JPH0460922A - Information recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent write in an incomplete recording state by defining an information recording medium, to which overwrite recording is enabled, as the object of recording and reproducing when the device is not equipped with an overwrite recording function, and generating an error signal when the instruction of overwrite is issued from a controller. CONSTITUTION:In the information recording and reproducing device without the recording function in an overwrite recording mode, when the instruction of overwrite is issued from a controller 7 in the state of loading an information recording medium D equipped with a second memory area, in which recording is enabled in the overwrite recording mode, as the object of recording and reproducing, the error signal is generated so as not to execute a write operation. Thus, in the information recording and reproducing device, write is not executed to a RAM area in the magneto-optical recording medium D enabling overwrite in the imcomplete recording state.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention comprises a first storage area dedicated for reading data, in which data has already been recorded so that it cannot be rewritten by the user, and a second storage area, in which the user can freely record and read data. The present invention relates to an information recording/reproducing apparatus using an information recording medium configured with a mixture of two types of storage areas;

[Conventional technology]

A read-only storage area (hereinafter sometimes referred to as ROM area) in which data has already been recorded so that it cannot be rewritten by the user; Information recording media that are configured by mixing two types of storage areas: a storage area (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a RAM area) in which data can be freely performed have been known. The information recording medium having the above configuration uses, for example, a magneto-optical recording material as the constituent material of the information recording medium, and the storage of data in the ROM area of the information recording medium is based on the geometrical shape of the surface of the information recording medium. Changes (e.g. unevenness)
Recording and reproduction (storage, readout) of data in the RAM area of an information recording medium, as performed by
For example, a phase change recording material may be used as the constituent material of the information recording medium, and data storage in the ROM area of the information recording medium may be performed by magneto-optical recording/reproducing operation. Just as changes in geometric shape (e.g. unevenness) occur, recording and reproducing (storing and reading) data in the RAM area of an information recording medium is caused by changes in light reflectance due to phase changes in the information recording medium material. The information recording medium can be used in the form of a disc, a card, a sheet, or a tape, as well as those constructed using other information recording media materials. The ROM area and the RAM area in the information recording medium configured by mixing the two types of storage areas, the ROM area and the RAM area, described above are used to store and read data in any manner. However, for example, information recording media may be produced by storing software that has been widely used in the past in the ROM area of the information recording media. Now, in an information recording medium configured by mixing two types of storage areas, a ROM area and a RAM area, as described above, for example, when the information recording medium material is an information recording medium material for magneto-optical recording, information recording Signal processing for a reproduced signal based on reflected light from a ROM area formed as a geometrical change in the medium, and signal processing for a reproduced signal based on read light changing due to the Kerr effect in a RAM area. Each one is made differently,
Furthermore, for example, a phase change recording material may be used as a constituent material of an information recording medium, so that data storage in a ROM area of the information recording medium is performed by changes in the geometrical shape (e.g., unevenness) of the surface of the information recording medium. Furthermore, in an information recording medium configured such that recording and reproducing (storing and reading) data in the RAM area of the information recording medium is performed by a change in light reflectance due to a phase change of the information recording medium material. Since the reproduced signal based on the reflected light from the ROM area and the reproduced signal based on the reflected light from the RAM area have opposite polarities, the signal processing for the reproduced signal based on the reflected light from the ROM area and the RAM It is necessary to perform different signal processing on reproduced signals based on reflected light in each region. Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the applicant company has decided to create an information recording medium that is composed of a mixture of two types of storage areas: ROM area and RAM area, and has decided to use the storage area of each storage area that belongs to the ROM area. Data indicating the position and R
An information recording medium in which data indicating the position of each storage area belonging to the AM area is recorded in a specific storage area belonging to the ROM area, and an information recording medium using the information recording medium having the above configuration. Data indicating the location of each storage area belonging to the ROM area in R
The data read from the ROM area of the information recording medium and the information recording according to the data recorded in the specific storage area belonging to the ROM area in which the data indicating the position of each storage area belonging to the AM area are recorded. A recording/reproducing apparatus has been proposed in which data read from a RAM area of a medium is switched and outputted. [Problem to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, as for an information recording medium configured by mixing two types of storage areas, a ROM area and a RAM area, the operation of rewriting information in the RAM area is difficult to perform in the recorded memory. Devices in which new information is written after the contents are erased in advance have been used for a long time, but recently, methods have been used to write new information without having to erase the contents in advance. Attempts have been made to use information recording media configured to perform overwriting of information in a RAM area. As mentioned above, the reason why the information rewriting operation in the RAM area of the information recording medium is performed after preliminary erasing, or is performed by overwriting without prior erasing is due to the structure of the information recording medium. This is because the R in the information recording medium is different.
