Data Structure For Control Information On Data Storage Media

Abstract

A data storage medium includes a data structure, called a disk control block, used for administration and control information for the data storage medium. One medium may contain multiple different disk control blocks, each addressing a different function. Each disk control block includes a control block identifier that specifies the function of the disk control block. Each control block also includes a set of standard access control parameters. If a drive encounters an unrecognized disk control block, the drive can still decode the standard control parameters, so that the drive behavior is not inconsistent with the requirements of the unrecognized disk control block.

1 . A drive used in conjunction with a data storage medium, the data storage medium containing control information, the drive comprising: 
 a reading mechanism implemented to read a control data structure on the data storage medium, the control data structure including an identification, first control bits, and second control bits;    a first portion of drive firmware, the first portion implemented to extract the identification from the control data structure; and    a second portion of drive firmware, the second portion implemented to determine whether the identification is recognized;    and wherein the drive is configured to use the first control bits when the identification is recognized and to use the second control bits when the identification is not recognized.    
   
   
       2 . A drive used in conjunction with a data storage medium, the data storage medium containing control information, the drive comprising: 
 a reading mechanism implemented to read a control data structure on the data storage medium, the control data structure including an identification, first control bits, and second control bits;    a first portion of drive firmware, the first portion implemented to extract the identification from the control data structure; and    a second portion of drive firmware, the second portion implemented to determine whether the identification is recognized;    and wherein the drive is configured to use the first control bits when the identification is recognized.    
   
   
       3 . A drive used in conjunction with a data storage medium, the data storage medium containing control information, the drive comprising: 
 a reading mechanism implemented to read a control data structure on the data storage medium, the control data structure including an identification, first control bits, and second control bits;    a first portion of drive firmware, the first portion implemented to extract the identification from the control data structure; and    a second portion of drive firmware, the second portion implemented to determine whether the identification is recognized;    and wherein the drive is configured to use the second control bits when the identification is not recognized.    
   
   
       4 . A drive used in conjunction with a data storage medium, the data storage medium containing control information, the drive comprising: 
 a reading mechanism implemented to read control data from the data storage medium, the control data including identification and at least one access control specification;    a first portion of drive firmware, the first portion implemented to extract the identification from the control data; and    a second portion of drive firmware, the second portion implemented to determine whether the identification is recognized;    and wherein the drive is configured to use the at least one access control specification when the identification is recognized, and when the identification is not recognized the drive is configured to ensure that the drive does not perform an access that is inconsistent with the at least one access control specification.    
   
   
       5 . A drive used in conjunction with a data storage medium, the data storage medium containing control information, the drive comprising: 
 a reading mechanism implemented to read control data from the data storage medium, the control data including identification and at least one access control specification;    a first portion of drive firmware, the first portion implemented to extract the identification from the control data; and    a second portion of drive firmware, the second portion implemented to determine whether the identification is recognized;    and wherein the drive is configured to use the at least one access control specification when the identification is recognized.    
   
   
       6 . A drive used in conjunction with a data storage medium, the data storage medium containing control information, the drive comprising: 
 a reading mechanism implemented to read control data from the data storage medium, the control data including identification and at least one access control specification;    a first portion of drive firmware, the first portion implemented to extract the identification from the control data; and    a second portion of drive firmware, the second portion implemented to determine whether the identification is recognized;    and wherein the drive is configured to ensure that the drive does not perform an access that is inconsistent with the at least one access control specification when the identification is not recognized.    
   
   
       7 . A drive used in conjunction with a data storage medium, the data storage medium containing control information, the drive comprising: 
 a reading mechanism implemented to read control data from the data storage medium, the control data including identification;    a first portion of drive firmware, the first portion implemented to extract the identification from the control data; and    a second portion of drive firmware, the second portion implemented to determine whether the identification is recognized;    and wherein the drive is configured to use a first access control specification when the identification is recognized, and to use a second access control specification when the identification is not recognized.    
   
   
       8 . The drive of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first and second access control specifications is comprised in the control data read from the data storage medium.  
   
   
       9 . The drive of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second access control specifications are the same.  
   
