JP2002100156A - Recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording and reproducing device capable of recording information on a recording medium, even when the amount of information such as a sound signal to record is over a manageable amount of information, and capable of recording information so that desired information can be retrieved by relevancy higher than before even when the information recorded on the recording medium is reproduced by using a conventional device. SOLUTION: When the areas of the U-TOC sectors 0, 1, 2 of an MD 1 run short, the same format as those of the U-TOC sectors 0, 1, 2 is newly prepared to the vacant sector area of the U-TOC to manage data, and a system control microcomputer 6 which prepares a directory management sector is provided in the unused sector of the U-TOC area.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus for digitally recording information such as an audio signal on a recording medium and reproducing the information such as an audio signal from the recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a recording / reproducing apparatus, for example,
A so-called minidisk (hereinafter referred to as MD (MiniDisk)) capable of digitizing and recording an audio signal on a magneto-optical disk (hereinafter simply referred to as a disk) and reproducing the audio signal recorded on the disk. )) Devices and the like are known. Note that a small-sized portable MD device for audio, which is convenient to carry, can record and reproduce an audio signal regardless of location. Also, M
D has a diameter of 64 mm, and can record an audio signal for a maximum of 80 minutes.

An MD, which is a recordable recording medium, has a program area (data area) and a management area as recording areas. Clusters 0 and 1 in the management area are used as buffer areas with the pit area. The cluster 2 in the management area is used as a power calibration area (PCA) and is used for adjusting the output power of the laser beam. Then, clusters 3, 4, and 5 in the management area
Is a U-TOC (User's Table of Contents) area. In the U-TOC area, a data format is defined for each sector provided in one cluster, and predetermined management information is recorded in each of these sectors. A cluster having a sector in which such management information is recorded is a cluster 3,
It is recorded three and four times repeatedly. In addition, M
D is a lead-in area (TOC (Tabl
e of Contents) area and lead-out area.

[0004] The MD device reads out various management information recorded in the U-TOC area, and reads out the U-TOC.
By writing various management information to the area, M
The audio signal recorded in D is managed.

[0005] The MD device can display a disc name / track name (title) corresponding to the audio signal recorded on the MD on a display device such as a liquid crystal panel.

[0006]

However, in recent years,
The recording density of a recording medium such as an MD is increasing. Also, the compression ratio of the audio signal in the recording medium has been increasing, and in some cases, the information amount is compressed to 1/20 that of the original audio signal. Due to these two factors, the amount of information (the number of music pieces) that can be recorded on one recording medium tends to increase.

On the other hand, the above-mentioned conventional MD device has a U-
Although the disc name / track name (title) of the audio signal is recorded in a sector provided in the TOC area, the amount of information that can be recorded is limited. This is because the amount of management information that can be recorded is limited.

In a conventional MD device, the number of music pieces that can be recorded is usually 255 at the maximum. Therefore, when recording an audio signal exceeding the recordable information amount, for example, when recording information on a recording medium on which an audio signal exceeding 255 songs is recorded, the conventional MD device is used for recording. It is impossible to record the audio signal on the MD in the same data unit as a recording medium (information source recording medium) on which a power audio signal is recorded. Also, since audio signals from a plurality of recording media are recorded on the MD, if the total number of songs to be recorded exceeds 255 songs,
When recording on an MD, there is also a problem that the correspondence between each recording medium and the audio signal recorded on the recording medium cannot be maintained.

Also, if the number of music pieces recorded on the MD is 25
Even if titles and the like corresponding to these songs can be recorded in the U-TOC area of the MD if the number of recorded songs is large, the audio signal number (track number) is used. When a desired music is reproduced by searching for a signal (music), there is also a problem that it is difficult to search for and reproduce the music desired to be reproduced.

[0010] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can record information on a recording medium even when an audio signal or the like to be recorded exceeds a manageable information amount. Further, when reproducing the information recorded on the recording medium, even if the information is reproduced by a conventional apparatus, it is possible to record the information so that the desired information can be searched with a higher search capability than before. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording / reproducing device that can perform the recording and reproducing.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention compresses an input audio signal and then records the compressed audio signal on a recordable recording medium. In a recording / reproducing apparatus that expands and reproduces a recorded compressed audio signal, a predetermined management information storage unit for standardizing and recording predetermined management information is provided in an audio signal management area of a recording medium. And when recording the audio signal on the recording medium, records predetermined audio signal management information in the predetermined management information storage unit,
When there is no free space in the predetermined management information storage unit, a new predetermined management information storage unit is created in the free space in the audio signal management area, and the audio signal management information is recorded in the created predetermined management information storage unit. Control means for performing the control.

According to the above arrangement, when the recording area of the predetermined management information storage section of the prescribed format, which is provided in advance in the audio signal management area of the recording medium, runs short, the control means controls the audio signal. An area having the same standard as the predetermined management information storage section is newly created as a predetermined management information storage section in the free area in the management area. Further, the control means records the audio signal management information in the newly created predetermined management information storage unit. Therefore, more information than the recording limit information amount in the conventional device can be recorded on the recording medium.

