Patent ID: 6215748
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: G06F,G11B

Abstract:
Data storage apparatus having an ordered data array of data items stored on a storage medium at successive data item positions, in which deletion of a data item from said array leaves data storage space in which a newly stored data item can be stored, said apparatus comprising:means for storing, in addition to said data array, a mask array in a header area forming an ordered array of data items on said storage medium, said mask array having respective mask array data entries at successive mask array positions, each entry in said mask array representing a data item position in said stored data array such that a position of a respective data entry of said mask array from a start position of said mask array alone provides an indication of the position of the corresponding data item of said stored data array, wherein said successive data item positions in said data array correspond to said successive mask array positions of said mask array; andmeans for setting said respective mask array data entries to indicate whether a data item is deleted from a respective data item position in said stored data array.