JP2008108360A - Data structure, information recording and reproducing device and management method for write-once type information recording medium, and write-once type information recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve data structure of data recorded in a write-once type information storage medium, an information recording and reproducing device, and a management method in which a recording operation time can be shortened, in recording of integrated region use propriety information accompanied by update of disk management information. <P>SOLUTION: This is a data structure of the write-once type information storage medium constituted of user data regions 3-5 and a plurality of disk management operation integration regions 3-1 to 3-4, wherein regions in which the integrated region use propriety information 3-2c/3-3a/3-4a are recorded are arranged in respective disk management operation integration regions 3-2 to 3-4. Thereby, a region in which updated disk management information 3-2a is recorded and a region in which the integrated region use propriety information 3-2c is recorded at the time are made a continuous integrated region. Therefore, since the recording operation is performed in the integrated region, the recording operation time can be shortened. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a data structure of recorded information recorded on a write-once information storage medium, a management method for managing defects in the write-once information storage medium, and an information recording / reproducing apparatus used for carrying out the management method.

  In recent years, large-capacity and replaceable information storage media and disk drive devices that handle the information storage media have become widespread. As this large-capacity and replaceable information storage medium, an optical disc (for example, a DVD or a Blu-Ray (registered trademark) disc) is known.

  An optical disk or the like, which is a replaceable information storage medium, causes defects in the information storage medium due to dust adhering to or scratched on the recording surface of the information storage medium at the time of replacement.

  Therefore, conventionally, in order to guarantee the reliability of data recorded on the information storage medium, information for managing defects of the data recorded on the information storage medium, referred to as disk management information (hereinafter referred to as defect information). Is recorded on the information storage medium itself.

  When a block having a defect due to a scratch or the like exists on the information storage medium, an alternative block for complementing the defective block is provided on the information storage medium, and recording information is recorded. The block is a unit for error correction, and is a minimum unit for performing a recording / reproducing operation.

  The defect information stores a position address on the information storage medium of a block having a defect due to a scratch or the like, and a position address of a newly provided block corresponding to the defective block.

  Disc management information (expressed as medium management information in the claims), which is management information on defects in the information storage medium, is recorded as a disk management work integration area (expressed as a medium management work integration area in the claims). The data storage area of the information storage medium is allocated in a plurality of areas.

  In addition, various information recording / reproducing apparatuses that handle information storage media to which the disk management work integration area is assigned have been proposed (see Patent Document 1 as an example).

  The information recording / reproducing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is connected to a host control apparatus (host computer, recorder, etc.) via an I / O bus. The information recording / reproducing apparatus also updates a defect management information storage buffer for storing disk management information (corresponding to a defect list and a disk definition structure in Patent Document 1), and the disk management information to the latest state. A defect management information updating unit, and a defect management information writing unit for writing the disk management information updated by the defect management information updating unit into the disk management work integration area of the information storage medium.

Next, FIG. 10 shows the configuration of the data area of the write-once information storage medium in the conventional example.
As shown in the figure, the data area in the information storage medium includes a user data area 10-5 for storing user data and a plurality of disk management work integration areas 10-1 to 10-10 for storing disk management information 10-6. -4. In each of the disk management work integration areas 10-1 to 10-4, a plurality of disk management information 10-6 is recorded.

  The disc management information 10-6 records defect information of the information storage medium and a recording unit end address which is final data position information of user data recorded in the user data area 10-5.

  Here, since the information storage medium according to the present invention is a write-once information storage medium, the recording unit end address, which is the last data position information of user data recorded in the user data area 10-5, is important information. It becomes.

  That is, by knowing the recording unit end address, it becomes information for specifying which address in the next user data area 10-5 can be recorded. The recording unit end address is also included in the disc management information 10-6.

  The information recording / reproducing apparatus has an unrecorded area 10-2a side adjacent to a boundary between a recording area in which the disc management information 10-6 is recorded and an unrecorded area 10-2a in which no disc management information is recorded yet. Select the disk management work integration area. In the selected disk management work integration area 10-2, the disk management information 10-6 updated to the latest state by the defect management information update unit is recorded.

  As shown in the figure, the disc management information 10-6 is sequentially recorded from a certain direction in the data area.

  Also, the disk management work integration area 10-1 shown in the figure, which is a specific disk management work integration area of the information storage medium, has a data structure different from that of the other disk management work integration areas 10-2 to 10-4. Become.

  The disk management work integration area 10-1 is integrated area availability information 10-1a to 10-1d (invoice) indicating which disk management work integration area in which the disk management information 10-6 is recorded. The section has an area for recording (expressed as integrated area use information).

  Here, the integrated area availability information 10-1a indicates whether or not the disk management information is recorded in the disk management work integration area 10-1, and if the disk management information has been recorded, the integrated area availability information 10 -1a is information indicating recording, and if the disc management information is not recorded, the integrated area availability information 10-1a is information indicating unrecorded.

  Similarly, the integrated area availability information 10-1b is in the disk management work integration area 10-2, the integrated area availability information 10-1c is in the disk management work integration area 10-3, and the integrated area availability information 10-1d is Corresponding to the disk management work integration area 10-4, it is shown whether the disk management information 10-6 is recorded in each disk management work integration area.

  An information storage medium in which an area in which the integrated area availability information 10-1a to 10-1d is recorded in a single area of the disk as described above is also known.

  Further, by providing an area for recording the integrated area availability information 10-1a to 10-1d, the disk management work integrated area in which the latest disk management information 10-6 is recorded can be easily detected. .

  Therefore, the information recording / reproducing apparatus handling this information storage medium can easily determine the position (disk management work integration area) where the latest disk management information 10-6 to be updated next is written.

  The above-described recording of user data, recording of disk management information, and recording of integrated area availability information on the information storage medium is a series of recording operations from user data recording instruction to recording operation completion. Done.

  The disk management method described so far is a disk management method in which the latest disk management information 10-6 is recorded on an information storage medium at any time when a user data recording instruction is issued from the host controller. .

  From now on, when an instruction to record user data is issued from the host controller, the latest disk management information 10-6 is not recorded in the information storage medium as needed, but temporarily in the buffer memory in the information recording / reproducing apparatus. A disk management method for storing and recording the latest disk management information 10-6 on an information storage medium at a specific timing will be briefly described.

  The data structure of the information storage medium used is the same as the data structure described so far.

  First, when a user data recording instruction is issued from the host controller, the user data is recorded in the user data area 10-5, and the latest disc management information 10-6 is stored in a buffer memory in the information recording / reproducing apparatus. . Even when the user data recording instruction is issued again, only the disk management information 10-6 in the buffer memory is updated.

  Thereafter, the latest disk management information 10-6 stored in the buffer memory is stored in the information storage at the stage of the discharging process of discharging the information storage medium from the information recording / reproducing apparatus and the normal power-off process of the information recording / reproducing apparatus. Recording is performed in the disk management work integration areas 10-1 to 10-4 in the medium.

  Here, from when the user data is recorded until the latest disc management information 10-6 is recorded on the information storage medium, in other words, from the power supply stop process of the information recording / reproducing apparatus or the discharge process of the information storage medium. If the information recording / playback device is unexpectedly shut down due to a power outage and the latest disc management information is not recorded, a problem occurs when recording / playing back the recorded information on the next information storage medium. Will do.

