GB2361091A - Digital video tape recording - Google Patents

Digital video tape recording Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2361091A
GB2361091A GB0008398A GB0008398A GB2361091A GB 2361091 A GB2361091 A GB 2361091A GB 0008398 A GB0008398 A GB 0008398A GB 0008398 A GB0008398 A GB 0008398A GB 2361091 A GB2361091 A GB 2361091A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
timecode
video
user
bits
track
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0008398A
Other versions
GB0008398D0 (en
Inventor
Morgan William Amos David
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sony Europe Ltd
Original Assignee
Sony United Kingdom Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sony United Kingdom Ltd filed Critical Sony United Kingdom Ltd
Priority to GB0008398A priority Critical patent/GB2361091A/en
Publication of GB0008398D0 publication Critical patent/GB0008398D0/en
Priority to PCT/GB2001/001458 priority patent/WO2001075885A2/en
Priority to EP08005086.7A priority patent/EP1939878A3/en
Priority to AU42651/01A priority patent/AU4265101A/en
Priority to JP2001573478A priority patent/JP2003529877A/en
Priority to EP01915566A priority patent/EP1208566A2/en
Publication of GB2361091A publication Critical patent/GB2361091A/en
Priority to US10/016,828 priority patent/US7778516B2/en
Priority to US11/946,099 priority patent/US20080069515A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/76—Television signal recording
    • H04N5/91—Television signal processing therefor
    • H04N5/92—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback
    • H04N5/9201—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/02—Editing, e.g. varying the order of information signals recorded on, or reproduced from, record carriers
    • G11B27/031—Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/102—Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers
    • G11B27/107—Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers of operating tapes
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/11—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information not detectable on the record carrier
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/19—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier
    • G11B27/28—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/19—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier
    • G11B27/28—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording
    • G11B27/30—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording
    • G11B27/3027—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording used signal is digitally coded
    • G11B27/3036—Time code signal
    • G11B27/3054—Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/19—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier
    • G11B27/28—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording
    • G11B27/32—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on separate auxiliary tracks of the same or an auxiliary record carrier
    • G11B27/322—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on separate auxiliary tracks of the same or an auxiliary record carrier used signal is digitally coded
    • G11B27/323—Time code signal, e.g. on a cue track as SMPTE- or EBU-time code
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/34—Indicating arrangements 
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/90—Tape-like record carriers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/76—Television signal recording
    • H04N5/765—Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
    • H04N5/77—Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus between a recording apparatus and a television camera
    • H04N5/772—Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus between a recording apparatus and a television camera the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/76—Television signal recording
    • H04N5/78—Television signal recording using magnetic recording
    • H04N5/782—Television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape
    • H04N5/7824—Television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape with rotating magnetic heads
    • H04N5/7826—Television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape with rotating magnetic heads involving helical scanning of the magnetic tape
    • H04N5/78263—Television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape with rotating magnetic heads involving helical scanning of the magnetic tape for recording on tracks inclined relative to the direction of movement of the tape
    • H04N5/78266—Television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape with rotating magnetic heads involving helical scanning of the magnetic tape for recording on tracks inclined relative to the direction of movement of the tape using more than one track for the recording of one television field or frame, i.e. segmented recording

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Signal Processing For Digital Recording And Reproducing (AREA)

Abstract

A digital video tape recorder records video and/or audio material on successive slant tracks, storing a slant track video timecode having a plurality of user-definable data bits, and at least one linear track, storing a linear track timecode having a plurality of user-definable data bits, on a tape medium; the digital video tape recorder being operable to store a material identifying code in the user-definable bits of the slant track video timecode and in the user-definable bits of the linear track timecode. There are independent claims for a tape format, a tape medium, and a recording method for the recorder.

