An information recording medium (30) wherein a system control file (SCF) (96) carrying process parameters required for restoring recorded code patterns printed on the medium (30) into their original multimedia information is recorded. When an SCF reading switch (88) is operated, a predetermined SCF reading parameter is inputted to a controller (66) from a parameter memory (91). The controller (66) controls each section in accordance with the inputted parameter and outputs read picture data to an upper layer as 1-SDU1 and, at the same time, outputs a status signal indicating that the SCF has been read to the upper layer as 1-SDU2. At the upper layer, the content of the SCF (96) is decoded and a parameter setting signal is outputted to the controller (66) as 1-SDU3 which is stored in a layer-1 parameter memory (92). When an actual dot code (10) is read in response to the operation of a scan starting switch (86), the contents stored in the memory (92) are utilized.