Abstract: An optical disc 1 includes a defect management area (DMA). A plurality of defective area lists (TDFLs) and structure information (TDDS) are recorded in a temporary defect management area (TDMS) of the defect management area (DMA). The defective area lists (TDFLs) indicate at least one defective area which was detected during an access to the optical disc 1. The structure information (TDDS) includes a plurality of pieces of position information that indicate positions of the defective area lists (TDFLs). The plurality of pieces of position information, corresponding one-to-one to the defective area lists, are arranged in the structure information (TDDS) in an order in which the defective area lists (TDFLs) corresponding thereto are read out.

Abstract: In an information recording medium for recording and reproducing data thereon on a sector-by-sector basis, the recorded data being managed as at least one file by using a file structure, the file structure includes unused space management information for identifying a used region and an unused region. At least one defective region is registered as an unused region in the unused space management information, the at least one defective region being a region on the information recording medium which is incapable of proper reproduction of the recorded data.

Abstract: A write-once recording medium is provided, which comprises a management information area for recording management information for managing a recorded state, and a user data area for recording user data. The user data area is configured to contain at least one recording area. At least one session is configured to contain at least one of the at least one recording area. The management information contains range information indicating a recording range of the at least one recording area and identification information for identifying the recording area located at a boundary of the session.

Abstract: Performing sequential recording to alternate destinations of an information recording medium and improving access performance of accessing the information recording medium are achieved by estimating sequential defective areas of the information recording medium based on prescribed conditions, allocating blocks of a spare area as alternate destinations of the defective areas, and performing alternate recording to the allocated alternate destinations, in response to a recording request to record information to the sequential defective areas. The above can be achieved because the use of the alternate destinations will help to prevent a time-out from occurring due to he the defective areas.

Abstract: In an information recording medium in which storage capacity per recording layer has increased so much that the size of an SBM varies with those of spare areas, there is mutual dependence between a DDS and an SBM and it is difficult to retrieve disc management information as intended. In an information recording medium according to the present invention, if the largest space is allocated to an user data area, the number of blocks to store a space bitmap is Ni (where Ni?2). But if the smallest space is allocated to the user data area, the number of blocks to use is smaller than Ni.

Abstract: A multi-layered information recording medium comprising a plurality of recording layers, a user data area for recording user data, provided in at least two of the plurality of recording layers, and a defect list storing area for storing a defect list. When at least one defective area is detected in the user data area, the defect list is used to manage the at least one defective area.

Abstract: The present invention is to realize a proper inner zone layout in an optical disk having at least three layers. A test area is provided in the inner zone (inner circumference side area) in each of recording layers. The test areas of each layer are so disposed as to be prevented from overlapping with each other in the layer direction. Furthermore, the number of management information recording/reproduction areas overlapping with the test area in the layer direction at a position closer to the laser-incident surface than this test area is set equal to or smaller than one in each test area of each recording layer. The management information recording/reproduction areas are each so disposed as to be prevented from overlapping with the test areas in the respective recording layers in the layer direction on the disk substrate side of the test areas.

Abstract: If a defective cluster in a spare area is managed with a defect entry, the size of a DFL will increase as the size of the spare area increases with an increase in the number of recording layers stacked in a disc. An information recording medium according to the present invention has pointer information indicating the location of the next available cluster in each spare area, and restricts the direction in which the spare area is used. Also, a defect entry indicating a defective cluster in the spare area is registered with the DFL. Thus, even if the size of the spare area 15 increases, the size of the DFL 21 can be kept relatively small. Furthermore, even after physical reformatting is done, a defective cluster, if any, in the spare area 15 can still be recognized as a defect and the control operation can be performed so that a replacement cluster is not re-allocated to that defective cluster (i.e., the defective cluster is not used).

Abstract: An information recording apparatus is provided with a recording controller for recording data on an information recording medium, a verification controller for verifying whether or not the recorded data can be correctly reproduced, a continuous recording controller for providing a gap region of a specified interval between a verification region and a recording region and successively performing a verify processing and a record processing with rotation waiting in between, an error region discriminator for discriminating an error region in the event of an error in the process of performing the verify processing and the record processing, and an error processor for performing an error processing according to the error region. The error processor performs an error processing different from the one performed when an error occurred in either one of the verification region and the recording region if an error is discriminated to have occurred in the gap region.

Abstract: Minimized is the influence which is exerted by recording calibration (test recording) such as power calibration, strategy calibration or the like, performed in an area for recording calibration (recording calibration area or test area) provided in each of a plurality of recording layers, on recording calibration performed in the other recording layers. On a recording medium, data is recorded on at least one of a plurality of recording layers by laser light incident on a surface of the recording medium. The plurality of recording layers include a first recording layer, and second through N-th recording layers (N is an integer of 3 or greater) which are sequentially located in a direction from the first recording layer toward the surface on which the laser is incident. The plurality of recording layers each have a first calibration area and a second calibration area located outer to the first calibration area.

