Information recording medium, information recording method, information recording apparatus, information reproduction method, and information reproduction apparatus

An information recording medium of which the number of times of data rewrite to an identical area is limited, the information recording medium comprising:

• an information recording area to which sequential loop recording is to be performed;
• and
• a pointer information recording area for recording pointer information indicating a position of an area which has been allocated by a previous recording operation to the information recording area.

An information recording method for recording information on an information recording medium of which the number of times of data rewrite to an identical area is limited, the information recording medium including an information recording area to which sequential loop recording is to be performed, and a pointer information recording area, the information recording method comprising the steps of:

• performing a recording operation to the information recording area repeatedly;
• and
• recording, in the pointer information recording area, pointer information indicating a position of an end of an area in which data has been recorded by a previous recording operation to the information recording area.

An information recording method for recording information on an information recording medium of which the number of times of data rewrite to an identical area is limited, the information recording medium including an information recording area to which sequential loop recording is to be performed, and a pointer information recording area, the information recording method comprising the steps of:

• performing a recording operation to the information recording area repeatedly;
• and
• recording, in the pointer information recording area, pointer information indicating a position of an area allocated by a previous recording operation to the information recording area.

An information recording method for recording information on an information recording medium of which the number of times of data rewrite to an identical area is limited, the information recording medium including a first information recording area to which sequential loop recording is to be performed, and a second information recording area to which sequential loop recording is to be performed, the information recording method comprising the steps of:

• allocating the second information recording area to a part of the first information recording area;
• and
• moving a position of the second information recording area, allocated to the part of the first information recording area, in the first information recording area.

An information recording apparatus for recording information on an information recording medium of which the number of times of data rewrite to an identical area is limited, the information recording medium including an information recording area to which sequential loop recording is to be performed, and a pointer information recording area, the information recording apparatus comprising:

• means for performing a recording operation to the information recording area repeatedly;
• and
• means for recording, in the pointer information recording area, pointer information indicating a position of an end of an area in which data has been recorded by a previous recording operation to the information recording area.

An information recording apparatus for recording information on an information recording medium of which the number of times of data rewrite to an identical area is limited, the information recording medium including an information recording area to which sequential loop recording is to be performed, and a pointer information recording area, the information recording apparatus comprising:

• means for performing a recording operation to the information recording area repeatedly;
• and
• means for recording, in the pointer information recording area, pointer information indicating a position of an area allocated by a previous recording operation to the information recording area.

An information recording apparatus for recording information on an information recording medium of which the number of times of data rewrite to an identical area is limited, the information recording medium including a first information recording area to which sequential loop recording is to be performed, and a second information recording area to which sequential loop recording is to be performed, the information recording apparatus comprising:

• means for allocating the second information recording area to a part of the first information recording area;
• and
• means for moving a position of the second information recording area, allocated to the part of the first information recording area, in the first information recording area.