K»

FORM 2
The Patents Act, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patent Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM, RECORDING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AN INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM, REPRODUCING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AN INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR CONTROLLING RECORD OR REPRODUCTION, AND DATA STRUCTURE INCLUDING CONTROL SIGNAL.
PIONEER CORPORATION, a company incorporated in Japan having its Registered Office at 4-1, Meguro 1-chome, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8654 Japan.
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed


1
DESCRIPTION
INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM,
RECORDING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AN INFORMATION
5 RECORDING MEDIUM,
REPRODUCING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AN
INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM
COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR CONTROLLING RECORD OR
REPRODUCTION, AND
10 DATA STRUCTURE INCLUDING CONTROL SIGNAL
Technical Field
The present invention relates to an information recording medium, a recording apparatus for and a recording method of recording the record data onto the information recording medium, a reproducing apparatus for and a
15 reproducing method of reproducing the record data recorded on the information recording medium, a computer program for controlling record or reproduction, and a data structure including a control signal for controlling record or
20 reproduction.
Background Art
As a technique of improving the reliability of the recording and reading of the record data on a high-density recording medium, such as an optical disc, a magnetic disc, and a magneto optical disc, there is defect management. Namely, when there are scratches or

2
dusts, or deterioration (which are collectively referred to as a
"defect") on the recording medium, the data to be recorded or already
recorded at the position of the defect is recorded into another area on
the recording medium (which is referred to as a "spare area"). In
5 this manner, by evacuating the record data, which is possibly
imperfectly or incompletely recorded or read because of the defect, to
the spare area, it is possible to improve the reliability of the
recording and reading of the record data (refer to Japanese Patent
Application Laying Open NO. Hei 11-185390).
10 In general, a defect list is made to perform the defect
management. On the defect list, there are recorded address
information for indicating the position of a defect on the recording
medium, and address information for indicating the position of the
spare area (e.g. a recording position in the spare area) to which the
15 data to be recorded or already recorded at the position of the defect is evacuated.
In general, the defect list is made when an initial logical format for initializing the recording medium or recording file-system data or the like is performed. The defect list is also made when the
20 record data is recorded onto the recording medium. When the record data is recorded and rewritten several times, the defect list is made or updated whenever the record data is recorded and rewritten and a defect area is detected, or whenever the record data is evacuated to the spare area. Moreover, the defect list may be made
25 when the record data is reproduced from the recording medium. For example, if a predetermined number or more of data is

3
error-corrected with respect to a predetermined unit (e.g. a sector unit or and a cluster unit) of the record data when the record data is reproduced, the predetermined unit of the record data is judged ..or determined to be a defect which cannot be error-corrected in the
5 future and will be an object of the evacuation. As described above, the defect list is made or updated whenever the record data is evacuated to the spare area.
When the record data is recorded onto the recording medium, the defect list is referred to. This allows the recording of the record
10 data onto the recording medium away from the position of a defect. On the other hand, the defect list is also referred to when the record data recorded on the recording medium is reproduced or read. This makes it possible to surely read both the record data recorded in a normal recording area and the record data recorded in the spare area
15 because of the presence of a defect, on the basis of the defect list.
If the defect list is managed by a recording apparatus itself for recording the data, the defect list is generally recorded into a specific area on the recording medium, which is the object of the making or updating of the defect list. The defect list is read from the recording
20 medium when the record data recorded on the recording medium is reproduced or when other record data is rewritten or additionally recorded (i.e. written once). Then the defect list is referred to in a reading operation by a reading apparatus or in a reproduction operation by a reproducing apparatus.
25 Disclosure of Invention

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If the defect list is managed by the recording apparatus, the defect list is recorded into the specific area on the recording medium. For example, in the case of_a_rewritabie"type optical disc using a blue laser, the defect list is recorded into a predetermined area (which is
5 hereinafter referred to as a "defect management area") reserved in a lead-in area or lead-out area on the disc. The record data to be originally recorded at the position of a defect is also recorded into the specific area on the recording medium.
As described above, the defect list is updated whenever the
10 record data is recorded and rewritten and the defect area is found at
the position, or whenever the record data is evacuated to the spare
area. Then, the defect list is overwritten or additionally recorded
(i.e. written once) in the defect management area on the recording
medium which is the object of the recording and rewriting, at an
15 appropriate timing after the defect list is updated by the recording
and rewriting of the record data. In addition, the record data to be
originally recorded at the position of a defect is also overwritten or
additionally recorded (i.e. written once) into the specific area on the
recording medium.
20 Such updating of the defect list by rewriting it can be realized
only in case that the recording medium is rewritable-type. In case
that the recording medium is a so-called "write-once-type
information recording medium", e.g., a write-once-type optical disc,
after the defect list is updated, the updated defect list is additionally
25 recorded (i.e. written once) in a new unrecorded or blank area of the
information recording medium at an appropriate timing, for example.

5
However, if the defect list is additionally recorded (i.e. written once), it is hard or impossible to judge, in reproducing, at which position of the recording medium the newest defect list is recorded, and it is necessary to search the reserved area for recording the
5 defect list, thoroughly. Also, even for the recording medium on which the reserved area for recording the defect list is dispersed at a plurality of points, it is necessary to search the plurality of areas thoroughly in the same manner.
In such circumstances particularly in the high-density
10 recording medium, such as the optical disc, there is the problem that
a time length required for searching for the newest defect list
increases, and thus that the efficiency of the reproducing or
recording deteriorates.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provided an
15 information recording medium on which the updated defect list can be efficiently searched for a recording apparatus for and a recording method of recording the record data onto the information recording medium; a reproducing apparatus for and a reproducing method of reproducing the record data recorded on the information recording
20 medium,' a computer program used for the recording apparatus or the reproducing apparatus; and a data structure including a control signal for controlling record or reproduction. (Information Recording Medium)
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by
25 an information recording medium provided with: a data area for
recording therein record data; a plurality of temporary defect

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management areas for temporarily recording therein defect management information which is a basis of defect management for a defect in the data area; and a flag area for recording therein distinction information for distinguishing a temporary defect
5 management area in which the defect management information that is effective is recorded, from the plurality of temporary defect management areas, the distinction information being recorded as a type of a combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded condition and an area left to be in an unrecorded condition according
10 to a predetermined rule, in the flag area.
According to the information recording medium of the present invention, the record data which is mainly the object of reproduction or execution and which includes, e.g., image data,* audio data; text data,* contents data,* a computer program; or the like can be recorded
15 into the data area. Then, it is possible to appropriately record and reproduce the record data recorded in the data area by recording, into a control information recording area described later, for example, control information which includes' information for indicating the attribute and type of the information recording medium of the
20 present invention; information for managing the address of the record data; information for controlling the recording and reading operations of a drive apparatus; or the like. Incidentally, the record data and the control information cannot be always clearly classified in accordance with the content thereof. However, the control
25 information is mainly used directly for the operation control of the drive apparatus, while the record data is mainly only the object of

7
recording and reading and is mainly used in a data reproduction operation or in a program execution operation by a backend or a host computer.
The defect management information of the data area is
5 temporarily recorded into the temporary defect management area. The "defect management information" in the present invention is information used for the defect management, and includes- an evacuation source address, which is an address of the position of a defect in the data area; and an evacuation destination address, which
10 is an address of the recording position of evacuation data that corresponds to the record data to be originally recorded or already recorded at the position of the defect. The defect management is as follows. When there is a defect, such as scratches, dusts, or deterioration, in or on the information recording medium of the
15 present invention, the record data is recorded into a position away from the
position of the defect. At the same time, the evacuation data is recorded into the spare
area which is an area for recording therein the record data away from the defect.
Moreover, the following processing is also performed as a part of th defect
20 management: recognizing processing which recognizes the position of a defect when the record data recorded on the information recording medium is reproduced; and reading processing which reads the evacuation data from the
spare area.
Moreover, the defect management information is preferably
25 recorded sequentially (i.e. in series or continuously). Even if it is not sequentially recorded, it is possible to obtain a reasonable effect.

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For example, the temporary defect management area is an area for temporarily recording therein the defect management information until the information recording medium of the present invention is finalized. Therefore, in reproducing the record data
5 recorded on the information recording medium until it is finalized, the defect management is performed by reading the defect management information from the temporary defect management area.
Particularly, in the present invention, the information
10 recording medium is provided with the plurality of (i.e. two or more)
temporary defect management areas, and the effective defect
management information is recorded in any one of the areas. The
"effect defect management information" in the present invention
indicates the newest defect management information and indicates
15 the defect management information having information about the
defect detected on the data area at present time. Hereinafter, the
temporary defect management area including therein the effective
defect management information is referred to as an "in-use
temporary defect management area".
20 In addition, the distinction information is recorded in the flag
area, and it indicates in which temporary defect management area
the effective defect management information is recorded. Namely, it
indicates the in-use temporary defect management area (i.e. the
position and address thereof or the like) out of the plurality of
25 temporary defect management areas.
Therefore, when, e.g., the reproducing apparatus described

9
later reproduces the record data, it is possible to specify the temporary defect management area in which the effective defect management information is recorded relatively easily and efficiently by referring to the flag area. If, there is not such a flag area, the
5 reproducing apparatus described later needs to search for the in-use temporary defect management area by thoroughly searching the plurality of temporary defect management areas. However, according to the information recording medium of the present invention, it is possible to search for the in-use temporary defect
10 management area by referring to the flag area without thoroughly searching the plurality of temporary defect management areas as described above. Namely, it is possible to search for the effective defect management information more efficiently, and as a result, it is possible to speed up the reproduction operation.
15 Moreover, according to the present invention, the distinction
information is recorded as a type of a combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded condition and an area left to be in an unrecorded condition according to a predetermined rule, in the flag area. Here, the "recorded condition” in the present invention
20 indicates such a condition that some record data is written in the flag unit area regardless of whether or not the written record data means something. On the contrary, the "unrecorded condition" in the present invention indicates such a condition that the record data is not written at all. Therefore, it is unnecessary to write the new
25 distinction information into the new flag area whenever the in-use temporary defect management area is changed. Namely, even in the

