Abstract: The multilayer optical recording medium with six or more recording and reading layers disposed one above the other has at least two or more recording and reading layer groups. The recording and reading layer groups each include a plurality of recording and reading layers successively disposed one above the other. The reflectance of each of the recording and reading layers in a stacked state decreases in the order from a front side near a light incident surface toward a back side far from the light incident surface. A recording and reading layer nearest the front side among the recording and reading layers in the recording and reading layer group nearer the back side has a reflectance in a stacked state higher than that of a recording and reading layer nearest the back side among the recording and reading layers in the recording and reading layer group nearer the front side.

Abstract: The multilayer optical recording medium with at least four or more recording and reading layers disposed one above the other has at least two or more recording and reading layer groups each including the recording and reading layers successively disposed one above the other. In adjacent recording and reading layer groups with an intermediate layer interposed therebetween, a recording and reading layer nearest a front side in the recording and reading layer group nearer a back side is higher than the higher value of the reflectances in a stacked state of two recording and reading layers nearest the back side in the recording and reading layer group nearer the front side.

Abstract: A multilayered optical disk an information recording method and information reproducing method utilizing the disk includes three or more recordable or rewritable information recording layers, which has, among the plurality of information recording layers, at least a first recording layer and a second recording layer located on a side nearer to a light incident surface than the first recording layer, and which respectively has a first test area configured by a plurality of segments in the first recording layer, a second test area configured by a plurality of segments in the second recording layer, and comprising a specific area in which there is recorded information used to determine whether or not the respective segments in the first test area can be used.

Abstract: [PROBLEMS] To perform highly accurate focus control in an optical recording medium of multilayer structure having an interface of each layer with a reflectance reduced as much as possible. [SOLVING ELEMENT] In a focus control apparatus with optical pickup for use in an optical recording medium of multilayer structure, laser light irradiating device including a laser light source (50) and an objective lens (54) irradiates laser light to an optical recording medium (D), a photodetector (55) detects an optical characteristic change associated with multiphoton absorption caused when the laser light is condensed to at least one of recording layers, and in accordance with the detection result, focus control in the optical pickup is performed for an arbitrary recording layer (L1 to Ln).

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: An optical recording medium driving apparatus includes an optical pickup which irradiates first and second laser lights from one object lens with respect to an optical recording medium having a bulk layer and a tilt detection surface; a focus control portion that performs the focus control relative to each predetermined position of the optical recording medium in regard to each of the first and second laser lights; a tracking control portion that controls the position of the object lens to perform the tracking control of the first and second laser lights relative to the optical recording medium; and a tilt control portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, record carrier and method of recording data on at least two layers of a recording medium by using a radiation power, wherein individual recording speeds are determined for respective ones of the at least two layers at different values of the radiation power. A recording speed to be used for recording on an individual one of the at least two recording layers is selected based on a maximum radiation power specified for the recording operation, and the speed of the recording operation is controlled individually for each of the at least two layers based on the selected recording speed. The determination of the individual recording speeds at different radiation power values may be written or embossed on the record carrier. Furthermore, a recording sequence used for recording on the recording layers can be set based on the sensitivities and thus recording speeds. Thereby, total recording time can be minimized for multi-layer recording media.