Method of overwriting data in a multi-session disk

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of selectively overwriting data written in a multi-session disk. To selectively overwrite a session or sessions in a multi-session disk, this method checks the size of new data requested to be written, searches the multi-session disk for a single or a plurality of consecutive sessions whose total size is larger than the size of the new data, overwrites the single or the plurality of consecutive sessions discovered in the searching step with the new data, and updates temporary management information for tracks recorded in the multi-session disk to reflect the overwritten session or sessions in the temporary management information. Accordingly, one or more sessions having useless data can be selectively overwritten without affecting other sessions having important data, and storage efficiency of a rewritable disk can be improved. Furthermore, because track information in PMA exactly reflects real recorded tracks after the session selective overwriting, a location error never occurs when appending or reproducing data.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of overwriting data in a multi-session disk, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) checking the size of new data requested to be written;    (b) searching the multi-session disk for a session whose size is larger than the size of the new data;    (c) overwriting the session discovered in said step (b) with the new data; and    (d) updating temporary management information for tracks recorded in the multi-session disk to reflect the overwritten session in the temporary management information.    
     
     
         2 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said step (b) adds up each size of tracks included in a session, and selects the session if the added-up size is larger than the size of the new data.  
     
     
         3 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said step (b) adds up each size of files included in a session, each file size having been written in file system information recorded at the head of each track of the session, and selects the session if the added-up size is larger than the size of the new data.  
     
     
         4 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said step (c) pads a remaining area not overwritten in the session with null data.  
     
     
         5 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said step (d) replaces the temporary management information about tracks having been included in the overwritten session with temporary management information about the new track, and moves the temporary management information about tracks in next sessions following the overwritten session to a location right after the temporary management information about the new track.  
     
     
         6 . The method set forth in  claim 5 , wherein each track index number written in the moved temporary management information is changed appropriately to its track order.  
     
     
         7 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said step (c) conducts the overwriting operation after confirming an overwriting request from a user.  
     
     
         8 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said step (c) conducts the overwriting operation for a session selected by a user if the number of the sessions discovered in said step (b) is equal to or greater than two.  
     
     
         9 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said step (b) provides a user with file information on all files included in a session, if discovered, whose size is larger than the size of the new data.  
     
     
         10 . The method set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of updating lead-in information of the overwritten session with information about the new track.  
     
     
         11 . A method of overwriting data in a multi-session disk, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) checking the size of new data requested to be written;    (b) searching the multi-session disk for a plurality of consecutive sessions whose total size is larger than the size of the new data;    (c) overwriting the consecutive sessions discovered in said step (b) with the new data; and    (d) updating temporary management information for tracks recorded in the multi-session disk to reflect the overwritten sessions in the temporary management information.    
     
     
         12 . The method set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said step (b) adds up each size of tracks included in the consecutive sessions, and selects the consecutive sessions if the added-up size is larger than the size of the new data.  
     
     
         13 . The method set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said step (b) adds up each size of files included in the consecutive sessions, each file size having been written in file system information recorded at the head of each track belonging to the consecutive sessions, and selects the consecutive sessions if the added-up size is larger than the size of the new data.  
     
     
         14 . The method set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said step (c) pads a remaining area not overwritten in the consecutive sessions with null data.