Therefore, in the conventional example, a discrepancy flag indicating whether the disc management information 10-6 recorded in the information storage medium is the latest disc management information 10-6 is recorded in the disc management information 10-6. The above problem is avoided by checking the inconsistency flag.
JP 2005-56542 A (published March 3, 2005)

  However, when an information storage medium provided with an area for recording the integrated area availability information 10-1a to 10-1d in a single location on the disk (in the case of FIG. 10, the disk management work integrated area 10-1) is used. When the latest disk management information is recorded in a new disk management work integration area (in FIG. 10, the disk management work integration area 10-3) in which the disk management information has not yet been recorded, Is recorded, integrated area availability information (in the case of FIG. 10, integrated area availability information 10-1c in the case of FIG. 10) corresponding to a predetermined disk management work integration area in which the disk management information is recorded is used as a new disk management work. It must be recorded in a predetermined area (10-1) different from the integrated area (10-3).

  Therefore, when the predetermined area in which the integrated area availability information is recorded and the disk management work integration area in which the latest disk management information is recorded are separated from each other on the information storage medium, the above 2 The optical head (expressed as a recording / reproducing head in the claims) that irradiates the information storage medium with light must move in one area.

  In addition, when the latest disc management information is recorded on the information storage medium every time user data is recorded in the user data area, the operation for recording the integrated area availability information is performed by a series of instructions designated by the host controller. This is done during the recording operation.

  Therefore, the recording operation instructed by the host controller is not completed until the integrated area availability information is recorded.

  For example, an unrecorded disc management work integration area in which disc management information is recorded next is provided near the outer periphery of the optical disc, and an area for recording integrated area availability information is provided near the inner periphery of the optical disc. In such a case, it is necessary to access and record both the disk management work integration area on the outer peripheral side and the area for recording the integrated area availability information on the inner peripheral side.

  Further, in the case of a dual-layer disc, it may be necessary to access and record each layer. As a result, there is a problem that it takes time to execute the data recording request of the host controller.

  Further, as described above, the operation of recording predetermined information in the unrecorded disk management work integration area in which the disk management information is recorded and the area in which the integrated area availability information is recorded is the recording of the host control device. Performed during operation.

  At this time, in the case of recording that requires real-time property, it is necessary to provide a recording buffer in the host control device that allows for the time for the optical head to access and record. As a result, there is also a problem that the cost is increased by providing the recording buffer in the host control device.

  Furthermore, since the recording unit end address indicating the portion where user data is recorded in the user data area is included in the disc management information, it is updated each time user data is added to the user data area. The disk management information including the recording unit end address is also updated.

  Therefore, as described above, if the updated disk management information is recorded on the information storage medium every time a user data recording instruction is generated in the user data area, the write response performance of the information recording / reproducing apparatus deteriorates. is there.

  In the conventional example, the disc management information is not recorded on the information storage medium whenever the user data is recorded, but the disc management information is temporarily stored in the buffer memory in the information recording / reproducing device. The above-mentioned problem is solved by recording the latest disk management information stored in the buffer memory in the information storage medium during the power stop process or the information storage medium ejection process.

  Here, in the method of temporarily storing the above-mentioned disk management information in the buffer memory, the period from recording user data to recording the latest disk management information on the information storage medium, in other words, information recording / reproduction The disk management information in the information storage medium will not be recorded in the event that an unexpected power outage has occurred and the latest disk management information has not been recorded between the device power shutdown process and the information storage medium ejection process. It has an inconsistency flag indicating whether it is the latest information.

  In other words, the inconsistency flag is used to record / reproduce the information storage medium the next time when an unexpected power outage such as a power failure occurs before the latest disk management information stored in the buffer memory is recorded on the information storage medium. This is to indicate that the disc management information recorded on the information storage medium is not the latest information when the device recognizes it.

  Therefore, the disc management information in the information storage medium sets the inconsistency flag in the information storage medium when the first recording instruction of user data is given after the information recording / reproducing apparatus recognizes the information storage medium. Set to valid state indicating consistency. As a result, the inconsistency flag of the information storage medium is in a valid state until the latest disk management information in which the inconsistency flag is invalid is recorded in the normal power supply stop process or the information storage medium ejection process.

  Specifically, if a power failure occurs before the latest disk management information for which the inconsistency flag is invalid is recorded during a normal power shutdown process or information storage medium ejection process, an error in the information storage medium will occur. The consistency flag is in a valid state indicating inconsistency. Therefore, when the power failure is restored and the information recording / reproducing apparatus recognizes the information storage medium again, the information recording / reproducing apparatus detects that the inconsistency flag in the information storage medium is in an effective state, and It is possible to know that the disc management information recorded in is not the latest information.

  As described above, only when the first user data recording instruction occurs after the information recording / reproducing apparatus recognizes the information storage medium, the disk management is performed during the series of operations from the user data recording instruction to the completion of user data recording. Information is recorded on an information storage medium.

  Furthermore, if the disk management work integration area for storing newly recorded disk management information is a new disk management work integration area in which no disk management information is recorded, it is integrated into a single location in the information storage medium. It is necessary to record area availability information.

  Referring to FIG. 10, when the first recording instruction of user data after the information recording / reproducing apparatus recognizes the information storage medium is generated, the information recording / reproducing apparatus sets the disc management flag with the inconsistency flag enabled. The information is recorded in the disk management work integration area 10-2.

  At this time, if the capacity of the unrecorded area 10-2a of the disk management work integration area 10-2 is not large enough to record the disk management information 10-6, the disk management information 10-6 contains the disk management work 10-6. It is recorded in the unrecorded area 10-3a of the integrated area 10-3.

  Further, since the disk management information is recorded for the first time in the disk management work integration area 10-3, the integrated area availability information 10-1c indicating that the disk management work integration area 10-3 is in use is recorded. I'm done. Thereafter, user data is recorded in the user data area 10-5, and new disc management information corresponding to the recorded user data is stored in the buffer memory in the information recording / reproducing apparatus, thereby completing a series of recording operations. To do.

  Therefore, even if a method of once recording the disc management information in the buffer memory of the information recording / reproducing apparatus is used, it takes time from the user data recording instruction to the completion of execution because the disc management information has an inconsistency flag. It will be.

  Therefore, in this case as well, due to the problem that it takes time to complete the execution from the above user data recording request, a new recording buffer is provided in the host controller, and the cost of the host controller is reduced. The problem that it leads to up occurs.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and one object of the present invention is to promptly store user data when an instruction to record user data is issued from the control device. It is to provide a data structure of recorded information recorded on a write-once information storage medium and a management method for a write-once disc.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a write-once disc management method capable of suppressing an increase in cost of a host control device.

In order to solve the above problems, the data structure recorded on the write-once information storage medium according to the present invention is as follows.
A data structure of recorded information recorded on a write-once information storage medium,
A user data area for recording user data; and
A plurality of medium management work integration areas for recording medium management information that is management information of a write-once information storage medium;
In each data management work integration area, a data structure composed of an area for recording integrated area use information indicating whether or not medium management information is recorded,
Each medium management work integration area has an area for recording integrated area use information corresponding to each of the medium management work integration areas.

The write-once information storage medium according to the present invention is
A computer-readable write-once information storage medium in which the data structure is recorded.

  In the above configuration, the medium management information includes at least information related to the recording unit end address of user data recorded in the user data area.

  By providing the above features, the integrated area usage information recording area indicating the medium management work integration area in which the medium management information is recorded, and the area for recording the medium management information are a continuous group. Media management work integration area.

  Therefore, when recording the two pieces of information, there is an effect that it is only necessary to access one medium management work integration area that is grouped continuously.