10
case of the write-once-type, it is possible to write the distinction
information, as a combination pattern of the recorded condition and
the unrecorded condition in the flag area, by changing the area in take-
unrecorded condition in the flag area, which is assigned in advance
5 according to the number of the temporary defect management areas,
to the area in the recorded condition by writing some data.
Therefore, it is unnecessary to increase the flag area or the
distinction information in order to write the distinction information
which causes such a remarkable effect, as described above. And it is
10 possible to save the area on the information recording medium.
Thus, the present invention is extremely useful, particularly for the
write-once-type information recording medium.
At this time, information for indicating each position or the
like of the plurality of temporary defect management areas on the
15 information recording medium of the present invention may be
recorded in the control information recording area described later, for example.
Consequently, according to the information recording medium
of the present invention, it is possible to distinguish the in use
20 temporary defect management area more efficiently. Therefore, it is
possible to search for the updated (i.e. the newest) defect
management information (i.e. defect list) efficiently. This makes it
possible to improve the efficiency of the record or reproduction
operation of the record data (i.e. to speed up, to simplify the
25 operation, or the like) even under operating the defect management.
Incidentally, it is preferable that the plurality of temporary

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defect management areas area used in series or continuously. Namely, after a free space (or unrecorded area) runs out in one temporary defect management area, it is preferable to use another temporary defect management area. It is also preferable that the
5 order to use is determined in advance. The information may be recorded in the control information recording area described later, in other areas, or the like.
Moreover, the information recording medium of the present
invention is preferably a write-once-type information recording
10 medium. Even if it is a rewritable-type information recording
medium, it is possible to properly receive the benefits owned by the
information recording medium of the present invention.
In one aspect of the information recording medium of the present invention, if the information recording medium is provided is with "n" temporary defect management areas (n: integral number, n 2: 2), the flag area includes "n-1" flag unit areas.
According to this aspect, it is possible to distinguish the "n" temporary defect management areas by using the "n-1" flag unit areas. Here, the "flag unit area" in the present invention indicates
20 a recording area having a predetermined size included in the flag area. Namely, the above-described distinction information is shown by using the combination of the "n-1" flag unit areas. Moreover, if the "n-1" flag unit areas is equipped, even on the write-once-type information recording medium, which is capable of recording the
25 record data only once at each position, it is possible to distinguish the temporary defect management area including therein the effective

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defect management information from the "n" temporary defect management areas.
Particularly, as the "n" takes a large number, it is more difficult to specify the temporary defect management area in which
5 the effective defect management information is recorded. The reason is that more searching processes are necessary in order to search all the temporary defect management areas thoroughly. According to the information recording medium of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently search for it regardless of the
10 number of temporary defect management areas.
As described above, in an aspect of the information recording
medium including the "n-1" flag unit areas, the distinction
information is indicated as an entire flag area by that each of the
"n-1" flag unit areas is in the recorded condition or in the unrecorded
15 condition.
By constituting in this manner, the type of the
above-described combination pattern is constructed by combining two
types of conditions owned by each of the "n-1" flag unit areas. As a
result, it is possible to distinguish the in-use temporary defect
20 management area.
With respect to the write-once-type information recording
medium, if once the flag unit area is set to be in the recorded
condition, it is difficult to set the flag unit area to be in the
unrecorded condition. However, even in the case of the
25 write-once-type information recording medium, if the "n-1" flag unit areas are provided, as described above, it is possible to appropriately

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record them as the distinction information, according to the type of the combination pattern obtained by combining the recorded condition and the unrecorded condition.
As descried above, in an aspect of the information recording
5 medium on which each of the flag unit areas is in the recorded
condition or in the unrecorded condition, backup data corresponding
to the record data is recorded into at least one flag unit area in the
recorded condition out of the "n-1" flag unit areas.
By constituting in this manner, the flag unit area can function
10 not only as the flag area but also as a backup area. By this, it is
possible to give the two functions to the flag unit areas of the flag
area, and it is possible to receive the benefits owned by the
information recording medium of the present invention.
Incidentally, it may be constructed not to limited to record
15 therein the backup data, but to record therein the record data that is
intended to be used for some application after recording.
Alternatively, it may be constructed to record therein the record data
having some meanings for other applications.
In an aspect of the information recording medium having the
20 "n-1" flag unit areas, each of the "n-1" flag unit areas corresponds to the smallest recording area of the information recording medium.
By constituting in this manner, it is possible to reduce
recording capacity for reserving as the flag area much more.
Therefore, it is possible to search for the in-use temporary defect
25 management area by using the flag area while keeping down the
recording capacity required for the flag area.

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Moreover, by setting each flag unit area to the smallest recording area of the information recording medium, it is possible to record the information into the flag area, as one portion of a normal record operation on the recording apparatus described later, and it is
5 possible to read the information from the flag area, as one portion of a normal reproduction operation on the reproducing apparatus described later.
Incidentally, even if each of the "n-1" flag unit areas is not the smallest recording area in size but an area having an arbitrary size,
10 it is possible to receive the various benefits owned by the above-described information recording medium of the present invention. The sizes of the "n-1" flag unit areas may be the same, or may be different from each other.
In another aspect of the information recording medium of the
15 present invention, the flag area is disposed on an inner circumferential side of the information recording medium.
According to this aspect, it is easy to access the flag area, for example. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a processing load required for the distinction of the in-use temporary defect
20 management area.
Incidentally, even if the flag area is not on the inner
circumferential side, e.g., even if it is on an outer circumferential
side of the information recording medium or at an arbitrary position,
it is possible to distinguish the in-use temporary defect management
25 area.
In another aspect of the information recording medium of the

15
present invention, the information recording medium is further provided with a control information recording area for recording therein information for controlling at least one of recording and reading with respect to the data area, the flag area being disposed in
5 the control information recording area.
According to this aspect, it is possible to refer to the distinction information included in the flag area at the same time of accessing the control information in reproducing or recording. Therefore, it is possible to refer to the distinction information as a
10 series of operations accompanying the normal operations in initial setting or the like of the information recording medium, for example. This makes it possible to select the in use temporary defect management area more efficiently. As a result, it is possible to search for the updated defect management information relatively
15 easily and more efficiently.
Incidentally, the control information recording area may include a definite defect management area for recording therein the defect management information. This makes it possible to maintain the compatibility between the write-once-type information recording
20 medium out of the information recoding medium of the present invention and the rewritable-type information recording medium, for example.
In another aspect of the information recording medium of the present invention, the flag area is disposed in one temporary defect
25 management area out of the plurality of temporary defect management areas.

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According to this aspect, it is possible to record the distinction information without mixing it with the record data, which includes the audio data and the video data or the like.
If the temporary defect management area to be accessed first
5 is determined by default on the recording apparatus or reproducing
apparatus described later, for example, the flag area is preferably
disposed in the temporary defect management area to be accessed
first. This makes it possible to obtain the effective defect
management information more efficiently.
10 Incidentally, even if the flag area is not disposed in the
temporary defect management area, for example, even if disposed in the data area or the spare area or the like, it is possible to distinguish the in-use temporary defect management area.
As described above, in an aspect of the information recording
15 medium wherein the flag area is disposed in the one temporary defect management area, the flag area is disposed at an end portion of the one temporary defect management area.
According to this aspect, it is possible to facilitate the access to the flag area on the recording apparatus and the reproducing 20 apparatus described later, for example.
The start address and the size or the like of the temporary defect management area can be recognized relatively easily because it is disposed in the above-described control information recording area.
25 (Recording Apparatus and Method)
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a

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recording apparatus for recording record data onto an information
recording medium provided with: (i) a data area for recording therein
the record data; (ii) a plurality of temporary defect management
areas for temporarily recording therein defect management
5 information which is a basis of defect management for a defect in the
data area,' and (iii) a flag area for recording therein distinction
information for distinguishing a temporary defect management area
in which the defect management information that is effective is
recorded, from the plurality of temporary defect management areas,
10 the distinction information being recorded as a type of a combination
pattern of an area set to be in a recorded condition and an area left to
be in an unrecorded condition according to a predetermined rule, in
the flag area, the recording apparatus provided with: a first
recording device for recording at least one of the record data and the
15 defect management information,' and a second recording device for
updating and recording the distinction information, if the temporary
defect management area in which the effective defect management
information is recorded is changed, by changing the area left to be in
the unrecorded condition to the area in the recorded condition
20 according to the changed temporary defect management area and
thus by changing the combination pattern.
According to the recoding apparatus of the present invention,
it is possible to appropriately record the record data onto the
above-described information recording medium of the present
25 invention by using the first and second recording devices, which
includes: an optical pickup,' a controller for controlling the optical

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pickup; or the like, for example.
Specifically, firstly, the first recording device records the record data into the data area of the information recording medium. In the meantime, the defect management information, which
5 includes, e.g., the defect list for indicating the position of a defect on the information recording medium, is made by a defect-management-information generating device on the recording apparatus of the present invention, for example. It may be constructed such that the made or obtained defect management
10 information is stored into a memory device which includes a memory such as RAM.
Then, the first recording device records the defect management information made in this manner into the temporary defect management area. There may be various times when the first
15 recording device records the defect management information into the temporary defect management area, but the times described as following is conceivable^ e.g., immediately after the information recording medium is initialized or formatted; after a series of record data is recorded onto the information recording medium;
20 immediately after a defect is detected by checking the recording (by verifying); or the like. In addition, the first recording device records the evacuation data into the spare area.
Particularly in the present invention, if the temporary defect
management area in which the effective defect management
25 Information is recorded is changed between before and after the
recording of the defect management information by the first

19
recording device, the second recording device records or updates the distinction information. Namely, if the area in which the effective defect management information is recorded is changed,, from one temporary defect management area to another temporary defect
5 management area out of the plurality of temporary defect management areas, for example, the second recording device records the fact as the distinction information into the flag area. Specifically, the second recording device changes the area left to be in the unrecorded condition to the area in the recorded condition and
10 thus changes the combination pattern. This makes it possible to appropriately record and update the distinction information into the flag area.
Consequently, according to the recording apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately record the record
15 data onto the above-described information recording medium of the present invention, and also it is possible to receive various benefits owned by the information recording medium.
Incidentally, in response to various aspects of the above-described information recording medium of the present
20 invention, the recording apparatus of the present invention can also take various aspects.
Moreover, it may be constructed such that the defect management information is obtained from the information recording medium or via other communication channels. In this case, it is
25 preferably constructed such that the defect management information generating device is capable of obtaining the defect management

