Patent ID: 7099245

Claim:
A method for reproducing information recorded on an optical disk which is provided for recording data of a signal modulated according to a predetermined modulation method in a form of concavo-convex pits, the optical disk comprising a first area having a reflecting film partly removed, a second area for recording pits which are different from pits satisfying requirements of the predetermined modulation method, a first area location information recording area for recording location information of the first area on the optical disk, and a second area location information recording area for recording location information of the second area on the optical disk, the method comprising: reproducing information recorded in the first area in accordance with the location information of the first area on the optical disk recorded in the first area location information recording area, and outputting a reproduced signal of the first area; reproducing information recorded in the second area in accordance with the location information of the second area on the optical disk recorded in the second area location information recording area, and outputting a reproduced signal of the second area; detecting an area having the reflecting film partly removed, in accordance with the reproduced signal of the first area; detecting a pit which is different from the pit satisfying the requirements of the predetermined modulation method, in accordance with the reproduced signal of the second area; and judging whether or not the information recorded on the optical disk should be reproduced, in accordance with results detected by said detecting operations, wherein said reproducing of the information recorded in the first area comprises reproducing the information recorded in the first area in a defocus state.