JPH06150516A - Information reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To continuously reproduce a series of information by reproducing in advance the information of the recording region which corresponds to a discontinuous section and storing the information in a buffer memory. CONSTITUTION:The device has at least a storage capacity which corresponds to the sum of the required durations in which a head 3 completes its motion at each discontinuous section and becomes ready for a reproducing. Here, a buffer memory 11, which is the storage means, temporarily stores the information of the prescribed recording regions preceding or succeeding each discontinuous section. During a reproducing of the series of information, the information of the prescribed recording region that corresponds to each discontinuous section is reproduced beforehand by the head 3 and is stored in the memory 11. And during the period, in which the head 3 completes its motion and becomes ready for a reproducing, the memory 11 outputs reproduced information by a controller 6. Thus, even though an information is recorded through a discontinuous section, the reproduced information is continuously outputted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for reproducing a series of information recorded so as to extend over a plurality of continuous recording sections via discontinuous sections.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an apparatus of this type has a head for reproducing information and a driving means for moving the head to a predetermined reproducing position, and a recording medium and a head are moved relative to each other. The information is read out sequentially.

For example, when a series of information is recorded on both sides of a disk-shaped recording medium, after reproducing the information recorded on the first surface (hereinafter referred to as A surface), the reproducing head is moved to the A surface. The information recorded on the B side is reproduced by moving from the last (reproduction end position) to the first (reproduction start position) of the second surface (hereinafter referred to as the B surface).

When a series of information is recorded on a plurality of recording media, the information recorded on the first recording medium is reproduced, and then the recording medium is exchanged by an autochanger or the like to change the head. The information recorded on the second recording medium is reproduced by moving it to the beginning of the second recording medium.

[0005]

However, in the conventional information reproducing apparatus as described above, the reproduced information is interrupted when the reproducing head is moved from the A side to the B side or the recording medium is exchanged. There was a problem. For example,
If the series of recorded information is image information, the inconvenience of interrupting moving images to be continuously reproduced occurs.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an information reproducing apparatus capable of continuously reproducing a series of information recorded via a discontinuous portion. It is a thing.

[0007]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information reproducing apparatus including a head for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium, and a driving means for moving the head to a predetermined reproducing position. In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an apparatus for reproducing a series of information recorded so as to straddle a plurality of discontinuous portions and a plurality of continuous recording portions is preceded by a first discontinuous portion of the head. The time required to complete the movement from the first continuous portion to the second continuous portion subsequent to the first discontinuous portion and become a reproducible state, and the second discontinuous portion of the head A storage capacity corresponding to the time obtained by adding the time required to complete the movement from the preceding second continuous portion to the third continuous portion subsequent to the second discontinuous portion and become a reproducible state At least, which precedes or follows the first discontinuity First predetermined recording area and the second
Storage means for temporarily storing information recorded in a second predetermined recording area preceding or succeeding the discontinuity part, and the first and second predetermined recording when reproducing the series of information. The information recorded in the area is reproduced by the head in advance and stored in the storage means, and the information is recorded in the first discontinuous portion before the movement of the head is completed and the reproduction becomes possible. The reproduction information of the first predetermined recording area is output from the storage device, and the second predetermined recording is performed before the head is moved to the reproducible state in the second discontinuous portion. And a control means for outputting the reproduction information of the recording area from the storage means.

In the information reproducing apparatus of claim 2, the storage means is a randomly accessible storage means, and the control means is a desired position H in the first predetermined recording area.
When executing a seek command to reproduce information from
At least the following sequence controls a to c are performed. a. The head is moved from the position where the seek command is issued to the beginning of the second continuous portion so that the head can be reproduced. b. The time T determined by the following formula after the seek command is issued
After the time corresponding to c has elapsed, the information after the position H of the first predetermined recording area is output from the storage means. Tc = Ta-Tb (where Ta is the time required to move the head from the position where the seek command is issued to the beginning of the second continuous portion to the reproducible state, and Tb is the first This is the time required to output the information from the position H to the end of the predetermined recording area of No. 1.) c. Information is reproduced by the head from the beginning of the second continuous portion.

[0009]

As described above, when the information is recorded through the discontinuity, for example, when the head is moved from the A side to the B side or the disc is replaced, the reproduction information from the head is interrupted. become. Therefore, in the present invention,
A storage unit such as a buffer memory (hereinafter referred to as a buffer memory) is provided between the reproduction head and the external output, and the reproduction information of a predetermined recording area preceding or following the discontinuous portion is temporarily stored in the buffer memory. It has a composition.

