JPH0612832A - Device for providing image information - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image information providing device with high responsiveness to the request of a user and imparting a feeling of satisfaction sufficiently to the user. CONSTITUTION:The opening part of information is recorded on a second recording medium, and when request operation by the user is executed, by a control means 26, a first and a second-reproducing means 10, 2 are reproduction- controlled, and just immediately after the request, the reproduced output of a corresponding opening part by the second reproducing means 2 in the second recording medium is provided on a terminal device 20. Thereafter, the reproduced output of the first recording medium 17 by the first reproducing means 10 succeeding to the opening part is provided on the terminal device 20. Thus, the image information according to the request of the user is made possible to be provided on the terminal device 20 rapidly.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image information providing device, and more specifically, it stores a plurality of recording media such as magnetic tapes and optical discs in a storage portion, and the storage mediums are stored in response to a request from a terminal device. The present invention relates to an image information providing device that selectively reproduces a recording medium and provides the reproduced image information to a terminal device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an image information providing apparatus is composed of a recording medium housing section, a recording medium conveying section, a reproducing section, a switching section, a terminal device and a control section.

In such an image information providing apparatus, based on a request from the terminal device, the recording medium conveying section moves the recording medium in the recording medium housing section to the reproducing section, and the reproducing section reproduces the recording medium. The image information and the audio information are provided to the terminal device via the switching unit.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional device, it takes a very long time until the user provides the image information and the audio information to the terminal device after the user performs the request operation on the terminal device. However, there is a problem that the user's request cannot be promptly dealt with.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an image information providing apparatus which is excellent in responsiveness to a user's request and which can give a sufficient satisfaction to the user. .

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a first recording medium which selectively records and reproduces each recording medium of a first recording medium group in which information is recorded in response to a request from a terminal device. An image information providing apparatus, comprising reproduction means, for providing reproduction information reproduced by the first reproduction means to the terminal device, wherein the beginning portion of the information recorded on each recording medium of the first recording medium group. Second reproducing means for reproducing the second recording medium in which is recorded, switching means for switching the reproducing output of the first and second reproducing means, and the first reproducing means in response to a request from the terminal device. The reproduction output of the second reproduction means is controlled immediately after the request from the terminal device is performed, and the reproduction control of the reproduction means of No. 1 and the reproduction control of the second reproduction means are performed. Provided to It is characterized in that a control means for providing a playback output of the rear said first reproducing means to said terminal apparatus.

[0007]

When the user performs the requested operation, the control means first controls the reproduction of the first reproducing means and the reproduction of the second reproducing means. As a result, the first reproducing means reproduces the recording medium corresponding to the request in the first recording medium group, and the second reproducing means reproduces the corresponding beginning portion of the second recording medium. Further, the control means switches the switching means, and immediately after the request, provides the reproduction output of the corresponding beginning portion of the second recording medium of the second reproducing means to the terminal device, and then the first reproducing means. The playback output following the beginning is provided to the terminal device. As a result, the image information according to the user's request is promptly provided to the terminal device from the beginning.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an image information providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The image information providing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a first reproducing means 10 including a large number of reproducing sections 12 and a large number of first reproducing means 10.
A recording medium housing portion 14 housing the recording medium 17 and a transporting means 16 for mounting and demounting and transporting each recording medium 17 in the recording medium housing portion 14 with respect to each playback portion 12.
A second reproducing means (recording medium reproducing means) 2 which has a very high accessibility for reproducing the second recording medium and can instantaneously reproduce desired image information; and the first reproducing means 10. A switching means 18 for switching the reproduction output of the second reproducing means 2 and a monitor 22 such as a CRT display.
Also, it has an arbitrary number of terminal devices 20 configured by an operation unit 24 for the user to perform a requested operation, and a control unit 26 that controls the overall operation of the device 1 including the above-described components.

As the second recording medium, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory or the like is used. The beginning portion (for example, about 1 minute) of the image information recorded in all the first recording media 17 accommodated in the recording medium accommodating portion 14 is recorded in the second recording medium. There is.

