Optical recording medium, recording/reproducing apparatus and method, and recording medium storing program for executing the method

Abstract

An information recording medium includes an access control area in which access control data (ACD) is recorded, the ACD having common information set to allow a recording/reproducing apparatus that cannot recognize a predetermined function of the information recording medium to control access to the information recording medium; and an ACD state information area in which state information regarding one of defectiveness and recordability of an ACD block, at which the ACD is recorded in the access control area, is recorded.

1 . A recording/reproducing method comprising:
 recording state information selectable between and indicating at least one of defectiveness and recordability of an access control data (ACD) block, at which corresponding ACD is recorded in an access control area provided on an information recording medium, in an ACD state information area provided on the information recording medium, the ACD having common information for a corresponding predetermined function recognized by a compliant type of recording and/or reproducing apparatus and which is set to allow a non-compliant type of recording/reproducing apparatus that cannot recognize the predetermined function of the information recording medium to control access to the information recording medium.   
   
   
       2 . The recording/reproducing method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the information recording medium is a write-once information recording medium,   the recorded state information comprises a defective state indicating that the ACD block is a defective block, and   the defective state is one selectable between and indicating at least one of a state that the ACD block is detected as defective while the ACD is recorded in the ACD block, a state that the ACD block has invalid ACD, a state that the ACD block has old and invalid ACD and updated ACD has been recorded in another ACD block, a state that the ACD block is an unrecorded block filled with predetermined data according to finalization of the information recording medium, or combinations thereof.   
   
   
       3 . The recording/reproducing method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the information recording medium is a write-once information recording medium, and   the state information comprises a state that the ACD block has valid ACD but is detected as defective while the valid ACD is reproduced from the ACD block.   
   
   
       4 . The recording/reproducing method of  claim 1 , further comprising, when the ACD recorded in the ACD block is updated, changing the state information regarding the ACD block into a defective state indicating that the ACD block has invalid ACD and recording updated ACD in a subsequent available ACD block in the access control area. 
   
   
       5 . The recording/reproducing method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the information recording medium is a rewritable recording medium,   the state information comprises a defective state indicating that the ACD block is a defective block, and   the defective state is one selectable between and indicating at least one of a state that the ACD block is detected as defective while the ACD is recorded in the ACD block, a state that the ACD block has invalid ACD, a state that the ACD block has valid ACD but is detected as defective while the valid ACD is reproduced from the ACD block, or combinations thereof.   
   
   
       6 . The recording/reproducing method of  claim 5 , further comprising, when the ACD recorded in the ACD block is no longer valid, overwriting the ACD block with a predetermined value and changing the state information regarding the ACD block into a state indicating that the ACD block is available to allow other ACD to be recorded in the ACD block. 
   
   
       7 . The recording/reproducing method of  claim 1 , further comprising, when the ACD block in the access control area is detected as defective while the ACD is recorded in the ACD block or as a result of verification of the recording, recording the ACD in a subsequent ACD block in the access control area. 
   
   
       8 . The recording/reproducing method of  claim 1 , wherein the access control area comprises 64 locations to record up to 64 ACD blocks, and the method further comprises assigning two bits for state information regarding each ACD block and assigning 16 bytes to a disc definition structure in a defect management area on the information recording medium to record the state information regarding each of the 64 ACD blocks included in the access control area.