Data structure for control information on rewriteable 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.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A data storage medium, the data storage medium having control data stored in the form of a data structure, the data structure comprising: 
 a data area that includes information for control of access to regions of the data storage medium, wherein a region is less than the entire data storage medium; and    a header, the header further comprising a set of bits, each bit corresponding to a form of control for access to the entire data storage medium.