Description

1 DIGITAL VIDEO TAPE RECORDING 2361091 This invention relates to digital
video tape recording.
Several formats of digital video tape have been proposed. The first commercially successful format was the so-called "D 1 " format, described in the book, '1ntroduction to the 4:2:2 Digital Video Tape Recorder", Gregory, Pentech Press, 1988. Since then there have been many other formats, either standardised or proprietary.
A feature that these formats have in common is the use of helical scanning. This is a well-established technique in which the tape medium is wrapped at least part of the io way around a head drum. One or more rotating read/write heads, mounted on the head drum, sweep out successive slant tracks on the tape medium as the medium is progressed slowly past the head drum. Slant tracks may carry a timecode known in some systems as Vertical Interval Timecode (VITC). Linear tracks may also be used to carry information such as Linear Timecode (LTC), other control information, a cueing audio track and the like.
Each slant track is generally divided up into a number of regions or sectors. Although the precise number and layout of these regions varies from format to format, there are generally one or more video sectors and one or more audio sectors on each slant track. These can store compressed or uncompressed video and audio data. In other systems, data representing each video frame or image, or a group of images, may be recorded onto a group of tracks.
Recently, interest has developed in ways of recording so-called metadata along with the audio and video material. Metadata is additional or accompanying data defining the audio/video material in some fashion, and can include data items such as material identifying codes (e.g. the SMPTE Unique Material Identifier or UMID), bibliographic data such as cast or staff lists, copyright information, equipment used and so on. Of course, if any such codes are to be stored alongside the audio/video material on tape, some data capacity needs to be allocated for its storage.
One previously proposed solution is to store "small" metadata items such as material identifiers using the "user bits", that is a small amount of user-definable data within the LTC areas of the tape. Typically the user bits provide only of the order of 4 bytes (32 bits) per frame, of which some capacity is taken up by existing schemes such as "good shot markers" (GSMs). As an SUPTE UMID occupies at least 32 bytes, and in some forms up to 64 bytes, this solution provides for only a limited storage of this data.
1 2 This invention provides a digital video tape recorder operable to record video and/or audio material on successive slant tracks, storing a slant track video timecode having a plurality of user-definable data bits, and at least one linear track, storing a linear track timecode having a plurality of user-definable data bits, on a tape medium; the digital video tape recorder being operable to store a material identifying code in the user-definable bits of the slant track video timecode and in the user-definable bits of the linear track timecode.
The invention recognises that previous attempts to store metadata along with the audio/video material on tape have suffered from a problem during 'Jog" or very slow lo motion replay of the material. In these circumstances, the LTC is unreadable because insufficient head/tape relative speed is obtained.
However, the invention recognises that a solution is not necessarily to be found simply by switching to use of the user bits in the VITC (or other slant track timecode) because these tend not to be readable during high speed replay such as shuttle operations.
Instead, embodiments of the invention provide for the material identifying code to be stored effectively twice - in the LTC and in the VITC. This provides for a reliable replay of the material identifying code across a range of replay speeds.
Further respective aspects and features of the invention are defined in the appended claims.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which like parts are referred to by like references, and in which:
Figure 1 schematically illustrates a known tape format; Figure 2 schematically illustrates a time code; and Figure 3 schernatically illustrates a digital camcorder.
Referring to Figure 1, a tape format is shQwn schematically. Video and audio information is recorded in helical tracks of which a set of, e.g. 10 or 12, tracks records one field of video. The helical tracks include vertical interval time codes (VITC). The time codes may be duplicated in a linear time code track LTC, but the contents of the VITC and LTC may be different. The tape may comprise at least one other linear track (not shown). In this illustrative description it is assumed that all video, audio and other information is recorded digitally. However, the video and audio may be recorded as analogue information. The video and audio information may be compressed according to the MPEG 2 standard for example.
3 The time codes are recorded once per video field. As schematically shown in Figure 2, a known time code has 80 bits of which 16 are reserved for synchronisation information, 32 for time code bits and 32 for user defined bits, herein referred to as "user bits". The user bits are interleaved with the other bits in a typical time code; however the 5 invention is not limited to that.
The present embodiment involves the recording of locally unique material identifiers, to be referred to as MURNs (material unique reference number) in the time code user bits.
Unlike, for example, an SMPTE UMID which is a globally unique reference for a io piece of material (but also takes up between 32 and 64 bytes of storage), a MURN can be much shorter - perhaps 16 bits as a typical example. The MURN has only to be unique within an individual tape. Then, in conjunction with a tape identification (perhaps written or printed on the tape, recorded in some form in the TC user bits or stored on a telefile see below) a piece of recorded material can be identified within an organisation in order to map that material onto a globally unique UMID for later reference.
Therefore, the MURN simply needs to be a number which increments, decrements or otherwise varies from material to material on the tape. As long as the same MURN is not re-used for two pieces of material on the same tape, the local uniqueness requirement is fulfilled.
Referring to Figure 3, a caincorder 460 comprises a video and audio pickup arrangement 462 (e.g. a CCD image pickup device and a microphone) outputting data audio (A) and video (V) data streams, a MURN generator 464, a multiplexer 466 and a tape recording arrangement 468.
The MURN generator can take many forms, and serves to generate NIURNs as described above. Each time the camera starts recording (i.e. at each video in-point) a new NWRN is generated by the NIURN generator for recording on the TC user bits relating to that piece of material.
The NWRN generator operates in conjunction with a "telefile" TM memory 470 associated with the tape medium. The telefile is a non-volatile memory device (e.g. a flash memory device) permanently attachable to the tape case 472 (e.g. a cassette) and which can be remotely interrogated - at least in a non-contact fashion - by a reader/writer 474 for example using magnetic induction for power and data transmission. The telefile stores, amongst other possible date items. a tape identifier and the highest value of MURN (on a 16 bit count) previously used.
4 So, when a new NWRN needs to be generated, the MURN generator interrogates the telefile to find the highest previously used MURN value, increments it and uses that as the new MURN value, writing the new NWRN value back to the telefile.
The N4URN generated by the NWRN generator is passed, with the video and audio data streams and (if used) good shot markers and the like, to the multiplexer 466 for recording on the tape.
The multiplexer arranges the MURN data and the GSM flags (and any other such data) into the time code user bits for both the LTC and the VITC. These user bits are then passed to the tape transport in a conventional way for recording on the tape. Accordingly, i o embodiments of the invention provide for the material identifying code to be stored effectively twice - in the LTC and in the VITC. This provides for a reliable replay of the material identifying code across a range of replay speeds from jog (single frame movement, where the VITC is more successfully read) to shuttle (where the LTC is more successfully read).
Embodiments of the invention also extend to a tape replay device arranged to recover the NWRN data from either or both of the LTC and VITC. Such a device may be substantially as drawn in Figure 3, but with a demultiplexer performing the above operation in place of the multiplexer 466.