   
       10 . A drive used in conjunction with a writeable data storage medium, the drive comprising: 
 a writing mechanism implemented to write a control data structure on the writeable data storage medium, the control data structure including an identification, first control bits, and second control bits;    a first portion of drive firmware, the first portion implemented to create the identification for the control data structure; and    a second portion of drive firmware, the second portion implemented to create the first and second control bits;    and wherein the first control bits are to be used by a drive that recognizes the identification, and the second control bits are to be used by a drive that does not recognize the identification.    
   
   
       11 . A drive used in conjunction with a writeable data storage medium, the drive comprising: 
 a writing mechanism implemented to write a control data structure on the writeable data storage medium, the control data structure including an identification, first control bits, and second control bits;    a first portion of drive firmware, the first portion implemented to create the identification for the control data structure; and    a second portion of drive firmware, the second portion implemented to create the first and second control bits;    and wherein the first control bits are to be used by a drive that recognizes the identification.    
   
   
       12 . A drive used in conjunction with a writeable data storage medium, the drive comprising: 
 a writing mechanism implemented to write a control data structure on the writeable data storage medium, the control data structure including an identification, first control bits, and second control bits;    a first portion of drive firmware, the first portion implemented to create the identification for the control data structure; and    a second portion of drive firmware, the second portion implemented to create the first and second control bits;    and wherein the second control bits are to be used by a drive that does not recognize the identification.    
   
   
       13 . A data storage medium, comprising: 
 a control data structure on the data storage medium, the control data structure including an identification, first control bits, and second control bits;    wherein the identification is configured to be extracted by a drive reading the data storage medium;    wherein the first control bits are configured to be used by the drive when the identification is recognized; and    wherein the second control bits are configured to be used by the drive when the identification is not recognized.    
   
   
       14 . A data storage medium, comprising: 
 a control data structure;    an identification included within the control data structure;    first control bits included within the control data structure; and    second control bits included within the control data structure.    
   
   
       15 . The data storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the identification is configured to be extracted by a drive reading the data storage medium.  
   
   
       16 . The data storage medium of  claim 14  or  15 , wherein the first control bits are configured to be used by the drive when the identification is recognized.  
   
   
       17 . The data storage medium of  claim 14 ,  15 , or  16 , wherein the second control bits are configured to be used by the drive when the identification is not recognized.  
   
   
       18 . A data storage medium, comprising: 
 a control data structure;    an identification;    first control bits; and    second control bits.    
   
   
       19 . The data storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the identification is included in the control data structure.  
   
   
       20 . The data storage medium of  claim 18  or  19 , wherein the first control bits are included in the control data structure.  
   
   
       21 . The data storage medium of  claim 18 ,  19 , or  20 , wherein the second control bits are included in the control data structure.  
   
   
       22 . The data storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the first control bits are used by a drive that recognizes the identification.  
   
   
       23 . The data storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the second control bits are used by a drive that does not recognize the identification  
   
   
       24 . A writeable data storage medium, comprising an area configured to have written therein a control data structure, the control data structure including an identification, first control bits, and second control bits, and wherein the first control bits are to be used by a drive that recognizes the identification and the second control bits are to be used by a drive that does not recognize the identification.  
   
   
       25 . A writeable data storage medium, comprising an area configured to have written therein a control data structure, the control data structure including an identification, first control bits, and second control bits, and wherein the first control bits are to be used by a drive that recognizes the identification.  
   
   
       26 . A writeable data storage medium, comprising an area configured to have written therein a control data structure, the control data structure including an identification, first control bits, and second control bits, and wherein the second control bits are to be used by a drive that does not recognize the identification.  
   
   
       27 . A method of writing to a writeable data storage medium, comprising: 
 configuring a control data structure that includes an identification, first control bits, and second control bits; and    writing the control data structure onto the writeable data storage medium;    wherein the first control bits are to be used by a drive that recognizes the identification, and the second control bits are to be used by a drive that does not recognize the identification.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the control data structure is written to a specific area of the data storage medium designated to receive the control data structure.