Usually, for example, the number of music pieces that can be recorded on an MD that is a recordable recording medium, that is, one sector area (corresponding to a predetermined management information storage section) in a U-TOC (corresponding to an audio signal management area) Disc name / track name (title name) of the audio signal that can be recorded
Are 255 songs. Therefore, for example, when recording more than 255 songs from a plurality of recording media on the MD, the conventional MD device records the correspondence between each recording medium of the information source and the songs recorded on the recording media. It was impossible to record so that it would be maintained even in the earlier MD. In addition, for example, when recording an audio signal exceeding an information amount that can be recorded and managed, such as when recording information on a recording medium on which an audio signal exceeding 255 songs is recorded,
Using a conventional MD device, it was impossible to record the audio signal on the MD in the same data unit as a recording medium (an information source recording medium) on which an audio signal to be recorded was recorded.

However, by applying the configuration of the present invention described above, it is possible to manage the audio signal even when the recording limit information amount (here, the number of music pieces is 255) of the conventional apparatus is exceeded. Therefore, it is possible to perform recording in the same correspondence as the correspondence between each recording medium of the information source and the music recorded on the recording medium.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording / reproducing apparatus for compressing an input audio signal, recording the compressed audio signal on a recordable recording medium, and recording the compressed audio signal on the recording medium. In a recording / reproducing apparatus that expands and reproduces a compressed audio signal, a plurality of predetermined management information storages for standardizing and recording predetermined management information are provided in advance in an audio signal management area of a recording medium, When recording the audio signal on the recording medium, a directory management information storage unit that manages predetermined management information recorded in the predetermined management information storage unit in directory units in a free area in the audio signal management area. It can also be characterized in that it is provided with control means for creating.

According to the above configuration, the directory management information storage section is created in an empty area within the audio signal management area of the recording medium, so that the audio signal is reproduced so that the recording medium can reproduce the audio signal in directory units. Can be recorded.

Thus, even when the audio signal recorded on the recording medium is reproduced by the device having the conventional configuration, the ability to search for the audio signal can be improved.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, the configuration of the recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention is applied to an MD (Mini Disk) apparatus, and an MD in which recording / reproducing of an audio signal is performed by the MD apparatus is used as a recording medium. The case will be described as an example.

First, the configuration of an MD device as a recording / reproducing device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

The MD apparatus according to the present embodiment digitizes and records analog information of an audio signal on an MD which is a rewritable recording medium and reproduces a digital audio signal recorded on the MD. It is configured as follows. The MD device intermittently records / reproduces a digital audio signal with respect to the MD.

As shown in FIG. 1, the MD apparatus according to the present embodiment has an optical pickup 2, an analog signal processing circuit 3, a digital signal processing circuit 4, a memory 5, a system control microcomputer (control means). 6, a servo control circuit 7, a mechanism section 8, a feed motor 9, a spindle motor 10, an audio compression / expansion circuit 11, a converter 12, a head drive circuit 13, and a recording head 14.
, An input device 17, a display switching device 21, and a display device 23.

The input device 17 includes a character string input key 15
And a character string recording key 16.

The display switching device 21 has a directory name / track name switching key 18, an enter key 19, and a search key 20. What is determined by the display switching device 21 is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 22 of the display device 23. Here, as an example of the enter key 19 and the search key 20, the enter key 19 can correspond to a reproduction key of a conventional recording and reproducing apparatus, and the search key 20 can correspond to a fast-forward key and a rewind key of a conventional recording and reproducing apparatus.

The converter 12 is an A / D converter 12
a and a D / A converter 12b.

Further, the MD device includes each of the above devices.
A power supply circuit (not shown) for supplying power to the circuit is provided.

Next, the reproduction operation of the MD 1 in the MD device will be described with reference to FIG.

MD1 is a program area and U-TOC
(User's Table of Contents) area (audio signal management area). In the program area, a digital audio signal and a digital character string signal (described later) obtained by converting a character string such as a directory name or a track name are recorded. U-
In the TOC area, a recording position (start address and end address) of the digital audio signal in the program area, that is, various coast information such as a track number, a directory name, or a track name is recorded. The details of the U-TOC area will be described later.

The optical pickup 2 irradiates a laser beam to the MD 1 as a recordable / reproducible recording medium, and
The head is a reproducing head that takes in reflected light from the MD1 and reads a signal such as an RF (Radio Frequency) signal recorded on the MD1.

The analog signal processing circuit 3 is provided so as to be communicable with the system control microcomputer 6, amplifies the signal read by the optical pickup 2, and sends the amplified signal to the digital signal processing circuit 4. further,
The analog signal processing circuit 3 includes the optical pickup 2
Then, a servo control signal such as a focus error signal and a tracking error signal is generated from the signal read by the controller, and the servo control signal is sent to the servo control circuit 7.

The digital signal processing circuit 4 is provided so as to be able to communicate with the system control microcomputer 6 in order to perform processing of sub-codes and to transmit and receive digital character string signals. Further, the digital signal processing circuit 4 performs predetermined processing such as demodulation and error correction on the signal passed through the analog signal processing circuit 3, and then transfers the signal to the audio compression / expansion circuit 11. Further, the digital signal processing circuit 4 stores the digital audio signal and the digital character string signal in the memory 5 in accordance with an instruction from the system control microcomputer 6 in order to store the digital audio signal and the digital character string signal in the memory 5.
The write operation and the read operation are controlled. The digital signal processing circuit 4
The digital voice signal output from the memory 5 is transferred to the voice compression / expansion circuit 11, while the digital character string signal is transferred to the system control microcomputer 6.

