Method of disk recording using alternative recording tracks

Claim 1

A method for recording data on a disklike recording medium in a read after write system having a plurality of primary recording tracks, and a substitute map recording area with each of the plurality of primary recording tracks having a predetermined number of primary recording sectors and a predetermined number of alternate recording sectors comprising the steps of: (a) accessing one of said plurality of primary recording tracks; (b) accessing one of said predetermined number of primary recording sectors of said one primary recording track; (c) determining whether said one primary recording sector contains errors; (d) writing data to said one primary recording sector when errors are determined to be absent from said one recording sector; (e) accessing one of said predetermined number of alternate recording sectors when errors are determined to exist in said one recording sector; (f) determining whether said one alternate recording sector is available for writing data; (g) writing data to said one alternate recording sector when said one alternate recording sector is available for writing data; (h) determining whether one of said predetermined number of alternate recording sectors is available to be accessed when said one alternate recording sector fails to be available for writing data and accessing said one alternate recording sector that is determined to be available; (i) repeating steps (f) - (h) when one of said predetermined number of alternate recording sectors is available to be accessed; and (j) writing data to an alternate recording track and writing substitute map information to the substitute map recording area indicative of the location of said one primary recording track and said one primary recording sector when each of said predetermined number of alternate recording sectors fails to be available for access.

Claim 2

A method for recording data on a disklike recording medium in a read after write system having a plurality of primary recording tracks, and a substitute map recording area with each of the plurality of primary recording tracks having a predetermined number of primary recording sectors and a predetermined number of alternate recording sectors comprising the steps of: (a) accessing one of said plurality of primary recording tracks; (b) accessing one of said predetermined number of primary recording sectors of said one primary recording track; (c) determining whether said one primary recording sector contains errors; (d) writing data to said one primary recording sector when errors are determined to be absent from said one recording sector; (e) accessing one of said predetermined number of alternate recording sectors when errors are determined to exist in said one recording sector; (f) determining whether said one alternate recording sector is available for writing data; (g) writing data to said one alternate recording sector when said one alternate recording sector is available for writing data; (h) determining whether one of said predetermined number of alternate recording sectors is available to be accessed when said one alternate recording sector fails to be available for writing data and accessing said one alternate recording sector that is determined to be available; (i) repeating steps (f) - (h) when one of said predetermined number of alternate recording sectors is available to be accessed; and (j) writing data to an alternate recording track and writing substitute map information to the substitute map recording area indicative of the location of said one primary recording track and said one primary recording sector when each of said predetermined number of alternate recording sectors fails to be available for access.