JP2001148183A - Recording and reproducing device, and recording and reproducing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten a program search time, without having to increase tape running speed. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a recording and reproducing section 4 provided with a magnetic head 21 recording or reproducing data in/from a tape type magnetic recording medium 2. a tape travel-driving section 3 travel- driving the tape type magnetic recording medium 2, and a control means 6 moving a position at which the tape type magnetic recording medium 2 contacts the magnetic head to an intermediate position of the tape type magnetic recording medium 2 by controlling the tape travel-driving section 3, when the recording and reproducing section 4 is not recording or reproducing data in/from the tape type magnetic recording medium 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a recording / reproducing apparatus and method for recording data on a recording medium and reproducing the data from the recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A recording / reproducing apparatus using a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium as a recording medium is mainly used for large-capacity applications because the recording medium has a large recording capacity volume density and a unit price for the recording capacity is low. However, there is a disadvantage that the data search speed for detecting desired data is low.

[0003] If the data search speed is low, the user's feeling of use is reduced, so that a higher data search speed is required. However, in order to increase the data search speed, there have been problems such as an increase in price due to an increase in the performance of the motor, an increase in the size of the motor, and a problem of tape damage due to an increase in tape tension fluctuation due to the increase in speed.

In a recording / reproducing apparatus using an optical disk as a recording medium, the unit price for the recording capacity of the recording medium is higher than that of a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium, but the data search speed is very high. However, in order to provide a recording / reproducing device having a large capacity comparable to a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium, for example, 50 GB or more, it is necessary to use a disk changer type, and it takes time to exchange disks. Therefore, there is a problem that data search cannot be performed at the original data search speed of the optical disk.

Therefore, the above-described optical disk or HD (Ha
rd Disk) and a recording / reproducing device using a medium with a high data search speed including a magnetic disk,
Further, as a subsequent stage, it has been proposed that a large-capacity recording / reproducing apparatus using the above-described tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is hierarchically combined to constitute a recording / reproducing apparatus having a large apparent capacity, low cost, and high data search speed. ing.

[0006]

However, in order to perform a high-speed data search with such a device, it is necessary to record and reproduce data corresponding to the data search time on an optical disk or HD. Therefore, there is a problem in that the capacity of the optical disk or the HD must be increased and the price is increased due to the increase in the number of access points due to the increase in the capacity of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium and the increase in the number of programs.

The present invention has been devised in order to solve the above-mentioned problem. The present invention uses a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium for recording or reproducing a large amount of data as a recording medium, and increases the tape feeding speed. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording / reproducing apparatus and a recording / reproducing method capable of reducing a data search time without increasing the speed.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a recording / reproducing means having a magnetic head for recording or reproducing data on a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium; Drive means for driving and driving the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium, and when the recording / reproducing means is not recording or reproducing data on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium, the tape drive means is controlled so that the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is driven by the magnetic head. And control means for moving a position in contact with the tape-like magnetic recording medium to an intermediate position.

In this recording / reproducing apparatus, the magnetic head moves from an intermediate position on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium to a program search point on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording / reproducing method according to the present invention, wherein when a data is not being recorded or reproduced, a position where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium comes into contact with the magnetic head is determined. Is controlled to move to an intermediate position.

In this recording / reproducing method, the magnetic head is controlled so as to move from an intermediate position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium to a program search point of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a recording / reproducing apparatus and a recording / reproducing method according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a circuit configuration of a recording / reproducing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

The recording / reproducing apparatus 1 includes a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2, a tape traveling drive unit 3, a recording / reproducing unit 4, a signal processing unit 5, a control unit 6, and an operation input unit 7. .

The tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 has a band-shaped magnetic recording area, in which a program including audio data and the like is written.

The tape traveling drive unit 3 controls reproduction, recording, fast-forward, and rewind under the control of the control unit 6, and further, drives the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 to its intermediate position under the control of the control unit 6.

The recording / reproducing unit 4 writes the program sent from the signal processing unit 5 on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2,
The program written on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 is reproduced and sent to the signal processing unit 5.

The signal processing unit 5 has an audio input terminal 11
, An A / D (Analog to Digital) converter 12, and an EC
C (Error-Correcting Code) circuit 13, data bus 14, RAM (Random Access Memory) 15, digital signal processing circuit 16, D / A (Digital to Analy
g) A converter 17 and an audio output terminal 18 are provided.

The audio input terminal 11 receives an analog signal such as an audio signal.

The A / D converter 12 converts an analog signal input from the audio input terminal 11 into a digital signal via a low-pass filter (not shown) during recording in the magnetic recording area.

