Patent ID: 7072266

Claim:
A multisession compatible disk player characterized by the provision of: a signal readout portion that reads out contents information containing identification information about the recording format of a disk recorded in a lead-in area of a first session on the disk; a signal processing portion that decodes contents information read out by said signal readout portion; an identification information processing portion that identifies each piece of the identification information contained in the contents information decoded by said signal processing portion; a multisession decision portion that decides whether the disk has plural sessions based on a session format information in the identification information identified by the identification information processing portion which is recorded in the lead-in area of the first session on the disk; a disk format decision portion that decides whether the disk is a read-only disk based on a disk format information in the identification information identified by said identification information processing portion which is recorded in the lead-in area of the first session on the disk; a disk type decision portion that decides a type of the disk based on results of the decision by said multisession decision portion and said disk format decision portion; and a control portion that controls a playback of the disk based on a result of decision by said disk type decision portion.