Abstract: There is provided a reproduction apparatus for reproducing stream data recorded on a recording medium, the stream data containing menu item coordinate information representing a display location of a menu item and image information representing an image. The reproduction apparatus includes: a reading section for reading the stream data from the recording medium; an extraction section for extracting the menu item coordinate information contained in the stream data; a reproduction section for reproducing the image information contained in the stream data; a determination section for determining whether or not the menu item has been selected by comparing the extracted menu item coordinate information against a user input in the form of coordinate information; and an execution section for executing a process corresponding to the menu item if the menu item is determined to have been selected.

Abstract: A content recording method using a communication means, including reading from a recording medium identification information unique to that recording medium, receiving through the communication means permission information for permitting recording of content on that recording medium, receiving content information through the communication means, and after confirming validity of the permission information, encrypting the received content information using both the unique identification information and a cipher key, and recording the encrypted content information on the recording medium.

Abstract: According to a recording method for a conventional rewritable disc, the latest data is recorded by rewriting data in an identical area. In the case of a disc of which the number of times of data rewrite is limited, this causes a problem that a defect block is easily generated. The present invention has an objective of providing an information recording medium, an information recording and reproduction method, and an information recording and reproduction system apparatus, by which data is recorded sequentially from an unallocated area after an entry sector number, and data recording is sequentially repeated from an inner portion to an outer portion.

Abstract: An information recording method for recording information on a recording medium having a volume space by a system including a drive control unit and a system control unit includes the steps of: the system control unit notifying the drive control unit of position information indicating a position of a spare area assigned in the volume space; the drive control unit recording information, which is to be recorded in a defective area, in the spare area based on the position information; the drive control unit generating replacement information on the position at which the information is recorded in the spare area, and notifying the system control unit of the replacement information; the system control unit instructing the drive control unit to change management information for managing the information recorded on the recording medium based on the replacement information; and the drive control unit changing the management information based on the instruction.

Abstract: According to a recording method for a conventional rewritable disc, the latest data is recorded by rewriting data in an identical area. In the case of a disc of which the number of times of data rewrite is limited, this causes a problem that a defect block is easily generated. The present invention has an objective of providing an information recording medium, an information recording and reproduction method, and an information recording and reproduction system apparatus, by which data is recorded sequentially from an unallocated area after an entry sector number, and data recording is sequentially repeated from an inner portion to an outer portion.

Abstract: The recording apparatus of the present invention includes: a file generating section for receiving video data and audio data and generating a video data file and an audio data file; a dividing section for dividing the video data file into a plurality of video data elements and dividing the audio data file into a plurality of audio data elements, an arranging section for arranging data such that the video data elements and the audio data elements are recorded within a predetermined recording unit; and a recording section for recording the arranged data on an information recording medium.

Abstract: An optical disc recording apparatus for recording a video object onto an optical disc. A recording area of the optical disc is divided into a plurality of zones which each include a plurality of adjacent tracks. The optical disc recording apparatus includes: a reading unit for reading from the optical disc the sector information showing data assignment for sectors on the optical disc; a recording unit for recording the video object onto the optical disc; and a control unit for controlling the reading unit and the recording unit. The control unit detects at least one series of consecutive unassigned sectors on the optical disc by referring to the read sector information. Each series has a total size greater than a minimum size and is located within a single zone. The minimum size corresponds to a data amount that ensures uninterrupted reproduction of the video object. The control unit also controls the recording unit to record the video object into the detected series.

Abstract: A method for accessing an information recording medium in which a data area is allocated is provided. First file management information which provides a first access method and second file management information which provides a second access method are recorded in the information recording medium. The first file management information and the second file management information manage files recorded in the information recording medium. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of: (a) reading out one of the first file management information and the second file management information; and (b) accessing the data area with the access method provided by one of the read out first file management information and the read out second file management information.

Abstract: The operating and other procedures of a disk or recording medium application system of the type for which a network is used are simplified. Disks or recording media have auxiliary data recording areas, where different IDs for individual disk, and/or cipher keys and/or decoding keys for ciphers are recorded in advance in a factory. By using the IDs to release the soft ciphers, and using the cipher keys when sending the ciphers, and using the decoding keys when receiving the ciphers, user authorization procedures are simplified.

