Method and apparatus for recording information on optical disc

1. An apparatus for recording information on an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers including first and second recording layers, the optical disc being of one of a recordable type and a rewritable type, the apparatus comprising:

first means for applying a laser beam to the second recording layer through a used area in the first recording layer to record arbitrary information on at least a part of the second recording layer, wherein the used area in the first recording layer has been used for at least one of information recording and data recording;

second means for generating positional information of a blank area in the second recording layer which occurs due to the presence of an unused area in the first recording layer, the blank area adjoining the unused area; and

third means for recording the positional information generated by the second means on a predetermined area in the optical disc.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

fourth means provided in the second means for generating positional information including positional information pieces of one or more blank areas inclusive of first and second blank areas in the second recording layer which occur due to the presence of first and second unused areas in the first recording layer respectively, the first and second blank areas adjoining the first and second unused areas respectively;

a memory for storing the positional information generated by the fourth means;

fifth means for recording an arbitrary information signal on the first unused area to change the first unused area to a used area;

sixth means for recording a predetermined signal on the first blank area to change the first blank area to a used area after the fifth means records the arbitrary information signal on the first unused area;

seventh means for deleting the positional information piece of the first blank area from the positional information in the memory to update the positional information; and

eighth means for recording the updated positional information generated by the seventh means on the predetermined area in the optical disc.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the third means comprises means for recording the positional information sequentially on the recording layers in an order from a recording layer nearest an optical pickup to a recording layer farthest therefrom.

4. A method of recording information on an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers including first and second recording layers, the optical disc being of one of a recordable type and a rewritable type, the method comprising the steps of:

applying a laser beam to the second recording layer through a used area in the first recording layer to record arbitrary information on at least a part of the second recording layer, wherein the used area in the first recording layer has been used for at least one of information recording and data recording;

generating positional information of a blank area in the second recording layer which occurs due to the presence of an unused area in the first recording layer, the blank area adjoining the unused area; and

recording the generated positional information on a predetermined area in the optical disc.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the positional-information generating step comprises generating positional information including positional information pieces of one or more blank areas inclusive of first and second blank areas in the second recording layer which occur due to the presence of first and second unused areas in the first recording layer respectively, the first and second blank areas adjoining the first and second unused areas respectively; the method further comprising the steps of:

storing the generated positional information in a memory;

recording an arbitrary information signal on the first unused area to change the first unused area to a used area;

recording a predetermined signal on the first blank area to change the first blank area to a used area after the arbitrary information signal is recorded on the first unused area;

deleting the positional information piece of the first blank area from the positional information in the memory to update the positional information; and

recording the updated positional information on the predetermined area in the optical disc.

6. A method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the recording step comprises recording the generated positional information sequentially on the recording layers in an order from a recording layer nearest an optical pickup to a recording layer farthest therefrom.

7. A computer system having a computer program that enables the computer system to execute steps to record information on an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers including first and second recording layers, the optical disc being of one of a recordable type and a rewritable type, the computer system being enabled by the computer program to execute the steps of:

applying a laser beam to the second recording layer through a used area in the first recording layer to record arbitrary information on at least a part of the second recording layer, wherein the used area in the first recording layer has been used for at least one of information recording and data recording;

generating positional information of a blank area in the second recording layer which occurs due to the presence of an unused area in the first recording layer, the blank area adjoining the unused area; and

recording the generated positional information on a predetermined area in the optical disc.

8. A computer system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the positional-information generating step comprises generating positional information including positional information pieces of one or more blank areas inclusive of first and second blank areas in the second recording layer which occur due to the presence of first and second unused areas in the first recording layer respectively, the first and second blank areas adjoining the first and second unused areas respectively; the computer system enabled by the computer program to further execute the steps of:

storing the generated positional information in a memory;

recording an arbitrary information signal on the first unused area to change the first unused area to a used area;

recording a predetermined signal on the first blank area to change the first blank area to a used area after the arbitrary information signal is recorded on the first unused area;

deleting the positional information piece of the first blank area from the positional information in the memory to update the positional information; and

recording the updated positional information on the predetermined area in the optical disc.

9. A computer system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the recording step comprises recording the generated positional information sequentially on the recording layers in an order from a recording layer nearest an optical pickup to a recording layer farthest therefrom.

10. An optical disc of one of a recordable type and a rewritable type for storing information which has a plurality of recording layers including first and second recording layers, wherein a laser beam is applied to the second recording layer through a used area in the first recording layer to record arbitrary information on at least a part of the second recording layer, and the used area in the first recording layer has been used for at least one of information recording and data recording, the optical disc having a predetermined area on which positional information is recorded, the positional information being of a blank area in the second recording layer which occurs due to the presence of an unused area in the first recording layer, the blank area adjoining the unused area.

11. An optical disc as recited in claim 10 , wherein there is positional information including positional information pieces of one or more blank areas inclusive of first and second blank areas in the second recording layer which occur due to the presence of first and second unused areas in the first recording layer respectively, the first and second blank areas adjoining the first and second unused areas respectively; the positional information piece of the first blank area is deleted from the positional information to update the positional information; and the updated positional information is recorded on the predetermined area.

12. An optical disc as recited in claim 10 , wherein the positional information is recorded sequentially on the recording layers in an order from a recording layer nearest an optical pickup to a recording layer farthest therefrom.