Patent ID: 6671775
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A method for managing a spare area in a recording medium, the spare area including a first spare area and a second spare area, the method comprising:(a) determining whether the first spare area or second spare area is in an active state to replace a defective block with a replacement block; (b) checking whether or not the first spare area or the second spare area is full based on first and second state information, the first state information indicating whether or not the first spare area is full, the second state information indicating whether or not the second spare area is full; and (c) performing a linear replacement for the defective block using a spare block of either the first spare area or the second spare area when at least one of the first spare area and second spare area is in the active state, and one of the first spare area and second spare is not full.