Moreover, the recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention comprises
Recording of medium management information in a plurality of medium management work integration areas for recording medium management information, which is management information of a write-once information storage medium, a user data area for recording user data, and each medium management work integration area A recording / reproducing apparatus for recording / reproducing a data structure composed of an area for recording integrated area use information indicating the presence or absence of the information on a write-once information storage medium,
A recording / reproducing head for recording / reproducing recording information with respect to a write-once information storage medium;
Recording / reproducing control means A1 for controlling the recording / reproducing head so as to record user data in the user data area;
Recording / reproducing control means A2 for controlling the recording / reproducing head so as to record the latest medium management information corresponding to the recording of the user data in the recording / reproducing control means A1 in the medium management work integration area;
In a series of recording operations including the recording operation of the recording / reproduction control means A2, recording / reproduction is performed so that the integrated area use information is recorded in the medium management work integration area in which the medium management information is recorded by the recording / reproduction control means A2. And a recording / reproducing control means A3 for controlling the head.

Further, the management method of the write-once information storage medium according to the present invention is as follows:
Recording of medium management information in a plurality of medium management work integration areas for recording medium management information, which is management information of a write-once information storage medium, a user data area for recording user data, and each medium management work integration area A method for managing a write-once information storage medium, in which a data structure composed of an area for recording integrated area usage information indicating whether or not there is recorded,
Step B1 for recording user data in the user data area;
Step B2 for recording the latest medium management information corresponding to the recording of user data in Step B1 in the medium management work integration area;
Step B3 of recording the integrated area use information in the medium management work integrated area in which the medium management information is recorded in Step B2 in a series of recording operations including the recording operation of Step B2. To do.

  With the above feature, the integrated area use information is recorded / reproduced by the recording / reproduction control means A3 or step B3 in order to record the integrated area use information in the medium management work integrated area in which the latest medium management information is recorded. The latest medium management information is recorded in the same continuous area as the area in which the latest medium management information is recorded by means A2 or step B2.

  Therefore, when performing a series of recording operations of the recording operation by the recording / reproducing control means A2 or step B2 and the recording operation by the recording / reproducing control means A3 or step B3, the recording / reproducing head of the information recording / reproducing apparatus uses the same medium as described above. Since it is only necessary to move within the management work integration area, the recording operation can be performed in a short time.

  Hereinafter, further effects of the present invention will be described in the case where the recording operation by the recording / reproducing means A1 or step B1 to the recording operation by the recording / reproducing means A3 or step B3 are performed in a series of recording operations.

  A series of recording operations from the recording operation by the recording / reproducing means A1 or step B1 to the recording operation by the recording / reproducing means A3 or step B3 is performed every time a user data recording instruction is generated. Therefore, the operation of recording the integrated area use information on the write-once information storage medium is also performed by the above series of operations.

  Here, by recording the integrated area use information, which is a feature of the present invention, in the medium management work integrated area in which the medium management information is recorded, the recording operation from the recording / playback control means A1 or step B1 is performed. Even when the recording operation by the reproduction control means A3 or step B3 is performed by a series of recording operations, the recording operation can be performed in a short time.

Furthermore, the management method of the write-once information storage medium according to the present invention includes:
Step B4 for recording the integrated area use information recorded in Step B3 in a specific one medium management work integrated area at a specific timing different from the recording operation in Step B1.

  Here, the means and effects of the present invention when the medium management information is recorded on the write-once information storage medium at any time when a user data recording instruction is issued from the host controller will be described.

  When the medium management information is recorded on the write-once information storage medium whenever the user data is recorded, the recording operation for recording the user data on the write-once information storage medium shown in step B1 A series of recording operations up to the recording operation of recording the medium management information in the write-once information storage medium shown in Step B2 is performed. Furthermore, as shown in step B3, steps B2 and B3 are a series of recording operations.

  Accordingly, as a result, the recording operation from Step B1 to Step B3 is a series of recording operations.

  At this time, as described in step B4 above, even if the recording position of the latest medium management information and the position of the one specific medium management work integration area are different medium management work integration areas, By performing the recording operation for recording the integrated area use information at a specific timing different from the recording operation of Step B1, the recording operation of Step B4 is separated from the series of recording operations of Step B1 to Step B3. be able to.

  In other words, in the series of recording operations from Step B1 to Step B3, information recording / reproduction is performed on one specific medium management work integration area in Step B4, which is remotely arranged from the recording position of the medium management information. The recording / reproducing head of the apparatus does not need to move.

  Therefore, it is possible to perform a series of recording operations in a short time from the user data recording instruction from the host control device to the recording of the integrated area use information on the write-once information storage medium.

  In addition, the management method according to the present invention provides a recording buffer of the host control device that allows time for accessing the specific one medium management work integration region for recording the integrated region use information in the host control device. Since it is not necessary to provide, there is an effect of suppressing an increase in cost of the host control device.

  Next, when there is a user data recording instruction from the host control device, the updated medium management information is once recorded in the buffer memory of the information recording / reproducing device, and a normal power supply stop process of the information recording / reproducing device, or The means and effects of the present invention in the management method for recording the latest medium management information stored in the buffer memory in the write-once information storage medium in the discharge process of the write-once information storage medium will be described.

  As described above, only when the first user data recording instruction is generated after the information recording / reproducing apparatus recognizes the write-once information storage medium, the medium management information is stored in the write-once information storage medium before the user data is recorded. Will be recorded. Therefore, the medium management information is recorded on the write-once information storage medium during a series of operations from the user data recording instruction to the completion of user data recording.

  Further, if the media management work integration area for recording the latest media management information is a new media management work integration area in which no media management information is recorded, the integrated area use is accompanied by the recording of the media management information. Information also needs to be recorded on a write-once information storage medium.

  Also by providing the features of the present invention, the area for recording the medium management information and the area for recording the integrated area use information are a continuous group of areas.

  Therefore, even if a series of recording operations is performed from the user data recording instruction from the host control device to the recording of the medium management information on the write-once information storage medium, the recording operation can be performed in a short time. Is possible.

  Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the host control device with a recording buffer for the host control device that allows time for recording the integrated region use information in one specific medium management work integration region of the write-once information storage medium. There is an effect of suppressing the cost increase of the host control device.

  As described above, the data structure, the information recording / reproducing apparatus, and the management method for the write-once information storage medium according to the present invention provide the integrated area use information indicating whether or not the medium management information is recorded in each medium management work integration area. In addition, the medium management information recording area and the integrated area use information recording area are handled as a continuous group of areas.

  As a result, after the medium management information is recorded on the write-once information storage medium, it is possible to shorten the time for the recording / reproducing head to access the area where the integrated area use information is recorded.

  In addition, since the access time is shortened, the recording buffer of the host control device is not required, so that it is possible to further increase the cost of the host control device.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information recording / reproducing apparatus using a write-once information storage medium (hereinafter referred to as a write-once optical disk) according to the present invention.

  First, the configuration will be described with reference to FIG. The information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 is connected to the host controller 1-8 via the I / O bus 1-2.

  The host controller 1-8 is typically a back-end system such as a host computer or a recorder. The information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 is an apparatus capable of reproducing recorded information recorded on a write-once optical disc 2-1 described later and recording information on the write-once optical disc 2-1.

  Then, the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 has an instruction control unit 1-3 that processes an instruction from the host controller 1-8, recording on the write-once optical disk 2-1, and recording on the write-once optical disk 2-1. Recording / reproduction control unit 1-4 for controlling reproduction of the recorded information, latest disc management information (described later) recorded on the recordable optical disc 2-1, and the latest disc reproduced from the recordable optical disc 2-1. Data recording and reproduction are performed on a disk management information buffer 1-5 for storing management information, a user data buffer 1-6 for temporarily storing recording data and reproduction data, and a write-once optical disk 2-1. And an optical pickup (recording / reproducing head) 1-7.

