Data reproducing method and apparatus capable of shortening the total time of data reproduction for a plurality of reproduction requests

A data reproducing apparatus comprising:

• storing means for storing in a temporary storage memory first data read out by an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus from an optical information recording and reproducing medium when a first reproduction request is received;
• processing means for processing the read out first data stored in the storing means;
• predicting means for predicting second data that is expected to be specified by a second reproduction request, based on a characteristic of the first data, during at least one of a data processing period of a host computer and a period of time required for storing the first data in the temporary storage memory;
• and
• transferring means for reading out the second data predicted by the predicting means from the optical information recording and reproducing medium and for then transferring the read out second data to the temporary storage memory, before the second reproduction request is received.