20
information from the information recording medium or via the other communication channels, in place of making or updating the defect management ioXormation.
If the information recording medium is an optical recording 5 medium, an optical pickup is preferable as a direct recording device for directly recording the data or information onto the information recording medium. If the information recording medium is magnetic, magneto optical, or other types, such as a type of using the change of a dielectric constant, a pickup, a head, or a probe or the 10 like suitable for the type of the information recording medium may be used.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a recording method of recording record data onto an information recording medium provided with: (i) a data area for recording therein
15 the record data,' (ii) a plurality of temporary defect management areas for temporarily recording therein defect management information which is a basis of defect management for a defect in the data area; and (iii) a flag area for recording therein distinction information for distinguishing a temporary defect management area
20 in which the defect management information that is effective is recorded, from the plurality of temporary defect management areas, the distinction information being recorded as a type of a combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded condition and an area left to be in an unrecorded condition according to a predetermined rule, in
25 the flag area, the recording method provided with-' a first recording process of recording at least one of the record data and the defect

21
management information; and a second recording process of updating and recording the distinction information, if the temporary defect management area in which the effective defect management information is recorded is changed, by changing the area left to be in
5 the unrecorded condition to the area in the recorded condition according to the changed temporary defect management area and thus by changing the combination pattern.
According to the recording method of the present invention, as with the above-described recording apparatus of the present
10 invention, it is possible to appropriately record the record data onto
the above-described information recording medium of the present
invention (including its various aspects), and also it is possible to
receive various benefits owned by the information recording medium.
Incidentally, in response to various aspects of the
15 above-described recording apparatus (or the information recording medium) of the present invention, the recording method of the present invention can also take various aspects. (Reproducing Apparatus and Method)
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a
20 reproducing apparatus for reproducing record data recorded on an information recording medium provided with: (i) a data area for recording therein the record data,' (ii) a plurality of temporary defect management areas for temporarily recording therein defect management information which is a basis of defect management for a
25 defect in the data area; and (iii) a flag area for recording therein distinction information for distinguishing a temporary defect

22
management area in which the defect management information that
is effective is recorded, from the plurality of temporary defect
management areas, the distinction information being recorded as a
type of a combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded
5 condition and an area left to be in an unrecorded condition according
to a predetermined rule, in the flag area, the reproducing apparatus
provided with: a selecting device for reading the distinction
information and selecting the temporary defect management area in
which the effective defect management information is recorded from
10 the plurality of temporary defect management areas,' a reading
device for reading the effective defect management information from
the selected temporary defect management area; and a reproducing
device for reproducing the record data recorded in the data area on
the basis of the read defect management information.
15 According to the reproducing apparatus of the present
invention, it is possible to appropriately reproduce the record data recorded on the above-described information recording medium of the present invention, by using the reading device, which includes-' an optical pickup; a controller for controlling the optical pickup,' or the
20 like, and the reproducing device, which includes: a decoder for converting the image data to a image signal which can be displayed on a display; or the like.
Specifically, at first, the selecting device, which includes a Control Processing Unit (CPU) or the like, reads the distinction
25 information recorded in the flag area. Particularly, the CPU recognizes the area in the recorded condition and the area in the

23
unrecorded condition in the flag area, and reads the distinction
information by distinguishing the type of the combination pattern.
Then, the CPU selects the temporary defect management area in
which the effective defect management information is recorded, from
5 the recording content of the distinction information. Then, the
reading device reads the effective defect management information
recorded in the selected (i.e. in-use) temporary defect management
area. The effective defect management information may be stored
into the memory device, such as a memory. In recording, the record
10 data is recorded away from a defect in the data area on the
information recording medium. Namely, the record data to be
recorded or already recorded at the position of the defect in the data
area is evacuated to the spare area, for example. Thus, in order to
reproduce the record data recorded in this manner, it is necessary to
15 know the position of the defect in the data area. Thus, the
reproducing device recognizes the position of the defect in the data
area on the basis of the defect management information (i.e. the
effective defect management information) read by the reading device
and recognizes the position at which the record data is recorded away
20 from the defect, thereby to reproduce the record data recorded in the
data area or the evacuation data recorded in the spare area.
Consequently, it is possible to appropriately reproduce the record data recorded on the above-described information recording medium, and also it- is possible to receive various benefits owned by
25 the information recording medium.
Incidentally, in response to various aspects of the

24
above-described information recording medium of the present invention, the reproducing apparatus of the present invention can also take various aspects.
In one aspect of the reproducing apparatus of the present
5 invention, the flag area has a plurality of flag unit areas and each of the plurality of flag unit areas is in the recorded condition or in the unrecorded condition, and the selecting device selects the temporary defect management area in which the effective defect management information is recorded by judging in which condition of the recorded
10 condition and the unrecorded condition at least one of said plurality of flag unit areas is.
According to this aspect, it is possible to obtain the effective
defect management information relatively easily by referring to the
distinction information which is recorded by appropriately combining
15 the two types of recording conditions of the recorded condition and
the unrecorded condition.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a reproducing method of reproducing record data recorded on an information recording medium provided with: (i) a data area for
20 recording therein the record data; (ii) a plurality of temporary defect management areas for temporarily recording therein defect management information which is a basis of defect management for a defect in the data area; and (iii) a flag area for recording therein distinction information for distinguishing a temporary defect
25 management area in which the defect management information that is effective is recorded from the plurality of temporary defect

25
management areas, the distinction information being recorded as a type of a combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded condition and an area left to be in an unrecorded condition according to a predetermined rule, in the flag area, the reproducing method
5 provided with: a selecting process of reading the distinction information and selecting the temporary defect management area in which the effective defect management information is recorded from the plurality of temporary defect management areas.' a reading process of reading the effective defect management information from
10 the selected temporary defect management area! and a reproducing process of reproducing the record data recorded in the data area on the basis of the read defect management information.
According to the reproducing method of the present invention,
as with the above-described reproducing apparatus of the present
15 invention, it is possible to appropriately reproduce the record data
recorded on the information recording medium of the present
invention (including its various aspects), and also it is possible to
receive various benefits owned by the information recording medium.
Incidentally, in response to various aspects of the
20 above-described reproducing apparatus (or the information recording
medium) of the present invention, the reproducing method of the
present invention can also take various aspects.
(Computer Program)
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a
25 first computer program for recording control to control a computer
provided in the above-described recording apparatus of the present

26
invention (including its various aspects) to make the computer function as at least one of the first recording device and the second recording device.
According to the first computer program for recording control
5 of the present invention, the information recording apparatus of the present invention mentioned above may be realized relatively easily, by reading and running the computer program from a recording medium, such as a ROM, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a hard disk and so on, which stores the computer program thereon, or by downloading
10 the computer program to the computer via the communication device and running it.
Incidentally, in response to various aspects of the above-described information recording medium of the present invention, the first computer program of the present invention can
15 also take various aspects.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a second computer program for reproduction control to control a computer provided in the above-described reproducing apparatus of the present invention (including its various aspects) to make the
20 computer function as at least one of the selecting device, the reading device, and the reproducing device.
According to the second computer program for reproduction
control of the present invention, the information reproducing
apparatus of the present invention mentioned above may be realized
25 relatively easily, by reading and running the computer program from
a recording medium, such as a ROM, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a hard

27
disk and so on, which stores the computer program thereon, or by downloading the computer program to the computer via the communication device and running it.
Incidentally, in response to various aspects of the
5 above-described information recording medium of the present invention, the second computer program of the present invention can also take various aspects.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a first computer program product for record control in a
10 computer-readable medium for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer provided for the above-mentioned recording apparatus of the present invention (including various aspects), the program making the computer function as at least one portion of the first recording device and the
15 second recording device.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a second computer program product for reproduction control in a computer-readable medium for tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer provided for the
20 above-mentioned reproducing apparatus of the present invention (including various aspects), the program making the computer function as at least one portion of the selecting device, the reading device and the reproducing device.
According to the first or second computer program product of
25 the invention, at least one portion of the first recording device, the
second recording device, the selecting device, the reading device and

28
the reproducing device of the present invention mentioned above may
be embodied relatively easily, by reading and running the first or
second computer program product from a record medium, such as a
ROM, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a hard disk and so on, which stores
5 the computer program thereon, or by downloading the first or second
computer program product to the computer via the communication
device and running it. More specifically, the first or second
computer program product may be made of computer readable codes
(or computer readable commands) to make the computer function as
10 at least one portion of the first recording device, the second recording
device, the selecting device, the reading device and the reproducing
device.
(Data Structure Including Control Signal)
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a
15 data structure provided with: a data area for recording therein record
data; a plurality of temporary defect management areas for
temporarily recording therein defect management information which
is a basis of defect management for a defect in the data area! and a
flag area for recording therein distinction information for
20 distinguishing a temporary defect management area in which the
defect management information that is effective is recorded, from the
plurality of temporary defect management areas, the distinction
information being recorded as a type of a combination pattern of an
area set to be in a recorded condition and an area left to be in an
25 unrecorded condition according to a predetermined rule, in the flag
area.

29
According to the data structure including a control signal of the present invention, as in the case of the above-described information recording medium of the present invention, it is possible to search for the defect management information (the defect list)
5 efficiently. Namely, it is possible to receive various benefits owned by the information recording medium.
Incidentally, in response to various aspects of the above-described information recording medium of the present invention, the data structure including a control signal of the present
10 invention can also take various aspects.
The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will
be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with
reference to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.
15 As explained above, according to the information recording
medium of the present invention, it is provided with: the data area! the temporary defect management areas! and the flag area. The distinction information is recorded as the type of the combination pattern in the flag area. Therefore, it is possible to search for the
20 defect management information efficiently and use it.
According to the recording apparatus of the present invention, it is provided with: the first recording device! and the second recording device. According to the recording method of the present invention, it is provided with: the first recording process! and the
25 second recording process. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately record the record data onto the information recording medium of the

30
present invention. According to the reproducing apparatus of the present invention, it is provided with: the selecting device! the reading device; and the reproducing device. According to the recording method of the present invention, it is provided with: the
5 selecting process; the reading process; and the reproducing process. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately read and reproduce the record data from the information recording medium of the present invention.
10 Brief Description of Drawings
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of an information recording medium of the present invention!
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the content of
defect management information in the embodiment;
15 FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing one example of a
defect list in the embodiment;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing one example of the
record content of a temporary defect management area in the
embodiment;
20 FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing one example of the
record content of a temporary defect management area in the embodiment;
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the information recording medium of the present
25 invention!
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a

31
data structure of a flag area in the embodiment;
FIG. 8A to FIG. 8D are schematic diagrams showing a recording condition of the flag area in the embodiment;
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a recording / reproducing
5 apparatus which is an embodiment of a recording apparatus and a reproducing apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a disc drive of the recording / reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;
FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a backend of the recording
10 / reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;
FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an initial setting operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a section operation of the in-use temporary defect management area of the recording /
15 reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;
FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a record operation or the like of the recording / reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;
FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the record operation of the defect management information and a record operation into the flag
20 area on the recording / reproducing apparatus in the embodiment;
FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the finalizing of the recording / reproducing apparatus in the embodiment; and
FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a reproduction operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus in the embodiment.