Depending on the difference in the information rewriting operation mode for the AM area, different configurations of disk drive devices are used in the information recording and reproducing apparatus that performs the data recording and reproducing operation of the information 7 recording medium. The above points will be explained below using an example of an information recording medium using a magneto-optical recording material. That is, it is necessary for a recording operation in which information is recorded in a state where a good C/N can be obtained for each of a pre-erasing type magneto-optical recording medium and a magneto-optical recording medium that allows overwriting. The intensity of the light is different as illustrated in FIG. In Figure 10, the horizontal axis is the light intensity (power of the laser beam),
The vertical axis is the C/N of the reproduced signal, the curve shown as the pre-erasing medium in the figure is the characteristic curve of the pre-erasing type magneto-optical recording medium, and the curve shown as the overwriting medium in the figure is, for example, a characteristic curve of the pre-erasing type magneto-optical recording medium. This is a characteristic curve of an overwriting type magneto-optical recording medium consisting of a stack of a plurality of magnetic layers as disclosed in JP-A-2-79242. A on the horizontal axis in FIG. 10 is the laser power conventionally used for recording on a pre-erasing type magneto-optical recording medium. When recording is performed, only a small C/NL as shown at point C on the vertical axis in the figure can be obtained. Therefore, in order to obtain a reproduced signal with a good C/N on an overwriting type magneto-optical recording medium, when recording, it is necessary to record with a laser power as shown at point b in the figure. The action must be allowed to take place. The reason why such a large laser power is required during the recording operation in an overwrite type magneto-optical recording medium is that because there are multiple magnetic layers, it takes a large amount of power to raise the temperature of the magnetic layer to a predetermined temperature. This is because it is necessary. In this way, RAM in advance erasing type magneto-optical recording media
If the rewriting of information in the area and the rewriting of information in the RAM area of a magneto-optical recording medium that allows overwriting are not performed by a disk drive device compatible with each recording medium, incomplete recording results may occur. Something happens that can only be achieved.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention comprises a first storage area dedicated for reading data, in which data has already been recorded so that it cannot be rewritten by the user, and a second storage area, in which the user can freely record and read data. The storage area is configured such that two types of storage areas are mixed together, and a specific storage area belonging to the above-mentioned first storage area has the above-mentioned first storage area.
data indicating the position of the individual storage area belonging to the storage area, data indicating the position of the individual storage area belonging to the second storage area, and the second storage area can be recorded in an overwrite recording mode. A disk drive device in an information recording and reproducing apparatus that performs data recording and reproducing operations using an information recording medium on which data indicating whether a storage area is available or not has a recording function in an overwrite recording mode. If the information storage medium is not equipped with a second storage area that can be recorded in the overwrite recording mode, an overwrite command is given from the control device while the recording medium is targeted for recording and playback. To provide an information recording/reproducing device comprising a means for generating an error signal indicating that writing is impossible when a write is disabled.

[Effect]

It is configured in a state where two types of storage areas, a ROM area and a RAM area, are mixed, and a specific storage area belonging to the ROM area includes data indicating the position of an individual storage area for each ROM area, Data indicating the location of individual storage areas for each RAM area and data indicating whether or not the RAM area is a storage area that can be recorded in the overwrite recording mode are recorded, and When an information recording medium equipped with a recordable RAM area is inserted into a disk drive device that does not have a recording function in overwrite recording mode and a recording/reproducing operation is performed,
When an overwrite command is given from the control device, an error signal is generated as writing is impossible to prevent incomplete recording.

