT156 and VATICB157 are created, and stored in the basic file structure memory 235.

  (S2006) The system control unit 201 records the basic file structure, defect list structure, space management structure 123, and VAT structure created in steps (S2002), (S2004), and (S2005) in the latest file structure area 131. .

  (S2007) When a defective area is detected in the recording in the latest file structure area 131, steps (S2008) and subsequent steps are executed. If the recording is completed without detecting any defect, the file recording process is terminated.

  (S2008) The system control unit 201 updates and creates the defect list structure and the registration information of the space management structure. The position information of the newly detected defect area is registered in the non-allocated space stream having the defect list structure. In the unallocated space entry that is a space management structure, the position information of the defective area is removed.

  (S2009) The system control unit 201 designates a subsequent unallocated area in order to record the updated latest file structure.

  The operation of the system control unit 201 described in (S2002) to (S2009) is achieved by executing a control program built in the system control unit 201 as the basic file structure recording unit 261, for example.

  In the present embodiment, in the AV file recording process, an area in which an error is returned that the recording has not been completed at the time of non-verification recording is identified as a defective area.

  In general, data recorded in the volume structure area and the latest file structure area is recorded with verification, and data recorded in the AV file area is recorded without verification. However, recording with verification may be performed on the AV file area. Further, non-verification recording may be performed on data recorded in the volume structure area and the latest file structure area. In recording an AV file, the recording may be performed on the assumption that no defective area exists in order to save time required for the substitute process. At this time, it is determined that the file is a defective area at the time of file reproduction.

  In order to change the defect management method for each file characteristic, an area for recording data to which a certain defect management method is applied and an area for recording data to which another defect management method is applied can be divided.

  Note that an area that cannot be reproduced when the file is reproduced may be registered as a defective area.

  Note that the position information of the defect area registered as a non-allocated space stream is used when the medium is reformatted. Therefore, it is necessary to retain the contents of the unallocated spatial stream during reformatting.

  Note that the position information of the detected defective area may be recorded outside the volume space. For example, it may be managed in the registration block of the recording information zone in the first embodiment.

  Note that the method described in this embodiment may be applied to Embodiment 3. When performing defect management, AV files are recorded while skipping defects, and defect information is registered in the FAT.

As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to continue recording in the next area while avoiding a defective area detected without replacement, while sequentially recording on a rewritable medium. It is. As a result, in a rewritable recording medium in which the amount of defects detected depending on the usage situation changes, it is not necessary to secure an alternative area in advance or to expand when the alternative area is insufficient, enabling effective use of the area. Become.
5. Embodiment 5
In the fifth embodiment, in a disk whose number of physical rewrites is limited due to the increase in the density of the disk, a data structure related to an entry sector number and a method for updating the same for performing sequential recording from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the disk An example will be described.

  In this embodiment, the entry sector number is recorded not in the recording information zone but in a volume space managed by the file system.

  In the first embodiment, the description has been given of the embodiment in which the reliability of the entry sector number is improved in the disc in which the number of rewrites is limited by configuring the recording information zone with a count unit and a plurality of registration units.

  In the present embodiment, the reliability of the entry sector number can be improved by gradually updating the data structure defined in ECMA 167, and a recording information zone is required to record the entry sector number. Therefore, it can be applied to general-purpose discs.

  FIG. 19 is a data configuration diagram relating to the entry sector number updated and recorded in the volume structure.

  The function of the entry sector number 3032 is the same as that described in the other embodiments, and FIG. 19 shows the address of the VAT ICB 157 in the VAT structure area 104 in the latest file structure area 131. The entry sector number 3032 is recorded in a field reserved for the processing system in the logical volume integrity descriptor 3031 in the logical volume integrity descriptor column 3011.

  In the logical volume integrity descriptor, integrity information indicating whether or not the file structure recorded in the volume space is in the correct state is recorded, so by recording the entry sector number in the logical volume integrity descriptor, Furthermore, the reliability of the entry sector number can be improved.