32
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings hereinafter. In the embodiments below, the information recording medium of the present invention is applied
5 to a write-once-type optical disc, and the recording apparatus and the reproducing apparatus of the present invention are applied to a recording / reproducing apparatus for the write-once-type optical disc.
(Embodiment of Information Recording Medium)
10 Firstly, the recording structure of the write-once type optical
disc in the embodiment of the present invention and the information and data recorded on the optical disc will be explained. FIG. 1 shows the recording structure of the write-once-type recording medium which is the embodiment of the present invention.
15 Incidentally, the left side of FIG. 1 is the inner circumferential side of a write-once-type optical disc 100, and the right side of FIG. 1 is the outer circumferential side of the optical disc 100.
As shown in FIG. 1, there is a lead-in area 101 on the most inner circumferential side on a recording surface of the
20 write-once-type optical disc 100, and there are a temporary defect management area 104, a spare area 109, a user data area 108, a spare area 110, a temporary defect management area 105, and a lead-out area 103, placed toward the outer circumferential side.
In both the lead-in area 101 and the lead-out area 103, the
25 control information for controlling the recording and reading of
information or data with respect to the optical disc 100 and the

33
management information for managing the same are recorded. The lead-in area 101 is provided with a definite defect management area 106. The lead-out area 103 is also provided with a definite, defect management area 107. In both the defect management areas 106
5 and 107, defect management information 120 (refer to FIG. 2) is to be recorded.
Particularly in the embodiment, a flag area 111 is disposed in the lead-in area 101. The flag area 111 is an area for recording therein the distinction information for distinguishing in which of the
10 temporary defect management areas 104 and 105 the effective defect management information 120 is recorded (i.e. which of the temporary defect management areas 104 and 105 is in use). The "effective defect management information 120" is the defect management information 120 for indicating a newest condition of the optical disc
15 100. Incidentally, the flag area 111 will be described in detail later (refer to FIG. 7).
Incidentally, in the embodiment, the flag area 111 is disposed
in the lead-in area 101. However, not to limited to this, the
embodiment may be constructed such that it is disposed in the
20 temporary defect management area 104 (105) or in the lead-out area
103 or in other areas, for example. It may be constructed such that
the position or the like of such a flag area 111 is indicated by the
information recorded in setting information 121 described later or
the information recorded in the lead-in area 101 or the like.
25 Into the user data area 108, the record data, such as image
data, audio data, and contents data, is recorded. The spare areas

34
109 and 110 are alternative recording areas for evacuating thereto the record data from a defect in the user data area 108. Namely, when there is a defect in the user data area 108, the record data to be recorded or already recorded at the position of the defect (which is
5 hereinafter referred to as the "evacuation data", as occasion demands) is alternatively recorded into the spare area 109 or 110.
Into the both the temporary defect management areas 104 and
105, the defect management information 120 is recorded temporarily.
Incidentally, the defect management information 120 is also recorded
10 into the definite defect management areas 106 and 107. Differences
between the definite defect management areas 106/107 and the
temporary defect management areas 104/105 will be described later.
Next, the defect management information 120 will be
explained. The defect management information 120 is used for the
15 defect management performed by a recording / reproducing
apparatus 200 (refer to FIG. 9). The recording / reproducing
apparatus 200 performs the defect management when recording the
record data onto the optical disc 100 or when reproducing the record
data from the optical disc 100. In the embodiment, the defect
20 management is mainly as follows. When there is a defect, such as
scratches, dusts, or deterioration, on the user data area 108 on the
optical disc 100, the record data is recorded away from the position of
the defect, and at the same time, the evacuation data is recorded into
the spare area 109 or 110. Moreover, the following operations are
25 also performed as a part of the defect management" an operation of
recognizing the position of the defect when the record data recorded

35
in the user data area 108 is reproduced; and an operation of reading the record data to be originally recorded or already recorded at the position of the defect from the spare area 109 or 110. In order to perform such a defect management, the recording / reproducing
5 apparatus 200 needs to recognize the position of the defect in the user data area 108. The defect management information 120 is mainly used for the recording / reproducing apparatus 200 to recognize the position of the defect.
FIG. 2 shows the content of the defect management
10 information 120. As shown in FIG. 2, the setting information 121 and a defect list 122 are included in the defect management information 120.
The setting information 121 includes: a start address of the user data area 108; an end address of the user data area 108; the size
15 of the inner spare area 109; the size of the outer spare area 110; and other information, as shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 shows the content of the defect list 122. As shown in FIG. 3, on the defect list 122, there are recorded an address for indicating the position of a defect in the user data area 108 (which is
20 hereinafter referred to as a "defect address"), an address for indicating the recording position in the spare area 109 or 110 of the evacuation data (which is hereinafter referred to as a "spare address"); and other information. When there are a plurality of defects in the user data area 108, a plurality of defect addresses and
25 spare addresses corresponding to the defects are included in the defect list 122.

36
Incidentally, the defect management can be performed not only for the user data area 108 on the optical disc 100 but also for all of the recording surfaces of the optical disc 100.
Next, an aspect of the recording of the defect management
5 information 120 will be explained. The temporary defect management areas 104/105 on the optical disc 100 and the definite defect management areas 106/107 are areas for recording therein the defect management information 120. However, The temporary defect management areas 104/105 and the definite defect
10 management areas 106/107 differ in their locations, sizes, and purposes for use. Hereinafter, their differences will be specifically explained.
FIG. 4 shows one example of the condition that the defect
management information 120 is recorded in the temporary defect
15 management area 104 or 105. The temporary defect management
areas 104 and 105 are areas for recording therein the defect
management information 120 temporarily until the optical disc 100 is
finalized. The defect management information 120 is necessary for
the defect management. The presence or absence and the position of
20 a defect are different for each optical disc, so that it is necessary to
record and maintain the defect management information 120 on each
optical disc. In the example, at a stage before the finalizing, the
defect management information 120 is recorded and maintained in
the temporary defect management area 104 or 105 on the optical disc
25 100.
Moreover, in the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, it is

37
preferable that the defect management information 120 is recorded twice repeatedly or redundantly into the temporary defect management area 104 or 105 ^Incidentally, FIG. 4 shows the four defect management information 120 in total because the repetitive or
5 redundant recording of the defect management information 120 is performed twice). This makes it possible to surely record and reproduce the defect management information 120. Even if the recording of the defect management information 120 is not performed twice, for example, once, or three times or more, it is possible to
10 appropriately record and reproduce the defect management information 120 and the evacuation data.
Until the optical disc 100 is finalized, the defect management information 120 may be updated several times in some cases. For example, if dusts are attached onto the optical disc 100 between the
15 first recording and the second recording (i.e., additional or sequential or postscript recording), the defect (or dusts) is detected upon the second recording. On the basis of this detection, the defect list 122 is updated. When the defect list 122 is updated, the defect management information 120 including the updated defect list 122 is
20 additionally recorded (i.e. written once) into the temporary defect management area 104 or 105. The optical disc 100 is a write-once-type recording medium, so that it is impossible to overwrite the updated defect management information 120 on the existing defect management information 120. Thus, as shown in
25 FIG. 4, the updated defect management information 120 is recorded in series after the existing defect management information 120.

38
Therefore, the above-described "effective defect management information 120" in this case indicates the defect management information 120 additionally written at the second rime.
In order to realize such repeated and serial recording of the
5 defect management information 120 the temporary defect management areas 104 and 105 are larger than the definite defect management areas 106 and 107.
Moreover, the defect management information 120 is preferably recorded in series (sequentially) into the temporary defect
10 management area 104 or 105 as shown in FIG. 4. With respect to the temporary defect management area 104 or 105. it is preferable to determine the recording order of the defect management information 120 in advance.
Particularly in the embodiment, when the defect management
15 information 120 is updated, if the temporary defect management
area into which the defect management information 120 is to be
recorded is changed, the distinction information of the flag area 111
is also updated. Namely, for example, if the free space of the
temporary defect management area 104 runs out and the defect
20 management information 120 is subsequently recorded into the
temporary defect management area 105, the distinction information
of the flag area 111 is updated. Therefore, the distinction
information at this time indicates that the effective defect
management information 120 is recorded in the temporary defect
25 management area 105. The specific construction of the distinction
information will be described in detail later (refer to FIG. 7 or the

39
like).
FIG. 5 shows one example of the condition that the defect management information 120 is recorded in the definite defect management area 106 or 107. The definite defect management
5 areas 106 and 107 are areas for recording therein the defect management information 120 definitely when the optical disc 100 is finalized. Namely, at a stage before the finalizing, the definite defect management areas 106 and 107 are unrecorded (or blank). When the optical disc 100 is finalized, the defect management 10 information 120 is recorded in the definite defect management areas 106 and 107, and the recording situation is continued subsequently.
In the example, as shown in FIG. 5, it is preferable that the
defect management information 120 is recorded twice repeatedly or
redundantly into the definite defect management area 106 or 107.
15 This makes it possible to surely record and reproduce the defect
management information 120. Even if the recording is not
performed twice, for example, once, or three times or more, it is
possible to appropriately record and reproduce the defect
management information 120.
20 According to the optical disc 100 in the embodiment, the
temporary defect management area 104 is placed between the lead-in
area 101 and the spare area 109 and the temporary defect
management area 105 is placed between the spare area 110 and the
lead-out area 103, which allows the compatibility between the
25 write-once-type optical disc 100 and a general rewritable optical disc.
In order to realize the compatibility with a general rewritable-type