  Further, the recording / reproducing control unit 1-4 includes a disc management information recording / reproducing control unit 1-9 for controlling recording / reproducing of the disc management information for the write-once optical disc 2-1, and an integrated area for the write-once optical disc 2-1. An integrated area use information recording / reproduction control unit 1-10 for controlling recording / reproduction of usability information (described later), and a user data recording / reproduction control unit 1-11 for controlling recording / reproduction of user data on the write-once optical disc 2-1. , Is composed of.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the area of the write-once optical disc 2-1, which has a data area 2-3 to which a plurality of disc management work integration areas are allocated for recording disc management information.

  Although the present invention will be described by taking an optical disk as an example of the write-once information storage medium, the present invention is not limited to the optical disk. That is, the recording / reproducing head for reading / writing information is included in the category of the present invention as long as it is a write-once information storage medium of a type that accesses an area to which information is read / written.

  The disc-shaped write-once optical disc 2-1 shown in the figure has a large number of tracks (not shown) formed in a spiral shape, and each of the many tracks is divided into finely divided blocks (not shown). A lot).

  The block is a unit for error correction, and is a minimum unit for performing a recording operation and a reproducing operation for a write-once optical disc. For example, in the case of DVD + R or DVD-R in which writing is performed using a red laser, the block size is 1 ECC (32 KByte), and a large-capacity Blu-Ray (registered trademark) in which writing is performed using a blue laser. In the case of a disk, the block size is one cluster (64 Kbytes).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the write-once optical disc 2-1 includes a lead-in area 2-2, a data area 2-3, and a lead-out area 2-4.

  Recording and reproduction of user data, which is arbitrary data such as music and video, are performed on the data area 2-3. In addition, the lead-in area 2-2 and the lead-out area 2-4 can be used when the optical head (not shown) accesses the end of the data area 2-3, even if the optical head overruns. This is an area provided so as to follow the track. In the lead-in area 2-2, disc-specific information that can identify each write-once optical disc is described.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure of data recorded in the data area 2-3 of the write-once optical disc 2-1 shown in FIG.

  As shown in the figure, the data area 2-3 (see FIG. 2) is composed of four disk management work integration areas 3-1 to 3-4 and a user data area 3-5.

  The four disk management work integration areas 3-1 to 3-4 and the user data area 3-5 are directed from the center of the disk toward the outside, in other words, from the lead-in area 2-2 to the lead-out area 2- 4, the disk management work integration area 3-1, the disk management work integration area 3-2, the user data area 3-5, the disk management work integration area 3-3, and the disk management work integration area 3-4 are arranged in this order. Has been.

  The disk management work integration area 3-1 is integrated area availability information (expressed as integrated area usage information in the claims) 3-1a to 3-1a indicating availability of the four disk management work integration areas 3-1 to 3-4. This is composed of areas that enable recording of 3-1d and N pieces of disc management information 3-1e.

  The disk management work integration area 3-2 includes an area for recording a plurality of disk management information 3-2a and an area for recording the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c. In the example of FIG. 3, there is an unrecorded area in which no information is recorded in a portion (unrecorded area 3-2 b) other than the area (shaded area) where the disk management information 3-2 a is recorded. Indicates the state.

  In the disk management work integration area 3-2, there is a used area in which the disk management information 3-2a has already been recorded. Therefore, the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c arranged at the head of the disk management work integration area 3-2 is recorded, indicating that the corresponding disk management work integration area 3-2 is not unused. .

  Also for the disk management work integration area 3-3 and the disk management work integration area 3-4, similarly to the disk management work integration area 3-2, the corresponding integrated area availability information and a plurality of disk management information are set. The area is made recordable. The example of FIG. 3 shows an unrecorded state in which no information is recorded in the disk management work integration area 3-3 and the disk management work integration area 3-4.

  Therefore, in order to indicate that the disk management work integration area 3-3 and the disk management work integration area 3-4 are unused, the corresponding corresponding integrated area availability information 3-3a and the corresponding integrated area availability The information 3-4a is in an unrecorded state.

  Further, the disc management information is composed of at least one block, and includes information such as information on the currently recorded area and defect information, as recorded information on the entire disc, and at least in the user data area. It contains information about the recording unit end address of the recorded user data.

  Further, regarding the recording of the disk management information, the disk management information is not recorded in the other management work integration areas until the free capacity of the disk management work integration area becomes smaller than the threshold.

  In each of the disk management work integration areas 3-1 to 3-4, disk management information is recorded in the order of the disk management work integration areas 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, and 3-4. Here, when a predetermined disc management work integration area is in use, that is, when the disc management information has been recorded and there is a free capacity (unrecorded area) in which new disc management information can be recorded. The predetermined disk management work integration area is used, and the new disk management work integration area is not used.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, there is no unrecorded area where new disk management information can be recorded in the disk management work integration area 3-1, but the disk management work integration area 3 -2 has an unrecorded area 3-2b.

  Therefore, if the capacity of the unrecorded area 3-2b is larger than the size of the latest disc management information to be recorded, the new disc management information is stored in the disc management work integration area 3-2 (unrecorded area 3- 2b).

  Therefore, the latest disc management information exists at the boundary between the recording area and the unrecorded area of the currently used disc management work integration area.

  On the other hand, when the unrecorded area 3-2b of the disc management work integration area 3-2 is smaller than the size of the latest disc management information to be recorded, the disc management information is in an unrecorded state. Recorded in a new disk management work integration area 3-3.

  In the present embodiment, the integrated area availability information 3-1a to 3-1d recorded at the top of the disk management work integration area 3-1 is an identifier indicating the disk management work integration area in use. Function. The integrated area availability information 3-1a to 3-1d correspond to the disk management work integrated areas 3-1 to 3-4, respectively.

  Each of the areas for recording the integrated area availability information 3-1a to 3-1d is composed of one block. If the block has already been recorded, the corresponding disk management work integrated area is currently in use. Indicates that

  That is, in the example shown in FIG. 3, the disk management information 3-1e and 3-2a are recorded in the disk management work integration area 3-1 and the disk management work integration area 3-2. The blocks that record the integrated area availability information 3-1a and the integrated area availability information 3-1b corresponding to the integrated areas 3-1, 3-2 are already recorded. In FIG. 3, the recorded area is shaded.

  When an unused disk management work integration area is started, it corresponds to the disk management work integration area to be used among the blocks of the integrated area availability information arranged in the disk management work integration area 3-1. The integrated area availability information block to be recorded is already recorded.

  In addition, the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c, 3-3a, and 3-4a stored in the head part of the disk management work integration area 3-2 to 3-4 are not included in the corresponding disk management work integration area. It indicates whether or not the recording state.

  Here, the area for recording the integrated area availability information arranged at the head position of the disk management work integration areas 3-2 to 3-4 is composed of one block, and the block has already been recorded. Indicates that the corresponding disk management work integration area is currently in use.

  That is, in the example of FIG. 3, since the disk management information 3-2a is recorded in the disk management work integration area 3-2, the corresponding integrated area availability information 3- 2c is already recorded. On the other hand, since no disk management information is recorded in the disk management work integration areas 3-3 and 3-4, the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-3a in the disk management work integration areas 3-3 and 3-4, 3-4a is not recorded.

  A method for recording the disk management information and the integrated area availability information in the disk management work integrated area will be described below.