Abstract: A host information memory is provided in a semiconductor memory card and a data write start address and a data size supplied by an access unit are stored. A free physical area generation section determines whether or not to perform erasing of an invalid block of a nonvolatile memory when writing of data based on the data write start address and data size, and determines the number of blocks to be erased. When erasing, writing of data and erasing of invalid blocks are simultaneously performed with respect to different memory chips. Erase process of data, herewith, can be optimized and high speed access from the access unit to a semiconductor memory card can be realized.

Abstract: A recording and reproduction apparatus includes a first decoding section for outputting first decoded data generated by decoding the first data; a second decoding section for outputting second decoded data generated by decoding the second data; and a control section for calculating a first time period, from a start point of a seek operation of the reading section from the read finish point of first data to the read start point of second data until the first decoding section completes output of the first decoded data, and a second time period, from the start point of the seek operation until the second decoded data is allowed to be output by the second decoding section; and comparing a length of the calculated first time period and a length of the calculated second time period.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical disk barcode forming method wherein, as information to be barcoded, position information for piracy prevention, which is a form of ID, is coded as a barcode and is recorded by laser trimming on a reflective film in a PCA area of an optical disk. When playing back the thus manufactured optical disk on a reproduction apparatus, the barcode data can be played back using the same optical pickup.

Abstract: An optical disc recording apparatus for recording a video object onto an optical disc. A recording area of the optical disc is divided into a plurality of zones which each include a plurality of adjacent tracks. The optical disc recording apparatus includes: a reading unit for reading from the optical disc the sector information showing data assignment for sectors on the optical disc; a recording unit for recording the video object onto the optical disc; and a control unit for controlling the reading unit and the recording unit. The control unit detects at least one series of consecutive unassigned sectors on the optical disc by referring to the read sector information. Each series has a total size greater than a minimum size and is located within a single zone. The minimum size corresponds to a data amount that ensures uninterrupted reproduction of the video object. The control unit also controls the recording unit to record the video object into the detected series.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical disk barcode forming method wherein, as information to be barcoded, position information for piracy prevention, which is a form of ID, is coded as a barcode and is recorded by laser trimming on a reflective film in a PCA area of an optical disk. When playing back the thus manufactured optical disk on a reproduction apparatus, the barcode data can be played back using the same optical pickup.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical disk barcode forming method wherein, as information to be barcoded, position information for piracy prevention, which is a form of ID, is coded as a barcode and is recorded by laser trimming on a reflective film in a PCA area of an optical disk. When playing back the thus manufactured optical disk on a reproduction apparatus, the barcode data can be played back using the same optical pickup.

Abstract: According to a recording method for a conventional rewritable disc, the latest data is recorded by rewriting data in an identical area. In the case of a disc of which the number of times of data rewrite is limited, this causes a problem that a defect block is easily generated. The present invention has an objective of providing an information recording medium, an information recording and reproduction method, and an information recording and reproduction system apparatus, by which data is recorded sequentially from an unallocated area after an entry sector number, and data recording is sequentially repeated from an inner portion to an outer portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical disk barcode forming method wherein, as information to be barcoded, position information for piracy prevention, which is a form of ID, is coded as a barcode and is recorded by laser trimming on a reflective film in a PCA area of an optical disk. When playing back the thus manufactured optical disk on a reproduction apparatus, the barcode data can be played back using the same optical pickup.

Abstract: According to a recording method for a conventional rewritable disc, the latest data is recorded by rewriting data in an identical area. In the case of a disc of which the number of times of data rewrite is limited, this causes a problem that a defect block is easily generated. The present invention has an objective of providing an information recording medium, an information recording and reproduction method, and an information recording and reproduction system apparatus, by which data is recorded sequentially from an unallocated area after an entry sector number, and data recording is sequentially repeated from an inner portion to an outer portion.

Abstract: An information recording medium including a plurality of sectors of the present invention includes: a first spare area including a spare sector for replacing a defective sector among the plurality of sectors; a defect management information area for managing the replacement of the defective sector by the spare sector; and a volume space in which user data can be recorded. The volume space is configured so that a second spare area including a spare sector for replacing a defective sector among the plurality of sectors can be additionally allocated. Location information indicating a location of the second spare area is recorded in the defect management information area.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a marking forming apparatus, a method of forming a laser marking on an optical disk, a reproduction apparatus, an optical disk, and a method of manufacturing an optical disk, capable of providing a greatly improved copy prevention capability as compared to prior known construction. To achieve this object, in the optical disk of the invention, for example, a marking is formed by a laser on a reflective film of a disk holding data written thereon and at least position information of the marking or information concerning the position information is written on the disk in an encrypted form or with a digital signature appended thereto.