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

A reproduction method of reproducing information from an information recording medium including two or more recording layers,

• wherein for the information recording medium, the number of recording layers including an area with information recorded thereon is limited to a predetermined value N (N≧0) or less with respect to other recording layers in which the light passes therethrough until light reaches an unrecorded area of a recording layer as a recording target,
• the reproduction method comprising:
• a reproduction request receiving step of receiving a reproduction request for reproducing information from the information recording medium;
• an alternate information acquisition step of acquiring, from the information recording medium, alternate information including alternate source information representing a recording request area subjected to a recording request, and alternate destination information representing an alternate area of the recording request area;
• an alternate registration determination step of determining whether the area to be reproduced is registered in the alternate source information;
• an unrecord determination step of determining whether an area of an alternate source is an unrecorded area when determination is made that the area to be reproduced is registered in the alternate source information in the alternate registration determination step;
• and
• a reproduction step of reproducing the alternate area registered in the alternate destination information when determination is made that an area of an alternate source is an unrecorded area in the unrecord determination step.

An information reproduction apparatus for reproducing information from an information recording medium including two or more recording layers, wherein

• for the information recording medium, the number of recording layers including an area with information recorded thereon is limited to a predetermined value N (N≧0) or less with respect to other recording layers in which the light passes therethrough until light reaches an unrecorded area of a recording layer as a recording target,
• the information reproduction apparatus comprising:
• a reproduction request receiving unit for receiving a reproduction request for reproducing information from the information recording medium;
• an alternate information acquisition unit for acquiring, from the information recording medium, alternate information including alternate source information representing a recording request area subjected to a recording request, and alternate destination information representing an alternate area of the recording request area;
• an alternate registration determination unit for determining whether the area to be reproduced is registered in the alternate source information;
• an unrecord determination unit of determining whether an area of an alternate source is an unrecorded area when determination is made that the area to be reproduced is registered in the alternate source information by the alternate registration determination unit;
• and
• a reproduction unit for reproducing the alternate area registered in the alternate destination information when determination is made that an area of an alternate source is an unrecorded area by the unrecord determination unit.