  4 (a) and 4 (b) show the disc management work integration area recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1 shown in FIG. 2 according to the control by the recording / playback control unit 1-4 (see FIG. 1). It is explanatory drawing which shows a mode that it updates.

  The update of the integrated area availability information 3-1b and the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c of the disk management work integrated area 2 shown in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. .

  FIG. 4A shows the data structure before recording the latest disk management information, and FIG. 4B shows the data structure after recording the latest disk management information.

  Here, when new disk management information is recorded in the unrecorded disk management work integration area 3-2, the integrated area availability information 3-1b and the corresponding integration in the disk management work integration area 3-2. A description will be given of how the area availability information 3-2c is updated.

  First, as shown in FIG. 4A, the disk management work integration area 3-1 has no unrecorded area for recording new disk management information, and the other disk management work integration areas 3-2 to 3-3. -4 is an unrecorded state.

  For this reason, only the blocks that record the integrated area availability information 3-1a arranged in the disk management work integrated area 3-1 are in a recorded state. Here, when new disk management information is updated, as shown in FIG. 4B, the new disk management information records the disk management information in the disk management work integration area 3-2. Recorded from the beginning of the area.

  As a result, since the disk management work integration area 3-2 is in use, the block for recording the integrated area availability information 3-1b, which is arranged at the head of the disk management work integration area 3-1, is recorded. It becomes a state.

  Further, the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c arranged at the head of the disk management work integrated area 3-2 is also in a recorded state.

  As described above, when the disk management work integration area for recording new disk management information has not been recorded, that is, when the new disk management work integration area 3-2 is in use, a new disk management information is recorded. The disk management information is recorded in the disk management work integration area 3-2, and the integrated area availability information 3 arranged at the head of the disk management work integration area 3-1 corresponding to the disk management work integration area 3-2. -1b and the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c arranged at the head of the disk management work integrated area 3-2 need to be recorded.

  Next, integrated area availability information 3-1b arranged at the head of the disk management work integration area 3-1, which is information indicating whether the disk management work integration area 3-2 is used, and disk management work The timing for recording the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c arranged at the head of the integrated area 3-2 will be described.

  The disk management work integration area 3-2 in which new disk management information is recorded and the area in which the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c is recorded are a continuous group of areas. Therefore, after recording the new disc management information, when recording the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c, the optical pickup 1-7 (see FIG. 1) of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 (see FIG. 1) is used. ) Travels physically short, so the recording operation is completed in a short time.

  Here, after recording the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c, when recording the integrated area availability information 3-1b, the area for recording the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c, and the integrated area use Since the area for recording the availability information 3-1b is a different area, the physical position on the disc is separated.

  Therefore, when recording of the new disk management information, the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c, and the integrated area availability information 3-1b is performed by a series of recording operations, the optical head of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 is recorded. Due to the movement, there arises a problem that a recording operation takes time.

  In order to solve the above problem, when recording the disk management information in the disk management work integration area 3-2, the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-located at the head of the disk management work integration area 3-2. 2c is recorded, and then the integrated area availability information 3 placed at the head of the disk management work integration area 3-1 during the power supply stop process and write-once optical disk ejection process of the intended information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1. -1b may be recorded.

  Also, the integrated area availability information 3-1b arranged at the head of the disk management work integrated area 3-1 due to an unexpected power supply stop of the device, in other words, an unexpected power supply stop such as a power failure occurs. Even when recording is not possible, the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c arranged at the head of the disk management work integration area 3-2 is recorded. Based on this information, the disk management work integration area 2 The information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 can recognize that it is not in an unrecorded state.

  As described above, the recording status of the integrated area availability information 3-1b to 3-1d arranged at the head of the disk management work integration area 3-1, and the disk management work integration areas 3-2 to 3-4. The integrated area use information recording / reproduction control unit 1-10 selects a disc having a different recording state from the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c, 3-3a, 3-4a (see FIG. 3) arranged at the head. When recognized, in order to eliminate the inconsistency state, the recording state of the integrated area availability information 3-1b to 3-1d is changed to the corresponding integrated area specification availability information 3-2c, 3-3a, 3-4a. What is necessary is just to change according to a recording state.

  By performing the operation for eliminating the contradiction state during the startup process of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1, the time that does not affect the recording operation of the higher-level recording apparatus connected to the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1. Can be used.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the data structure of the data area of the write-once optical disc 2-1 (see FIG. 2) and the recording unit end address of the user data.

  Here, the recording unit end address of the user data area 3-5 recorded in the disc management information will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the latest disc management information includes the recording unit end address of the user data area 3-5. This recording unit end address indicates the end address of the user data recorded in the user data area 3-5. When the write-once disc 2-1 (see FIG. 2) is recorded sequentially, This is very important information for the user data recording / reproduction control unit 1-11 to specify where recording can be performed next time.

  Therefore, since the recording unit end address is updated every time user data is recorded in the user data area 3-5, the disc management information for storing the recording unit end address is also updated at the same frequency. As a result, each time user data is recorded in the user data area 3-5, the updated disc management information is recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1.

  As described above, a disc management work integration area for recording the latest disc management information by performing a series of recording operations from the occurrence of a user data recording instruction until the latest disc management information is recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1. However, when it becomes a new disc management work integration area of only the unrecorded area, the integrated area availability information is also recorded during the series of recording operations.

  Here, the area for recording the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c, 3-3a, 3-4a (see FIG. 3), which is a feature point of the present invention, is a disk management work integration area 3-2-3. -4, it is not necessary to access the recording blocks of the integrated area availability information 3-1a to 3-1d arranged in the disk management work integrated area 3-1, so that a series of recording operations can be performed. Time will be shortened.

  Up to this point, the disc management method has been described in which the latest disc management information is recorded on the write-once optical disc each time a user data recording instruction is generated.

  From here, whenever the instruction control unit 1-3 (see FIG. 1) receives a user data recording instruction from the host control device 1-8 (see FIG. 1), the latest disk management information is recorded in the disk management information record. By the operation of the reproduction control unit 1-9, the information is once stored in the disk management information buffer (hereinafter referred to as buffer memory) 1-5 of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 shown in FIG. The disc management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 reads the latest disc management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5 at a specific timing such as a stop process or a disc ejection process, and stores it in the write-once optical disc 2-1. Disc recording method will be described.

  First, as described above, when updating the disc management information recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1, whenever an instruction to record user data in the user data area 3-5 occurs, an information recording / reproducing apparatus is used. 1-1 has a problem that the write response performance is deteriorated.

  For this reason, the disc management information including the recording unit end address is temporarily stored in the buffer memory 1-5 in the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1, and the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 is powered off. A method of storing the disc management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5 on the write-once optical disc 2-1 as the latest disc management information at a timing such as when the write-once optical disc 2-1 is ejected is used.

  That is, the disk management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5 is updated each time a user data recording instruction is generated in the user data area 3-5, but the disk management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5 is updated. Every time the information is updated, the latest disc management information is not recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1.

  Therefore, before the latest disc management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5 is recorded on the write-once type optical disc 2-1, the power source of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 is stopped due to an unexpected power failure or the like. In this case, there is a problem that inconsistency occurs between the latest disk management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5 and the disk management information recorded most recently on the write-once disk 2-1. .

  When the power failure is restored and the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 records user data on the write-once disc 2-1 of the information in which the inconsistency has occurred, there is a possibility of causing a problem. . Therefore, it is desirable to record the user data after recording the latest disk management information, which is the disk management information repair process, on the write-once disc 2-1.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, a disk management information inconsistency flag (hereinafter abbreviated as an inconsistency flag) is included in the disk management information in order to indicate whether or not inconsistencies as described above have occurred.