Abstract: According to the present invention, the size of defect management information is reduced by using a top spare area 102 and middle spare areas 103 in the ascending order of their physical block addresses and spare areas can be expanded more easily by using only the last spare area 104 in the descending order of its physical block addresses.

Abstract: A write-once read-many information recording medium is provided, which is capable of easily searching for a latest DDS and a latest defect list. At least one disc management working area is sequentially allocated in a predetermined direction on the write-once read-many information recording medium of the present invention. The latest defect list and the latest DDS are provided in a recorded disc management working area neighboring a border between the recorded disc management working area and an unrecorded disc management working area, where the latest defect list precedes the latest DDS in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: If a defective cluster in a spare area is managed with a defect entry, the size of a DFL will increase as the size of the spare area increases with an increase in the number of recording layers stacked in a disc. An information recording medium according to the present invention has pointer information indicating the location of the next available cluster in each spare area, and restricts the direction in which the spare area is used. Also, a defect entry indicating a defective cluster in the spare area is registered with the DFL. Thus, even if the size of the spare area 15 increases, the size of the DFL 21 can be kept relatively small. Furthermore, even after physical reformatting is done, a defective cluster, if any, in the spare area 15 can still be recognized as a defect and the control operation can be performed so that a replacement cluster is not re-allocated to that defective cluster (i.e., the defective cluster is not used).

Abstract: In a method for recording information on an information recording medium having a data recording area for storing user data and a test area used for test recording by a recording apparatus, it is detected whether the test area is unusable when executing the test recording. The test recording is executed in the test area when the test area is detected not to be unusable, or executed in the data recording area when detected to be unusable. Management information relating to the test recording executed in the data recording area is recorded in a predetermined area. Hence, it is possible to eliminate a limit of number of times of test recording which depends on the size of the test recording area.

Abstract: The present invention provides a measure for getting read/write control information stored within a space of a predetermined size in a format that ensures compatibility with media of a lower order or an older generation even if the size of the read/write control information increases significantly as the storage densities of information storage media rise in the near future. On an information storage medium, a data sequence is writable as a combination of marks and spaces. The medium has at least one information storage layer, which has an information storage area to store information and a control information area for use to perform a read/write operation on the at least one information storage layer. The control information area stores at least one set of control information, which includes a first kind of write pulse information including information to be used as a reference value and a second kind of write pulse information including information to be used as an offset value.

Abstract: An information recording medium according to the present invention includes three or more information recording layers. Each of the plurality of information recording layers includes a test recording area usable for adjusting a recording condition. One of the plurality of information recording layers includes a reproduction-only management data area in which management data usable for managing the information recording medium is pre-recorded. One information recording layer includes a recordable management data area in which management data usable for managing the information recording medium is newly writable. Each of the other two or more information recording layers among the plurality of information recording layers includes a test recording area at a radial position overlapping the radial position of a part of the reproduction-only management data area. In the one recording layer including the recordable management data area, the recordable management data area is provided at two positions, i.e.

Abstract: A multi-layered information recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, the multi-layered information recording medium comprising: a user data area for recording user data; and a plurality of spare areas including at least one replacement region, wherein when the user data area includes at least one defect region, the at least one replacement region may be used in place of the at least one defect region, wherein a first spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a first user data area of a first recording layer, a second spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a second user data area of a second recording layer, and the first spare area and the second spare area are positioned approximately at the same radial position on the multi-layered information recording medium.

Abstract: An information recording medium is provided, which comprises a plurality of recording layers and a first disc information area for storing parameters relating to access to the plurality of recording layers and formats relating to the plurality of recording layers. The first disc information area is provided in a first recording layer which is one of the plurality of recording layers.

Abstract: A control apparatus is provided for controlling an access means for accessing a recording medium containing at least one area so that the access means accesses the at least one area. The apparatus comprises a means for determining whether or not at least one first recorded area storing data is included in the at least one area, and a means for controlling the access means. When it is determined that the at least one first recorded area is included in the at least one area, the control means controls the access means based on a result of accessing the at least one first recorded area.

Abstract: Information recording media 101 and 102 usable for either a first recording density D1 or a second recording density D2 each include a user data area 106 in which user data is to be recorded, a first defect management information area 108 in which first defect management information for managing a defect area in the user data area is to be recorded, and a second defect management information area 109 in which second defect management information having an identical content to that of the first defect management information is to be recorded. The first and second defect management information areas 108 and 109 are located such that angles ?1 and ?2 made by start blocks thereof fulfill the relationships of 150°??1?210° and 150°??2?210° (?1: in the case of the first recording density, and ?2: in the case of the second recording density).