That is, according to the present invention, of the information of the continuous recording portion preceding or succeeding the discontinuous portion, the information of the capacity corresponding to the time required to complete the movement of the head and enable the reproduction in the discontinuous portion. Is stored in the buffer memory in advance, and when performing continuous playback, the playback information is output from the buffer memory without reading the data in the predetermined recording area by the head, and the head is moved during this period. Is completed and the next continuous recording section can be reproduced, thereby ensuring the continuity of reproduction information.

Further, according to the present invention, in pre-storing the information of the above-mentioned predetermined recording area, specifically, a randomly accessible buffer memory is used, and when there are a plurality of discontinuous portions, each discontinuous portion is used. All the information of a predetermined recording area corresponding to a copy is stored in the buffer memory before the continuous reproduction is started. By doing this,
The continuity of the reproduction information is not limited to the case where the series of information is reproduced from the beginning but also when the reproduction is started from the desired position of the series of information, for example, when the reproduction is started from the position in the desired recording area described above. Can be secured.

Hereinafter, a method of defining a recording area for storing data in the buffer memory will be specifically described.
Here, the buffer memory is T seconds (data output time)
It has a storage capacity equivalent to, and can be randomly accessed. Further, the number of continuously reproducing recording media (hereinafter referred to as discs) is X, and the discs are exchanged by an autochanger, and the A-side and B-side of the n-th disc are nA-side and nB-side, respectively.

First, normal continuous reproduction without performing the fast-forward reproduction operation will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure,
The An point is the first position on the nA surface (the head of the recording area to be reproduced on the nA surface), the Bn point is the first position on the area to be stored in the buffer memory (the head of the first predetermined recording area), and Cn.
The point is the final position of the area to be stored in the buffer memory (the end of the first predetermined recording area) and the final position of the nA plane (the end of the recording area to be reproduced on the nA plane), and the Dn point is nB.
The first position of the surface (the head position of the recording area to be reproduced on the nB surface), the En point is the first position of the area to be stored in the buffer memory (the head of the second predetermined recording area), and the Fn point is the buffer memory. It is the last position of the area to be stored (the end of the second predetermined recording area) and the last position of the nB surface (the end of the recording area to be reproduced on the nB surface).

To obtain the total recording time (= total reproduction time at the normal reproduction speed) T in the buffer memory, first, nA
The time required to reproduce the data stored in the buffer memory is TnA, and the time required to move the head from the Bn point to the Dn point to be in a reproducible state is T1, and the above TnA is the condition of the expression (1). To meet. T1 ≦ TnA (1)

Next, the time required to reproduce the data stored in the buffer memory on the nB plane is TnB, and the time required to replace the disk and move the head to the point A (n + 1) to make the reproduction possible. Is set as T2, and the above TnB is determined so as to satisfy the condition of the equation (2). T2 ≦ TnB (2)

For the total recording time T of the buffer memory when continuously reproducing X disks, substitute TnA and TnB obtained by the above equations (1) and (2) into the following equation (3). Required by.

[0017]

[Equation 1]

Next, a case where fast-forwarding is performed during continuous reproduction will be described with reference to FIG. Here, description will be made assuming that fast-forwarding is performed at a speed Q times the normal speed. in this case,
As shown in FIG. 3, the start position of the area to be stored in the buffer memory is changed from Bn point to Bn 'point and from En point to En.
'To change the data capacity to be stored in the buffer memory by Q times as compared with the case of normal reproduction.

Let TnA 'be the time for reproducing the data stored in the buffer memory on the nA side by fast forward, and TnB' be the time for reproducing the data stored in the buffer memory on the nB side as TnA ', TnB. 'Is obtained by the equations (4) and (5). T1≤TnA '(4) T2≤TnB' (5)

The total recording time T of the buffer memory in the case of performing continuous reproduction by Q double speed fast feed of X disks is calculated by the following equation (6), Tn obtained by the above equations (4) and (5).
Substituting A'and TnB ', it asks.

[0021]

[Equation 2]

As described above, if the data capacity of the predetermined recording area to be stored in the buffer memory is determined, the reproduction information is read from the buffer memory when the head moves from surface A to surface B or when the disk is replaced. Will continue to be output, and the problem that reproduction information is interrupted is solved.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the information reproducing apparatus according to the present embodiment. In the figure, the disk 1 is mounted on the hub of the spindle motor 4. The disc 1 in this embodiment is, for example, an optical disc, and is reproduced by irradiation of the laser beam 2.

