Information recording medium, method and apparatus for recording and reproducing information

A method of reproducing information from an information recording medium including a lead-in area, a first lead-in information area located in the lead-in area, a second lead-in information area located in the lead-in area, and a data area for storing information in prescribed error correction block units, wherein the first lead-in information area is an area which is subjected to recording in the prescribed error correction block units and on which lead-in information relating to the data area is to be recorded, and wherein the second lead-in information area is an area on which lead-in information relating to the data area is recorded, and the second lead-in information area includes pre-pits and has a boundary different from a boundary of an error correction block which occurs in cases where recording is done in the prescribed error correction block units, the method comprising the steps of:

• reading compressed data of a variable transfer rate from the data area in the information recording medium;
• decoding the read compressed data into decoded data;
• and
• temporarily storing the decoded data into a buffer to get continuously reproduced data.

An apparatus for reproducing information from an information recording medium including a lead-in area, a first lead-in information area located in the lead-in area, a second lead-in information area located in the lead-in area, and a data area for storing information in prescribed error correction block units, wherein the first lead-in information area is an area which is subjected to recording in the prescribed error correction block units and on which lead-in information relating to the data area is to be recorded, and wherein the second lead-in information area is an area on which lead-in information relating to the data area is recorded, and the second lead-in information area includes pre-pits and has a boundary different from a boundary of an error correction block which occurs in cases where recording is done in the prescribed error correction block units, the apparatus comprising:

• first means for reading compressed data of a variable transfer rate from the data area in the information recording medium;
• second means for decoding the compressed data read by the first means into decoded data;
• and
• third means for temporarily storing the decoded data into a buffer to get continuously reproduced data.