The memory 5 temporarily stores the digital audio signal and the digital character string signal output from the digital signal processing circuit 4. The memory 5 is disposed between the digital signal processing circuit 4 and the audio compression / expansion circuit 11, and transfers the digital audio signal output from the digital signal processing circuit 4 to the audio compression / expansion circuit 11. It is provided for the purpose of absorbing the difference between the digital audio signal and the transfer speed of the digital audio signal, and protecting the digital audio signal in order to prevent interruption of recording / reproduction due to disturbance such as vibration. In other words, the memory 5 stores the digital audio signal in the audio compression / expansion circuit 11 when the digital audio signal stored therein has a predetermined size during reproduction.
It is configured to transfer to.

The memory 5 includes the optical pickup 2
, That is, a disk address (address) recorded in the program area of the MD 1 where the digital audio signal was recorded. Further, as described later, the memory 5 stores the digital character string signal when recording the digital character string signal in the program area of the MD1 in association with the disk address of the digital audio signal, and stores the digital character string signal in the head. The timing of sending the signal to the drive circuit 13 is adjusted.

The audio compression / expansion circuit 11 outputs the signal from the digital signal processing circuit 4 to ATRAC3 (Adaptive
Transform Acoustic Coding Version 3) A digital audio signal compressed on a time axis at a predetermined compression rate, for example, about 1/10 by an information compression technique referred to as 3), is time-expanded, and is a D / A converter 12b of a converter 12. Transfer to After being reproduced by the D / A converter 12b into the original analog audio signal, it is output to the output terminal 25. The output terminal 25 is connected to an output unit (not shown) having a speaker and the like.

The feed motor 9 drives the optical pickup 2
This is a motor for moving in a direction perpendicular to one recording track (not shown) (that is, in a radial direction of MD1). The spindle motor 10 is a motor for driving the MD1 to rotate. The mechanism unit 8 includes a motor driver circuit and the like. The mechanism unit 8 operates a feed motor 9, a spindle motor 10, and a driving device (not shown) for driving an objective lens (not shown) of the optical pickup 2 to operate the motor. It is configured to supply power to each device and to drive each device.

The servo control circuit 7 controls each of the above-described devices driven by the mechanism section 8 so that the operation of causing the light emitted from the optical pickup 2 to follow a target recording track in the MD 1 is performed accurately. Is a circuit for feedback control. This servo control circuit 7 is in accordance with an instruction of the system control microcomputer 6 and based on the servo signal output from the analog signal processing circuit 3,
Control amounts such as focus, tracking, seek, and spin are determined, and the control amounts are sent to the mechanism unit 8 as control signals.

The system control microcomputer 6 includes an analog signal processing circuit 3, a digital signal processing circuit 4, a servo control circuit 7, an audio compression / expansion circuit 11, an input device 17,
It is a microcomputer that centrally manages the entire device such as the display switching device 21 and the display device 23. The system control microcomputer 6 can detect the digital audio signal amount and the digital character string signal amount stored in the memory 5.

The input device 17 performs a manual input operation by pressing a character string input key 15 or a character string recording key 16 or the like to execute a processing operation such as inputting an arbitrary character string or recording the character string on the MD1. The data is input to the control microcomputer 6.

The character string input key 15 and character string recording key 16 and the display switching device 21
In addition to the directory name / track name switching key 18, the enter key 19, and the search key 20, many other switches and keys (not shown) are provided. By a manual input operation by pressing these switches and keys, a recording operation or a reproducing operation of the MD1, that is, a processing operation of writing an audio signal and various information to the MD1, a voice signal and various information recorded on the MD1 are performed. Is input to the system control microcomputer 6.

The character string input key 15 is operated to input an arbitrary character string relating to an audio signal recorded on or to be recorded on the MD 1, for example, a character string such as a title of a music piece. Yes, you can enter katakana, hiragana, kanji, alphabetic characters, numbers, various symbols, and the like.

The character string recording key 16 is operated when the character string input by the character string input key 15 is stored in the memory 5.

The system control microcomputer 6 controls the MD based on the above-described processing operation input from the input device 17.
In addition to controlling the above-described devices and circuits so that recording / reproduction of the MD 1 is performed, the recording area of the MD 1 is rewritten via the head drive circuit 13 and the recording head 14. Also, the system control microcomputer 6
Converts the character string input from the input device 17 into an identifiable digital character string signal and outputs it to the digital signal processing circuit 4, and also converts the digital character string signal input from the digital signal processing circuit 4, The digital character string signal recorded on the MD 1 is reproduced, converted into a character string, and output to the display device 23. Then, the system control microcomputer 6 converts the audio signal transferred from the memory 5 to the audio compression / expansion circuit 11 via the digital signal processing circuit 4 so that the digital character string signal is reproduced corresponding to the desired audio signal. The disk address can be recognized.

The digital character string signal sent from the system control microcomputer 6 to the digital signal processing circuit 4 is temporarily stored in the memory 5 and then transferred to the program area of the MD 1 via the head driving circuit 13 and the recording head 14. Be recorded.

Further, the system control microcomputer 6
Is configured to search for a disk address of an audio signal corresponding to the character string selected by the search key 20 and the enter key 19 via the optical pickup 2 or the like. That is, the system control microcomputer 6 has a function of searching for an audio signal using a disk address associated with a character string. In addition, the above search is performed by M
This is performed with D1 in the reproduction state.

The display device 23 displays a character string input by operating the character string input keys 15 of the input device 17 and various information such as a character string read from the MD 1 and a title as necessary. The information is displayed on the panel 22. That is, when the audio signal is reproduced, the character string read from the MD 1 is displayed corresponding to the desired audio signal. Note that the display device 23 is capable of scrolling, so that even when the number of character strings to be displayed is large, or when the number of character strings (character string group) is large, these character strings are collectively displayed. It can be displayed.

