Data recording/reproduction for write-once discs

1. A recording method for writing data on a write-once disc,

the write-once disc having a plurality of physical sectors, the write-once disc including a volume space having a plurality of logical sectors, each of the plurality of logical sectors corresponding to one of the plurality of physical sectors,

the recording method comprising the steps of:

receiving a write instruction which specifies at least a logical sector in which data is to be written;

determining whether the logical sector specified by the write instruction corresponds to a recorded physical sector or an unrecorded physical sector;

when it is determined that the logical sector specified by the write instruction corresponds to an unrecorded physical sector, writing the data into the unrecorded physical sector; and

when it is determined that the logical sector specified by the write instruction corresponds to a recorded physical sector, writing the data into an unrecorded physical sector other than the recorded physical sector, the unrecorded physical sector being selected from the plurality of physical sectors corresponding to the plurality of logical sectors in the volume space, generating a remapping table including remapping information which remaps an original address of the recorded physical sector to a remapping address of the selected physical sector, and writing the remapping table on the write-once disc;

wherein the write instruction is determined based on whether the data to be written is specified for updating a file or creating a new file,

in the case of updating a file, metadata of the file is the data to be overwritten; and

in the case of creating a new file, metadata of a directory where the new file is stored is the data to be overwritten.

2. A recording method according to claim 1 , wherein the data to be written comprises metadata including at least a file entry.

3. A recording method according to claim 1 , wherein the data to be written comprises data of a file.

4. A recording method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the data is written sequentially in a track assigned on the write-once disc, the track having a plurality of physical sectors, and

the selected unrecorded physical sector is a physical sector designated by a next writable address within a track.

5. A recording method according to claim 4 , further comprising the steps of:

receiving a query for the next writable address within a track; and

providing information indicating the next writable address within a track in response to the query.

6. A recording method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the remapping table is included in at least a part of a defect list which describes at least one defective physical sector.

7. A recording apparatus for writing data on a write-once disc,

the write-once disc having a plurality of physical sectors, the write-once disc including a volume space having a plurality of logical sectors, each of the plurality of logical sectors corresponding to one of the plurality of physical sectors,

the recording apparatus comprising:

a system controller for instructing a recording operation for the write-once disc;

a drive mechanism for performing a recording operation for the write-once disc; and

a drive control section for controlling the drive mechanism;

wherein:

the drive control section is operable to receive a write instruction which specifies at least a logical sector in which data is to be written, and to determine whether the logical sector specified by the write instruction corresponds to a recorded physical sector or an unrecorded physical sector,

when it is determined that the logical sector specified by the write instruction corresponds to an unrecorded physical sector, the drive control section controls the drive mechanism to write the data into the unrecorded physical sector, and

when it is determined that the logical sector specified by the write instruction corresponds to a recorded physical sector, the drive control section controls the drive mechanism to write the data into an unrecorded physical sector other than the recorded physical sector, the unrecorded physical sector being selected from the plurality of physical sectors corresponding to the plurality of logical sectors in the volume space, generates a remapping table including remapping information which remaps an original address of the recorded physical sector to a remapping address of the selected physical sector, and controls the drive mechanism to write the remapping table on the write-once disc;

wherein the system controller is operable to instruct the write instruction which is determined based on whether the data to be written is specified for updating a file or creating a new file,

in the case of updating a file, metadata of the file is the data to be overwritten; and

in the case of creating a new file, metadata of a directory where the new file is stored is the data to be overwritten.

8. A semiconductor integrated circuit for use in a recording apparatus for writing data on a write-once disc,

the write-once disc having a plurality of physical sectors, the write-once disc including a volume space having a plurality of logical sectors, each of the plurality of logical sectors corresponding to one of the plurality of physical sectors,

wherein:

the semiconductor integrated circuit is configured to control a file system for instructing a recording operation for the write-once disc,

the semiconductor integrated circuit is configured to control a drive mechanism for performing a recording operation for the write-once disc,

the semiconductor integrated circuit is operable to receive a write instruction which specifies at least a logical sector in which data is to be written, and to determine whether the logical sector specified by the write instruction corresponds to a recorded physical sector or an unrecorded physical sector,

when it is determined that the logical sector specified by the write instruction corresponds to an unrecorded physical sector, the semiconductor integrated circuit controls the drive mechanism to write the data into the unrecorded physical sector, and

when it is determined that the logical sector specified by the write instruction corresponds to a recorded physical sector, the semiconductor integrated circuit controls the drive mechanism to write the data into an unrecorded physical sector other than the recorded physical sector, the unrecorded physical sector being selected from the plurality of physical sectors corresponding to the plurality of logical sectors in the volume space, generates a remapping table including remapping information which remaps an original address of the recorded physical sector to a remapping address of the selected physical sector, and controls the drive mechanism to write the remapping table on the write-once disc;

wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit controls the file system to instruct the write instruction which is determined based on whether the data to be written is specified for updating a file or creating a new file,

in the case of updating a file, metadata of the file is the data to be overwritten; and

in the case of creating a new file, metadata of a directory where the new file is stored is the data to be overwritten.