  The inconsistency flag includes the recording unit end address in the latest disc management information recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1, and the recording unit end address in the disc management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5. The user data recording unit end address in the user data area 3-5 is either a valid state indicating inconsistency or an invalid state indicating consistency.

  The disc management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 updates the latest disc management information recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1 when the recording / playback device is powered on or inserted into the recording / playback device. Store in the buffer memory 1-5. Thereafter, the disc management information recording / reproduction control unit 1-9 determines whether the inconsistency flag contained in the latest disc management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5 is valid / invalid.

  That is, if the inconsistency flag is invalid, it is guaranteed that the disc management information recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1 is the latest.

  If the inconsistency flag is valid, there is an inconsistency between the recording unit end address information in the disc management information recorded on the disc and the recording unit end address of the user data recorded in the user data area. Since it can be recognized that it has occurred, it can be recognized that a disk repair process is required.

  Here, an example of the above disk repair processing will be described. In the case of the write-once disc 2-1 (see FIG. 2), user data is uniquely recorded in a certain direction, for example, from the inner circumference direction to the outer circumference direction of the write-once optical disc 2-1. Therefore, the user data recording / reproduction control unit 1-11 is performed by reproducing / tracing the boundary between the recording unit and the non-recording unit of user data in the user data area 3-5 (see FIG. 3) using the optical pickup 1-7. Can detect the recording unit end address of the user data.

  If the recording unit end address detected above is updated to the write-once disc 2-1 as the latest disc management information, the disk can be restored to the recording unit end address.

  In the present embodiment, the user data recording / playback control unit 1-11 performs the above-described inconsistency flag detection and disk repair processing when the inconsistency flag is valid when the information recording / playback apparatus is powered on. Or when inserting the disc.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a method for searching for the recording unit end address of user data recorded in the user data area 3-5 of the write-once optical disc 2-1 shown in FIG.

  First, when the inconsistency flag included in the disk management information is invalid, the recording unit end address is included in the latest disk management information. Therefore, the disc management information recording / reproduction control unit 1-9 reads the latest disc management information via the optical pickup 1-7.

  A method for searching for the latest disk management information recorded in the disk management work integration area will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the disc management information recording / reproduction control unit 1-9 performs reproduction from the beginning of the disc management work integration area via the optical pickup 1-7, and checks the signal amplitude. Then, the disc management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 performs a playback operation until the signal amplitude disappears, and detects a boundary where the signal amplitude disappears.

  At this time, the boundary where the signal amplitude disappears is the recorded end position (the position of the boundary between the latest recorded disc management information and the unrecorded area). Therefore, since the disc management information recorded at this boundary position is the latest disc management information, the disc management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 reads out information on this boundary position via the optical pickup 1-7. As a result, the latest disc management information can be acquired, and the recording unit end address information of the user data included in the latest disc management information can be acquired.

  FIG. 7 shows a method of recording user data and disc management information in the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 shown in FIG. 1 when an instruction for recording user data is given from the host controller 1-8. It is a flowchart figure.

  With reference to FIG. 7, a method of recording user data by the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 after recognizing the write-once optical disc 2-1 will be described.

  Here, as a previous step, when the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 is powered on or when a write-once optical disc is inserted, the invalid state of the disc management information inconsistency flag is confirmed, or the disc when the inconsistency flag is in the valid state. It is assumed that the restoration process has been completed, and the latest disk management information recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1 is stored in the memory buffer 1-5 in the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1.

  First, the user from the host control device 1-8 to the instruction control unit 1-3 (see FIG. 1) to the user data area 3-5 (see FIG. 3) via the I / O bus. Data recording instructions are generated. In response to the generation of the recording instruction, an operation start command is sent from the command control unit 1-3 to the recording / reproduction control unit 1-4 (see FIG. 1).

  In step S7-1 shown in FIG. 7, the disc management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 performs the inconsistency included in the latest disc management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5 (see FIG. 1). It is determined whether the flag is in a valid state.

  If the inconsistency flag in the buffer memory 1-5 is valid in step S7-1, the process proceeds to step S7-4. On the other hand, if the inconsistency flag in the buffer memory is invalid in step S7-1, the disc management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 in step S7-1 determines that the latest in the buffer memory. The inconsistency flag included in the disk management information is set to the valid state.

  In step S7-3, the latest disc management information including the inconsistency flag in the valid state is recorded on the write-once type optical disc 2-1.

Next, in step S7-4, the optical pickup 1-7 (see FIG. 1) is instructed to record data from the host controller 1-8 based on the control of the user data recording / playback control unit 1-11. User data is recorded in the user data area 3-5. (Corresponding to step A1 in the claims)
In step S7-5, the disc management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 updates the recording unit end address of the user data area 3-5 in which the user data is recorded, to the latest stored in the buffer memory 1-5. Record in disk management information. The inconsistency flag in the latest disk management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5 at this time is in a valid state.

  Further, when a new user data recording instruction is generated, the process returns to the process of step S7-1. On the other hand, following the process of S7-5, a normal power stop process or disc ejection of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1. If processing has occurred, the process proceeds to step S7-6.

  In step S7-6, the disk management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 sets the disk management information inconsistency flag in the latest disk management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5 to an invalid state.

Thereafter, in step S7-7, the disk management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 records the latest disk management information in the buffer memory 1-5 on the write-once disk 2-1. (Equivalent to step A2 in the claims)
Here, if the area where the latest disc management information is recorded is a new unrecorded disc management work integration area, the integrated area use information recording / playback control unit 1-10 performs the corresponding integrated area use availability information. The integrated area availability information is recorded in a predetermined area. Details of the recording of the integrated area availability information and the integrated area availability information will be described later.

  After performing the processes of steps S7-6 and S7-7, the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 is stopped normally or the write-once optical disc 2-1 is ejected.

  As described above, when the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 is powered on or the write-once optical disc 2-1 is inserted, the inconsistency flag recorded on the write-once disc 2-1 is valid (S7- 1), the disc management information in which the inconsistency flag is rewritten to an invalid state is recorded on the write-once type optical disc 2-1, through the disc repair process under the control of the disc management information recording / playback control unit 1-9. ing.

  Therefore, when the first user data recording instruction is generated after the recording / reproduction control unit 1-4 recognizes the write-once disc 2-1, the inconsistency flag in the disc management information indicates an invalid state. .

  Therefore, in order not to cause a problem, the disk management information in which the disk management information inconsistency flag is valid is stored in advance by performing the processes in steps S7-1 to S7-2 and S7-3 in advance. It is necessary to record in 2-1.

  This is because the user data is recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1 in step S7-4 through the processing in steps S7-2 and S7-3, and then becomes invalid in step S7-6. Until the disc management information -5 is recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1, in step S7-7, the discrepancy flag of the disc management information recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1 is kept valid. is there.

  That is, inadvertent power supply such as a power failure between the recording of the user data in step S7-4 and the recording of the disc management information in the buffer memory 1-5 in the write-once optical disc 2-1 in step S7-7. When the stop is in the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1, the latest disc management information in the buffer memory 1-5 and the disc management information recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1 are inconsistent. In this case, the inconsistency flag should be enabled. In this case, if the inconsistency flag is in an invalid state, it does not match the actual condition, and this causes a problem when the next recording / reproduction is performed.

  Accordingly, in order to appropriately cope with such a situation, the disc management information in the buffer memory 1-5 in step S7-7 is changed from the user data recording in step S7-4 to the write-once optical disc 2-. In the meantime, the inconsistency flag of the disc management information recorded on the write-once type optical disc 2-1 is kept valid until it is recorded at 1.