Next, the recording operation of the MD 1 in the MD apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The input terminal 24 is connected to an input unit (not shown) having a microphone and the like. A / D converter 12a
Converts an analog audio signal input from the input terminal 24 into a digital audio signal and transfers the digital audio signal to the audio compression / expansion circuit 11. The audio compression / decompression circuit 11
The ATRAC3 sets the time axis of the digital audio signal output from the A / D converter 12a to a predetermined compression ratio,
For example, after compression to about 1/10, the digital audio signal is transferred to the digital signal processing circuit 4.

The digital signal processing circuit 4 modulates the digital audio signal output from the audio compression / expansion circuit 11 and performs predetermined processing such as addition of error correction bits. The digital signal processing circuit 4 transfers the digital audio signal and the digital character string signal sent from the system control microcomputer 6 to the memory 5, and outputs the digital audio signal and the digital character string signal output from the memory 5. Is transferred to the recording head 14 via the head drive circuit 13. Therefore, the memory 5 absorbs the difference between the transfer speed of the digital audio signal output from the audio compression / expansion circuit 11 and the transfer speed of the digital audio signal input to the head drive circuit 13 via the digital signal processing circuit 4. It is also intended to be. That is, the memory 5 transfers the digital audio signal to the digital signal processing circuit 4 when the digital audio signal stored in the memory 5 has a predetermined size during recording.

The memory 5 stores a disk address of a program area of the MD 1 in which an A / D-converted digital audio signal inputted from the input terminal 24 is recorded. It is stored in association with the name / track name. The disk address is read by the optical pickup 2, input to the memory 5 via the analog signal processing circuit 3 and the digital signal processing circuit 4, and stored.

The head drive circuit 13 transfers the digital audio signal and the digital character string signal output from the digital signal processing circuit 4 to the recording head 14 under the control of the system control microcomputer 6, and also controls the MD1 by the recording head 14. The recording head 14 is moved in a direction orthogonal to the recording track of the MD1 so that the digital audio signal and the digital character string signal are accurately recorded on the recording track.

The recording head 14 records a digital voice signal and a digital character string signal in a program area of the MD 1 by applying a magnetic field to the MD 1 to which the laser beam is irradiated by the optical pickup 2. ing. That is, an area for recording the digital character string signal and the disk address is secured in the program area. The recording head 14 further includes a U-TO of MD1.
Various information, a disk address, and the like are recorded in the C area.

At the time of recording the audio signal, the system control microcomputer 6 associates the digital character with the disk address of the audio signal so that the title name corresponding to the desired audio signal is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 22 of the display device 23. The column signal is recorded in the U-TOC area of MD1. As described above, a signal recording unit is constituted by the system control microcomputer 6, the head driving circuit 13, the recording head 14, the optical pickup 2, the character string recording key 16, and the like.

Next, writing of information (management information) for audio signal management performed by the MD device according to the present embodiment on MD1 will be described.

The MD device according to the present embodiment is a device that creates a directory management sector (directory management information storage unit) in an empty sector area of the U-TOC of the MD1 and manages music using the directory management sector. is there. Therefore, the MD1 used for the MD device is
The U-TOC, which is a management information area for managing the recording / reproduction operation of a track (music or the like), will be described below. The details of the directory management sector of the MD1 will be described later.

First, the U-TOC sector 0 (predetermined management information storage section) in the MD 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows a format of the U-TOC sector 0 in the MD1. In addition, U-TO
As sector C, sectors 0 to 31 can be provided. Among these sectors 0 to 31, sector 1 (predetermined management information storage unit) and sector 4 (predetermined management information storage unit) include character information (however, sector 4 includes an ASCII code) and sector 2
The (predetermined management information storage unit) is an area for recording the recording date and time. First, U-TOC sector 0, which is necessarily required for the recording / reproducing operation of MD1, will be described.

The U-TOC sector 0 is a data area in which a program such as a musical piece recorded by a user and management information on a free area in which a new program can be recorded are mainly recorded. For example, when recording music on the MD1, the system control microcomputer 6 searches for a free area on the MD1 from the U-TOC sector 0, and records an audio signal in the free area. At the time of reproduction, the area in which the music to be reproduced is recorded is set to UT
The discrimination is made from the OC sector 0, the area is accessed, and the reproducing operation is performed.

In the data area of the U-TOC sector 0 (4 bytes × 588 = 2352 bytes), a synchronization pattern in which 1-byte data of all 0 or all 1 is formed at the head position is recorded. Subsequently, addresses serving as cluster addresses (Cluster H), (Cluster L), and sector addresses (Sector) are recorded over three bytes, and one byte of mode information (MODE) is added. As described above, the header includes the cluster address, the sector address, and the mode information. The 3-byte address here is the address of the sector itself.

The header portion in which the synchronization pattern and the address are recorded is not limited to the U-TOC sector 0, but similarly for each sector (sectors 1, 2, 4) to be described later, the sector itself is also assigned in sector units. Address and synchronization pattern are recorded.

As an address of the sector itself, the cluster address is described by two bytes of an upper address (Cluster H) and a lower address (Cluster L). The sector address (Sector) is described by one byte and corresponds to each sector. That is, these addresses are not in short form.

