Optical recording medium having read-only storage area and writeable storage area and recording/reproducing apparatus and method therefor

An apparatus for reproducing a multi-layered optical information storage medium, the apparatus comprising a pick-up unit for applying a laser to the medium for reproducing information thereon;

• and a control unit for driving the pick-up unit to reproduce medium-related information on the multi-layered optical information storage medium, the multi-layered optical information storage medium comprising:
• a first storage layer comprising a first lead-in area having first information;
• and
• a second storage layer comprising a second lead-in area having second information,
• wherein the first information comprises physical format information for both the first storage layer and the second storage layer indicating whether the first storage layer and the second storage layer are read-only or recordable, and hybrid identification information indicating whether an additional storage layer exists, the additional storage layer being reproducible with a second laser other than a first laser, the first laser used for reproducing the first and second storage layers.

A method of reproducing a multi-layered optical information storage medium, reproducing medium-related information on the multi-layered optical information storage medium;

• and determining a physical format of the multi-layered optical information storage medium based on the medium-related information, the multi-layered optical information storage medium comprising:
• a first storage layer comprising a first lead-in area having first information;
• and
• a second storage layer comprising a second lead-in area having second information,
• wherein the first information comprises physical format information for both the first storage layer and the second storage layer indicating whether the first storage layer and the second storage layer are read-only or recordable, and hybrid identification information indicating whether an additional storage layer exists, the additional storage layer being reproducible with a second laser other than a first laser, the first laser used for reproducing the first and second storage layers.