A reproducing head (optical head) 3 is arranged at a position facing the recording surface of the disk 1, and the head 3 can be moved in the radial direction of the disk 1 by a coarse movement motor 8. In this embodiment, the disk 1 has two recording surfaces A and B, and the position of the head 3 can be switched between the A surface side and the B surface side.

The reproduced data read by the head 3 is input to the signal processor 10. In this embodiment,
The reproduced data from the signal processing unit 10 is input to the digital / analog converter 12 via the terminal a or b, and a buffer memory 11 (described later) is provided between the signal processing unit 10 and the terminal b. . That is, when the switch SW is connected to the terminal b side, the reproduction data is output to the outside through the buffer memory 11.

The spindle motor 4, the coarse movement motor 8 and the head 3 described above are connected to the controller 6 via the rotation control system 5, the coarse movement motor control system 7 and the head control system 9, respectively.
And the operation of the signal processing unit 10 is also controlled by the controller 6.

Now, the reproducing operation in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. 4 and 5 and the schematic diagram of the disk recording area of FIG. The flow charts shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are a series, but are shown divided for convenience of space.

In this embodiment, the times of T1 and T2 in the above equations (1) and (2) are set as follows. T1 = 10 seconds T2 = 15 seconds

In addition, A in the first disc of FIG.
Points 1 to F1 are as described in FIG. 3, point A1 is 1A.
The first position of the surface, point B1 is the start position of the area (first predetermined recording area) to be stored in the buffer memory, point C1 is the last position of the area to be stored in the buffer memory, and 1A
The last position of the surface, point D1 is the first position of the surface 1B, point E1 is the first position of the area (second predetermined recording area) to be stored in the buffer memory, and point F1 is the last of the area to be stored in the buffer memory. Indicates the last position of the 1B plane. Further, the A2 point of the second disk in FIG. 6 is the first position on the 2A surface, and the B2 point is the area to be stored in the buffer memory (the third disk).
(A predetermined recording area), point C2 is the last position of the area to be stored in the buffer memory and the last position of plane 2A, and point D2 is the first position of plane 2D.

[First Embodiment] In the first embodiment, a case where two discs are continuously reproduced at a normal speed will be described. As described above, since T1 = 10 seconds and T2 = 15 seconds in this embodiment, T1A = 1 from the above equations (1) and (2).
0 seconds, T1B = 15 seconds, T2A = 10 seconds, and T2B = 0 seconds. Therefore, the point B1 in FIG. 6 is set so that the reproduction time from the point B1 to the point C1 is 10 seconds. Similarly, E
1 point is the playback time from E1 point to F1 point for 15 seconds, B
The two points are set so that the reproduction time from point B1 to point C1 is 10 seconds. Therefore, the buffer memory used in this embodiment requires a storage capacity corresponding to 35 seconds (10 seconds + 15 seconds + 10 seconds).

Here, the storage capacity of 35 seconds means that the reproduction is performed by the composite method of the current television signal, and when the data compression is performed, the transfer rate is 4 Mbit / sec.
Therefore, it can be realized with a buffer memory having a capacity of 17.5 MB. In addition, the transfer rate after the above data compression is M
It is a value defined by the PEG (Moving Picture Experts Coding Group) standard.

In FIG. 4, first, in step 101, the number of discs to be continuously reproduced (here, two discs) is recognized. Then, the recording areas (B1 to C1, E1 to F1, and B2 in FIG. 6) to be stored in the buffer memory of each disk are stored.
The information in each area of C2) is read by the head and stored in the buffer memory (step 102).

Then, after the first disc is inserted in step 103, the head is moved to the beginning of the 1A side to make it reproducible (step 104) and the reproduction is started from the beginning of the 1A side (step 104). Step 105). After confirming that the head has read the data up to the point B1 on the 1A surface (step 106), the data output is switched from the head to the buffer memory (switch SW in FIG. 1 is switched from terminal a to terminal b). ), The data of B1 to C1 stored in the buffer memory is output. Then, while the data of the 1A surface is being output from the buffer memory, the head is moved from the B1 point to the beginning of the 1B surface (the D1 point) so that the data can be reproduced. In the present embodiment, the reproducible state is a state in which the focus and tracking servo locks are applied and the spindle is settled.