Claims (12)

1. A digital video tape recorder operable to record video and/or audio material on successive slant tracks, storing a slant track video timecode having a plurality of userdefinable data bits, and at least one linear track, storing a linear track timecode having a plurality of userdefinable data bits, on a tape medium; the digital video tape recorder being operable to store a material identifying code in the user-definable bits of the slant track video timecode and in the user-definable bits of the linear track timecode.
2. A recorder according to claim 1, in which the slant track time code is a vertical interval time code (VITC).
3. A recorder according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the material identifying code is larger than the user data bits available in a single timecode, so that each instance of the material identifying code is recorded across the user bits of time codes relating to more than one field of the video material.
4. A recorder according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the material identifying code is a code which uniquely defines the material amongst other material items stored on the same medium.
5. A video recorder according to claim 4, in which the material identifying code is an SWTE UMID.
6. A tape format in which video and/or audio material are recorded on successive slant tracks, storing a slant track video timecode having a plurality of user-definable data bits, and at least one linear track, storing a linear track timecode having a plurality of userdefinable data bits, on a tape medium; a material identifying code being recorded in the user-definable bits of the slant track video timecode and in the userdefinable bits of the linear track timecode.
7. A tape medium on which video and/or audio material are recorded on successive slant tracks, storing a slant track video timecode having a plurality of user-definable data 6 bits, and at least one linear track, storing a linear track timecode having a plurality of userdefinable data bits, on a tape medium; a material identifying code being recorded in the user-definable bits of the slant track video timecode and in the user-definable bits of the linear track timecode.
8. A digital video tape recording method comprising the steps of. recording video and/or audio material on successive slant tracks, storing a slant track video timecode having a plurality of user-definable data bits, and at least one linear track, storing a linear track timecode having a plurality of user-definable data bits, on a tape medium; and storing a material identifying code in the user- definable bits of the slant track video timecode and in the user- definable bits of the linear track timecode.
9. A digital video tape recorder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A tape format substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
11. A tape medium substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
12. A digital video tape recording method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB0008398A 2000-04-05 2000-04-05 Digital video tape recording Withdrawn GB2361091A (en)

Priority Applications (8)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0008398A GB2361091A (en) 2000-04-05 2000-04-05 Digital video tape recording
PCT/GB2001/001458 WO2001075885A2 (en) 2000-04-05 2001-03-30 Identifying, recording and reproducing information
EP08005086.7A EP1939878A3 (en) 2000-04-05 2001-03-30 Identifying, recording and reproducing information
AU42651/01A AU4265101A (en) 2000-04-05 2001-03-30 Identifying, recording and reproducing information
JP2001573478A JP2003529877A (en) 2000-04-05 2001-03-30 Identification, recording and playback information system
EP01915566A EP1208566A2 (en) 2000-04-05 2001-03-30 Identifying, recording and reproducing information
US10/016,828 US7778516B2 (en) 2000-04-05 2001-12-04 Identifying, recording and reproducing information
US11/946,099 US20080069515A1 (en) 2000-04-05 2007-11-28 Identifying, recording and reproducing information

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0008398A GB2361091A (en) 2000-04-05 2000-04-05 Digital video tape recording

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0008398D0 GB0008398D0 (en) 2000-05-24
GB2361091A true GB2361091A (en) 2001-10-10

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0008398A Withdrawn GB2361091A (en) 2000-04-05 2000-04-05 Digital video tape recording

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2361091A (en)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2131996A (en) * 1982-11-30 1984-06-27 George Saint Data storage devices
EP0279885A1 (en) * 1987-02-27 1988-08-31 Sony Corporation Video signal reproducing apparatus
JPH04332985A (en) * 1991-05-02 1992-11-19 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Magnetic recording and reproducing device
JPH08235836A (en) * 1995-02-24 1996-09-13 Sony Corp Data recorder

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2131996A (en) * 1982-11-30 1984-06-27 George Saint Data storage devices
EP0279885A1 (en) * 1987-02-27 1988-08-31 Sony Corporation Video signal reproducing apparatus
JPH04332985A (en) * 1991-05-02 1992-11-19 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Magnetic recording and reproducing device
JPH08235836A (en) * 1995-02-24 1996-09-13 Sony Corp Data recorder

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0008398D0 (en) 2000-05-24

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)