Subsequently, at a predetermined byte position, a maker code (Maker code), a model code (Model code), a track number of the first track (First TNO), a track number of the last track (Last TNO), and a sector use state (Used sectors), data such as a disk serial number (Disk Serial No) and a disk ID are recorded.

Further, in order to identify the recorded track area and free area by associating them with a table section described later, various pointers (P
-DFA, P-EMPTY, P-FRA, P-TNO1
To P-TNO 255) are prepared.

Then, the pointers (P-DFA to P-
TN0255), (01h) to (FFh) ("h" in this specification)
Numbers with are hexadecimal numbers) up to 25
Five parts tables are provided. In each part table, a start address serving as a starting point, an end address serving as an end, and mode information (track mode) of the part are recorded for a part. Further, since the parts shown in each part table may be successively connected to other parts, link information in which the start address and the end address of the connected parts are recorded can be recorded.

Note that a part refers to a track portion in which data that is temporally continuous is physically continuously recorded in one track. And the address indicated as the start address and the end address is
The address indicates one or a plurality of parts constituting one music piece (track). These addresses are recorded in short form and specify clusters, sectors, and sound groups.

In this type of recording / reproducing apparatus, even if data of one music (program / track) is physically discontinuously recorded, that is, recorded over a plurality of parts, it is reproduced while accessing between parts. By doing so, there is no problem in the reproduction operation. Therefore, a song or the like recorded by the user may be recorded in a plurality of parts for the purpose of efficient use of the recordable area.

For this reason, in the link information, for example, the numbers (01h) to (FFh) given to the parts table
By specifying the parts table to be connected by the, the connection of the parts tables is enabled. That is,
In the table section in U-TOC sector 0,
One part table represents one part.
For example, for a song composed of three parts connected, the parts positions are managed by three parts tables connected by link information. still,
Actually, the link information is determined by the U-TOC by a predetermined arithmetic processing.
It is indicated by a numerical value indicating a byte position in sector 0. That is, the parts table is designated as 304+ (link information) × 8 (byte).

Each part table from (01h) to (FFh) in the table section of U-TOC sector 0 is as follows:
Pointer (P-DFA, P-EMP) in the pointer section
TY, P-FRA, P-TN01 to P-TN0255)
Indicates the contents of the part.

The pointer P-DFA is attached to a defective area on the MD1, and a leading part of one or a plurality of parts tables showing a track part (= part) serving as a defective area due to a scratch or the like is shown. Parts table is specified. In other words, if there is a defective part,
One of (01h) to (FFh) is recorded in the pointer P-DFA, and a defective part is indicated by a start and end address in a corresponding part table. If another defective part exists, another part table is specified as link information in the part table, and the specified part table also indicates the defective part as link information. If there is no other defective part, the link information is set to, for example, “(00h)”, and there is no link thereafter.

The pointer P-EMPTY indicates the head part table of one or a plurality of unused part tables in the management table section. If an unused part table exists, the pointer P-EMPTY is set as the pointer P-EMPTY. Any one of (01h) to (FFh) is recorded. When there are a plurality of unused part tables, the part tables are sequentially specified by the link information of the part table specified by the pointer P-EMPTY, and all the unused part tables are connected on the management table unit. Is done.

The pointer P-FRA indicates a free area (including an erase area) in which data on the MD 1 can be written, and one or a plurality of parts tables indicating track parts (parts) serving as the free area. The first part table in the box is specified. That is, when the free area exists, the pointer P-FRA is set to (01h) to (F).
Fh) is recorded, and the parts table corresponding to it is indicated by a start area and an end address. When there are a plurality of such parts, that is, when there are a plurality of parts tables, the parts information is sequentially designated up to the parts table whose link information is "(00h)".

Pointers P-TNO1 to P-TNO255
Indicates a track such as a song recorded by the user in the MD1. For example, the pointer P
In -TNO1, the 1st track on which the data of the first track is recorded
Alternatively, a parts table indicating a temporally leading part of a plurality of parts is specified. For example, the music piece set as the first track (first program) is MD1
If the track is not divided above, that is, if it is recorded by one part, the recording area of the first track is recorded as the start and end addresses of the parts table indicated by the pointer P-TNO1.

For example, in the case where the music set as the second track (second program) is discretely recorded on a plurality of parts on the MD1, each part is used to indicate the recording position of the second track. Are specified in chronological order. In other words, from the part table specified by the pointer P-TNO2, other part tables are sequentially specified in a temporal order by link coasting, and linked to the part table whose link information is "(00h)". In this way, for example, all the parts on which the data constituting the second music piece are recorded are sequentially designated and recorded. Thus, the optical pickup 2 and the recording head 14 are accessed by using the data of the U-TOC sector 0 at the time of reproducing the second music or performing the overwrite recording on the area where the second music is recorded. Continuous audio signals can be extracted from discrete parts, and recording can be performed with efficient use of the recording area.

Since the U-TOC sector 0 has the same format as that of the conventional U-TOC sector 0, it is not necessary to create a new format when used in the MD apparatus according to the present embodiment. Absent.

Next, the U-TOC sector 1 in the MD1 will be described. As described above, since the MD device according to the present embodiment performs management using the directory management sector, the U-TOC sector 1 in the MD1 needs to be the directory management U-TOC sector 1. U-TOC sector 1 for directory management
FIG. 3 shows an example of the format, and the directory management U-TOC sector 1 will be described below with reference to FIG.

Directory Management U-TOC Sector 1
Is a data area for recording input character information when a track name is given to each recorded track or a directory name is given as the name of the directory itself.