Next, after confirming that the data output from the buffer memory to the areas B1 to C1 is completed (step 109), the output is switched from the buffer memory to the head (switch SW in FIG. 1 is switched from terminal b to terminal a). Playback is started from the beginning of the 1B side.

Here, the time required to move the head from the B1 point to the D1 point and bring it to a reproducible state is 10 seconds, but the time for outputting the data between B1 and C1 from the buffer memory is 10 seconds. Since it is a second, there is no break in the reproduction information.

Then, in step 111 of FIG. 5, it is judged whether or not there is one or more discs to be reproduced. In the present embodiment, the number of continuously reproduced discs is two and the remaining one is one, so that the process proceeds from step 111 to step 112. Then, it is confirmed that the head has read the data from point D1 to point E1 on the 1B surface (step 112),
Again, the output of data is switched from the head to the buffer memory (switch SW in FIG. 1 is switched from terminal a to terminal b), and the data between E1 and F1 stored in the buffer memory is output. Then, while the data on the 1B side is being output from the buffer memory, the disk is exchanged and the head is moved to the beginning (point A2) of the second disk so that the disk can be reproduced. Then, after confirming that the data output from the area E1 to F1 has been completed from the buffer memory (step 116), the process returns to between steps 104 and 105 in FIG. 4 and the beginning of the second disc (A2 point).
Playback starts from.

Here, it takes 15 seconds to replace the disc and move the head to the reproducible state at the beginning of the 2A side, but from the buffer memory to B2 to C
Since the data output between 2 is 15 seconds,
Playback information is not interrupted.

Then, steps 106 to 110 are performed in the same manner as the first disc. At this time, in step 108, the time required to move the head from the B2 point on the 2A surface to the beginning (D2 point) on the 2B surface to be in the reproducible state is 10
Although it is a second, the time during which the data between B2 and C2 is output from the buffer memory is 10 seconds, so that the reproduction information is not interrupted.

Next, in step 111, it is judged whether or not there is one or more discs to be reproduced. Since the remaining number of sheets is 0 here, the steps 111 to 1
The process proceeds to END via 17 (normal mode not continuous reproduction), and ends the reproduction operation.

In the first embodiment, the end area of each surface (in other words, the area preceding the discontinuity) was selected as the area to be stored in the buffer memory, but as shown in FIG. The information of the head area may be stored in the buffer memory. That is, in FIG. 7, instead of the end area (B1 to C1) of the 1A surface of FIG. 6, the leading area (D1 to I1) of the 1B surface, and instead of the end area (E1 to F1) of the 1B surface of FIG. 2A head area (A2
~ J2), the information of the head area (D2 to I2) of the 2B surface is stored in the buffer memory instead of the end area (B2 to C2) of the 2A surface of FIG. Even with this configuration, the continuity of the reproduction information is ensured just as described with reference to FIG.

[Embodiment 2] In this embodiment, a case where fast-forward continuous reproduction is performed at a normal triple speed will be described. Figure 6
, Point B1 'is the position to start recording in the buffer memory on side 1A, point E1' is the position to start recording in the buffer memory on side 1B, and point B2 'is recording to the buffer memory on side 2A. The other points are as described in the first embodiment.

Now, as described above, T1 = 10 seconds, T2 =
Since it is 15 seconds, these are substituted into the equations (4) and (5), and T1A '= 10 seconds, T1B' = 15 seconds, T2A '= 10.
Seconds, T2B '= 0 seconds. In the present embodiment, fast-forward reproduction at 3x speed is performed, so point B1 'in FIG. 6 is from B1' to C.
Playback time at normal speed up to 1 point is 30 seconds (10 seconds x
3), E1 'point is the playback time from E1' point to F1 point at normal speed for 45 seconds (15 seconds x 3), B2 'point is B
Playback time from 2'to C2 is 30 seconds (10 seconds x
3) is set. Therefore, the buffer memory used in this embodiment is 105 seconds (30 seconds + 45 seconds + 30 seconds).
It requires a memory capacity equivalent to seconds) minutes. The operation other than changing the data capacity of the area stored in the buffer memory is exactly the same as that of the first embodiment.

