Data structure for control information on rewriteable data storage media

a data storage media and data structure technology, applied in the field of data storage media, can solve the problems of inability to accommodate new features with backward compatibility, standard inhibition of change, etc., and achieve the effect of ensuring the reliability of dcb

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-06-23
WEIRAUCH CHARLES R +1
View PDF13 Cites 4 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] One goal of the invention is to provide a standard, but very general and flexible, data structure for recording administration and control information for a rewriteable storage medium, particularly when drives and media may be provided by many different manufacturers. Accordingly, a data structure, called a Disk Control Block (DCB), is defined. One medium may contain multiple different DCB's, each addressing a different function. Several examples of DCB's are provided. One example is called a General Media (GM) DCB. The GM DCB contains information such as a counter that counts how many times the medium has been loaded, control information for formatting of the medium by the drive, and power calibration information. Another example DCB is called an Access Control (AC) DCB. An AC DCB may be used to partition a disk into multiple sections, and for each section the DCB defines an access attribute such as write-once, or read only with password, or other similar access control. Another example is a DCB for updating firmware.
[0006] Another goal of the invention is to provide a data structure such that if a drive enc

Problems solved by technology

Standards are useful in eliminating unnecessary variation, but standards may also inhibit change, even when change is needed.
As the CD technology was extended to general data, and write-once media, and rewriteable media, accommodation of new features with backwards compatibility was always an issue.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Data structure for control information on rewriteable data storage media
  • Data structure for control information on rewriteable data storage media
  • Data structure for control information on rewriteable data storage media

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0013] In the following discussion, a proposed standard for optical disk media is used to illustrate a specific example embodiment of the invention. However, the invention is equally applicable to any interchangeable rewriteable data storage medium. For example, the invention is equally applicable to tapes, removable magnetic disks or cards, or removable semiconductor memory.

[0014] The proposed standard specifies a rewriteable interchangeable optical disk. A data structure called a Disk Control Block (DCB) is defined. There may be many types of DCB's; some may be defined by the proposed standard, and others may be defined by individual manufacturers. One type of DCB, called a General Media (GM) DCB is defined by the proposed standard. The proposed standard specifies that every compatible medium must write one GM-DCB. All other types of DCB's are optional, and are in addition to the GM-DCB.

[0015] The proposed optical disk medium is formatted into sectors, and sectors are logically ...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

A data storage medium includes a data structure, called a disk control block, used for administration and control information for the data storage medium. One medium may contain multiple different disk control blocks, each addressing a different function. Each disk control block includes a control block identifier that specifies the function of the disk control block. Each control block also includes a set of standard access control parameters. If a drive encounters an unrecognized disk control block, the drive can still decode the standard control parameters, so that the drive behavior is not inconsistent with the requirements of the unrecognized disk control block.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a divisional application of Ser. No. 09 / 921,024 filed on Aug. 2, 2001. application Ser. No. 09 / 921,024 is hereby incorporated herein by reference. application Ser. No. 09 / 921,024 is a divisional application of Ser. No. 09 / 301,880 filed on Apr. 29, 1999 now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,210. application Ser. No. 09 / 301,880 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to data storage media and more specifically to data structures used for various identification and control attributes for a rewriteable medium. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] A data storage medium typically includes an area for storage of various administration and control information, such as an identification of the medium, perhaps information regarding how the medium is partitioned into various separate sections, a directory or table of file names and dates, and perhaps information reg...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
IPC IPC(8): G11B7/0037G11B19/04G06F3/06G11B19/06G11B20/00G11B20/12G11B20/18G11B23/28G11B27/00G11B27/034G11B27/19G11B27/32
CPCG11B7/0037G11B2220/2537G11B19/04G11B19/06G11B20/00086G11B20/00152G11B20/00695G11B20/00702G11B20/1217G11B20/1252G11B20/1803G11B20/1816G11B23/28G11B23/284G11B27/034G11B27/19G11B27/32G11B27/322G11B27/329G11B2020/1265G11B2020/1278G11B2220/20G11B2220/216G11B7/00745
InventorWEIRAUCH, CHARLES R.LARNER, JOEL B.
OwnerWEIRAUCH CHARLES R