Abstract: An information storage medium and a recording/reproducing apparatus and method, the information storage medium includes: an area for recording information regarding a predetermined function applied thereto, wherein the information regarding the predetermined function includes specific information in which set information regarding the predetermined function is set by a recording/reproducing apparatus that can recognize the predetermined function, and common information set by the recording/reproducing apparatus that can recognize the predetermined function based on corresponding information dependent upon the set information so that a recording/reproducing apparatus that cannot recognize the predetermined function can use the predetermined function. Accordingly, a recording/reproducing apparatus that cannot recognize a predetermined function can properly use a medium having the predetermined function.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optical recording medium is provided in which interlayer crosstalk is low and in which stable and high-quality recording characteristics can be obtained. To this end, an optical recording medium comprises a first recording part which includes a first recording layer and a first light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side closer to a light receiving surface, and a second recording part which includes a second recording layer and a second light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side farther from the light receiving surface, the first recording part and the second recording part being stacked, wherein the thickness of the second light reflecting layer is larger than the thickness of the first light reflecting layer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information storage medium in which layer 0 and layer 1 are arranged from a read surface, a system lead-in area, data lead-in area, data area, and middle area are arranged from an inner circumference of the layer 0, and a system lead-out area, data lead-out area, data area, and middle area are arranged from an inner circumference of the layer 1. A guard track zone is arranged on a side of the data area in the data lead-out area, and a reference code zone, R physical format information zone, recording management zone, and drive test zone are arranged in the data lead-in area of the layer 0 and padding of the guard track zone of the data lead-out area is performed after padding of the drive test zone of data lead-in area and recording of the recording management zone.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information storage medium in which layer 0 and layer 1 are arranged from a read surface, a system lead-in area, data lead-in area, data area, and middle area are arranged from an inner circumference of the layer 0, and a system lead-out area, data lead-out area, data area, and middle area are arranged from an inner circumference of the layer 1. A guard track zone is arranged on a side of the data area in the data lead-out area, and a reference code zone, R physical format information zone, recording management zone, and drive test zone are arranged in the data lead-in area of the layer 0 and padding of the guard track zone of the data lead-out area is performed after padding of the drive test zone of data lead-in area and recording of the recording management zone.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information storage medium in which layer 0 and layer 1 are arranged from a read surface, a system lead-in area, data lead-in area, data area, and middle area are arranged from an inner circumference of the layer 0, and a system lead-out area, data lead-out area, data area, and middle area are arranged from an inner circumference of the layer 1. A guard track zone is arranged on a side of the data area in the data lead-out area, and a reference code zone, R physical format information zone, recording management zone, and drive test zone are arranged in the data lead-in area of the layer 0 and padding of the guard track zone of the data lead-out area is performed after padding of the drive test zone of data lead-in area and recording of the recording management zone.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical information recording medium that can solve a problem that a BCA mark becomes unrecognizable in an optical recording medium including a recording layer using an organic coloring matter. A playback signal in a burst cut area comprises a bright-area amplitude level formed upon the playback of a part where no barcode-shaped mark has been formed, a dark-area amplitude level formed upon the playback of a part where a barcode-shaped mark has been formed, and a maximum amplitude level having a protruded waveform formed upon the reproduction of the edge of a barcode-shaped mark. When a portion intermediate between the maximum amplitude level and the dark-part amplitude level is defined as an intermediate level, the intermediate level is lower than the bright-area amplitude level.

Abstract: A recording medium read/write method and apparatus are disclosed. The present invention records version information of a corresponding recording medium as read/write control information within the recording medium. The version information includes write compatibility version information and read compatibility version information. The read/write apparatus efficiently performs the read/write of the recording medium with reference to the version informations recorded within the recording medium.

Abstract: Methods and devices or writing an optical record carrier, in which a mark representing recorded data is written in a phase-change layer of a record carrier by a sequence of radiation pulses. A rear heating pulse is introduced after a last write pulse and a front heating pulse is introduced before the first write pulse. The power level of the front heating pulse and the power level of the rear heating pulse may be dependent on the length of the mark to be recorded and on properties of the record carrier.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus and method can prevent an information recording medium having a plurality of recording layers from being incompatible with a reproduction-only information recording medium due to an unrecorded area, which is produced by completion of recording in a middle of a data area of the recording layer. The recording layers include at least a first recording layer and a second recording layer, the first recording layer providing a reference with respect to a position of said data area in each of the recording layers. The user data is recorded in response to a recording request. After recording the user data, predetermined data is recorded in a predetermined unrecorded area in the second recording layer.