Patent ID: 8339908

Claim:
An optical recording and reading method of recording and reading information on and from an optical recording medium including a plurality of recording and reading layers having a flat structure with no projection and depression for tracking control and a servo layer having a projection and a depression for tracking control formed thereon, the information being recorded on or read from the plurality of recording and reading layers by irradiating one of the plurality of recording and reading layers with a recording and reading beam while the servo layer is irradiated with a servo beam to perform tracking control, the method comprising: when recording of information is performed on any of the plurality of recording and reading layers, recording control information on the servo layer, the control information being necessary for subsequent recording and reading to be performed on any of the plurality of recording and reading layers; and when the subsequent recording or reading is performed on any of the plurality of recording and reading layers, consulting the control information recorded on the servo layer using the recording and reading beam used for recording and reading performed on the plurality of recording and reading layers.