Patent ID: 7916584

Claim:
A recording-and-reproducing apparatus for managing content data recorded on a removable recording medium, comprising: means for acquiring reproduction information required for reproducing the content data when the content data is recorded; means for generating a first management file for individually managing the content data, on which an identifier for uniquely identifying the content data and the reproduction information obtained by the information-acquisition means are described; means for registering control information for the content data including the reproduction information and the identifier of the content data contained in the first management file 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 comparing the control information in the second management file expanded in the memory and the content data recorded on the recording medium; and means for updating the control information in the second management file expanded in the memory when the control information in the second management file recorded on the recording medium is not coincident with the content data as a result of the comparison by the comparison means, wherein the comparison means does not carry out the comparison process when final update information of the recording medium indicates the recording-and-reproducing apparatus to which the recording medium is attached.