  The positional information of the logical volume integrity descriptor column 3011 is recorded in the logical volume descriptor 3022 in the volume descriptor column 3010. The volume descriptor column 3010 is for recording descriptors relating to volumes, and the basic volume descriptor 3012 and partition descriptor 3023 are also recorded in this volume descriptor.

  The position information of the volume descriptor column 3010 is recorded in the start volume descriptor pointer 3041. The start volume descriptor pointer is recorded in the fixed sector of logical sector number 256. Although not shown, the start volume descriptor pointer is also recorded in N-256 logical sectors, where N is the outermost logical sector number of the volume space. Since the start volume descriptor pointer is recorded twice, even if one of the start volume descriptor pointers cannot be read, the other start volume descriptor pointer can be used.

  FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a procedure for updating and recording an entry sector number, and an update method related to the entry sector number will be described.

  (S3001) In the logical volume integrity descriptor string, for example, an area for 32 sectors is secured. The logical volume integrity descriptor is recorded in order from the beginning of the logical volume integrity descriptor sequence, and the last recorded logical volume integrity descriptor is recognized as a valid descriptor. The entry sector number is updated by recording the logical volume integrity descriptor in the subsequent logical sector. When there is no subsequent logical sector, all logical sectors in the logical volume integrity descriptor column are set to 00h. Record the logical volume integrity descriptor at the beginning of the logical volume integrity descriptor string.

  (S3002) When the logical volume integrity descriptor is recorded, it is checked whether the logical sector to be recorded is a defective sector. If it is not defective, the process ends. However, if it is defective, as (S3003), a new logical volume integrity descriptor string is secured in the free area in the volume structure area, and the logical volume integrity descriptor is recorded. .

  In this way, on a disk with 100 rewrites, the logical volume integrity descriptor can be recorded 32 × 100 times using the same logical volume integrity descriptor string.

  When a new logical volume integrity descriptor string is assigned, it is necessary to record a logical volume descriptor for managing the positional information of the logical volume integrity descriptor string.

  (S3004) For the volume descriptor string, for example, an area for 16 sectors is secured. The logical volume descriptor has a field indicating the volume descriptor sequence number. When multiple logical volume descriptors are recorded in the volume descriptor column, the logical volume descriptor with the largest volume descriptor sequence number is valid. become. For recording of the logical volume descriptor, a vacant logical sector is searched from the head of the volume descriptor string and recorded in the vacant head logical sector. If there is no free logical sector, all the old logical volume descriptors are recorded at 00h to create a free logical sector, and then recorded from the first free logical sector.

  (S3005) When the logical volume descriptor is recorded, it is checked whether or not the logical sector to be recorded is a defective sector. If it is not defective, the process ends. However, if it is a defect, as (S3006), a new volume descriptor string is secured in the free area in the volume structure area, and together with the basic volume descriptor and partition descriptor, Record the logical volume descriptor.

  In this way, on a disk with 100 rewrites, the logical volume descriptor can be recorded in the same volume descriptor string (16-2) × 100 times.

  (S3007) When a new volume descriptor string is allocated, the start volume descriptor pointer for managing the position information of the volume descriptor string is updated and recorded.

  Since the entry sector numbers are updated and recorded in stages in this way, a total of (32 × 100) × ((16-2) × 100) × 100 times can be recorded even on a disc with 100 rewrites. Become.

  Note that the update recording stage may be changed according to the required number of rewrites. If rewriting about 1000 times is sufficient, it is obvious that the entry sector number may be rewritten within the same logical volume integrity descriptor string.

