Patent ID: 6345017
Filing Date: 2002-02-05
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A playback apparatus for carrying out playback operations on a disc-shaped recording medium comprising:a main-data area for recording main data; a main-data management area for recording main-data management data for controlling said main data; a sub-data area for recording sub-data associated with said main data; and a sub-data management area for recording sub-data management data for controlling said sub-data, said playback apparatus comprising: a playback means for playing back said main data from said main-data area in accordance with said main-data management data recorded in said main-data management area and for playing back said sub-data from said sub-data area in accordance with said sub-data management data recorded in said sub-data management area; a transport means for transporting said playback means in a radial direction of said disc-shaped recording medium; a memory means for storing at least one of said main data and said sub-data played back by said playback means; a control means for controlling said transport means to transport said playback means to at least one of said main-data area for recording said main data during a period to read out said sub-data and said sub-data area for recording said sub-data during a period to read out said main-data; and an operation means for specifying a first playback mode to play back said main data and said sub-data synchronously or a second playback mode to play back at least one of said main data and said sub-data, wherein said control means inhibits transportation of said playback means by said transport means between said main-data area and said sub-data area when said second playback mode is specified by said operations means.