JPH0444687A - Optical disk reproducing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To continuously reproduce a picture and a sound without interrupting them by providing plural optical disk reproducing means to output respective scenes to a monitor in an order stored in advance, and a control means to control a signal switching means. CONSTITUTION:A storage device 2 stores the leading address of many scenes, which are recorded to two optical disks to be reproduced by optical disk reproducing devices 10 and 12, and time for reproducing the respective scenes or the like. Further, this storage device 2 previously stores scene constitution, namely, the sequence of reproducing to show which order reproduces a lot of scenes recorded in respective optical disks. A controller 4 is composed of a microprocessor, controls the order of many scenes to be reproduced by the devices 10 and 12 according to the sequence stored in the device 2 and executes control so as to output the picture and sound without interrupting them at the part of connecting the scenes.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an optical disc playback system using an optical disc playback device, which is widely used because of its high image and sound quality.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Optical disk devices of the type that read image and audio signals recorded on disks by irradiating them with laser light are becoming widespread because they offer better image and sound quality than video tape recorders that use magnetic tape.

However, since the amount of information that can be recorded per unit area of an optical disc is fixed, the time that can be played back by an optical disc device is limited by the diameter of the optical disc. Therefore, when recording content over a long period of time, it is necessary to divide the content into multiple discs.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, when a single optical disc playback device plays multiple optical discs in succession, after the first disc has finished playing, it must be replaced with the next disc to continue playing, so it is necessary to replace the disc. Not only does this require additional operations, but the monitor screen is interrupted and unsightly while the disk is being replaced.

To avoid this, two optical disc playback devices are prepared, and while one device is playing the disc, the other device is preparing the next disc, and the first disc is being played. Possible means include starting playback of the next disc at the same time as it ends. However, in this case, handling by the operator is required, which not only requires time and effort, but also does not guarantee that the second disc can be played back quickly at the same time interval each time.

Also, if you have two discs on which multiple scenes are recorded and you try to play these scenes in a random order, you will have to replace the disc or switch between the two playback devices each time. Poor operability.

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical disc playback system in which the images and sounds do not interrupt when the images and audio signals recorded on a plurality of optical discs are continuously played back. This is the purpose.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the optical disc reproducing system of the present invention includes a plurality of optical disc reproducing means capable of reproducing image signals and audio signals from arbitrary addresses on the optical disc, and a plurality of optical disc reproducing means capable of reproducing a plurality of scenes recorded on the optical disc. a storage means for storing each start address, its playback time, and the playback order of each scene; and switching playback signals of the plurality of optical disc playback means;
signal switching means for outputting the image signal and audio signal of any one of the optical disc playback means to a monitor; and reading out the start address and playback time of each scene from the storage means and monitoring each scene in the pre-stored order. and control means for controlling the plurality of optical disk rebonding means and the signal switching means so as to output the signal to
It is a sign of f.

[Operation] The storage means stores in advance the playback order of a plurality of scenes recorded on a plurality of optical disks, that is, a sequence. Here, the term "scene" refers to the unit of image or audio signal recorded on an optical disc, and when one optical disc as a whole is one scene, or when multiple scenes are divided and recorded on one optical disc. This includes cases where there are

The control means reads out the address and playback time of each scene from the storage means based on the sequence, and controls the operations of the optical disc playback means and the signal switching means accordingly.

With this control, at the same time as or immediately before the end of the scene being played back on one optical disk playback means, playback of the next scene is started on another optical disk playback means. At the same time, the signal switching means switches the signal output to the monitor from the first optical disc reproducing means to another optical disc reproducing means. This operation allows continuous scenes to be output to the monitor without interruption.

〔Example〕

Examples will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1st
The figure is a block diagram of an embodiment of the optical disc playback system according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing control operations performed by the system of FIG. 1.

The optical disk playback system of this embodiment includes a storage device 2, a control device 4, an optical disk playback device 2, a signal switching device 14, a video monitor 16, and a speaker 18.

The storage device 2 stores the start addresses of a large number of scenes recorded on the two optical disks to be played back by the optical disk playback devices 1o and 12, the playback time of each scene, and the like. Furthermore, the storage device 2 stores in advance a scene configuration, ie, a reproduction sequence, in which order the many scenes recorded on each optical disk are to be reproduced.