  On the other hand, at the time of recording user data for the second and subsequent times after recognizing the write-once disc 2-1, the inconsistency flag is already in a valid state, so there is no need to perform steps S7-1 to S7-3. .

  Next, an example of recording disk management information, applicable integrated area availability information, and integrated area availability information on a disk will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S8-1 shown in the figure, the disk management work integration area (for example, 3-2 in FIG. 3) currently in use determines whether or not there is a free space for recording the latest disk management information. The management information recording / reproducing control unit 1-9 makes the determination.

  If there is a space in which the latest data management information is to be recorded, the process proceeds to step S8-4. On the other hand, if there is no room for recording the latest data management information, the process proceeds to step S8-2.

In step S8-2, the latest disk management information stored in the buffer memory 1-5 (see FIG. 1) in the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 is updated to a new disk management work integration area (for example, FIG. 3 3-3), the disk management information recording / reproducing control unit 1-9 performs recording via the optical pickup 1-7. (Equivalent to step A2 in the claims)
In step S8-3, since the use of the new disk management work integration area is started in step S8-2, the corresponding integrated area availability information (for example, FIG. 3, the block corresponding to 3-3a) is recorded.

The recording operation in steps S8-2 and S8-3 is performed by a series of recording operations. (Equivalent to step A3 in the claims)
Next, in step S8-5, the disk management work integration area 3-1 (see FIG. 3) corresponding to the disk management work integration area in which the latest disk management information is recorded in step S8-2 is arranged. A block in which the integrated area availability information (for example, 3-1c in FIG. 3) is recorded is recorded.

  This step S8-5 is performed at the stage when the normal power supply stop processing or disc ejection processing of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 occurs.

In step S8-4, the disk management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 determines that there is a space in which the latest data management information should be recorded in the disk management work integration area currently used in step S8-1. The latest disk management information is recorded in the currently used disk management work integration area. (Equivalent to step A2 in the claims)
Here, the situation in which the latest disc management information is recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1 occurs in steps S7-3 and S7-7 in FIG.

In step S7-7, the user data recording operation has been completed in the previous stage, and the power supply stop process or the disc ejection process of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 has already occurred. (See Figure 7)
Therefore, steps S8-1 to S8-5 are performed by a series of recording operations. Since the recording operation of steps S8-1 to S8-5 here is separated from the recording operation of user data, even if the recording position in step S8-5 is away from the user data, The data recording operation time is not affected.

  However, in the first user data recording instruction after the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 recognizes the write-once optical disc 2-1, as shown in steps S7-3 and S7-4 in FIG. When the user data recording instruction is issued from 1-8, the disc management information in which the inconsistency flag becomes valid is recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1, and then the user data is recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1. It will be. That is, recording of the latest disc management information and recording of user data are performed by a series of recording operations.

  Hereinafter, recording of the disk management information, the integrated area availability information, and the integrated area availability information in step S7-3 in FIG. 7 on the write-once disc 2-1 will be described.

  Since the operations from step S8-1 to S8-4 are the same as the operations in step S7-7 in FIG. 7 described above, detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  Here, by performing the processing of step S8-1 to step S8-4, the latest disk management information and a block for recording the corresponding integrated area availability information, which is arranged in the new disk management work integrated area, Will be recorded. However, the block that records the integrated area availability information arranged in the disk management work integrated area 3-1 (see FIG. 3) is in an unrecorded state.

As described above, the normal recording power supply of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 is used to record the blocks in the integrated disk management work integration area 3-1 in which the integrated area availability information is recorded. This is the timing at which stop processing or disk ejection processing occurs. (Corresponding to step A4 described in claims)
That is, it is possible to separate the series of recording operations of steps S8-1 to S8-4 from the recording operation of step S8-5.

  Accordingly, by separating the timing of the recording operation in step S8-5 and the user data recording operation, the disc management information is an area for recording the latest disc management information and an area for recording the integrated area availability information. There is an effect of preventing the problem that it takes time from the recording instruction of the user data to the recording completion due to the separation of the physical position from the work integration area 3-1 (see FIG. 3).

  Next, if an unexpected power outage such as a power failure occurs after the process of step S8-3 and before the process of step S8-5, the corresponding integrated area used in each disk management work integrated area can be used. There is a possibility that the state of the information and the state of the integrated area availability information arranged in the disk management work integration area 3-1 are different.

  The process for repairing the different states will be described below with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining in detail an example of reading the latest disk management information and restoring the integrated area availability information.

  In step S9-1 shown in the figure, the integrated area availability information 3-1a to 3-1d arranged near the head of the disk management work integration area 3-1 is reproduced to obtain the disk management work integration area 3-1. The integrated area use information recording / reproducing control unit 1-10 detects the boundary between the recording unit and the non-recording unit. The disk management work integration area corresponding to the integrated area availability information recorded at this boundary position becomes the disk management work integration area in use in which the latest disk management information is recorded.

  As an example, with reference to FIG. 3, the integrated area availability information 3-1b which is the second block among the integrated area availability information 3-1a to 3-1d is already recorded. Therefore, the latest disk management information is recorded in the disk management work integration area 3-2.

  In step S9-2 shown in FIG. 9, the corresponding integrated area availability information 3-2c, 3-3a, 3-, recorded at the head of the disk work integrated area 3-2 to 3-4 (see FIG. 3). 4a (see FIG. 3) is reproduced, and the integrated area use information recording / reproducing control unit 1-10 detects the number of the disk management work integrated area in which the latest disk management information is recorded.

  If it demonstrates using FIG. 3, only applicable integrated area | region availability information 3-2c will be recorded among applicable integrated area | region availability information 3-2c, 3-3a, 3-4a. Therefore, the latest disk management information is recorded in the disk management work integration area 3-2.

  Here, in step S9-3, the number of the disk management work integration area in which the latest disk management information detected in step S9-1 is recorded, and the latest disk management information detected in S9-2 are recorded. The integrated area use information recording / playback control unit 1-10 confirms whether the numbers match the numbers of the integrated disk management work integrated areas.

  In step S9-3, if the numbers match, the process proceeds to step S9-4, and if not, the process proceeds to step S9-6.

  In step S9-6, the use of the integrated area arranged near the head of the disk management work integration area 3-1 is set to the number of the disk management work integration area in which the latest disk management information detected in step S9-2 is recorded. The integrated area availability information arranged near the head of the disk management work integration area 3-1 is corrected and recorded under the control of the integrated area use information recording / playback control unit 1-10 so that the availability information matches.

  For example, the integrated area corresponding to the disk management work integration area 3-1 when the number of the disk management work integration area in which the latest disk management information is recorded detected in step S9-2 is 3-2. If only the availability information 3-1a is in the recording state, as shown in step S9-6, the integrated area availability information 3-1b corresponding to the disk management work integration area 3-2 is recorded. And it is sufficient. After completion of the process in step S9-6, the process proceeds to step S9-4.

  In step S9-4, the disc management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 performs the recording procedure and the unrecorded unit in the disc management work integration area detected in step S9-2 by the processing procedure shown in FIG. And the position where the latest disc management information is recorded is detected.

  Next, in step S9-5, the position where the latest disc management information determined in step S9-4 is recorded is reproduced, and the latest disc management information recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1. The data is stored in the memory buffer 1-5 (see FIG. 1) in the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 by the operation of the disc management information recording / reproducing control unit 1-9.