The figure which shows the data structure of the information recording medium in Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information recording / reproducing apparatus in Embodiment 1 Flowchart showing the procedure of format processing in the first embodiment The figure which shows the data structure of the information recording medium after the format process in Embodiment 1 is performed Flowchart showing the procedure of file recording processing in the first embodiment The figure which shows the data structure of the information recording medium after the file recording in Embodiment 1 is performed Flowchart showing a procedure of file reproduction processing in the first embodiment The figure which shows the directory structure which manages the file which is recorded on the disk The figure which shows the data structure of the recording information zone in Embodiment 1 The figure which shows the data structure of the information recording medium which has several entry sector number in Embodiment 1 The figure which shows the data structure of the information recording medium in Embodiment 2 The figure which shows the data structure of the information recording medium after the alternative process to the unit in Embodiment 2 Flowchart showing the procedure of file recording processing in the second embodiment Flowchart showing a procedure of file reproduction processing in the second embodiment The figure which shows the data structure of the information recording medium in Embodiment 3 Flowchart showing a procedure of file recording processing in the third embodiment The figure which shows the data structure of the information recording medium in Embodiment 4 Flowchart showing the procedure of file recording processing in the fourth embodiment The figure which shows the data structure of the information recording medium in Embodiment 5 Flowchart showing a procedure of entry sector number update processing in the fifth embodiment The figure which shows the data structure of the conventional DVD-RAM disc A block diagram showing a configuration of an information recording / reproducing apparatus using a conventional DVD-RAM disk A flowchart showing the procedure of a conventional file recording process

Claims (6)

An information recording medium with a limited number of data rewrites to the same area,
A plurality of first information recording areas capable of recording data by sequential repeated recording;
A second information recording area;
A third information recording area for recording identification information indicating which one of the plurality of first information recording areas is valid,
Each of the first information recording areas includes a plurality of blocks,
Each of the plurality of blocks includes an area for recording version information indicating the version of the block, and an area for recording pointer information indicating the position of the second information recording area,
An information recording medium in which pointer information corresponding to the latest version information is used as valid pointer information.   The identification information is rewritten in a specific area in the third information recording area, and when recording in the specific area becomes impossible, the specific information in the third information recording area The information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the information recording medium is rewritten in an area other than the area. The third information recording area is an area where data can be recorded by sequential repeated recording,
The third information recording area includes a plurality of blocks,
Each of the plurality of blocks includes an area for recording version information indicating the version of the block,
The information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein identification information corresponding to the latest version information is used as valid identification information. An information recording method for recording information on an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited,
The information recording medium includes a plurality of first information recording areas in which data can be recorded by sequential repeated recording, a second information recording area, and a third information recording area. Each of the information recording areas includes a plurality of blocks,
The information recording method includes:
Recording identification information indicating which one of the plurality of first information recording areas is valid in the third information recording area;
Designating one of the plurality of blocks included in the valid first information recording area;
Recording the version information indicating the version of the specified block and the pointer information indicating the position of the second information recording area in the specified block; and
An information recording method in which pointer information corresponding to the latest version information is used as valid pointer information. An information reproduction method for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited,
The information recording medium includes a plurality of first information recording areas in which data can be recorded by sequential repeated recording, a second information recording area, and a third information recording area. Each of the information recording areas includes a plurality of blocks, and at least one of the plurality of blocks includes version information indicating the version of the block, pointer information indicating the position of the second information recording area, and In the third information recording area, identification information indicating which one of the plurality of first information recording areas is valid is recorded,
The information reproduction method includes:
Obtaining the identification information from the third information recording area;
Designating one of the plurality of blocks included in a valid first information recording area indicated by the identification information;
Determining whether to obtain the pointer information recorded in the designated block according to the version information recorded in the designated block; and
An information reproducing method in which pointer information corresponding to the latest version information is used as valid pointer information. An information reproducing apparatus for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium in which the number of data rewrites to the same area is limited,
The information recording medium includes a plurality of first information recording areas in which data can be recorded by sequential repeated recording, a second information recording area, and a third information recording area. Each of the information recording areas includes a plurality of blocks, and at least one of the plurality of blocks includes version information indicating the version of the block, pointer information indicating the position of the second information recording area, and In the third information recording area, identification information indicating which one of the plurality of first information recording areas is valid is recorded,
The information reproducing apparatus includes:
Means for obtaining the identification information from the third information recording area;
Means for designating one of the plurality of blocks included in a valid first information recording area indicated by the identification information;
Means for determining whether to acquire the pointer information recorded in the designated block according to the version information recorded in the designated block;
An information reproducing apparatus in which pointer information corresponding to the latest version information is used as valid pointer information.

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