Patent ID: 6430701
Filing Date: 2002-08-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A data recording and reproducing method using a plurality of recording and reproducing means in which, at a time of data recording, pieces of second data are produced by dividing supplied first data and an error correction code is generated for the pieces of second data, and the pieces of second data and the error correction code are allocated to and recorded in the plurality of recording and reproducing means, respectively, and in which, at a time of data reproduction, the first data is reproduced by synthesizing the pieces of second data read from the plurality of recording and reproducing means,said method comprising the steps of: a) when a fault occurs at one of the plurality of recording and reproducing means (â€œhereinafter referred to as the faulty recording and reproducing meansâ€ ), if one of the pieces of second data is recorded in the faulty recording and reproducing means, reproducing the first data by reading the pieces of second data and the error correction code recorded in the plurality of recording and reproducing means excluding the faulty recording and reproducing means, and if one of the pieces of second data is not recorded in the faulty recording and reproducing means, reproducing the first data by reading the pieces of second data recorded in the plurality of recording and reproducing means excluding the faulty recording and reproducing means; and b) producing new pieces of second data by dividing the first data reproduced in the step a) and generating a new error correction code, and allocating and recording the new pieces of second data and the new error correction code to and in the plurality of recording and reproducing means excluding the faulty recording and reproducing means, respectively, wherein each of the plurality of recording and reproducing means has a preset data recording area for recording either one of the pieces of second data or the error correction code; and in the step (b), when there is the faulty recording and reproducing means, and when either one of the new pieces of second data or the new error correction code can be written to each of the data recording areas of the plurality of recording and reproducing means excluding the faulty recording and reproducing means, and thereafter the new pieces of second data and the new error correction code are allocated to and recorded in the plurality of recording and reproducing means excluding the faulty recording and reproducing means, respectively.