9. A recording method for writing data on a write-once disc,

the write-once disc having a plurality of physical sectors, the write-once disc including a volume space having a plurality of logical sectors, each of the plurality of logical sectors corresponding to one of the plurality of physical sectors,

the recording method comprising the steps of:

in response to a first write instruction which specifies at least a logical sector in which data is to be written, writing the data into the physical sector corresponding to the logical sector specified by the first write instruction; and

in response to a second write instruction which specifies at least a logical sector in which data is to be written, writing the data into an unrecorded physical sector other than the physical sector corresponding to the logical sector specified by the second write instruction, the unrecorded physical sector being selected from the plurality of physical sectors corresponding to the plurality of logical sectors in the volume space, generating a remapping table including remapping information which remaps an original address of the physical sector corresponding to the logical sector specified by the second write instruction to a remapping address of the selected physical sector, and writing the remapping table on the write-once disc;

wherein the first and second write instruction is determined based on whether the data to be written is specified for updating a file or creating a new file,

in the case of updating a file, metadata of the file is the data to be overwritten; and

in the case of creating a new file, metadata of a directory where the new file is stored is the data to be overwritten.

10. A recording method according to claim 9 , wherein the data to be written comprises metadata including at least a file entry.

11. A recording method according to claim 9 , wherein the data to be written comprises data of a file.

12. A recording method according to claim 9 , wherein:

the data is written sequentially in a track assigned on the write-once disc, the track has a plurality of physical sectors, and

the selected unrecorded physical sector is a physical sector designated by a next writable address within a track.

13. A recording method according to claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:

receiving a query for the next writable address within a track; and

providing information indicating the next writable address within a track in response to the query.

14. A recording method according to claim 9 , wherein:

the remapping table is included in at least a part of a defect list which describes at least one defective physical sector.

15. A recording apparatus for writing data on a write-once disc,

the write-once disc having a plurality of physical sectors, the write-once disc including a volume space having a plurality of logical sectors, each of the plurality of logical sectors corresponding to one of the plurality of physical sectors,

the recording apparatus comprising:

a system controller for instructing a recording operation for the write-once disc;

a drive mechanism for performing a recording operation for the write-once disc; and

a drive control section for controlling the drive mechanism,

wherein:

in response to a first write instruction which specifies at least a logical sector in which data is to be written, the drive control section controls the drive mechanism to write the data into the physical sector corresponding to the logical sector specified by the first write instruction, and

in response to a second write instruction which specifies at least a logical sector in which data is to be written, the drive control section controls the drive mechanism to write the data into an unrecorded physical sector other than the physical sector corresponding to the logical sector specified by the second write instruction, the unrecorded physical sector being selected from the plurality of physical sectors corresponded from the plurality of logical sectors in the volume space, generates a remapping table including remapping information which remaps an original address of the physical sector corresponding to the logical sector specified by the second write instruction to a remapping address of the selected physical sector, and controls the drive mechanism to write the remapping table on the write-once disc i

wherein the system controller is operable to instruct the first and second write instruction, which is determined based on whether the data to be written is specified for updating a file or creating a new file,

in the case of updating a file, metadata of the file is the data to be overwritten; and

in the case of creating a new file, metadata of a directory where the new file is stored is the data to be overwritten.

16. A semiconductor integrated circuit for use in a recording apparatus for writing data on a write-once disc,

the write-once disc having a plurality of physical sectors, the write-once disc including a volume space having a plurality of logical sectors, each of the plurality of logical sectors corresponding to one of the plurality of physical sectors,

wherein:

the semiconductor integrated circuit is configured to control a file system for instructing a recording operation for the write-once disc,

the semiconductor integrated circuit is configured to control a drive mechanism for performing a recording operation for the write-once disc,

in response to a first write instruction which specifies at least a logical sector in which data is to be written, the semiconductor integrated circuit controls the drive mechanism to write the data into the physical sector corresponding to the logical sector specified by the first write instruction, and

in response to a second write instruction which specifies at least a logical sector in which data is to be written, the semiconductor integrated circuit controls the drive mechanism to write the data into an unrecorded physical sector other than the physical sector corresponding to the logical sector specified by the second write instruction, the unrecorded physical sector being selected from the plurality of physical sectors corresponding to the plurality of logical sectors in the volume space, generates a remapping table including remapping information which remaps an original address of the physical sector corresponding to the logical sector specified by the second write instruction to a remapping address of the selected physical sector, and controls the drive mechanism to write the remapping table on the write-once disc;

wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit controls the file system to instruct the first and second write instruction which is determined based on whether the data to be written is specified for updating a file or creating a new file,

in the case of updating a file, metadata of the file is the data to be overwritten; and

in the case of creating a new file, metadata of a directory where the new file is stored is the data to be overwritten.