US Patent 7302158 Data recording/reproducing apparatus and method

When second material data is inserted into first material data, in point and out point are set in the first material data and the second material data to generate editing processing information. On the basis of the editing processing information, there are prepared first virtual file in which recording area of recording medium with respect to the first material data is described by time codes and second virtual file in which recording area of the recording medium with respect to the second material data is described by time codes. Thus, reproduction is carried out from preroll point positioned forward in point of time with respect to the in point up to postroll point positioned backward in point of time with respect to the out point.