【Example】

Hereinafter, specific details of the information recording/reproducing apparatus of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the information recording and reproducing apparatus of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 4 are diagrams used to explain the structure of the information recording medium, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the information recording and reproducing apparatus of the present invention. A flowchart for explaining the operation, FIGS. 6 and 7 are block diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a signal processing unit for a reproduction signal in an information recording and reproduction apparatus, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams for explaining a reproduction signal in an information recording and reproduction apparatus. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration principle of a signal processing section of FIG. In FIG. 1, D is an information recording medium, and this information recording medium is shown in FIG. 1 as having a rotating disk type configuration, and is driven and rotated at a predetermined number of rotations by a drive motor Md. It is designed so that The disk drive device used in the information recording and reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 does not have a recording function in the overwrite recording mode. Although the illustration and explanation of the automatic control system of the drive unit is omitted in FIG. 1, the above-mentioned drive motor Md is driven and rotated at a predetermined rotation speed and a predetermined rotation phase by the automatic control system. Of course, this is something that can be done. In FIG. 1, PH is a recording/reproducing element for writing data to an information recording medium, reading/reproducing data from the information recording medium, and the recording/reproducing element in the example shown in FIG. PH is said to be an optical head. In addition, 1 is an input terminal for a signal to be recorded, 2 is an output terminal for a playback signal, and 3 is a control device and an external control device (for example, a central processing unit (host computer)).
), 4,5°8 is a signal processing circuit, 6 is a random access memory, SW
Reference numeral 7 indicates a changeover switch, and 7 indicates a control device provided within the information recording/reproducing apparatus. As the control device 7, a device including, for example, a microcomputer is used. The information recording medium has a first storage area (area labeled ROM in Figure 3) exclusively for reading data, in which data has already been recorded in such a way that it cannot be rewritten by the user. It has a configuration in which two types of storage areas are mixed: a second storage area (the area indicated as RAM in Figure 3) where the user can freely record and read data. , the above-mentioned first in this information recording medium
data indicating the position of each storage area belonging to the storage area; data indicating the position of each individual storage area belonging to the second storage area; and storage in which the second storage area is capable of recording in overwrite recording mode. Data indicating whether or not an area The data is recorded in the ROM area provided in the previous area. In the table illustrated in FIG. 4, O in the attribute column is a ROM area, 2 is an invalid area, and 3 is an overwritable R.
AM areas are shown respectively. The example shown in Figure 4 is a RAM that can be overwritten.
1 does not exist in the attribute column because it is related to an information recording medium that has a RAM area that cannot be overwritten. In the attribute column, 0 indicating the ROM area,
Only 2 indicates an invalid area, 1 indicates a RAM area that cannot be overwritten, and 3 indicates a RAM area that can be overwritten.
becomes non-existent. Figure 2 shows that one track on an information recording medium has 22 tracks.
Each sector consists of a header (address), data, and an error correction code in a recorded state (the part indicated as ROM in Figure 2). A case is illustrated in which the recording area 7 is constituted by a recording area (a recording and reproducing area RAM area in which writing and reading can be performed freely by the user, or an area ROM area in a recorded state). In the table illustrated in FIG. 4, the numbers shown in the track column and the numbers illustrated in the sector column indicate the track number and address of the boundary between the ROM area and the RAM area. The contents of the table illustrated in FIG. 4 are RO
This is shown in correspondence with the M area and the RAM area, and from sector 0 of track 0 to sector 21 of track 9 is R.
This is the OM area, and also includes sectors 0 to 1 of 10 tracks.
Up to 2 sectors of the 23rd track are RAM areas where overwriting is performed when there is an overwriting command from the host computer, and furthermore, 3 sectors of the 123rd track to 1 sector of the 1234th track are the ROM area. , 1234 track from 2nd sector onward is invalid R
This is an example where the area is set to AM. Now, when the power of the information recording and reproducing apparatus shown in the first figure is turned on, the control bag w7 checks whether the information recording medium has been changed to another disk and confirms that the information recording medium has been changed to another disk. In the case where the information recording medium is recorded in a ROM area provided at a specific position on the information recording medium (for example, an area located before the position of the track indicated by track O in FIG. 3). After reading out the attribute data 0°1.3 and the invalid data 2 and storing them in the random access memory 6, the next command is received. In addition, after the information recording and reproducing apparatus is powered on as described above, the control device 7 checks whether the information recording medium has been changed to another information recording medium, and the information recording medium is changed to another one. If no changes have been made, the next command will be received. If the command is a write command, as shown in Figure 5, the ROM/RAM table is referenced to see if there is a ROM area in the sector to be written, and if there is, an error display signal is sent. is sent from the command terminal 3 to the host device to return the program to the beginning. If there is no ROM area, refer to the ROM/RAM table to see if there is any RAM that can be overwritten, and if there is any RAM that can be overwritten, an error display signal will be sent from the command terminal 3 to the higher level. send to the device and return the program to the beginning. Furthermore, if there is no RAM that can be overwritten, a data write operation is performed on all sectors for which a write operation has been instructed after advance erasing. On the other hand, if the next command received is a read command, refer to the table to determine whether the next sector is in the ROM area or in the RA area.
