Reproducing apparatus for accessing track segments in the forward and reverse directions

A reproducing apparatus for reproducing a program recorded on a program segment or segments from a recording medium which has recorded thereon segment management data including a plurality of part tables, wherein a first part table has a start address and an end address of a first program segment and link information indicative of a second part table in which a start address and an end address of a second program segment to be linked to the end address of the first segment, and corresponding data indicating a stored position of one of the plurality of part tables of the management data for each of the recorded program segments, comprising:

• data read-out means for reading out data from the recording medium;
• means for producing reproduction advancement data from the segment management data read out by said data read-out means, the reproduction advancement data being produced by rearranging the segment management data according to the link information contained in the part tables, the rearranged segment management data including segment numbers indicated in order of reproduction, so that the segments can be accessed successively in the forward or reverse reproducing direction;
• control means for controlling an ordinary reproducing operation or an irregular reproducing operation, such as queue reproduction and review reproduction, based on the reproduction advancement data;
• and
• storage means for storing the produced reproduction advancement data.