Method and apparatus for error processing in optical disk memories

Abstract

The present invention more efficiently retrieves and processes data stored on an optical disk in a DVD-ROM format. Generally, the retrieval and processing of data includes inner and outer code error correction for a Reed-Solomon product like code and an error detection process for evaluating an extent of errors in a sector of data. For this device, the sector of data is encoded within a plurality of inner codes and parts of plural sectors encoded within each outer code. The device calculates an initial and an intermediate error detection value for data within the sector. The target for the error detection value is non-zero because the data within the sector are scrambled. If there is a match between the initial or intermediate error detection value, the sector can be presumed to be free of errors. Decisions as to whether error correction operations are to be made or how error correction operations are to be performed are then made on the basis of the knowledge that some or all of the sectors within a block of DVD-ROM are free of errors.

Description

PRIORITY APPLICATION[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser No. 09 / 778,628, filed Feb. 7, 2001, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into this present application.[0002] 1. Field of the Invention[0003] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for decoding data stored on a mass storage medium, for example an optical storage disk that stores data in a DVD-ROM format.[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art[0005] DVD-ROM (digital versatile disk, read only memory) is for many applications a successor product to the CD-ROM format popularly used for recording and distributing data. A single-side, single-layer DVD-ROM disk can hold up to 4.7 GB (gigabytes) of data, or about seven times the capacity of the conventional CD-ROM. The high storage capacity of DVD-ROM is achieved in part by recording data as smaller pits along narrower tracks, as compared to the way that data are stored on CD-ROM disks. DVD-ROM also achieves higher capaci...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The data format and the data encoding scheme for DVD-ROM disks are considerably different and more complex than those used for CD-ROM disks.

This initial performance disparity slowed the adoption of the DVD-ROM storage format.

On the other hand, the inclusion of parity bytes for two layers of error correction codes greatly reduces the amount of data that can be stored on a disk.

The utilization of C3 and EDC encoding further limits the capacity of digital data that can be stored on a CD-ROM.

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