Patent ID: 7164636

Claim:
A recording apparatus for recording data on a rewritable optical recording medium provided with substantially circular recording tracks comprising recorded data arranged in recording units comprising addressable reading units, the recording apparatus comprising: input means for receiving the data; recording means for recording the data; reading means for reading the recorded data; error correction means for finding and correcting errors in the recorded data read; and control means for controlling the recording and reading of the data; wherein the control means are designed to examine the medium for the presence of a defect and to adapt a data recording strategy by: scanning the medium by reading at least a portion of the recorded data; establishing characteristics of the recorded data read; rating the recorded data read as defective data based on the characteristics; and adapting the data recording strategy according to results of the rating; and wherein the control means are further designed to select a circular area between two of the substantially circular recording tracks, and to examine the circular area by examining a test recording track in the middle of the circular area.