40
optical disc, the write-once-type optical disc 100 needs to have the
lead-in area, the spare area, the user data area, the spare area, and
the lead-out area, and needs to maintain a Basic recording structure,
such as the order, position, and size (area) of the areas. The optical
5 disc 100 maintains such a basic recording structure although it is
provided with the temporary defect management areas 104 and 105,
which allows the compatibility. Namely, if the temporary defect
management area 104 is placed in the lead-in area 101, because the
temporary defect management area 104 is relatively large as
10 described above, there is no choice to extend the size of the lead-in
area 101, which is unfavorable. In this example, however, such a
disadvantage does not occur because the temporary defect
management area 104 is placed out of the lead-in area 101.
Moreover, if the temporary defect management area 104 is placed in
15 the user data area 108, the defect management information 120
having properties of control information is included in the user data
area 108 which is an area in which record data is supposed to be
recorded, causing the disadvantage that the control information and
the record data, which is information having properties different
20 from those of the control information, are mixed in the user data area
108. In this example, however, such a disadvantage does not occur
because the temporary defect management area 104 is placed out of
the user data area 108. The same is true for the defect management
area 105.
25 The start address and end address of the user data area 108,
and the each start address of the spare areas 109 and 110 (or the size

41
of the user data area 108 and the spare areas 109 and 110, or the
like) are included in the setting information 121 in the defect
management information 120 (refer to FIG. 2). This setting
information 121 can be set by the recording / reproducing apparatus
5 200. Namely, it is allowed to change the start address and end
address of the user data area 108 and the each size of the spare areas
109 and 110 if they are clearly shown as the setting information 121.
Even if they are changed, it is possible to maintain the compatibility
with a general rewritable-type recording medium. Therefore, it is
10 possible to ensure a space between the lead-in area 101 and the user
data area 108 by shifting the start address of the user data area 108
backward (to the outer circumferential side), and it is possible to
place the temporary defect management area 104 in the space.
Depending on how to set the start address of the user data area 108,
15 it is possible to reserve or ensure the relatively wider (large-sized)
temporary defect management area 104. The same is true for the
temporary defect management area 105.
According to the optical disc 100, the definite defect management areas 106 and 107 are placed in the lead-in area 101
20 and the lead-out area 103, respectively, which allows the compatibility between the write-once-type optical disc 100 and a general rewritable optical disc. Namely, a general rewritable optical disc has areas to record the defect management information, the areas being placed in both the lead-in area and the lead-out area.
25 The optical disc 100 also has the definite defect management areas 106 and 107 placed in the lead-in area 101 and the lead-out area 103,

42
respectively. At this point their recording structures coincide.
Therefore, it is possible to ensure the compatibility between the
write-once-type optical disc 100 and a general rewritable-type optical
disc.
5 Incidentally, in the above-described embodiment, the case
where the information recording medium of the present invention is applied to an one-layer optical disc is taken as an example. The present invention, however, is not limited to this example and can be applied to a two-or-more-layer optical disc. FIG. 6 shows an
10 example of the case where the information recording medium of the present invention is applied to a two-layer optical disc. In a first layer of a two-layer optical disc 150 in FIG. 6 (the upper side of FIG. 6), as in the optical disc 100, there is a lead-in area 151 on the most inner circumferential side, and there are placed, toward the outer
15 circumferential side, a temporary defect management area 154, a spare area 159, a user data area 158, a spare area 160, a temporary defect management area 155, and a lead-out area 153. A flag area 161 is disposed in the lead-in area 151. In a second layer, as in the optical disc 100, there is a lead-in area 171 on the most inner
20 circumferential side, and there are placed, toward the outer circumferential side, a temporary defect management area 174, a spare area 179, a user data area 178, a spare area 180, a temporary defect management area 175, and a lead-out area 173.
Incidentally, in the explanation associated with the
25 two-or-more-layer optical disc in FIG. 6, an example of a parallel track path is shown in which the recording direction of the first layer

43
is the same as that of the second layer, but a form of an opposite track path may be adopted in which the recording direction of the first layer is opposite to that of the second layer.
Next, with reference to FIG. 7 and FIGs. 8, the data structure
5 of the flag area will be explained in detail. FIG. 7 shows the more
detailed data structure of the flag area 161 in the two-layer optical
disc 150. FIG. 8A to FIG. 8D schematically show one specific
example of an aspect of the recording of the flag area 161 which
changes according to the in-use temporary defect management area.
10 As shown in FIG. 7, there are three flag unit areas (162, 163,
and 164) in the flag area 161. Each size of the three flag unit areas
corresponds to the size of an area for an Error-Correcting Code (ECC)
cluster of the optical disc 100. It is possible to use not only the area
for the ECC cluster but also an arbitrary area as the flag unit area of
15 the flag area 161.
Then, according to the recording condition of the data in the three flag unit areas, it is shown in which area of the temporary defect management areas 154, 155, 174, and 175 the effective defect management information 120 is recorded. Namely, all the three flag
20 Nit areas show information corresponding to the above-described distinction information. In the embodiment, according to whether each is in the recorded condition or in the unrecorded condition, the three flag unit areas 162, 163, and 164 show the temporary defect management area in which the effective defect management
25 information 120 is recorded.
The "recorded condition" in the embodiment indicates such a

44
condition that pits are formed in the flag unit area, and the pits may indicate the predetermined record data or does not have to indicate it. On the ether hand, the "unrecorded condition" indicates such a condition that the pits are not formed in the flag unit area and that it
5 has a recording layer corresponding to a mirror-like flat surface.
Incidentally, the number of the flag unit areas is preferably smaller than the number of the temporary defect management areas provided for the optical disc, only by one. Namely, if there are "n" temporary defect management areas provided for the optical disc (n-
10 integral number, n ^ 2), the number of the flag unit areas is preferably "n-1". For example, in the case of the optical disc 100 in FIG. 1, since there are two temporary defect management areas, the number of the flag unit areas may be one. For example, in the case of the optical disc 150 in FIG. 6, since there are four temporary defect
15 management areas, the number of the flag unit areas is preferably three, as shown in FIG. 7.
Next, with reference to FIG. 8A to FIG. 8D, one specific example of the recording conditions of the flag unit areas 162, 163,
and 164 will be explained.
20 As shown in FIG. 8A, if all of the flag unit areas 162, 163, and
164 are in the unrecorded condition, that indicates, for example, the
temporary defect management area 154 is effective (i.e. in-use).
Namely, that indicates the effective defect management information
120 is recorded in the temporary defect management area 154.
25 As shown in FIG. 8B, if the flag unit area 162 is in the
recorded condition and the flag unit areas 163 and 164 are in the

45
unrecorded condition, that indicates, for example, the temporary defect management area 155 is effective (i.e. in-use).
As shown in FIG. 8C, if the flag unit areas 162 and 163 are in the recorded condition and the flag unit area 164 is in the unrecorded
5 condition, that indicates, for example, the temporary defect management area 174 is effective (i.e. in-use).
As shown in FIG. 8D, if all of the flag unit areas 162, 163, and
164 are in the recorded condition, that indicates, for example, the
temporary defect management area 175 is effective (i.e. in-use).
10 Therefore, if, for example, a recording / reproducing apparatus
described later is used to reproduce the optical disc 150 (or 100), it is possible to relatively easily search for the temporary defect management area in which the effective defect management information 120 is recorded. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a
15 time length required for searching for the defect management information 120. As a result, it is possible to speed up the reproduction operation.
Even if the optical disc 150 is a write-once-type, it is possible to write the distinction information, as a combination pattern of the
20 recorded condition and the unrecorded condition in the flag area 161, by changing the flag unit areas in the unrecorded condition in the flag area 161, which are assigned in advance according to the number of the temporary defect management areas, to the areas in the recorded condition by writing some information. By setting the flag
25 unit areas to be in the recorded condition as described above, it is possible to appropriately record the distinction information as a

46
recording pattern without recording the distinction information again in another position.
The association of the recording conditions of the flag unit areas 162, 163, and 164 with the u use temporary defect
5 management area indicated by these recording conditions is not limited to what is shown in FIG. 8. An arbitrary recording condition may be used if capable of distinguishing the in-use temporary defect management area.
Incidentally, in FIG. 7 and FIGs. 8, the two-layer optical disc
10 150 is used for the explanation, but even in the case of the one-layer optical disc 100, or other optical discs and various recording media provided with two or more temporary defect management areas, it is possible to obtain the same effect as that in the optical disc of the present invention.
15 (Example of Recording / Reproducing Apparatus)
Next, the structure of a recording / reproducing apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention will be explained. FIG. 9 shows the recording / reproducing apparatus 200, which is an embodiment of the present invention. The recording / reproducing
20 apparatus 200 is provided with: function of recording the record data onto the optical disc 100,' and a function of reproducing the record data recorded on the optical disc 100.
The recording / reproducing apparatus 200 is provided with: a
disc drive 300; and a backend 400.
25 FIG. 10 shows the inner structure of the disc drive 300. The
disc drive 300 records record data onto the optical disc 100 and reads

47
the record data recorded on the optical disc 100.
As shown in FIG. 10, the disc drive 300 is provided with: a
spindle motor 351; an optical pickup- 352; a Radio Frequency (RF)
amplifier 353; and a servo circuit 354.
5 The spindle motor 351 is a motor for rotating the optical disc 100.
The optical pickup 352 records the record data or the like onto the recording surface of the optical disc 100 by irradiating a light beam onto the recording surface and reads the record data or the like
10 recorded on the recording surface by receiving reflected light of the light beam. The optical pickup 352 outputs a RF signal corresponding to the reflected light of the light beam.
The RF amplifier 353 amplifies the RF signal outputted from
the optical pickup 352 and outputs it to a CODEC. Moreover, the RF
15 amplifier 353 makes, from the RF signal, a wobble frequency signal
WF, a track error signal TE, and a focus error signal FE, and outputs them.
The servo circuit 354 is a servo control circuit for controlling the operating of the optical pickup 352 and the spindle motor 351 on
20 the basis of the track error signal TE, the focus error signal FE, and other servo control signals.
As shown in FIG. 10, the disc drive 300 is provided with: the
CODEC 355; a buffer 356; an interface 357; and a light beam driving device 358.
25 The CODEC 355 is a circuit, provided with: a function of
performing an error correction for the record data in reading; and a

