Information recording method and apparatus, information reproducing method and apparatus, information recording medium, and program storage medium with overwrite protection features limiting the possible number of rewrites

Abstract

Congested rewriting in the same area is to be evaded to suppress the tendency towards occurrence of defective areas. When a streamhas been recorded, the last written address, representing the last written position, is stored. When recording a streamnext, recording is started directly following the position indicated by the last written address for the stream. The last written address, corresponding to the last address of the recording position, is stored. If the streamis erased for recording a stream, recording is started not at a position directly following the last written address of the stream, but from a position directly following the last written address of the stream. When the streamhas reached the end of a recording area, the next following data is recorded as from a position directly following the stream