Patent ID: 7657562

Claim:
A data processing apparatus for reading, from a recording medium, content stored in a specified recording area of the recording medium and for playing back read content, the recording medium storing, according to a specified format, content and management information for the content, the data processing apparatus comprising: a content processor that reads the management information from the recording medium, and that reads the content according to the management information from the recording medium to process the read content; a searcher that, when the content processor reads the content, searches for the content out of a specified search range, the specified search range being defined according to the specified format as a range for storing content to be reproduced, when the content is managed by the management information and not present in the specified recording area; a link information setter; and a management information storage that stores the management information read from the recording medium using an identification number specific to the recording medium to enable management of the management information, wherein, when the content is found by the searcher, the link information setter updates link information for relating a recording area at which the content was found to the specified recording area so that the content is accessible using the management information, wherein the management information includes play list information that specifies a playback sequence for playback of the content and track information, the track information including meta information relating to the content, wherein the specified search range includes a recording area in the recording medium, wherein the management information manages a content identifier (ID) that is identification information uniquely assigned to each of a plurality of contents, and wherein the search searches for content to be played back using the content ID.