Reproduction-only recording medium, reproduction device, reproduction method

A reproduction apparatus for reproducing data corresponding to both:

• a recording/reproduction medium allowing data to be recorded thereon and allowing data already recorded thereon to be reproduced wherein:
• said data is recorded on said recording/reproduction medium as a sequence of blocks each used as an information recording/reproduction unit;
• each of said blocks has a data format including a data run-in serving as a front-end buffer area, a cluster comprising a plurality of successive frames each including sync data besides main data and a data run-out serving as a rear-end buffer area;
• and
• a data pattern of a first inversion gap is used as said sync data;
• and a read-only recording medium for recording read-only data as a sequence of blocks each used as an information recording/reproduction unit wherein:
• each of said blocks has a data run-in serving as a front-end buffer area, a cluster comprising a plurality of successive frames each including sync data besides main data and a data run-out serving as a rear-end buffer area;
• said blocks are recorded on said read-only recording medium in a data format including at least pieces of sync data recorded at locations separated from each other in said front-end and rear-end buffer areas, which are allocated to respectively said data run-in and said data run-out on a boundary between any consecutive two of said blocks, by a distance equal in length to a sync-data gap in said successive frames;
• and
• a data pattern of a second inversion gap is used as said sync data, said reproduction apparatus comprising:
• read means for reading out information from recording media mounted thereon;
• data-decoding means for carrying out a frame synchronization process and a data-decoding process on the basis of sync data detected from information read out by said read means from said mounted recording media;
• address-decoding means for carrying put a frame-address detection process on the basis of sync data detected from information read out by said read means from said mounted recording medium;
• and
• control means for executing control to carry out:
• a process to detect said sync data by detecting a data pattern of said second inversion gap in the case of said read-only recording medium serving as said mounted recording media;
• and
• a process to detect said sync data by detecting a data pattern of said first inversion gap in the case of said recording/reproduction medium serving as said mounted recording media.

A reproduction method adopted in a reproduction apparatus for mounting either of:

• a recording/reproduction medium allowing data to be recorded thereon and allowing data already recorded thereon to be reproduced wherein:
• said data is recorded on said recording/reproduction medium as a sequence of blocks each used as an information recording/reproduction unit;
• each of said blocks has a data format including a data run-in serving as a front-end buffer area, a cluster comprising a plurality of successive frames each including sync data besides main data and a data run-out serving as a rear-end buffer area;
• and
• a data pattern of a first inversion gap is used as said sync data;
• and
• a read-only recording medium for recording read-only data as a sequence of blocks each used as an information recording/reproduction unit wherein:
• each of said blocks has a data run-in serving as a front-end buffer area, a cluster comprising a plurality of successive frames each including sync data besides main data and a data run-out serving as a rear-end buffer area;
• said blocks are recorded on said read-only recording medium in a data format including at least pieces of sync data recorded at locations separated from each other in said front-end and rear-end buffer areas, which are allocated to respectively said data run-in and said data run-out on a boundary between any consecutive two of said blocks, by a distance equal in length to a sync-data gap in said successive frames;
• and
• a data pattern of a second inversion gap is used as said sync data, said reproduction method comprising the steps of:
• determining whether recording media mounted on said reproduction apparatus is said recording/reproduction medium or said read-only recording medium;
• carrying out a process to detect said sync data by detecting a data pattern of said second inversion gap if said mounted recording media is said read-only recording medium or a process to detect said sync data by detecting a data pattern of said first inversion gap if said mounted recording media is said recording/reproduction medium;
• and
• carrying out a frame synchronization process, a data-decoding process and a frame-address detection process on the basis of said detected sync data.