Abstract: A reproducing method, reproducing apparatus, recording method and recording apparatus provide read/record data in an efficient way to a storage medium.

Abstract: A storage medium includes a first area configured to have data stored therein in a first recording format; a second area configured to have data stored therein in a second recording format; a management table configured to manage a replacement area for a defect area in a data area in the storage medium, the management table being stored in the second area; an alert track stored in the first area; and a management data configured to manage the managing table and the alert track, the management data stored in the first area, wherein an end position of the first area is set a predetermined distance apart from a start position of the second area.

Abstract: A recording method is responsive to a user-initiated single instruction, that includes the steps of copying content data from a storage medium loaded in a first apparatus to a data storage device of a second apparatus; and setting a predetermined check-out count from a predetermined count to the predetermined count minus one, the predetermined check-out count including control information corresponding to a predetermined number of times the content data is allowed to be copied to the data storage device. A storage medium driving apparatus implements the recording method described above.

Abstract: A recording method includes the steps of reading a management table for managing whether data are recorded on a recording medium in units of a first recording segment; detecting whether the first recording segment is associated with a second recording segment smaller than the first recording segment according to a designation of data recording in units of the second recording segment into the recording medium; discriminating from data in the management table whether it is possible to read data of the first recording segment; reading the data in units of the first recording segment and temporarily recording the data to a memory when in the discriminating step it is determined that it is possible to read data in units of the first recording segment; recording data to a part of the first recording segment recorded in the memory in units of the second recording segment; and recording data of the first recording segment that was temporarily recorded in the memory to the storage medium.

Abstract: A track management method includes steps of obtaining track information from a play order table having track information entries arranged in a predetermined play order, the track information corresponds to a track to be deleted and points to a track descriptor in a track information table; obtaining the track descriptor, the track descriptor including a decryption key corresponding to the track to be deleted and pointer information that points to one of a plurality of part descriptors in a part information table; advancing the predetermined play order for a subset of the plurality of track information entries that follow the track to be deleted in the predetermined play order; reading the one of a plurality of part descriptors; separating in a file system a data block that is a part of a file specified by part pointer information in the part descriptor from the file managed by the file system and freeing the data block on the file system, the part pointer information pointing to a part of the file that includ

Abstract: A terminal generates predetermined music information on a reproduced piece of music and reproduction frequency information including a reproduction count of the piece of music. Then, the terminal transmits the reproduction frequency information and its own apparatus ID to a server. When receiving the reproduction frequency information and the apparatus ID, the server computes a similarity coefficient between pieces of music reproduced by the terminal and an other terminal on the basis of the terminals' reproduction frequency information and apparatus IDs. The server then catalogs the computed similarity coefficient on a favorite list by associating the similarity coefficient with the reproduction frequency information's music information and the apparatus IDs. The server also identifies at least a similar piece of music reproduced by the terminal and the other terminal by referring to the favorite list.

Abstract: A service offering system is disclosed which includes a recording element for recording a unique identifier to each of a plurality of storage media issued, a database for storing and managing the identifiers, a reading element for reading the recorded identifier from any of the storage media, a checking element for checking the identifier read by the reading element against the identifiers managed in the database and a service offering element for offering a service to the storage medium identified by the checked identifier depending on a result of the check by the checking element.

Abstract: An editing apparatus for editing coded data coded in a predetermined unit to be stored into a storage medium includes a designation section, an evaluation section and a notification section. The designation section designates an editing position of the coded data. The evaluation section evaluates a playback state when the coded data are played back from the editing position designated by the designation section. The notification section notifies a user of the editing apparatus of an evaluation result by the evaluation section.