The ECC circuit 13 includes an error correction circuit and an A / D
It has an interface, a D / A interface, and the like, and performs error correction parity generation and error correction processing by an error correction circuit.

The data bus 14 is connected to the ECC circuit 13, RA
M15, a bus for exchanging data between the digital signal processing circuits 16;

The RAM 15 temporarily stores digital data and writes error correction parity and the like generated by the ECC circuit 13.

The digital signal processing circuit 16 includes a modulation / demodulation circuit for 8-10 conversion, an ATF signal processing circuit, an interface circuit relating to subcode, and the like, and an address control signal to be interleaved when the program is written into the RAM 15 described above. It has a generating circuit. Further, the digital signal processing circuit 16 performs PCM (Pulse Code Modulat
A predetermined synchronizing signal, an address signal, a stop signal, a subcode signal including TOC (Table of contents) information, and the like are added to the signal.

The D / A converter 17 converts the PCM data input via the D / A interface of the ECC circuit 13 into an analog signal during reproduction from the magnetic recording area, and sends it to a low-pass filter (not shown). .

The audio output terminal 18 outputs an analog signal such as an audio signal transmitted through a low-pass filter (not shown).

The control section 6 controls the tape running drive section 3 and the signal processing section 5 as a whole.

When no data is recorded or reproduced on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2, the control section 6 controls the tape running drive section 3 to drive and run the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 to its central position.

The control unit 6 controls the tape running drive unit 3 to learn the program reservation contents, the current time, the presence of the user or the usage pattern, which will be described later, to drive the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 to its central position. Decide if you want

Further, the control section 6 may have a learning function of predicting and determining what operation will be performed next based on the use situation of the user. For example, first, each user performs user registration. The control unit 6 stores the usage status each time the registered user uses the recording / reproduction device 1, and controls recording or reproduction of a program according to the usage status of each user.

The operation input unit 7 is an operation panel, a keyboard, and the like for inputting a command from a user.

In the recording / reproducing apparatus 1 having the above-described configuration, the control unit 6 controls the tape traveling drive unit 3 to drive and drive the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2, so that the magnetic head 21 is driven by the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. 2 is moved until it comes to the center position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, the conditions when the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 is run until the position where the magnetic head 21 contacts the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 becomes the center position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 will be described. FIG.

Here, the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 is denoted by “▽”.
Names such as an area A and an area B are given to the two areas formed by dividing at the center position indicated by. It is also assumed that the magnetic head 21 is in contact with a certain position on the area A of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2. Further, the time required to move the portion where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 comes into contact with the magnetic head 21 to the center position is T.

When the control unit 6 determines that recording or reproduction is not performed in the area A of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 during the time T, the control unit 6 controls the tape traveling drive unit 3 to
1 drives and moves the position in contact with the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 to the center position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2.

The control unit 6 is provided, for example, when the program for recording or reproducing the program on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 is not reserved within a predetermined time from the current time or when the recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is provided. When the control unit 6 determines that the recording or reproduction of the program is not performed because there is no response to the sensor for detecting the presence of the user (not shown), or the learning function of the control unit 6 records the program in this time zone. Alternatively, when it is determined that reproduction is not performed, the tape traveling drive unit 3 is controlled to drive and drive the position where the magnetic head 21 contacts the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 to the center position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2. .

Further, the control unit 6 controls the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 shown in FIG.
When a program reservation for recording or reproduction is made in the area B, or when a sensor (not shown) for detecting the presence of a user provided in the recording / reproduction device 1 reacts, the control unit 6 shown in FIG. If it is determined that the program is recorded or reproduced in the area B of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 or the learning function of the control unit 6 is used in this time zone, the area of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 shown in FIG. B, when it is determined that the program is recorded or reproduced, the tape drive unit 3 is controlled to determine the position where the magnetic head 21 contacts the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2.
Drive to the center position of.

As a result, the program search time is reduced to approximately half the maximum value of the program search time, that is, the time required for program search from one end to the other end of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. become.

Further, as shown in FIG.
May include a disk recording / reproducing unit 22. The disk recording / reproducing unit 22 is connected to the digital signal processing unit 16 and uses an optical disk or HD (Hard D
isk) is provided.

In the disk recording / reproducing section 22, when a program is recorded on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2, only data for a predetermined time from the beginning of each program is recorded on the disk-shaped recording medium. The data recorded on the disk-shaped recording medium is reproduced at the time of the program search of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2, and the waiting time at the time of the program search is eliminated.

When data is not recorded or reproduced on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2, the control section 6 controls the tape traveling drive section 3 to drive the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 to its central position.