The control device 4 consists of a microprocessor, and the storage device 2
The optical disc playback device WI according to the sequence stored in
In addition to controlling the order of a large number of scenes to be reproduced by O and 12, the control unit 12 controls so that images and sounds are output without interruption at the connection portions between scenes by operations to be described later.

The optical disc playback device 10.12 is a playback device that uses laser light to read image signals and audio signals recorded on the optical disc, and a control unit W4 controls the beginning of addresses and the start and stop of playback. The output of the optical disc playback device 1.0.12 is supplied to the signal switching device 14. The signal switching device t14 has a function of selecting and outputting one of a plurality of input signals, and this control is performed by the control unit W4.
This is performed by the switching reproduction control section 8. Therefore, the video monitor 16 and the speaker 18 are connected to the optical disc playback device [10 or the optical disc playback device! Either one of the signals 1 and 2 is supplied.

Although FIG. 1 shows a case where there are two optical disc reproducing devices, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to control more optical disc reproducing devices.

Next, the operation of the system shown in FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not all the scenes have been played back. If all the scenes have not been played yet, in step S2, the next scene is recorded on the optical disc on which the scene to be played next is recorded. At the same time as cuing up (putting it into standby mode),
In step S3, it is detected whether the scene currently being played has ended. To carry out this specific procedure, the cue control unit 6 of the control device 40 reads the address of the next scene to be played from the storage device 2, cues the optical disc on which the next scene is recorded, and then plays the next scene. Standby for playback. Since the playback time of each scene is stored in the storage device 2, the control I device 4 can predict the end time of the scene currently being played by counting the internal clock from this information.

At step S4, at the same time as the scene currently being played ends, or several frames before the last frame, the control device 4
The switching playback control section 8 issues a predetermined signal and starts playing the next scene. Furthermore, in step S5, the signal switching device 14 switches the signals output to the video monitor 16 and speaker 18 to the optical disc reproducing device for reproducing the next scene. Thereafter, in s6, the optical disc reproducing apparatus of the scene that has been reproduced is stopped. By performing such an operation, images and audio can be played back continuously without interruption even when scenes change, making the screen easier to see and eliminating the need to change discs midway.

After this, the process returns to step s1 and repeats the same operation as before, and when all the scenes have been reproduced, the entire reproduction operation ends in step s7.

By automatically switching scenes using multiple optical disc playback devices in this way, it is not only possible to play back content over a long period of time without interruption, but it is also possible to repeatedly play the same scene on the same disc multiple times. For example, even if the playback time of one optical disc is one hour, a longer playback time can be secured.

Furthermore, as the number of scenes recorded on one disc increases, the number of combinations of scenes when a plurality of optical discs are alternately reproduced increases cumulatively. Therefore, when these scenes are combined to form one content, it is possible to create many types of content. Specifically, such a system can be applied to maneuver simulation, etc.

In other words, by changing the scene according to the operation performed by the pilot, it is possible to play a wide variety of videos corresponding to the many possibilities of operation, and it is possible to play back a wide variety of images as if you were actually piloting the vehicle. It can create a sense of presence.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, images and sounds recorded on multiple optical discs can be played back continuously without interruption, so there is no need to change discs, and the content can be played over a long period of time. It is possible to watch even the most popular optical discs continuously for longer than the playback time of a single optical disc. Furthermore, when playing multiple optical discs on which a large number of scenes have been recorded, each scene can be played back in a variety of orders, allowing playback of a variety of different contents, making it useful for example in operation simulations. An applicable optical disc playback system can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an optical disc playback system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system shown in FIG. 2... Storage device, 41.・CPU, 6... Cue control section, 8... Switching playback control section, 10
．． 12... Optical disc playback device, I4... Signal switching device, 16... Video monitor 8... Speaker

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A plurality of optical disc reproducing means capable of reproducing image signals and audio signals from arbitrary addresses on an optical disc, each leading address and playback time of a plurality of scenes recorded on the optical disc, and each scene. a storage means for storing a playback order of the optical disks; and switching playback signals of the plurality of optical disk playback means;
signal switching means for outputting the image signal and audio signal of any one of the optical disc playback means to a monitor; and reading out the start address and playback time of each scene from the storage means and monitoring each scene in the pre-stored order. An optical disc reproducing system comprising: the plurality of optical disc reproducing means and a control means for controlling the signal switching means so as to output the plurality of optical discs.