48
function of appending an error correction code or mark to the record
data in recording so as to demodulate and decode the record data.
Specifically, the CODEC 355 demodulates and decodes the RF signal
outputted from the RF amplifier 353 in reading, performs an error
5 correction for the decoded RF signal, and then outputs this to the
buffer 356. Moreover, if the error correction is incapable or if the
number of error-corrected codes exceeds a certain standard value as a
result of performing the error correction for the decoded RF signal,
the CODEC 355 generates an error signal for indicating that, and
10 outputs this signal to a defect detector 359. In recording, the
CODEC 355 appends the error correction code to the record data
outputted from the buffer 356, demodulates and decodes this data to
have a code suited to the optical characteristics or the like of the
optical disc 100, and then outputs the decoded record data to the
15 light beam driving device 358.
The buffer 356 is a memory circuit for storing the record data temporarily.
The interface 357 is a circuit for controlling the input / output or communication of the record data or the like between the disc
20 drive 300 and the backend 400. Specifically, in reproducing, the interface 357 responds a request command from the backend 400 and outputs the record data outputted from the buffer 356 (i.e. the record data read from the optical disc 100) to the backend 400. In recording, the interface 357 receives the record data which is
25 inputted from the backend 400 to the disc drive 300, and outputs this data to the buffer 356. The interface 357 responds a request

49
command from the backend 400 and outputs all or part of the defect list maintained in a generator 360 for generating Defect Management Information (DMI generator 360) to the backend 400.
At the time of recording, the light beam driving device 358
5 generates a light beam driving signal corresponding to the record data outputted from the CODEC 355 and outputs this signal to the optical pickup 352. The optical pickup 352 modulates a light beam on the basis of the light beam driving signal and irradiates it onto the recording surface of the optical disc 100. This causes the recording
10 of record data or the like on the recording surface.
As shown in FIG. 10, the disc drive 300 is provided with: the defect detector 359; and the DMI generator 360.
The defect detector 359 is a circuit for detecting a defect on
the optical disc 100. The defect detector 359 generates a defect
15 detection signal for indicating the presence or absence of a defect and
outputs this signal. The defect detector 359 detects a defect on the
basis of the result of the error correction of record data in reading
information (in verifying or reproducing). As described above, if the
error correction is incapable or if the number of error-corrected codes
20 exceeds the certain standard value as a result of performing the error
correction for the decoded RF signal, the CODEC 355 generates the
error signal for indicating that fact, and outputs this signal to the
defect detector 359. The defect detector 359 outputs the defect
detection signal for indicating the presence of a defect when
25 receiving this error signal.
The DMI generator 360 is a circuit for generating or updating

50
the defect management information 120 on the basis of the defect detection signal outputted from the defect detector 359. The defect management information 120 is rewritably -scored into a memory circuit placed in the DMI generator 360. The DMI generator 360
5 responds to a request command from the backend 400 and outputs the defect management information 120 to the backend 400 through the interface 357.
As shown in FIG. 10, the disc drive 300 is equipped with a CPU 361. The CPU 361 controls the disc drive 300 as a whole, and
10 controls the exchange of information among the elements in the disc drive 300 described above. The CPU 361 also controls the record operation and the reading operation of the record data and the defect management information 120. The CPU 361 responds to a control command or a request commend transmitted from the backend 400
15 and controls the exchange of data between the disc drive 300 and the backend 400.
FIG. 11 shows the inner structure of the backend 400. The backend 400 is an apparatus for reproducing the record data read from the optical disc 100 with the disc drive 300. receiving the record
20 data supplied from the outside for the purpose to record it onto the optical disc 100, encoding this record data, and transmitting it to the disc drive 300.
The backend 400 is provided with; a drive controller 471; a video decoder 472; an audio decoder 473; a video encoder 474; an
25 audio encoder 475; a system controller 476; and a defect management device 477.

51
The drive controller 471 is a circuit for controlling the reading
processing and recording processing of the disc drive 300. The
backend -400 and the disc drive 300 cooperate and perform an
operation of reading the record data from the optical disc 100 and
5 reproducing it and an operation of receiving the record data from the
outside and recording it onto the optical disc 100. The drive
controller 471 realizes the cooperation of the backend 400 and the
disc drive 300 by controlling the reading processing and recording
processing of the disc drive 300. Specifically, the drive controller
10 471 outputs to the disc drive 300 request commands about reading,
recording, outputting the record data from the buffer 356, outputting
the defect management information 120 from the DMI generator 360,
and so on. The drive controller 471 also controls the input and
output of the record data, the defect management information 120,
15 and other various information.
The video decoder 472 and the audio decoder 473 are circuits
for decoding the record data which is read from the optical disc 100
by the disc drive 300 and which is supplied through the drive
controller 471 and converting the record data to be reproducible with
20 a display, a speaker, or the like.
The video encoder 474 and the audio encoder 475 are circuit for receiving a video signal, an audio signal, or the like inputted from the outside for the purpose of recording them on the optical disc 100, encoding them by Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) 25 compressing and encoding method or the like, and supplying them to the disc drive 300 through the drive controller 471.

52
In reproducing, the system controller 476 controls1 the drive
controller 471; the video decoder 472; the audio decoder 473; and the
defect management device 477, to thereby reproduce the record data
in cooperation with these devices. In recording, the system
5 controller 476 controls; the drive controller 471; the video encoder
474,' the audio encoder 475; and the defect management device 477, to
thereby record the record data in cooperation with these devices. In
reproducing and recording, the system controller 476 controls the
disc drive 300 (e.g. controls the generation and transmission of
10 various request commands, the reception of a response signal, or the
like) with the drive controller 471 in order to realize the cooperation
of the disc drive 300 and the backend 400.
The defect management device 477 has therein a memory
circuit and has a function of receiving and maintaining all or part of
15 the defect management information 120 made or updated by the DMI
generator 360 in the disc drive 300. The defect management device
477 performs the defect management with the system controller 476.
Next, an initial setting operation of the recording /
reproducing apparatus 200 will be explained. FIG. 12 shows an
20 initial setting operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus 200.
The recording / reproducing apparatus 200 performs the initial
setting between (i) when the optical disc 100 is inserted or loaded in
the disc drive 300 and (ii) when the record data is recorded or
reproduced. The initial setting is processing for preparing for the
25 recording or reproducing of the record data and includes various
processing. Out of the processing, the initialization of the optical

53
disc 100, the generation of the defect management information 120, the transmission of the defect management information 120 to the backend 400, or the like will be explained below. The processing is performed mainly under the control of the CPU 361 of the disc drive
5 300.
As shown in FIG. 12, when the optical disc 100 is inserted or
loaded into the disc drive 300, the CPU 361 of the disc drive 300
judges whether or not the optical disc 100 is an unrecorded disc, i.e.,
a blank disc (step Sll).
10 If the optical disc 100 is a blank disc (the step Sll: YES), the
CPU 361 initializes the optical disc 100 (step S12). In this
initializing, the DMI generator 360 generates the defect management
information 120 (step S13). Specifically, it obtains the start address
and end address of the user data area 108 and the sizes of the spare
15 areas 109 and 110, which are set in the initializing, and generates
the setting information 121. Moreover, it generates the defect list
122. The defect list 122 generated at this time has only an outline,
not having any content. Namely, the defect address is not recorded
in it, nor is the specific spare address. A head, identification
20 information, or the like are only recorded. The generated defect
management information 120 is stored into and maintained in the
DMI generator 360.
Then, the CPU 361 transmits the defect management information 120 stored in the DMI generator 360 to the backend 400
25 (step S14). The defect management information 120 is stored into the defect management device 477 of the backend 400.

54
Then, the CPU 361 records the defect management
information 120 stored in the DMI generator 360 twice repeatedly or
redundantly into the temporary defect management area 104 or 105
on the optical disc 100 (step S15). In this case, it is preferable to
5 specify the temporary defect management area in which the defect
management information 120 is recorded first in advance, by default.
On the other hand, if the optical disc 100 is not a blank disc
(the step Sll"- NO), the CPU 361 judges whether or not the optical
disc 100 is already finalized (step S16). The finalizing is processing
10 for arranging a recording format so that the optical disc 100 can be
reproduced by a reproducing apparatus for a general rewritable-type
optical disc and a reproducing apparatus for a general optical disc of
a reproduce only type. It is possible to recognize whether or not the
optical disc 100 is already finalized by referring to the control
15 information recorded in the lead-in area 101 or the like.
If the optical disc 100 is not finalized yet (the step S16- NO),
the CPU 361 selects the in-use temporary defect management area
104 or 105 (step S17). Namely, it selects the temporary defect
management area 104 or 105 in which the effective defect
20 management information 120 is included.
Particularly in the embodiment, at the time of selecting the in-use temporary defect management area in the step S17, the CPU 361 efficiently detects and selects the temporary defect management area in which the effective defect management information 120 is
25 recorded, by referring to the flag area 111. Such an operation will be described in detail later (refer to FIG. 13).

