Method and apparatus for recording data on a recording disc, and method and apparatus for restoring data recorded on a recording disc

[0061]FIG. 3 shows an apparatus 1 for recording data on a DVD 114 according to a first embodiment of this invention. The DVD 114 is of a rewritable type. Thus, data can be recorded and reproduced on and from the DVD 114 a plurality of times. The DVD 114 is also referred to as the rewritable disc 114. Data recorded on the DVD 114 by the recording apparatus 1 has the structure same as that in FIG. 1.

[0062] The recording apparatus 1 operates as follows. With reference to FIG. 4, the recording apparatus 1 secures a data region for a VMG 51 in the DVD 114. This step corresponds to the preparations for writing management information related to the whole of recorded data at an end of a data recording procedure after the completion of the recording of all desired contents data (all VTSs) on the DVD 114. Next, the recording apparatus 1 secures a data region for VTSI#1 in the DVD 114. This step corresponds to the preparations for recording the VTSI#1, that is, management information concerning

[0103]FIG. 9 shows an apparatus 10 for restoring data recorded on a write-once disc 20 such as a write-once DVD. The data restoring apparatus 10 is connected with a disc drive device 21 for the write-once disc 20. The data restoring apparatus 10 can control the disc drive device 21. The data restoring apparatus 10 and the disc drive device 21 can communicate with each other. The write-once disc 20 can be placed into and removed from the disc drive device 21. The write-once disc 20 stores data of the same structure as that in FIG. 1 or FIG. 4.

[0104] As shown in FIG. 9, the data restoring apparatus 10 includes an input / output port 10A, a processing unit 10B, a ROM 10OC, and a RAM 10D which are connected to form a computer system. The ROM 10C or the RAM 10D stores a control program (a computer program) for the computer system. The data restoring apparatus 10 operates in accordance with the control program. The control program is designed to enable the data restoring apparatus 10 to exe

[0133]FIG. 13 shows an apparatus 10A for restoring data recorded on a rewritable disc 20A such as a rewritable DVD. The data restoring apparatus 10A is connected with a disc drive device 21A for the rewritable disc 20A. The data restoring apparatus 10A can control the disc drive device 21A. The data restoring apparatus 10A and the disc drive device 21A can communicate with each other. The rewritable disc 20A can be placed into and removed from the disc drive device 21A. The rewritable disc 20A stores data of the same structure as that in FIG. 1 or FIG. 4.

[0134] The data restoring apparatus 10A is similar to the data restoring apparatus 10 in FIGS. 9 and 10 except for design changes indicated hereafter.

[0135]FIG. 13 shows a flow of operation of the data restoring apparatus 10A rather than the hardware structure thereof. With reference to FIG. 13, there are blocks in the data restoring apparatus 10A. The blocks will be described below.

[0136] It is assumed that the rewritable disc 20A