Patent ID: 7518977

Claim:
A method of reproducing user data from an information storage medium comprising a plurality of recording layers, the method comprising reproducing the user data from user data areas of the recording layers, wherein: each recording layer includes a lead-in area, a user data area, a lead-out area, and a dedicated area for use with a drive, an amount of the user data recorded on the user data areas on the recording layers is less than a capacity of the user data areas, and the user data was divided, prior to recording, into approximately equal portions equal in number to the recording layers, and one of each portion of the user data was allotted to one of each user data area during recording such that each data area has an approximately equal amount of the user data on each recording layer, and capacities of the user data areas vary equally according to the amount of the user data recorded, and each recording layer further includes an unrecorded area where the user data is not recorded, between the lead-out area and the dedicated area, and each unrecorded area has an approximately equal capacity and is positioned at the same radial position of the each recording layer.