Patent ID: 8248901
Filing Date: 2012-08-21
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. An information recording medium, comprising: a lead-in area, comprising: a user data area, wherein the compatibility information area is configured to store compatibility information enabling basic recording and/or reproducing functions to a recording and/or reproducing apparatus not compatible with the information recording medium when the recording and/or reproducing apparatus records and/or reproduces data on and/or from the information recording medium, the compatibility information enabling the basic recording and/or reproducing functions specifying whether each of a plurality of areas on the information recording medium is recordable and/or reproducible, and wherein the defect management area (DMA) is configured to store information on defects occurring in the user data area, and a disc definition structure comprising write protection information indicating whether a recordable area on the information recording medium is write protected, wherein even if the compatibility information read from the compatibility information area indicates that at least one area of the plurality of areas of the information recording medium is recordable, the at least one area of the plurality of areas of the information recording medium is write protected in a case where the write protection information in the disc definition structure read from the defect management area indicates that recording data on the information recording medium is prohibited, wherein the plurality of areas of the information recording medium comprises the user data area, the defect management area, and the compatibility information area, and wherein if the compatibility information read from the compatibility information area indicates that at least one area of the plurality of areas of the information recording medium is recordable, the at least one area of the plurality of areas of the information recording medium is not write protected in a case where the write protection information in the disc definition structure read from the defect management area indicates that recording data on the information recording medium is not prohibited.