1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical information storage medium and a method of recording data thereon, and more particularly, to an optical information storage medium in which data indicating a maximum writing speed, maximum and/or minimum writing speeds, or compatible writing speeds is recorded in a recordable region other than a user data area so that a disc drive can recognize the data and record information on the optical information medium at an optimal speed, and a method of recording the data on the medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical information storage medium, e.g., an optical disc, is generally employed as an information storage medium of an optical pick-up device that records and reproduces information on and from the optical disc without contacting the optical disc. Optical discs include compact discs (CDs) and digital versatile discs (DVDs), which have different storage capacities. In addition, various sub-categories of the optical discs include CD-Recordables (CD-Rs), CD-Rewritables (CD-RWs), Digital Versatile Disc-rewritables (DVD-RWs), Digital Versatile Disc-Random Access Memories (DVD-RAMs), and Digital Versatile Disc Rewritables (DVD+RWs).
As a recording speed of the optical discs increases, performance of disc drives has been improved to record data on the optical disc at the increased recording speed. In order to perform reliable recording, the disc drives operate such that they can satisfy recording characteristics accompanying the recording speed of the optical disc. However, while general disc drives reliably record data on low-speed discs, they do not satisfy the recording characteristics of high-speed discs, and thus they frequently cause damage to user data. Likewise, the disc drives for the high-speed discs can cause the damage to the user data when recording the information on the low-speed discs.
Accordingly, information on the recording speed of the optical disc is necessary for reliably recording data. The information is recorded in a predetermined region of the optical disc, and the disc drive recognizes the prescribed recording speed of the optical disc and records data on the optical disc at an optimal speed. For example, in a case of a 2X-speed disc, the information on the recording speed of the 2X-speed disc is recorded on a predetermined region of the 2X-speed disc when the 2X-speed disc is manufactured, and thus a disc drive can refer to the prescribed recording speed and the accompanying recording characteristics and thus can record the data on the 2X-speed disc at a speed of 2X.
However, the prescribed recording speed of a disc is not sometimes satisfied in a disc test. For example, a 4X-speed disc is manufactured, and the information on the recording speed of the 4X-speed disc, i.e., 4X, is recorded on a predetermined region of the 4X-speed disc, but due to various factors during manufacturing the 4X-speed disc. the recording speed of the 4X-speed disc does not reach the prescribed 4X speed. Such a disc cannot be used as the 4X-speed disc, but it may be appropriate to be used at an actual recording speed, such as a 3X speed disc or a 4X speed disc. If the above-described disc is used, the disc drive recognizes the disc as the 4X-speed disc because the recording speed is recorded as the 4X speed, and thus the disc drive records the data on the 4X-speed disc at the prescribed 4X speed. However, the actual recording speed is not 4X, and thus the recorded data can be damaged. Therefore, such discs which are manufactured to be 4X- speed discs but turn out to be 3X-speed discs or 2X-speed discs, cannot be used and are discarded.
It is very wasteful to discard the discs which fail to achieve a desired recording speed due to various manufacturing conditions but achieve a lower recording speed.