In the directory management U-TOC sector 1, pointers P-TNA1 to P-TNA255 are prepared as pointer portions corresponding to recorded tracks. In addition, the pointers P-TNA1 to P-T
The slot portion specified by NA 255 is 1 unit 8
255-byte slots (01h) to (FFh)
Also, one 8-byte slot (00h) is prepared, and character data is managed in substantially the same form as that of the U-TOC sector 0 described above.

In the slots (01h) to (FFh), character information as a directory name or a track name is recorded in ASCII code. Then, for example, the slot specified by the pointer P-TNA1 includes the first
The character input by the user corresponding to the track is recorded. In addition, since the slots are linked by link information, character input corresponding to one track can be performed 7 times.
Even if it becomes larger than byte (7 characters), it can cope. Note that 8 bytes as the slot (00h) are a dedicated area for recording the disc name, and are not specified by the pointer P-TNA (x) (x = 1, 2,... 255). I have. Even in the U-TOC sector 1, the pointer P-EMPTY manages an unused slot.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the U-TOC sector 1 generally used conventionally. As can be seen from a comparison between FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the directory management U-TOC sector 1 in the present embodiment differs from the conventional U-TOC sector 1 only in that the part for inputting the disk name is changed to the directory name. Yes, the pointer section and the slot section are the same. Therefore, the directory management U-TOC sector 1 in the present embodiment
Is compatible with conventional U-TOC sector 1. Thereby, the MD of the MD used for the MD device of the present embodiment that performs music management using the directory management sector
As the TOC sector 1, the conventional U-TOC sector 1 can be applied.

Next, the UT of the MD 1 according to the present embodiment will be described.
The OC sector 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG.
Indicates the format of the U-TOC sector 2, and this sector 2 is mainly used as a data area for recording the recording date and time of the music recorded by the user.

The U-TOC sector 2 has a pointer P-P as a pointer corresponding to each recorded track.
TRD1 to P-TRD255 are prepared, and a slot portion designated by the pointers P-TRD1 to P-TRD255 is prepared. The slot portion is formed with slots (01h) to (FFh) of 8 units of 8 bytes per unit, and manages date and time data in substantially the same manner as the U-TOC sector 0 described above.

In the slots (01h) to (FFh), the recording date and time of the music are recorded in 6 bytes. Six bytes record numerical values corresponding to year, month, day, hour, minute, and second, one byte at a time. Also, in the remaining 2 bytes,
A maker code and a model code are recorded, and code data indicating the manufacturer of the recording device that has recorded the music and code data indicating the model of the recording device that has recorded the music are recorded.

For example, when a song is recorded as the first song on MD1, the date and time of recording and the maker code and model code of the recording device are recorded in the slot designated by the pointer P-TRD1. The recording date and time data is automatically recorded by the system control microcomputer 6 with reference to the internal clock.

The 8 bytes as the slot (00h) are used as a dedicated area for recording the recording date and time in disk units, and the pointer P-TRD (x) (x = 1,
2,... 255) are slots not specified. In the U-TOC sector 2, the pointer P-EMPTY manages an unused slot. For unused slots, link information is recorded in place of the model code, and each unused slot is linked to the pointer P-EMPTY and managed by the link information.

Since the U-TOC sector 2 has the same format as that of the conventional U-TOC sector 2, it is not necessary to create a new format when used in the MD device according to the present embodiment. Absent.

Next, the U-TOC sector 4 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 shows U-TOC sector 4
Format is shown. The sector 4 is a data area for recording input character information when a song name (track name) or a disc name is given to a track on which the user has recorded, similarly to the sector 1 described above. As can be seen by comparing FIGS. 6 and 3, the format of sector 4 is almost the same as that of sector 1. However, this sector 4 is designed to be able to record code data (two-byte code) corresponding to kanji and European characters. In addition to the data of sector 1 in FIG. Is recorded. The management of the character information of the U-TOC sector 4 is performed by using the pointers P-TNA1 to P-TNA2 as in the case of the sector 1.
55 and a part table (01 in units of 255) designated by pointers P-TNA1 to P-TNA255.
h) to (FFh).

Since the U-TOC sector 4 has the same format as the conventional U-TOC sector 4, it is not necessary to create a new format when used in the MD device according to the present embodiment. Absent.

As described above, in the MD 1 used for the MD apparatus according to the present embodiment, the format of the U-TOC sectors 0, 1, 2, and 4 is
-It is possible to apply the TOC sector.

Next, the directory management sector created in the free sector area of the U-TOC of MD1 by the MD device according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 shows an example of the format of the directory management sector.

The directory management sector manages a directory set by the user. Here, pointers P-DNO1 to P-DNO255 are prepared as pointer portions corresponding to the recorded directories.

The pointers P-DNO1 to P-D
As a slot portion designated by NO 255, slots (01h) to (FF) in units of 8 bytes and 255 units
h) is prepared. The slot portion has a sector address ADSA (Addresres) corresponding to U-TOC sector 0.
s Sector Address) and the sector address corresponding to U-TOC sector 1 by DNSA (Directory Name Sector).
Address), the sector address corresponding to U-TOC sector 2 is set to RDSA (Rec Day-Time SectorAddress).
), The sector address corresponding to the U-TOC sector 4 is assumed to be an ASSA (A-scii Code Sector Address), and two bytes are provided for each.

Further, link coast information is provided for each sector address. When a plurality of sectors are used in one audio data, the slots are sequentially designated up to the slot in which the link information is "(00h)".