If the next sector is the RAM area, switch the movable contact V of the changeover switch SW to the fixed contact a side.
Also, if the next sector is a ROM area, selector switch S
Switch the movable contact V of W to the fixed contact side. In this way, in the information recording and reproducing apparatus shown in the first diagram in which a disk drive device that does not have a recording function in the overwrite recording mode is not used, a second memory capable of recording in the overwrite recording mode is provided. If an overwrite command is given from the control device while the information recording medium having the area is loaded as an information recording medium to be recorded and reproduced, an error signal is generated and the write operation is not performed. Therefore, in the information recording/reproducing apparatus of the present invention, writing is not performed in an incompletely recorded state in the RAM area of the magneto-optical recording medium that allows overwriting. Next, the first information recording and reproducing apparatus shown in the figure, which is equipped with a recording function in advance erasing recording mode as a disk drive device, is equipped with a second storage area capable of recording in advance erasing type recording mode. When the information recording medium is loaded as the information recording medium to be recorded and reproduced, the recording operation of recording information in the advance erasing type recording mode is performed well in the second storage area, and , so that no data is recorded in the ROM area of the information recording medium, and the signal processing for the reproduced signal from the ROM area and the signal processing for the reproduced signal from the RAM area are carried out. The circuits are switched so that both can be performed well. FIGS. 6 to 9 show configurations in which the signal processing for the reproduced signal from the ROM area and the signal processing for the reproduced signal from the RAM area in the information recording medium are required to be performed in two different ways. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a signal processing circuit for a reproduced signal from an information recording medium (FIGS. 6 and 8) and a diagram for explaining the state of the reproduced signal (FIGS. 7 and 9). For example, a magneto-optical recording material is used as the constituent material of the information recording medium, and data storage in the ROM area of the information recording medium is performed by changes in the geometrical shape (e.g. unevenness) of the surface of the information recording medium. Further, the configuration of a signal processing circuit for a reproduced signal from an information recording medium configured such that data recording/reproducing (storing, reading) in a RAM area of the information recording medium is performed by magneto-optical recording/reproducing operation. FIG. 7 shows an example in which a phase change recording material, for example, is used as the constituent material of the information recording medium, and data storage in the ROM area of the information recording medium is caused by changes in the geometric shape of the surface of the information recording medium ( For example, data recording and reproduction (storage and readout) in the RAM area of the information recording medium is performed by changes in light reflectance due to phase changes of the information recording medium material. This is an example of the configuration of a signal processing circuit for a reproduced signal from an information recording medium. In FIGS. 6 and 7, PH is an optical head, and this optical head PH sends a laser beam emitted from a laser light source (not shown) and whose intensity is modulated based on the information to be recorded, through an optical system. A laser beam with a constant light intensity emitted from a laser light source is projected onto the information recording medium surface via an optical system to record information on the information recording medium. It is configured to photoelectrically convert the reflected light of and output a reproduced signal = 2
0- In Figures 6 and 7, PBS is a polarizing beam splitter, and PDp is P that has passed through the polarizing beam splitter PBS.
A photoelectric converter that photoelectrically converts polarized light, PDs, is a photoelectric converter that photoelectrically converts S-polarized light reflected by the polarizing beam splitter PBS. The signal processing circuit 8 shown in FIG. 6 processes the reflected light from an information recording medium constructed using a magneto-optical recording material as a change in the geometrical shape of the information recording medium during a reproduction operation. A configuration in which signal processing for a reproduced signal based on reflected light from the formed ROM area and signal processing for a reproduced signal based on read light changing due to the Kerr effect in the RAM area can be performed. It is. In FIG. 6, the output signal of a photoelectric converter PDp that photoelectrically converts the P polarized light in the reading light that is changing due to the Kerr effect in the RAM/area of the information recording medium;
The output signal of the photoelectric converter PDs which photoelectrically converted the S-polarized light in the read light is supplied to a subtracter SUB, and the output signal of the photoelectric converter PDp is converted to the output signal of the photoelectric converter PDs.