55
Moreover, if a plurality of defect management information 120
is recorded in the temporary defect management area 104 or 105
selected in the step S17 (refer to FIG. 4), the CPU 361 selects and
reads the effective defect management information 120 among them
5 (step S18). Namely, at a stage before the finalizing, the defect
management information 120 is recorded in the temporary defect
management area 104 or 105 whenever it is updated. The plurality
of defect management information 120 is arranged in series in the
updated order. Therefore, the defect management information
10 placed at the end is the effective defect management information in
the temporary defect management area 104 or 105. The CPU 361
selects and reads the defect management information placed at the end.
In order to specify the defect management information 120
15 placed at the end (or the last defect management information 120),
the embodiment adopts the following method. Namely, in the case
where a plurality of defect management information 120 are already
recorded sequentially in a row in the temporary defect management
area 104 or 105, information is recorded from the start address of the
20 temporary defect management area 104 or 105 to the end address of
the area in which the last defect management information 120 is
recorded, and the subsequent area is unrecorded or blank. The CPU
361 controls the optical pickup 352 and scans the temporary defect
management area 104 or 105, starting from the start address. Then,
25 it detects a position from which an unrecorded or blank condition
starts and scans backward the temporary defect management area

56
104 or 105 from the position. This is how to specify the last defect management information 120. By this type of method, it is possible to easily specify the last or latest defect management information 120 (i.e. the effective defect management information 120) without
5 using a pointer or the like.
The CPU 361 stores the read effective defect management
information 120 into the DMI generator 360 and transmits this
information to the backend 400 (step S19). The effective defect
management information 120 is stored into the defect management
10 device 477 of the backend 400.
On the other hand, if the optical disc 100 is not a blank disc but is already finalized (the step S16'- YES), the CPU 361 reads the defect management information 120 from the definite defect management area 106 or 107 (step S20), and transmits this
15 information to the backend 400 (step S21). The defect management information 120 is stored into the defect management device 477 of the backend 400.
As described above, the defect management information 120 is
generated, or is selectively read from the temporary defect

20 management area 104 or 105, or is read from the definite defect
management area 106 or 107. Then, it is stored into the DMI
generator 360 of the disc drive 300 and is stored into the defect
management device 477 of the backend 400. This completes the
preparation for the defect management and ends the initial setting.
25 Next, the detail of the operation of "selecting the in-use
temporary defect management area" in the step S17 in FIG. 12 will

57
be explained with reference to FIG. 13. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing such an operation of selecting. Incidentally, for convenience of explanation, the two-layer optical disc 150 shown in FIG. 6 will be used for the explanation in place of the optical disc 100.
5 In addition, on the assumption that the association of the distinction information of the flag area 161 with the in~use temporary defect management area indicated by the distinction information is the same as shown in FIG. 8, the explanation below will go on.
As shown in FIG. 13, the CPU 361 reads the flag area 161 of
10 the optical disc 150 and refers to the recording conditions of the flag
unit areas (refer to FIG. 7) included in the flag area 161 (step S171).
Then, it is judged by the operation of the CPU 361 whether or
not the flag unit area 162 is in the unrecorded condition (step S172).
As a result, if it is judged that the flag unit area 162 is in the
15 unrecorded condition (the step S172: Yes), that means the flag area
161 shows the recording condition shown in FIG. 8A. Therefore, the
temporary defect management area 154 is selected by the CPU 361 as
the in-use temporary defect management area (step S173).
On the other hand, if it is judged that the flag unit area 162 is
20 not in the unrecorded condition (the step S172: No), then, it is judged whether or not the flag unit area 163 is in the unrecorded condition (step S174).
As a result, if it is judged that the flag unit area 163 is in the
unrecorded condition (the step S174: Yes), that means the flag area
25 161 shows the recording condition shown in FIG. 8B. Therefore, the
temporary defect management area 155 is selected by the CPU 361 as

58
the in-use temporary defect management area (step S175).
On the other hand, if it is judged that the flag unit area 163 is not m ,the unrecorded condition (the step S174: No), then, it is judged whether or not the flag unit area 164 is in the unrecorded condition
5 (step S176).
As a result, if it is judged that the flag unit area 164 is in the
unrecorded condition (the step S176: Yes), that means the flag area
161 shows the recording condition shown in FIG. 8C. Therefore, the
temporary defect management area 174 is selected by the CPU 361 as
10 the in-use temporary defect management area (step S177).
On the other hand, if it is judged that the flag unit area 164 is not in the unrecorded condition (the step S176: No), that means the flag area 161 shows the recording condition shown in FIG. 8D. Therefore, the temporary defect management-area 175 is selected by
15 the CPU 361 as the in-use temporary defect management area (step S178).
Therefore, it is possible to search for the in-use temporary defect management area relatively easily and efficiently by referring to the flag area 161. Namely, conventionally, it is necessary to
20 access all the temporary defect management areas and search for the in-use temporary defect management area, thoroughly. However, according to this embodiment, it is unnecessary to search for it thoroughly, as described above, so that it is possible to speed up the initial operation in loading the disc (or the reproduction operation
25 and the record operation), for example.
particularly, since the flag area 161 is included in the lead-in

59
area 151, when the optical disc 150 is loaded, it is possible to select the in-use temporary defect management area as one portion of the initial operation. Therefore, after that, it is possible to perform the normal reproduction or record operation without paying attention to
5 he selection of the temporary defect management area.
Next, a record operation of the recording / reproducing
apparatus 200 will be explained. FIG. 14 mainly shows a record
operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus 200. The
recording / reproducing apparatus 200 performs a record operation of
10 recording the record data into the user data area 108 on the optical
disc 100. The recording / reproducing apparatus 200 performs the
record operation while performing the defect management. The
recording / reproducing apparatus 200 performs verifying during the
record operation and updates the defect list 122 on the basis of the
15 verifying. The record operation is realized by the cooperation of the
CPU 361 of the disc drive 300 and the system controller 376 of the backend 400.
As shown in FIG. 14, after judging whether or not an instruction of finalizing or reproducing the record data from the
20 optical disc 100 is given (steps S31 and S32), when a user inputs an instruction of starting to record (step S33: YES), the recording / reproducing apparatus 200 responds to this and records the record data (step S34). The record data is recorded into each predetermined block. The recording / reproducing apparatus 200
25 refers to the defect management information stored in the defect management device 477 of the backend 400 and records the record

60
data while performing the defect management on the basis of the information.
The recording / reproducing apparatus 200 performs verifying
at each time of the one block recording or at each time of ending a
5 series of writing sequences (step S35), and updates the defect
management information 120 on the basis of the result of the
verifying. Incidentally, the defect management information 120
which is updated is the defect management information stored in the
DMI generator 360 of the disc drive 300. Specifically, when it is
10 recognized, as a result of the verifying, that the record data fails to
be record (step S36: YES), the CPU 361 of the disc drive 300 records
the record data that fails to be recorded into the spare area 109 or
110 (step S37). Then, the CPU 361 estimates that there is a defect
in a place in which the record data is supposed to be recorded, and
15 records the defect address for indicating the place and the
corresponding spare address onto the defect list 122 (step S38). The
operation of making the defect address and the spare address will be
described in detail later.
When the above-described steps S34 to S38 end with respect to
20 a series block of the record data to be recorded this time (step S39:
Yes), the CPU 361 records the updated defect management
information 120 twice repeatedly or redundantly into the temporary
defect management area 104 or 105 on the optical disc 100 (step S40).
Here, the defect management information 120 is recorded into
25 the in-use temporary defect management area, but if there is no free
space (or unrecorded space) in the in-use temporary defect

61
management area, it is recorded into another temporary defect management area. In addition, in that case, it is preferable that the flag unit areas of the flag area 111 are updated at the same time (i.e. at least one of them is/are changed to be in the recorded condition).
5 Such a record operation will be described in detail later (refer to FIG. 15).
Incidentally, the defect management information 120 recorded in the temporary defect management area 104 or 105 is the defect management information 120 stored in the DMI generator 360.
10 Then, the record operation is completed.
Next, the detail of the additional or sequential or postscript recording into the temporary defect management area 104 or 105 in the step S40 in FIG. 14 will be explained with reference to FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the additional or sequential or
15 postscript recording of the defect management information 120 into the temporary defect management area 104 or 105.
As shown in FIG. 15, firstly, it is judged by the operation of
the CPU 361 whether or not there is any free space in the temporary
defect management area 104 or 105 into which the defect

20 management information 120 is about to be recorded (step S401).
Namely, it is judged whether or not there is any free space for further
recording therein the defect management information 120 in such an
area that is indicated by the flag area 111 (or 161) to be the in-use
temporary defect management area.
25 As a result of the judgment, if it is judged that there is a free
space (the step S401: Yes), the defect management information 120 is

62
recorded into the currently in-use temporary defect management area (step S404).
On the other hand, if it is judged that there is not any free
space (the step S40U No), the defect management information 120 is
5 recorded into the temporary defect management area to be used next
(step S402). For example, in the case of the optical disc 100 (refer to
FIG. l), if the temporary defect management area 104 is in use and
has no free space to record the defect management information 120,
the temporary defect management area 105 is selected to be the
10 temporary defect management area to be used next, and the defect
management information 120 is recorded into the temporary defect
management area 105. Alternatively, in the case of the optical disc
150 (refer to FIG. 6), if the temporary defect management area 154 is
in use and has no free space to record the defect management
15 information 120, any one of the other temporary defect management
areas 155, 174, and 175 is selected to be the temporary defect
management area to be used next. Incidentally, the temporary
defect management area to be used next may be determined in
advance, or may be selected by the CPU 361 at the time point of the
20 step S402, for example.
The CPU 361 further allows the data to be recorded into the flag area 111 (161) (step S403). Namely, it allows at least one of the recording conditions of the flag unit areas which are provided for the flag area 111 (161), to be changed into the recorded condition. For
25 example, it is assailed that on the optical disc 150, the temporary defect management area 154 is in use, and the defect management

63
information 120 is recorded into the temporary defect management
area 155 in this time by the operation of the step S402. In this case,
the data is recorded so that the flag unit area 162 of the flag area 161
is in the recorded condition.
5 By this, if the in-use temporary defect management area has
to be changed during the record operation, it is possible to realize the flag area 111 (161) having the distinction information which reflects the change.
Incidentally, if the flag unit area 162 or the like is set to be in
10 the recorded condition, the pits may be formed, not only by writing arbitrary data but also by writing the predetermined record data. For example, it may be constructed such that the flag unit area is set to be in the recorded condition by recording the backup data of an important file.
15 Next, the finalizing operation of the recording / reproducing
apparatus 200 will be explained. FIG. 16 shows the finalizing operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus 200. For example, when the user inputs an instruction for finalizing (the step S31 in FIG. 14: YES), as shown in FIG. 16, the recording /
20 reproducing apparatus 200 confirms that the optical disc 100 is not finalized yet (step S51: NO) and finalizes the optical disc 100 (step S52). During finalizing, the recording / reproducing apparatus 200 records the defect management information 120 twice repeatedly or redundantly into the definite defect management area 106 or 107 on
25 the optical disc 100 (step S53). The recording of the defect management information 120 may be performed once, or three times

