Recording methods and devices for recording information on dual layer recordable disks

The invention relates to recording methods for recording information on a dual layer recordable disk, the methods comprising a step of performing an Optimum Power Control (OPC) procedure for determining an actual optimum writing power, said Optimum Power Control procedure being performed in an OPC-area on the disk. The invention further relates to the corresponding recording devices for recording information on dual layer recordable disks using these methods.

For recordable dual-layer media (both write-once and rewritable), such as for example DVD+R disks and DVD+RW disks, that need to be read-compatible with read-only dual-layer disks, there is the issue of how to deal with an amount of data that requires a storage space occupying more than one layer of the dual layer disk, but less than two full layers.

FIG. 1 is an illustration for recording on dual layer disks;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of opposite tracks paths;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of layer jump;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the Middle Zone.

A first recording method for recording information on such a dual layer recordable disk, method A, is depicted in the left-hand side of FIG. 1 . In this method, first a first layer L 0 is written completely full, and subsequently the remainder of the data is written on a second layer L 1 . A second recording method for recording information on a dual layer recordable disk, method B, is depicted in the right-hand side of FIG. 1 . In this method according to the present invention, the data to be written is equally divided between both layers L 0 and L 1 .

Here L 0 is defined to be the layer closest to the recording lens in a recording device, and therefore also closest to the entrance surface of the laser beam in the disk. L 1 is the other layer. In order to clarify this more, the layout of a dual layer DVD-ROM disk according to Standard ECMA-267 is depicted in FIG. 2 for a so-called OTP (Opposite Track Path) disk. As is described in this Standard, the spiral direction of layer L 0 is opposite to the spiral direction of layer L 1 in an OTP type disk.

In method A, first layer L 0 is written from radius R in to R out (which are 24 mm and 58 mm for DVD type media). Next, the laser spot (used for recording the data in a layer) jumps from layer L 0 to layer L 1 and the remainder of the data is written. Depending on the amount of data to be recorded on the disk, layer L 1 is written up to a certain radius. However, in order to guarantee playback on existing DVD players (especially DVD-Video and DVD-ROM players), the remaining part of layer Ll must be written also (for example with dummy data). This is because some players immediately jump from one layer to the other layer when the target of a seek command is located on the other layer. If no data were to be found after the layer jump (because the location jumped to does not have any data recorded there), the player is very likely to crash and/or report a fatal error as no tracking can be performed in the absence of data written on the disk at that location. By writing a long lead-out area, as is shown in the left-hand side of FIG. 1 , compatibility with existing DVD players can be assured. However, this may require lengthy additional time to write the lead-out area (‘finalization’).

This additional time is avoided by applying recording method B. Here the data is equally divided between both layers L 0 and L 1 , which implies a certain maximum radius R max beyond which no data is written on both layer L 0 and layer L 1 . The value of R max is variable and depends on the amount of data to be recorded on the disk.

However, another problem occurs during recording. When the laser spot jumps from layer L 0 to layer L 1 , an Optimum Power Control (OPC) procedure has to be carried out on layer L 1 before the recording can proceed. As is well-known to a person skilled in the art, an Optimum Power Control procedure is a procedure for determining the actual optimum writing power for recording information on a layer of a disk. This optimum writing power depends on the disk, the recorder, and the recording speed that is actually used. Therefore, this optimum writing power should be determined for each recorder/disk combination at the actual recording speed. This Optimum Power Control procedure is generally performed in a fixed area on the disk that is specially reserved for this purpose, the so-called OPC-area.

When this OPC-area is located at the inner or outer radius of the disk, as is the case for single-layer media, first an access to that (inner or outer) radius must be carried out. This jump requires a certain amount of extra time. Especially when recording is done in CLV-mode, where a jump involves a change in disk rotation speed, a considerable amount of extra time may be required. During this extra time the data stream generally continues, which has to be captured in a memory buffer. Therefore such a buffer has to be larger than when no jump is needed. It is noted that the OPC procedure is performed “on the fly” when switching from layer L 0 to layer L 1 .

It is a further object of an embodiment to provide a method in which the amount of extra time is reduced. This object is achieved by providing a method wherein the Optimum Power Control procedure is performed in an OPC-area variably located on at least one of the layers (L 0 , L 1 ) of the dual layer disk.

The method and recorder according to an embodiment employ a variable position of the OPC-area, the position depending on the amount of data to be recorded on the disk. In another embodiment the method and recorder use an OPC-area positioned on the second layer, Ll, located relatively close to the radius where the data stream switches from the first to the second layer (such as R max in method B). This radius depends on the amount of information to be recorded on the disk.

In a version of a method according to another embodiment, the OPC-area is located in the so-called Middle Zone of layer L 1 in order to realize a fast “on-the-fly” OPC-procedure at the radius of the layer jump (as is shown in FIG. 3 , where MZO denotes the part of the Middle Zone located in layer L 0 and MZ 1 denotes the part of the Middle Zone located in layer L 1 ). This Middle Zone is defined for DVD-ROM disks in the above-mentioned Standard ECMA-267.

According to Standard ECMA-267, the Information Zone (or Data Zone) has a Middle Zone in each layer to allow the laser spot to move from layer L 0 to layer L 1 . This is shown in FIG. 4 . The Middle Zone can be considered as a kind of intermediate lead-out area on a dual layer disk. According to the standard, the Middle Zone extends 1 mm beyond the last written location on layer L 0 . This is sufficient to incorporate an OPC-area. It is noted however that the OPC-area may extend beyond the 1 mm boundaries of the Middle Zone.

It should be noted that embodiments can provide an additional advantage in more accurately determining the optimum writing power after a layer jump. If, after a layer jump, an OPC-procedure were to be performed at the inner or outer radius of the disk, this would not lead to optimum power control because the OPC-procedure is being performed at a position that is different from the start position of the actual recording on layer L 1 . The properties of the disk at the outside can vary from the properties at the actual recording position.

In another embodiment, a further Optimum Power Control procedure is performed in a fixed and reserved OPC-area. Similar to single layer disks, such a fixed OPC-area may be located at the inner radius and/or the outer radius of the disk. This further Optimum Power Control procedure may, for example, be performed to determine an initial optimum writing power to be used when starting writing on layer L 0 . Furthermore, an initial optimum writing power may be determined for each of the layers individually.

Although various embodiments have been described above, it will be evident that other embodiments may be alternatively used to achieve the same object. The scope of the invention is therefore not limited to the embodiments described above, but can also be applied to all kinds of recordable media (both write-once and rewritable), such as for example DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, and Blu-ray Disk.

Furthermore, the embodiments described above detail writing data first to layer L 0 and subsequently to layer L 1 . However, it should be noted that embodiments work equally well when data is written first to layer L 1 and subsequently to layer L 0 . Moreover, the scope of the invention is not limited to dual layer disks only, but can be applied on multiple layer disks consisting of more than two layers for storing data as well.