A signal obtained by subtracting the output signal of is supplied from the subtracter SUB to the fixed contact a of the changeover switch SW. Figure 8 shows the RAM in the information recording medium as described above.
8 is a diagram illustrating signal processing performed on a photoelectric conversion output signal by P polarized light and S polarized light in the read light which is changing due to the Kerr effect in the area, and in FIG. 8, the horizontal line indicates the information recording medium surface, the The normal PQ to the surface of the information recording medium is the polarization plane of the laser beam incident on the surface of the information recording medium, the straight line PQo is inclined at an angle θ with respect to the normal PQ, and PQ1 is the 0° angle of recording on the information recording medium. 1
This is reflected light from an information recording medium whose polarization plane is tilted in the opposite direction depending on the state of the information recording medium. In addition, in Fig. 8, from the origin O on the straight line S to IQ
The lines up to S indicate the S polarization component of the reflected light PQl, and the straight line S
From the origin 0 to O8 on the top shows the S polarization component of the reflected light PΩ0, and from the origin O to On on the straight line P shows the P polarization component of the reflected light PQo, and furthermore, from the origin O on the straight line P From to 1s is reflected light PQ
1 P-polarized light component is shown. Since the subtracter SUB in the signal processing circuit 8 shown in FIG. 6 above subtracts the output signal of the photoelectric converter PDS from the output signal from the photoelectric converter PDp, the recording state of 1 in the information recording medium is Corresponding to the subtractor SUB
The output signal output from is a signal corresponding to ((origin 0 to ig) - (origin 0 to IQ)), and is also output from the subtracter SUB in accordance with the recording state of O on the information recording medium. The output signal is made into a signal corresponding to ((origin O to 0Q)-(origin 0 to 0s)), and is supplied to the fixed contact a of the changeover switch SW. Next, in the optical head PH shown in FIG. 6, the reflected light from the ROM area in the information recording medium is as follows. Since the amount of reflected light from the information recording medium differs depending on the state of 0 and 1 recording on the information recording medium, the output signal of the photoelectric conversion PDp due to the reflected light from the ROM area in the information recording medium and the photoelectric conversion The output signal of the converter PDg is supplied to the adder ADDI, and a signal obtained by adding the output signal of the photoelectric converter PDp and the output signal of the photoelectric converter PDs is sent from the adder ADDI to the fixed contact of the changeover switch SW. be supplied to Further, the signal processing circuit 8 shown in FIG. 7 uses, for example, a phase change recording material as a constituent material of the information recording medium, and the storage of data in the ROM area of the information recording medium is based on the geometry of the surface of the information recording medium. Just as data is recorded and read (stored and read) in the RAM area of an information recording medium by a change in its physical shape (for example, unevenness), it is also caused by a change in light reflectance caused by a phase change in the recording medium material. ROM formed by the above-mentioned geometric shape change (e.g. unevenness)
The reproduced signal generated by the reflected light from the RAM area and the reproduced signal generated by the reflected light from the RAM area that utilizes the phase change of the recording material have opposite polarities, as illustrated in FIG. , the output signals from the two photoelectric converters PDp and PDs are sent to an adder AD.
The signal added at D2 is supplied to the fixed contact a of the changeover switch SW via the polarity inverter INV. In addition, the signal added by the adder ADD2 is transferred to the selector switch S.
The power is supplied to the W fixed contact. In FIG. 9, 0°1 on the left side of the figure is from the ROM area formed by geometrical changes (e.g. unevenness) in the information recording medium described above using a phase change material as the recording medium material. 9 shows the recording state of 0 and 1 of the reproduced signal due to the reflected light, and 0°1 in the right part of FIG. 9 is an RA that uses the phase change of the recording material.
This shows a recording state of 0.1 of the reproduced signal due to the reflected light from the M area. In this way, in the information recording and reproducing apparatus shown in the first figure, the reproduction signal from the ROM area in the information recording medium and the RA
Even if the reproduced signal from the M area is in a different signal state, the reproduced signal is processed into a predetermined state by using data stored as a table in the ROM area of the information recording medium. The playback signal can be automatically switched so that .

