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

An information recording and reproduction apparatus for an information recording medium including a data recording area for recording data, a first drive information area for recording first drive information, and a second drive information area for recording second drive information, wherein:

• the first drive information and the second drive information each include a plurality of recording and reproduction conditions, the apparatus comprising:
• a drive information read section;
• an adjusting processing section;
• and
• a drive information update section,
• wherein:
• the drive information read section determines whether or not the drive information can be read from the first drive information area;
• the adjusting processing section determines whether or not the plurality of recording and reproduction conditions included in the first drive information include a recording and reproduction condition usable by the information recording and reproduction apparatus;
• and
• when the first drive information can be read and the first drive information does not include the usable recording and reproduction condition, the adjusting processing section adjusts a new recording and reproduction condition usable by the information recording and reproduction apparatus, and the drive information update section uses the new recording and reproduction condition and the first drive information to update the first drive information and the second drive information,
• wherein:
• the first drive information area and the second drive information and the second drive information area each include areas assigned numbers 0 through M (where M is an integer greater than 0),
• the first drive information and the second drive information each include M+1 recording and reproduction conditions,
• the M+1 recording and reproduction conditions are written in the areas of each of the first drive information area and the second drive information area assigned numbers 0 through M in the order from the recording and reproduction condition recorded on the information recording medium most recently to the recording and reproduction condition recorded on the information recording medium least recently, and
• the drive information update section writes contents of the recording and reproduction conditions, which are written in the areas of the first drive information area assigned numbers 0 through M−1, into the areas of each of the first drive information area and the second drive information area assigned numbers 1 through M, and writes a content of the new recording and reproduction condition in the area of each of the first drive information area and the second drive information area assigned number 0.