64
or more. Incidentally, the defect management information 120
recorded in the definite defect management area 106 or 107 is the
defect management information 120 stored in the DMI generator 360.
Then, the finalizing operation is completed.
5 Next, a reproduction operation of the recording / reproducing
apparatus 200 will be explained. FIG. 17 shows a reproduction operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus 200.
When the user inputs an instruction of starting to reproduce (the step S32 in FIG. 14: YES), as shown in FIG. 17, the
10 recording / reproducing apparatus 200 confirms that the optical disc 100 is not a blank disc (the step S71: NO), and reproduces the record data recorded in the user data area 108 on the optical disc 100 (step S72). The recording / reproducing apparatus 200 reproduces the record data while performing the defect management on the basis of
15 the defect management information 120 stored in the defect management device 477 of the backend 400.
As described above, according to the recording / reproducing apparatus 200, it records the defect management information 120 into the temporary defect management area 104 or 105 on the optical
20 disc 100 before finalizing the optical disc 100. and it records the defect management information 120 into the definite defect management area 106 or 107 on the optical disc 100 when finalizing the optical disc 100. With respect to the optical disc 100 which is not finalized yet, the recording / reproducing apparatus 200 reads the
25 defect management information 120 from the temporary defect management area 104 or 105 on the optical disc 100. With respect

65
to the optical disc 100 which is already finalized, the recording / reproducing apparatus 200 reads the defect management information 120 from the definite defect management area 106 or 107 on the optical disc 100. This makes it possible to realize the recording or
5 reproducing of the record data while performing the appropriate defect management with respect to both the optical disc 100 which is not finalized yet and the optical disc 100 which is already finalized.
Particularly, by providing flag area 111 (161), it is possible to select the in-use temporary defect management area from the
10 plurality of temporary defect management areas 104 and 105 (or 154, 155, 174, and 175) relatively easily and efficiently. Namely, it is possible to read the effective defect management information 120 relatively easily and efficiently. This makes it possible to reduce a processing load of the CPU 361 at the time of loading the disc, or
15 reproducing and recording.
According to the recording / reproducing apparatus 200 of the present invention, it is constructed such that the defect management information 120 is recorded into the definite defect management area 106 or 107 on the optical disc 100 in the finalizing, which allows the
20 compatibility between the write- once-type optical disc 100 and a general rewritable-type optical disc.
Incidentally, the drawings used for the explanation of the
embodiments of the present invention embody constitutional
elements or the like of the recording medium, recording apparatus or
25 reproducing apparatus of the present invention, only for the purpose
of explaining technical ideas thereof. The shape, size, position,

66
connection relationship, and the like of various constitutional elements or the like are not limited to the drawings.
In addition, in the above-described embodiments, the optical disc 100 is explained as one example of the recording medium, and
5 the recorder or the player associated with the optical disc 100 is explained as one example of the recording / reproducing apparatus. The present invention, however, is not limited to the optical disc and the recorder or the player for it. The present invention can be applied to other various information recording media for high density
10 recording or high transfer rate,' and a recorder or a player for the media.
The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various changes may be made, if desired, without departing from the essence or spirit of the invention which can be
15 read from the claims and the entire specification. An information recording medium, a recording apparatus, a reproducing apparatus, a recording method, a reproducing method, and a computer program for making these functions, all of which involves such changes, are also intended to be within the technical scope of the present
20 invention.
Industrial Applicability
An information recording medium, a recording apparatus for
and method for an information recording medium, a reproducing
25 apparatus and method for an information recording medium, a
computer program for recording or reproduction control, and a data

67
structure including a control signal, all of which are according to the present invention, can be applied to a high-density optical disc, such as an optical disc, a magnet disc and a magnet-optical disc, and further they can be applied to a DVD player, a DVD recorder, and the
5 like. Moreover, they can be applied to an information recording medium, an information recording / reproducing apparatus, or the like, which are mounted on or can be connected to various computer equipment, for example.

68
WE CLAIM
1. An information recording medium comprising:
a data area for recording therein record data;
5 a plurality of temporary defect management areas for
temporarily recording therein defect management information which is a basis of defect management for a defect in said data area; and
a flag area for recording therein distinction information for distinguishing a temporary defect management area in which the
10 defect management information that is effective is recorded, from said plurality of temporary defect management areas,
the distinction information being recorded as a type of a combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded condition and an area left to be in an unrecorded condition according to a
15 predetermined rule, in said flag area.
2. The information recording medium according to claim 1,
wherein if said information recording medium comprises "n"
temporary defect management areas (n- integral number, n^2), said
20 flag area includes "n-1" flag unit areas.
3. The information recording medium according to claim 2,
wherein the distinction information is indicated as an entire flag
area by that each of the "n-1" flag unit areas is in the recorded
25 condition or in the unrecorded condition.

69
4. The information recording medium according to claim 3,
wherein backup data corresponding to the record data is recorded
into at least one flag unit area in the recorded condition out. of the
"n-1" flag unit areas.
5
5. The information recording medium according to claim 2,
wherein each of the "n-1" flag unit areas corresponds to the smallest
recording area of said information recording medium.
10 6. The information recording medium according to claim 1,
wherein said flag area is disposed on an inner circumferential side of said information recording medium.
7. The information recording medium according to claim 1,
15 further comprising a control information recording area for recording
therein information for controlling at least one of recording and reading with respect to said data area,
said flag area being disposed in said control information recording area. 20
8. The information recording medium according to claim 1,
wherein said flag area is disposed in one temporary defect
management area out of said plurality of temporary defect
management areas.
25
9. The information recording medium according to claim 8,

70
wherein said flag area is disposed at an end portion of the one temporary defect management area.
10. A recording apparatus for recording record data onto an
5 information recording medium comprising: (i) a data area for
recording therein the record data.' (ii) a plurality of temporary defect
management areas for temporarily recording therein defect
management information which is a basis of defect management for a
defect in said data area; and (iii) a flag area for recording therein
10 distinction information for distinguishing a temporary defect
management area in which the defect management information that
is effective is recorded, from said plurality of temporary defect
management areas, the distinction information being recorded as a
type of a combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded
15 condition and an area left to be in an unrecorded condition according
to a predetermined rule, in said flag area,
said recording apparatus comprising:
a first recording device for recording at least one of the record
data and the defect management information; and
20 a second recording device for updating and recording the
distinction information, if the temporary defect management area in which the effective defect management information is recorded is changed, by changing the area left to be in the unrecorded condition to the area in the recorded condition according to the changed
25 temporary defect management area and thus by changing the combination pattern.

71
11. A recording method of recording record data onto an
information recording medium comprising: (i) a data area for
recording therein the record data; (ii) a plurality of temporary defect
5 management areas for temporarily recording therein defect
management information which is a basis of defect management for a
defect in said data area,' and (iii) a flag area for recording therein
distinction information for distinguishing a temporary defect
management area in which the defect management information that
10 is effective is recorded, from said plurality of temporary defect
management areas, the distinction information being recorded as a
type of a combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded
condition and an area left to be in an unrecorded condition according
to a predetermined rule, in said flag area,
15 said recording method comprising:
a first recording process of recording at least one of the record data and the defect management information! and
a second recording process of updating and recording the distinction information, if the temporary defect management area in
20 which the effective defect management information is recorded is changed, by changing the area left to be in the unrecorded condition to the area in the recorded condition according to the changed temporary defect management area and thus by changing the combination pattern.
25
12. A reproducing apparatus for reproducing record data recorded

72
on an information recording medium comprising-' (i) a data area for recording therein the record data; (ii) a plurality of temporary defect management areas for temporarily recording therein defect management information which is a basis of defect management for a
5 defect in said data area; and (iii) a flag area for recording therein distinction information for distinguishing a temporary defect management area in which the defect management information that is effective is recorded, from said plurality of temporary defect management areas, the distinction information being recorded as a
10 type of a combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded condition and an area left to be in an unrecorded condition according to a predetermined rule, in said flag area,
said reproducing apparatus comprising:
a selecting device for reading the distinction information and
15 selecting the temporary defect management area in which the effective defect management information is recorded from said plurality of temporary defect management areas;
a reading device for reading the effective defect management information from he selected temporary defect management area,'
20 and
reproducing device for reproducing the record data recorded in said data area on he basis of the read defect management information.
25 13. The reproducing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein
said flag area has a plurality of flag unit areas and each of the

73
plurality of flag unit areas is in the recorded condition or in the unrecorded condition, and
said selecting device selects the temporary defect management
area in which the effective defect management information is
5 recorded by judging in which condition of the recorded condition and
he unrecorded condition at least one of said plurality of flag unit
as is.
14. A reproducing method of reproducing record data recorded on
10 an information recording medium comprising: (i) a data area for
recording therein the record data." (ii) a plurality of temporary defect
management areas for temporarily recording therein defect
management information which is a basis of defect management for a
fact in said data area; and (iii) a flag area for recording therein
15 distinction information for distinguishing a temporary defect
management area in which the defect management information that
is effective is recorded, from said plurality of temporary defect
management areas, the distinction information being recorded as a
type of a combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded
20 condition and an area left to be in an unrecorded condition according
to a predetermined rule, in said flag area,
said reproducing method comprising:
a selecting process of reading the distinction information and selecting the temporary defect management area in which the
25 effective defect management information is recorded from said plurality of temporary defect management areas!

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a reading process of reading the effective defect management information from the selected temporary defect management area; and a reproducing process of reproducing the record data recorded
5 in said data area on the basis of the read defect management information.
15. A computer program for record control to control a computer
provided for the information recording apparatus according to claim
10 10, said computer program making the computer function as at least one of the first recording device and the second recording device.
16. A computer program for reproduction control to control a
computer provided for the information reproducing apparatus
15 according to claim 12, said computer program making the computer function as at least one of the selecting device, the reading device, and the reproducing device.
17. A data structure comprising:
20 a data area for recording therein record data*"
a plurality of temporary defect management areas for temporarily recording therein defect management information which is a basis of defect management for a defect in said data area,' and
a flag area for recording therein distinction information for
25 distinguishing a temporary defect management area in which the
defect management information that is effective is recorded, from

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said plurality of temporary defect management areas,
the distinction information being recorded as a type of a
combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded condition and
an area left to be in an unrecorded condition, in said flag area
5 according to a predetermined rule.

C- <*■ i«(\i«^
8-3-06

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ABSTRACT
An information recording medium (100) is provided with: a user data area (108) for recording therein record data! a plurality of
5 temporary defect management areas (104, 105) for temporarily recording therein defect management information (120) which is a basis of defect management for a defect in the data area; and a flag area (ill) for recording therein distinction information for distinguishing a temporary defect management area in which the
10 defect management information that is effective is recorded, from the plurality of temporary defect management areas, the distinction information being recorded as a type of a combination pattern of an area set to be in a recorded condition and an area left to be in an unrecorded condition according to a predetermined rule, in the flag
15 area.