Patent ID: 7505381

Claim:
An information recording medium comprising a plurality of recording layers, each of said plurality of recording layers comprising: a data area for recording therein record data; a first control information recording area, which is located on inner circumferential side of said data area, to record therein information for controlling an operation of recording and/or reading in said data area, said control information recording area including a definite defect management area to record therein defect management information of said data area; a second control information recording area, which is located on outer circumferential side of said data area, to record therein information for controlling an operation of recording and/or reading in said data area, said control information recording area including a definite defect management area to record therein defect management information of said data area; a first temporary defect management area, which is located between said first control information recording area and said data area, for temporarily recording therein defect management information of said data area; and a second temporary defect management area, which is located between said second control information recording area and said data area, for temporarily recording therein defect management information of said data area, one of said plurality of recording layers comprising: a flag area for recording therein distinction information for distinguishing a temporary defect management area in which the defect management information that is effective is recorded, from said first and second temporary defect management areas in said plurality of recording layers.