By configuring the directory management sector as described above, the MD1 can have a directory structure.

Next, a music management method using the directory management sector of the MD apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

First, after confirming that the MD1 has been loaded into the recording / reproducing apparatus (S1), the U-TOC area of the MD1 is read, and the data recorded in the U-TOC area is stored in the memory 5 (S2). ). Then, the system control microcomputer 6 operates the U-TOC stored in the memory 5.
Unused sectors are searched for among the sectors 5 to 31 in the area, and a directory management sector shown in FIG. 7 is created in unused sectors (S3). In this embodiment, the sector 5 is a directory management sector.

When an audio signal is input from the input terminal 24 and the audio signal is recorded on the MD 1, the address information of the music is recorded on the U-TOC sector 0. Then, pointers P-TNO (x), P-TNA (x) of each sector,
P-TRD (x) indicates data of the x-th music piece. In other words, one data block (hereinafter, referred to as a music data sector) is included in four sectors of the U-TOC, sector 0, sector 1, sector 2, and sector 4.
Can be determined.

Next, a method of setting a music data sector will be described.

After the directory management sector has been created, the character string input key 15 is operated to operate a character string (hereinafter referred to as a directory name) for arbitrarily managing the audio signal recorded on the MD 1 in directory units. ) (S4), the system control microcomputer 6
Causes the display device 22 to display the input character string. Thereafter, the character string recording key 16 is pressed, and the character string is input as a directory name (directory name) (S5).

It is confirmed whether or not a directory name exists in the slot (00h) of the U-TOC sector 1 (sector 4) stored in the memory 5, and the slot (00
It is determined whether or not h) is a free area (S6). If the directory name is not recorded in the slot (00h) of the sector 1, the system control microcomputer 6 converts the digital name into a digital character string signal in order to record the directory name in the slot (00h) of the sector 1. The directory name is stored in the memory 5 (S7). By this operation, sector 0 (sector 4), sector 1, and sector 2 can be regarded as one music data sector (sector 1 and sector 4).
Is different depending on the recording / reproducing apparatus, and in this embodiment, only the sector 1 is used). That is, U shown in FIG.
By storing the directory name (00) in the slot (00h) of the TOC sector 1, the music data sector can have the attribute of the directory name (00).

When the digital character string signal is recorded in the slot (00h) of the U-TOC sector 0, the empty area is searched from the sector 6 to the sector 31 and the same as the U-TOC sector 1 is searched. A new U-TOC sector 1 (hereinafter, referred to as a U-TOC sector 1 ') is created in the format shown in FIG. In order to store the directory name in the slot (00h) of the U-TOC sector 1 ', the directory name converted into a digital character string signal by the system control microcomputer 6 is stored in the memory 5 (S8). Also in this case, similarly to the above, the directory name (0) is stored in the slot (00h) of the U-TOC sector 1 '.
By recording 1), the song data sector can have the attribute of the directory name (01).

Then, the sector address in which the directory name is recorded is written to the DNSA in the slot portion of the directory management sector in FIG.

Next, the U-TO stored in the memory 5
It is checked whether C sector 0, U-TOC sector 1, and U-TOC sector 2 are free (S9). Where U
-The TOC sector 1 is empty when the slot (00
h) There is only the directory name. U-
If the TOC sector 0 and the U-TOC sector 2 are empty, the start address and the end address are written in the U-TOC sector 0, and the recording date and time are written in the sector 2 (S
10). If there is no free space in U-TOC sector 0 and U-TOC sector 2, U-TOC sector 0 and U-TOC sector 0
New U-format in the same format as TOC Sector 2
A TOC sector 0 (hereinafter, referred to as U-TOC sector 0 ') and a U-TOC sector 2 (hereinafter, referred to as U-TOC sector 2') are created, and an audio signal is written (S1).
1).

Here, if the input audio data is filled with empty areas in the pointer portion or slot portion of each sector and writing cannot be performed in one sector (S12), writing of all the input audio data is completed. Sector 6 excluding directory management sector until the end
An empty sector is searched from among the sectors 31, and the operation performed in S9 is repeated.

When the input audio data has been written to the sector, the UT is added to the ADSA of the directory management sector.
OC sector 0 sector address, DNSA UT
OC sector 1 sector address, RDSA U-T
The sector address of the OC sector 2, (the corresponding U-TOC sector (U-TOC sector 0 ', U-TOC sector
The sector address of C sector 1 ', U-TOC sector 2')) is written to the slot portion of the directory management sector (S13).

Then, it is confirmed whether the writing of the input audio data has been completed in each of the U-TOC sectors (S14), and if the writing has been completed in each of the U-TOC sectors. For example, “(00” is added to the link information area (Link-P) in the slot section of the directory management sector.
h)] (S15). If it is not one by one, the link information contains the number (0
1h to FFh) (S16).

The above is the flow of the recording method using one type of directory management sector.

When a new directory is created (S17), the flow from S4 is repeated. At the end, the contents stored in the memory 5 are written to the U-TOC area of the MD1 (S18).

The above is the description of the recording method of the MD device according to the present embodiment. Thus, the MD device is
When the area of the U-TOC sectors 0, 1, and 2 of D1 is insufficient, the U-TOC is stored in an empty sector area of the U-TOC.
Since the same format as that of the OC sectors 0, 1, and 2 is newly created to manage data, more information can be recorded on the MD than the recording limit information amount in the conventional device.

