Patent ID: 8174942
Filing Date: 2012-05-08
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A data recording method for recording data on a recording medium including a lead-in area, a user area, a spare area having an alternate area of the user area, and a lead-out area, said method comprising the steps of: receiving from a higher-level device a write command to write data at a first address in the user area; writing the data in the user area at the first address; reading the written data to thereby judge whether or not the user area at the first address is defective; if it is judged that the user area at the first address is defective, determining a second address in the spare area by use of a flag value that has been written to the lead-in area or the lead-out area at the time of initialization, wherein said flag value comprises a value indicating a direction in which the spare area is used; and writing in the spare area at the second address the data received from the higher-level device.