Patent ID: 8588042

Claim:
A recording-and-reproducing apparatus for managing content data recorded on a removable recording medium, said apparatus comprising: means for acquiring, when the content data is recorded, reproduction information required for reproducing the content data; means for generating a first management file for individually managing the content data on which an identifier for uniquely identifying the content data, information about an individual in charge of last varied information data (LVID), and the reproduction information obtained by the information-acquisition means are described, the information about the individual in charge of the last varied information data being information that specifies a device having a latest updated file system of the removable medium; means for registering control information for the content data including the reproduction information, the identifier of the content data contained in the first management file, the individual in charge of the last varied information data, and location information of the content data, in a second management file collectively managing the content data; means for reading out the control information in the second management file recorded on the recording medium when the recording medium is detached from and again attached to the recording-and-reproducing apparatus or when the recording-and-reproducing apparatus is powered on; a memory in which the control information in the second management file read out by the read-out means is expanded; means for determining whether the individual in charge of the last varied information data in the second management file expanded in the memory matches that of the recording-and-reproducing apparatus; means for comparing the control information in the second management file expanded in the memory and the content data recorded on the recording medium in response to the individual in charge of the last varied information data in the second management file expanded in the memory not matching that of the recording-and-reproducing apparatus; and means for updating the control information in the second management file expanded in the memory in response to the control information in the second management file recorded on the recording medium not being coincident with the content data as a result of the comparison by the comparison means.