Patent ID: 7164637

Claim:
An information recording method that records information by forming recording marks by guiding from a light source to a recording medium an optical beam modulated based on recording information, said information recording method comprising: a first test writing step of performing test writing of predetermined first test data on a test writing area of the recording medium while varying an applied recording power in stages, and calculating an optimum recording power from a reproduction signal of the test-written first test data; and a second test writing step of setting the recording power to the optimum recording power and performing test writing of predetermined second test data on the test writing area of the recording medium while varying in stages an extra recording power level applied in a part of a time period in which the optimum recording power is applied, and calculating an optimum extra recording power level from a reproduction signal of the test-written second test data, wherein information is recorded by using the calculated optimum recording power and the calculated optimum extra recording power level.