Information recording system and information recording method

Abstract

System and method are devised to produce an optical recording medium suitable for identification and management. A recording layer formed in the optical recording medium is irradiated with writing light by a pickup. A visible image pattern suitable for identification, management or the like is formed on the optical recording medium by generating changes in optical characteristics of a portion irradiated with light and a portion not irradiated with light in the recording layer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An information recording system for recording information in an optical recording medium comprising: 
 a driving part for driving the optical recording medium; and    a writing part for forming a visible image pattern by irradiating a recording layer formed in the optical recording medium with light to generate changes in optical characteristics of a portion irradiated with the light and a portion not irradiated with the light in the recording layer.    
     
     
         2 . The information recording system according to    claim 1   , wherein said writing part forms said visible image pattern based on the difference in reflectance between an area irradiated with light to form pits and an area not irradiated with light not to form pits in the recording layer formed in said optical recording medium.  
     
     
         3 . The information recording system according to    claim 1   , further comprising a data generating part for generating data of an image pattern, wherein said writing part irradiates the recording layer with said light modulated based on image pattern data generated by said data generating part.  
     
     
         4 . The information recording system according to    claim 3   , further comprising an editing part for editing image pattern data generated by said data generating part.  
     
     
         5 . The information recording system according to    claim 4   , further comprising a reading part for optically reading information already recorded in said recording layer of said optical recording medium, wherein said editing part detects an unrecorded area in said recording layer based on information read by said reading part or reflected light quantity from said optical recording medium and automatically edits image pattern data generated by said data generating part so that said image pattern matches to said detected unrecorded area.  
     
     
         6 . The information recording system according to    claim 4   , comprising a display part for displaying a simulation of said image pattern based on image pattern data edited by said editing part.  
     
     
         7 . The information recording system according to    claim 3   , comprising a reading part for optically reading information already recorded in said recording layer of said optical recording medium, wherein said data generating part generates said image pattern data based on table of contents information data having at least character or symbol information among information read by said reading part.  
     
     
         8 . The information recording system according to    claim 3   , comprising an external equipment connecting part, wherein said data generating part generates said image pattern data based on table of contents information data having at least character or symbol information among data supplied from external equipment connected to said external equipment connecting part.  
     
     
         9 . The information recording system according to    claim 1   , wherein said writing part performs both writing for forming said image pattern and normal information writing.  
     
     
         10 . An information recording method for recording information in an optical recording medium comprising the steps of: 
 irradiating a recording layer formed in said optical recording medium with light; and    generating changes in optical characteristics of a portion irradiated with the light and a portion not irradiated with the light in said recording layer to form a visible image pattern.    
     
     
         11 . The information recording method according to    claim 10   , wherein said visible image pattern is formed based on difference in reflectance between an area irradiated with light to form pits and an area not irradiated with light not to form pits in said recording layer formed in said optical recording medium.  
     
     
         12 . The information recording method according to    claim 10   , wherein image pattern data is edited by a data editing part; and said visible image pattern is formed by irradiating said recording layer formed in said optical recording medium with said light modulated based on said image pattern data generated by said data editing part.  
     
     
         13 . An information recording system adapted to perform the method according to    claim 12   , wherein a display part is provided to display a simulation of said image pattern based on image pattern data edited by said editing part.  
     
     
         14 . The information recording method according to    claim 12    adapted to record data supplied from external equipment in said optical recording medium, wherein said image pattern data is generated based on table of contents information data having at least character or symbol information among data supplied from said external equipment.