Optical information recording medium, optical information recording apparatus and method

An optical information recording medium, comprising:

• data overlapping a visible second information on a first information to form a sequence of pits,
• the second information being expressed in a predetermined area in a radial direction and an angular direction on the optical information recording medium, the second information being expressed according to a change of a pit width, a change of a pit length, or a change of width within only a portion of the length of the pit,
• a plurality of pits being formed so that the first information is expressed, and the second information is expressed by a pit having a pit width selected from predetermined plural widths, and
• a watermark pattern or visible image of the second information being expressed on the optical information recording medium as an information signal is reproduced.

A method of duplicating a master optical information recording medium, the method comprising steps of:

• recording data overlapping a visible second information on a first information on the master optical information recording medium by intermittently irradiating a laser beam to form a sequence of pits;
• recording the second information in a predetermined area in a radial direction and an angular direction on the master optical information recording medium, wherein the second information is recorded according to a change of a pit width based on a change of power of the laser beam, a change of a pit length based on an on/off control of the laser beam, or a change of width within only a portion of the length of the pit based on a change in the vicinity of the on/off control of the laser beam;
• and
• utilizing the master optical information recording medium in a duplication device to duplicate a recorded content of the master optical information recording medium on a second optical information recording medium.

An apparatus for duplicating an optical information recording medium, which records data overlapping a visible second information on a first information on a master optical information recording medium by intermittently irradiating a laser beam to form a sequence of pits, the apparatus comprising:

• means for generating a positional information so that the second information is recorded in a predetermined area in a radial direction and an angular direction on the master optical information recording medium;
• means for modulating a laser beam power so that the second information is recorded according to a change of a pit width based on a change of power of the laser beam, a change of a pit length based on an on/off control of the laser beam, or a change of width within only a portion of the length of the pit based on a change in the vicinity of the on/off control of the laser beam;
• and
• means for duplicating a recorded content of the master optical information recording medium on a second optical information recording medium.