  The latest disc management information as shown in FIG. 9 is read when the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1-1 is powered on or when the recording / reproduction control unit 1-4 recognizes a new disc by exchanging the disc. To be executed.

  By performing the processes of steps S9-1 to S9-5, the disc management information recording / playback control unit 1-9 can read the latest disc management information recorded on the write-once optical disc 2-1. It becomes.

  The write-once information storage medium described above is not limited to an optical disk, and may be another known write-once information storage medium such as a magnetic disk.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims. That is, embodiments obtained by combining technical means appropriately changed within the scope of the claims are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The disk management method for the information storage medium of the present invention may be configured as follows.

Information recorded on a write-once information storage medium to which a plurality of disc management work integration areas and a user data area for recording arbitrary data according to a recording instruction are allocated is reproduced, and information is recorded on the write-once information storage medium An information recording / reproducing apparatus capable of recording
Disc management information about the write-once information storage medium and storing disc management information including final data location information which is location information of data recorded last in the user data area, and the user data A disk management information buffer in which the disk management information is updated each time a recording instruction for an area is generated;
The disk management information stored in the disk management information buffer is sequentially recorded in each of the plurality of disk management work integration areas. At this time, the disk management work integration area in which the disk management information is recorded is recorded. The disk management information is not recorded in another disk management work integration area until the free space becomes smaller than the threshold,
Each time the disk management information stored in the disk management information buffer is updated, the disk management information stored in the disk management information buffer is not recorded in the disk management work integration area.
In the disk management information, in addition to the data final position information, the data final position information in the latest disk management information recorded in the disk management work integration area and the disk management information buffer are stored. An inconsistency flag which is either a valid state indicating that the data final position information in the disk management information is inconsistent or an invalid state indicating consistency is included,
When a data recording request to the user data area occurs when the inconsistency flag in the latest disk management information recorded in the disk management work integration area is in an invalid state, the inconsistency flag is In the disk for recording the disk management information in the disk management information buffer in the disk management work integration area after updating the disk management information in the disk management information buffer to be in an effective state.
Disk management work integration area in-use position information indicating which one of the plurality of disk management work integration areas is the disk management work integration area in use in the specific one disk management work integration area The other disk management work integration area includes disk management work integration area in-use position information indicating that the corresponding disk management work integration area is in use. Method.

  The present invention can reduce the recording operation time by recording the integrated area use information in each medium management work integration area, and can be applied to all write-once information storage media.

It is a block diagram which shows the information recording / reproducing apparatus which records / reproduces the write-once information storage medium of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the area | region of a write-once information storage medium which records the data structure of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the data structure of the data recorded on the data area of a write-once information storage medium in embodiment of this invention. (A) And (b) is explanatory drawing which shows updating the disk management information and integrated area availability information in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state which records the newest disc management information including the recording part termination | terminus address of user data in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the method of detecting the recording position of the newest disc management information recorded on the disc management work integration area | region in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows from the recording instruction | indication of data recording to the recording of user data, and the recording of the newest disc management information in embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart (subroutine) showing details of processing from recording of disk management information to recording of position information in use of a disk management work integration area in the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart figure which shows the reading method of the newest disc management information by the information recording / reproducing apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the data structure of the data recorded on the data area of a write-once type information storage medium in a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

1-1 Information Recording / Reproducing Device 1-2 I / O Bus 1-3 Command Control Unit 1-4 Recording / Reproduction Control Unit 1-5 Disc Management Information Buffer 1-6 Data Buffer 1-7 Optical Pickup (Recording / Reproducing Head)
1-8 Host controller 1-9 Disc management information recording / playback control section (recording / playback control means A2)
1-10 Integrated area use information recording / reproduction control unit (recording / reproduction control means A3)
1-11 User Data Recording / Reproduction Control Unit (Recording / Reproduction Control Unit A1)
2-1 Write-once optical disk (write-once information storage medium)
2-2 Lead-in area 2-3 Data area 2-4 Lead-out area 3-1 Disk management work integration area (media management work integration area)
3-2 Disk management work integration area (media management work integration area)
3-3 Disk management work integration area (media management work integration area)
3-4 Disk management work integration area (media management work integration area)
3-5 User data area 3-1a Integrated area availability information (integrated area usage information)
3-1b Integrated area availability information (integrated area usage information)
3-1c Integrated area availability information (integrated area usage information)
3-1d Integrated area cost availability information (integrated area usage information)
3-1e Disc management information recording area 3-2a Disc management information recording area 3-2b Unrecorded area 3-2c Corresponding integrated area availability information (integrated area usage information)
3-3a Applicable integrated area availability information (integrated area usage information)
3-3b Unrecorded area 3-4a Applicable integrated area availability information (integrated area use information)
3-4b Unrecorded area 10-1 Disc management work integration area (media management work integration area)
10-2 Disk management work integration area (media management work integration area)
10-3 Disk management work integration area (media management work integration area)
10-4 Disk management work integration area (media management work integration area)
10-5 User data area 10-6 Disk management information (medium management information)
10-1a Integrated area availability information (integrated area usage information)
10-1b Integrated area availability information (integrated area usage information)
10-1c Integrated area availability information (integrated area usage information)
10-1d Integrated area availability information (integrated area usage information)
10-2a Unrecorded area 10-3a Unrecorded area 10-4a Unrecorded area

Claims (5)

A data structure of recorded information recorded in a write-once information storage medium,
A user data area for recording user data; and
A plurality of medium management work integration areas for recording medium management information that is management information of a write-once information storage medium;
In each data management work integration area, a data structure composed of an area for recording integrated area use information indicating whether or not medium management information is recorded,
A data structure characterized in that each medium management work integration area has an area for recording integrated area use information corresponding to each of the medium management work integration areas. Recording of medium management information in a plurality of medium management work integration areas for recording medium management information, which is management information of a write-once information storage medium, a user data area for recording user data, and each medium management work integration area A recording / reproducing apparatus for recording / reproducing a data structure composed of an area for recording integrated area use information indicating the presence or absence of the information on a write-once information storage medium,
A recording / reproducing head for recording / reproducing recording information with respect to a write-once information storage medium;
Recording / reproducing control means A1 for controlling the recording / reproducing head so as to record user data in the user data area;
Recording / reproducing control means A2 for controlling the recording / reproducing head so as to record the latest medium management information corresponding to the recording of the user data in the recording / reproducing control means A1 in the medium management work integration area;
In a series of recording operations including the recording operation of the recording / reproduction control means A2, recording / reproduction is performed so that the integrated area use information is recorded in the medium management work integration area in which the medium management information is recorded by the recording / reproduction control means A2. An information recording / reproducing apparatus comprising recording / reproducing control means A3 for controlling the head. Recording of medium management information in a plurality of medium management work integration areas for recording medium management information, which is management information of a write-once information storage medium, a user data area for recording user data, and each medium management work integration area A method for managing a write-once information storage medium, in which a data structure composed of an area for recording integrated area usage information indicating whether or not there is recorded,
Step B1 for recording user data in the user data area;
Step B2 for recording the latest medium management information corresponding to the recording of user data in Step B1 in the medium management work integration area;
Step B3 of recording the integrated area use information in the medium management work integrated area in which the medium management information is recorded in Step B2 in a series of recording operations including the recording operation of Step B2. A method for managing a write-once information storage medium.   Step B4 for recording the integrated area use information recorded in Step B3 in a specific one medium management work integrated area at a specific timing different from the recording operation in Step B1. The management method according to claim 3. A computer-readable write-once information storage medium in which the data structure according to claim 1 is recorded.

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