As a result, the program search time can be reduced, so that the recording capacity of the disk-shaped recording medium can be reduced.
Costs can be reduced.

When the recording capacity allocated to each program of the disc-shaped recording medium is constant, the program search can be performed with the allocated maximum storage capacity. Can be reduced, and the tape tension can be reduced. Therefore, tape damage caused by excessive tape tension can be suppressed.

Incidentally, a tape cassette may be used as the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2, and the recording / reproducing section 4 may be provided with a cassette changer for recording or reproducing by mounting a plurality of tape cassettes. In this case, the intermediate position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2 is changed to a point where about one half of the replacement process when replacing the tape cassettes requiring the longest time for replacement is completed.

Further, a disk-shaped recording medium is used instead of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium 2, and the recording / reproducing unit 4
A disk changer for recording or reproducing data by mounting a plurality of disk-shaped recording media may be provided. In this case, the intermediate position of the disk-shaped recording medium is changed to a point where about one half of the replacement process for replacing disks that require the longest time for replacement is completed.

[0046]

As is clear from the above description, the recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention drives the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium to the center position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium and makes the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium stand by. Therefore, the arrival time at the program search point can be shortened without increasing the program search time, and the program search time can be shortened.

Further, the recording / reproducing method of the present invention makes it possible to reduce the program search time without increasing the tape traveling speed by controlling the traveling drive to the center position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a main configuration of a recording / reproducing apparatus shown as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a state diagram showing positions of a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium and a magnetic head in the recording / reproducing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining a main configuration of the recording / reproducing apparatus in which a disc recording / reproducing unit is added.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 recording / reproducing device, 2 tape-shaped magnetic recording medium, 3 tape running drive unit, 4 recording / reproducing unit, 5 signal processing unit, 6
Control part, 7 operation input part

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toyomi Fujino 6-7-35 Kita Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo F-term in Sony Corporation (reference) 5D077 AA01 EA08 EA28

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A recording / reproducing means having a magnetic head for recording or reproducing data on a tape-shaped magnetic recording medium, a tape traveling drive means for driving and traveling the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium, and the recording / reproducing means comprising the tape When the data is not being recorded or reproduced on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium, the tape traveling drive unit is controlled to move the position where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium comes into contact with the magnetic head to an intermediate position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. A recording / reproducing apparatus comprising: a control unit for moving the recording / reproducing apparatus. 2. The tape-type magnetic recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the control unit moves the tape-type magnetic recording medium in contact with the magnetic head to an intermediate position of the tape-type magnetic recording medium. Is an area including a position where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is in contact with the magnetic head among two areas formed by dividing
When data is not recorded or reproduced, the tape drive unit is controlled to move a position where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium comes into contact with the magnetic head to an intermediate position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. Claim 1
The recording / reproducing apparatus as described in the above. 3. The control means controls the tape running drive means to determine a position at which the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium comes into contact with the magnetic head when no recording or reproduction is scheduled to be performed by the recording / reproduction means. 2. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is moved to an intermediate position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to include, among the two regions formed by dividing the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium in the middle, not including a position where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is in contact with the magnetic head. In the area, when recording or reproduction is to be performed by the recording / reproduction means, the tape traveling drive means is controlled to determine the position where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium comes into contact with the magnetic head. 2. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is moved to an intermediate position. 5. A disk recording / reproducing means in which the data recorded on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is recorded on a disk-shaped recording medium and which reproduces the data at the time of program search of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. 2. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 6. A recording / reproducing method, wherein, when data is not being recorded or reproduced, control is performed to move a position at which the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium contacts a magnetic head to an intermediate position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. . 7. The tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is divided at an intermediate position within a time required for moving a position where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is in contact with the magnetic head to an intermediate position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. If data is not recorded or reproduced in the area including the position where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is in contact with the magnetic head, the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is 7. The recording / reproducing method according to claim 6, wherein a position in contact with the magnetic head is moved to an intermediate position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. 8. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when no recording or reproduction is to be performed, a position where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium contacts the magnetic head is moved to an intermediate position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. 6. The recording / reproducing method according to item 6. 9. Recording or recording is performed in an area not including a position where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is in contact with the magnetic head among two areas formed by dividing the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium in the middle. If playback is scheduled to take place,
7. The recording / reproducing method according to claim 6, wherein a position where the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is in contact with the magnetic head is moved to an intermediate position of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. 10. The data recorded on the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium is recorded on a disk-shaped recording medium, and the data is reproduced during a program search of the tape-shaped magnetic recording medium. Recording and playback method.