Normally, the number of music pieces that can be recorded on the MD, that is,
The number of disc names / track names (title names) of audio signals that can be recorded in one sector area in the U-TOC is 255 songs. So, for example,
When a total of more than 255 songs are recorded on a MD from a plurality of recording media, in a conventional MD apparatus, the correspondence between each recording medium of the information source and the songs recorded on the recording medium is determined by an MD which is a recording destination. It was not possible to record to maintain it.

However, the MD apparatus according to the present embodiment, even when the recording limit information amount (here, the number of music pieces is 255) exceeds the recording limit information amount of the conventional apparatus as described above,
Since the audio signal can be managed, recording can be performed in the same correspondence relationship between each recording medium as the information source and the music recorded on the recording medium.

Further, the MD device is a U-T of the MD1.
A directory management sector is created in an empty area of the OC area, and an audio signal can be recorded so that the MD 1 can reproduce an audio signal in directory units. As a result, even when the MD1 is reproduced by a device having a conventional configuration, the ability to search for a desired audio signal can be improved. In the present invention, a directory using the same directory name is defined as one directory.

Further, the MD device enables the user to set the attribute (directory) of the music to be digitally recorded.

Next, a method of reproducing the MD1 recorded using the directory management sector will be described.

When the MD 1 is loaded into the MD device shown in FIG. 1, the U-TOC area of the MD 1 is read into the memory 5. Then, first, the directory management sector is accessed from the memory 5, and the directory name recorded on the disk is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 22 of the display device 23.

The user can select a directory in which music desired by the user is recorded from the displayed directory name. As a selection method, a search key 20 (for example, a fast-forward key, a rewind key) is used to select a directory containing a song that the user wants to listen to, and a determination key 19 (for example, a playback key) is used for determination. Can be considered. That is, when the user selects the directory containing the music to be listened to, the user can listen to the music using the fast forward key, the rewind key, and the reproduction key as in the conventional recording apparatus.

To listen to a song in a different directory from the directory containing the song currently being listened to, press the directory name / track name switch key 18 to display the current directory name on the liquid crystal panel 22 of the display device 23. Can be moved to a different directory using the search key 20 and the enter key 19.

Since the MD1 has a directory structure, in addition to the playback functions (random (shuffle) playback, all-track repeat, and one-track repeat) provided in the conventional MD apparatus, random playback in directory units is performed. ,
It is possible to add playback functions such as all-track repeat, one-track repeat, random playback of all directories, all-track repeat, and one-track repeat.

As described above, when the MD device according to the present embodiment reproduces the MD having the directory structure in which the audio data is recorded, even if the conventional device configuration is used, the MD device according to the present embodiment can perform more searching than before. Desired audio data can be reproduced with the ability.

[0116]

As described above, in the recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, a predetermined management information storage unit for standardizing and recording predetermined management information is provided in the audio signal management area of the recording medium. When recording an audio signal on the recording medium,
The predetermined audio signal management information is recorded in the predetermined management information storage unit, and when there is no more free space in the predetermined management information storage unit, a new predetermined management information storage unit is newly stored in an empty area in the audio signal management area. It is configured to include control means for controlling the recording of the audio signal management information in the created predetermined management information storage unit.

As a result, there is an effect that it is possible to record more information on the recording medium than the recording limit information amount in the conventional apparatus and manage it.

In the recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, a plurality of predetermined management information storages for standardizing and recording predetermined management information are provided in advance in the audio signal management area of the recording medium. When recording the predetermined management information recorded in the predetermined management information storage unit in a free area in the audio signal management area when recording the It is also possible to adopt a configuration having means.

As a result, even when the audio signal recorded on the recording medium is reproduced by an apparatus having a conventional configuration, an effect that the ability to search the audio signal can be improved can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an MD device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a U-type MD used for the MD device.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of TOC sector 0.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a U-type MD used for the MD device.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of a TOC sector 1.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of a U-TOC sector 1 in a general MD.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a U-type MD used for the MD device.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of a TOC sector 2.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a U-type MD used for the MD device.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of a TOC sector 4.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of a directory management sector of the MD used for the MD device.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure for creating music management information in the MD device.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure for creating music management information in the MD device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 MD (recording medium) 6 System control microcomputer (control means)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A recording / reproducing apparatus for compressing an input audio signal, recording the compressed audio signal on a recordable recording medium, and expanding and reproducing the compressed audio signal recorded on the recording medium. In the audio signal management area, a predetermined management information storage unit that standardizes and records predetermined management information is provided in advance, and when the audio signal is recorded on the recording medium, the predetermined management information storage unit is included in the predetermined management information storage unit. Record predetermined audio signal management information,
Further, when there is no free space in the predetermined management information storage section, a new predetermined management information storage section is created in a free area in the audio signal management area, and the audio signal management information is stored in the created predetermined management information storage section. A recording / reproducing apparatus, comprising: control means for controlling so as to record data. 2. A recording and reproducing apparatus for compressing an input audio signal, recording the compressed audio signal on a recordable recording medium, and expanding and reproducing the compressed audio signal recorded on the recording medium. In the audio signal management area, a plurality of predetermined management information storage sections for standardizing and recording predetermined management information are provided in advance, and when recording the audio signal on the recording medium, the audio signal management area A recording / reproducing apparatus comprising: a control unit for creating a directory management information storage unit for managing predetermined management information recorded in the predetermined management information storage unit on a directory basis in an empty area within the storage unit.