Redundancy protection for data recorded across multiple layers of recording media

A data storage device operable to record data to and read data from multiple layers of rotating storage media, comprising:

• a data input coupled to receive a data stream U to be recorded to rotating storage media having a plurality L of recordable layers, the data stream U comprising a sequence of data bits where U(J) represents the Jth bit in the data stream U;
• an encoder for encoding each data bit U(J) into X representation bits B(1,J), B(2,J), . . . B(X,J);
• means for recording the first representation bit B(1,J) onto a first layer of the storage media, recording the second representation bit B(2,J) onto a second layer of the storage media, and recording the Lth representation bit B(L,J) onto the L of the storage media and repeating the process for each remaining representation bit such that the L+1th bit is recorded onto the first layer, the L+2nd bit is recorded onto the second layer and the 2Lth bit is recorded onto the Lth layer;
• a command input for receiving a request from a host device to read the recorded data U from the storage media;
• means for reading back a plurality of the X representation bits B(1,J), B(2,J), . . . B(X,J) from the storage media;
• and
• a decoder for decoding the plurality X representation bits B(1,J), B(2,J), . . . B(X,J) into the original data bit U(J).

A computer program product of a computer readable medium usable with a programmable computer, the computer program product having computer-readable code embodied therein for recording data to and reading data from multiple layers of rotating storage media, the computer-readable code comprising instructions for:

• receiving a data stream U to be recorded to rotating storage media having a plurality L of recordable layers, the data stream U comprising a sequence of data bits where U(J) represents the Jth bit in the data stream U;
• encoding each data bit U(J) into X representation bits B(1,J), B(2,J), . . . B(X,J);
• recording the first representation bit B(1,J) onto a first layer of the storage media, recording the second representation bit B(2,J) onto a second layer of the storage media, and recording the Lth representation bits-bit B(L,J) onto Lth layer of the storage media and repeating the process for each remaining representation bit such that the L+1th bit is recorded onto the first layer, the L+2nd bit is recorded onto the second layer and the 2Lth bit is recorded onto the Lth layer;
• receiving a request from a host device to read the recorded data U from the storage media;
• reading back a plurality of the X representation bits B(1,J), B(2,J), . . . B(X,J) from the storage media;
• and
• decoding the plurality of X representation bits B(1,J), B(2,J), . . . B(X,J) into the original data bit U(J).