【Effect of the invention】

As is clear from the above detailed explanation, the information recording and reproducing apparatus of the present invention is configured in a state in which two types of storage areas, a ROM area and a RAM area, are mixed, and the information recording and reproducing apparatus of the present invention is configured such that two types of storage areas, ROM area and RAM area, belong to the ROM area. R in a specific storage area
Data indicating the location of individual storage areas for each OM area, and R
Data indicating the location of individual storage areas for each AM area and R
An information recording medium has data indicating whether or not the AM area is a storage area capable of recording in the overwrite recording mode, and is provided with a RAM area capable of recording in the overwrite recording mode. When a disk drive device is installed in a disk drive device that does not have a recording function in overwrite recording mode and a recording/playback operation is performed, when an overwrite command is given from the control device, an error signal is generated indicating that writing is impossible. This is to prevent incomplete recording due to overwrite recording, so if a disk drive device that does not have a recording function in overwrite recording mode is used in an unused information recording and reproducing device. When an information recording medium equipped with a second storage area capable of recording in the overwrite recording mode is installed as an information recording medium to be recorded and reproduced, an overwrite command is issued from the control bag 7. is given, an error signal is generated to prevent the write operation from being performed. Therefore, the information recording/reproducing apparatus of the present invention is suitable for an information recording medium/recording medium having 7 overwriteable RAM areas. Therefore, writing is not performed in an incomplete recording state, and in contrast to an information recording/reproducing device that is equipped with a recording function in advance erase recording mode as a disk drive device, writing in advance erase recording mode is not possible. When an information recording medium equipped with a recordable second storage area is loaded as an information recording medium to be recorded and reproduced, the second storage area has data stored in the pre-erase type recording mode. In order to ensure that the recording information is recorded well and that no data is recorded in the ROM area of the information/information recording medium, the signal processing for the reproduced signal from the ROM area is The circuits are switched so that the signal processing for the reproduced signal from the RAM area can be performed satisfactorily. According to the present invention, the above-mentioned problems can be satisfactorily solved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the information recording and reproducing apparatus of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 4 are diagrams used to explain the structure of the information recording medium, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the information recording and reproducing apparatus of the present invention. A flowchart for explaining the operation, FIGS. 6 and 7 are block diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a signal processing unit for a reproduction signal in an information recording and reproduction apparatus, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams for explaining a reproduction signal in an information recording and reproduction apparatus. FIG. 10 is a diagram used to explain the problem. D...recording medium, Md...drive motor, PH...
A recording/reproducing element for writing data to a recording medium, reading/reproducing data from a recording medium, 1...
- Input terminal for signals to be recorded, 2... Output terminal for playback signals, 3... Input terminal for commands supplied to the control device, 4, 5.8... Signal processing circuit, 6...
Random access memory, SW... changeover switch, 7
...Control device, PBS...Polarizing beam splitter,
FDP...P transmitted through polarizing beam splitter PBS
A photoelectric converter that photoelectrically converts polarized light, PDs...A photoelectric converter that photoelectrically converts the S-polarized light reflected by the polarizing beam splitter PBS, INV...Polarity inverter, SUB...Subtractor, ADDI, ADD2...・Adder, hehe

Claims (1)

[Claims] The first read-only data is recorded in such a way that it cannot be rewritten by the user.
The storage area is composed of a mixture of two types of storage areas: a storage area and a second storage area where the user can freely record and read data, and the storage area belongs to the first storage area described above. In a specific storage area, data indicating the position of the individual storage area belonging to the above-mentioned first storage area, data indicating the position of the individual storage area belonging to the above-mentioned second storage area, and the second storage area. A disk drive device in an information recording and reproducing apparatus that performs data recording and reproducing operations using an information recording medium on which data indicating whether or not the storage area is capable of recording in overwrite recording mode performs overwrite recording. When an information recording medium equipped with a second storage area capable of recording in the overwrite recording mode is targeted for recording and playback, if the information recording medium does not have a recording function in the overwrite recording mode, an overwrite operation is performed from the control device. An information recording/reproducing device comprising means for generating an error signal indicating that writing is impossible when a command is given.