As the first recording medium 17 accommodated in the recording medium accommodating portion 14, a magnetic tape, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory or the like is used. On the first recording medium 17, various types of image information desired by the user are individually recorded from the beginning to the end.

Next, the image information providing apparatus 1 having the above configuration
The operation of will be described.

When the request information desired by the user is sent from the operation unit 24 of the terminal device 20 to the control means 26, the control means 26 sends a reproduction command corresponding to the request information to the second reproduction means 2.

Upon receipt of the reproduction command from the control means 26, the second reproduction means 2 instantly outputs the image information in the second recording medium requested by the user to the switching means 18.

At the same time as this operation, the control means 26
A reproduction command is also sent to the conveying means 16 and the first reproducing means 10. The transport unit 16 takes out the first recording medium 17 corresponding to the user's request from the recording medium storage unit 14,
The first recording medium 17 is conveyed and loaded in the reproducing section 12 of the first reproducing means 10. The reproduction unit 12 starts reproduction of the loaded first recording medium 17, but since there is a difference in reproduction start time between the reproduction unit 12 of the first reproduction unit 10 and the second reproduction unit 2, The control means 26 sends to the switching means 18 a switching instruction for connecting the reproduction output of the second reproduction means 2 whose reproduction is instantly started to the terminal device 20 for which the requested operation has been performed, and at the same time, reproduces the reproduction output. To the reproducing section 12 of the first reproducing means 10 that has started the reproduction, a synchronization instruction for synchronizing with the second reproducing means 2 which is already reproducing.

This synchronization instruction can be easily given by comparing auxiliary signals such as a time code recorded simultaneously with the image information of both.

In this way, the second reproducing means 2 and the first reproducing means 2
After synchronizing the reproducing operation with the reproducing unit 12 of the reproducing unit 10, the control unit 26 further sends a switching instruction to the switching unit 18, and the first reproducing is performed instead of the output of the second reproducing unit 2. The reproduction output of the reproduction unit 12 of the means 10 is switched to be sent to the terminal device 20 for which the requested operation has been performed.
As a result, the monitor 22 of the terminal device 20 outputs the image information corresponding to the user's request from the beginning to the end.

On the other hand, after the switching by the switching means 18 is completed, the second reproducing means 2 is controlled by the control means 26.
Return to the standby state based on the instruction.

With this structure, the beginning portion of the image information is reproduced by the second reproducing means 2 having high accessibility, and thereafter the selected first recording medium 17 is reproduced by the first reproducing means 10. Since it will be reproduced, it becomes possible to promptly respond to the request of the user.

Further, it is also possible to use it when the beginning portion of each image information recorded on the above-mentioned second recording medium is searched by operating the operation unit 24. When used for such a search, the access time of the second reproducing means 2 is very short, so that the search can be carried out in an extremely short time.

Furthermore, it is possible to perform an intro scan in which only the beginning portion of each image information is continuously reproduced.

It goes without saying that the present invention can be modified in various ways other than the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where image information is recorded in the first and second recording media has been described, but it goes without saying that the same can be applied to the case where both image information and audio information are recorded. .

[0024]

As described in detail above, according to the image information providing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to provide the image information in response to the user's request to the terminal device much more quickly than in the conventional example. The responsiveness to the user's request is excellent, and the user can be sufficiently satisfied.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an image information providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Image Information Providing Device 2 Second Reproducing Means 10 First Reproducing Means 17 First Recording Medium 18 Switching Means 20 Terminal Devices 26 Control Means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first reproducing means for selectively reproducing each recording medium of a first recording medium group in which respective information is recorded in response to a request from a terminal device, and reproduced by this first reproducing means. An image information providing apparatus for providing reproduction information to the terminal apparatus, the second information recording apparatus reproducing a second recording medium in which a beginning portion of the information recorded in each recording medium of the first recording medium group is recorded. Reproduction means, switching means for switching reproduction output of the first and second reproduction means, reproduction control of the first reproduction means and the second reproduction means in response to a request from the terminal device. Playback control and switching control of the switching means, and immediately after the request from the terminal device, the playback output of the second playback device is provided to the terminal device, and then the playback output of the first playback device is provided. In the terminal device An image information providing apparatus comprising: a control unit that provides the image information.