[Embodiment 3] In the present embodiment, a case where a seek operation (search for a desired reproduction start position) is performed during continuous reproduction will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 8 and the schematic diagram of FIG. First, when the target position to seek is outside the area for storing data in the buffer memory, the continuous reproduction from the seek target position can be performed without any trouble by the operation described in the first embodiment (in FIG. 8). Step 207).

Next, the case where the target location to seek is in the area for storing data in the buffer memory will be described. Here, the position to start seeking is 1A in FIG.
Let the point G be the surface and the seek target position be the point H of the surface 1A.
Further, it is assumed that the time required to move the head from the point G to the point D1 to be in a reproducible state is 12 seconds and the reproduction time between H and C1 is 9 seconds.

First, when the seek start command to the H point is issued when the head is at the G point (step 201), it is judged whether or not the seek target position is within the area where the data is stored in the buffer memory ( Step 202). Here, since the seek target position is in the area where data is stored in the buffer memory, the process proceeds to step 203, and the head is moved to the first point D1 on the 1B surface (the head of the continuous portion subsequent to the area including the seek target position H point). Move to and make it playable. After confirming that time Tc has elapsed since the start of seek, that is, 3 seconds in this embodiment (step 20)
4) The data from the seek target position G point is output from the buffer memory. After that, it is confirmed that the data output from the buffer memory is completed as described in the first embodiment, and the data reading is started from the beginning of the 1B plane (step 206).

In this embodiment, the time during which data is output from the buffer memory on the 1A side is 9 seconds between H and C1, and the head can be moved from the G point to the D1 point for reproduction. It takes less than 12 seconds. However, in this embodiment, 3 seconds (12 seconds-9) after the seek start command is issued for the data output from the buffer memory.
Since it has started after the elapse of (seconds), reproduction by the head becomes possible at the same time when the output from the buffer memory is completed, and the continuity of reproduction information is secured. That is, according to this embodiment, the reproduction information is not interrupted even if the continuous reproduction is started from any position.

In the above embodiment, the case where the reproduction is transferred from the side A to the side B of the disc and the case where the disc is exchanged have been described. However, information is intermittently recorded on the same side of the disc. The same can be applied to the case where there is.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the disk is used as the recording medium has been described, but the shape and material of the recording medium are not particularly limited, and for example, information is intermittently recorded on a magnetic tape. The present invention can be applied to such cases.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, the reproduction information of the predetermined recording area preceding or following the discontinuity is temporarily stored in the buffer memory, and the reproduction information is output from the buffer memory. The head movement is completed during this period so that the next continuous recording section can be played back.Therefore, even when information is recorded through the discontinuous section, the playback information is continuously displayed. It is possible to output. That is, the use of the apparatus of the present invention solves the problem that reproduction information is interrupted when the head moves from surface A to surface B of the recording medium or when the recording medium is replaced.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a recording area of a disc for explaining a basic operation at the time of normal reproduction in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a recording area of a disc for explaining a basic operation at the time of fast-forward reproduction in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart diagram for explaining a reproducing operation in the first and second embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart diagram for explaining a reproducing operation in the first and second embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a recording area of a disc for explaining an operation at the time of reproduction in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a recording area of a disc in order to explain another example of setting an area to be stored in a buffer memory.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart diagram for explaining a reproducing operation according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Disk, 2 ... Laser light, 3 ... Head, 4 ... Spindle motor, 5 rotation control system, 6 ... Controller, 7 ... Coarse movement motor control system, 8 ... Coarse movement motor, 9 ... Head control system,
10 ... Signal processing unit, 11 ... Buffer memory, 12 ... D /
A converter.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A head for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium, and a drive means for moving the head to a predetermined reproducing position, and a plurality of discontinuous portions and a plurality of continuous recording portions. In a device for reproducing a series of information recorded so as to straddle, a first continuous portion preceding the first discontinuous portion of the head to a second continuous portion subsequent to the first discontinuous portion. The time it takes to complete the movement of the
Time required for the head to move from the second continuous portion preceding the second discontinuous portion to the third continuous portion subsequent to the second discontinuous portion and to be in a reproducible state A first predetermined recording area preceding or succeeding the first discontinuous portion and a second predetermined preceding or succeeding the second discontinuous portion having at least a storage capacity according to the time Storage means for temporarily storing the information recorded in the recording area, and the first and the second when reproducing the series of information.
The information recorded in the predetermined recording area is reproduced by the head in advance and stored in the storage means, and the movement of the head is completed in the first discontinuous portion until the reproduction becomes possible. During this period, the reproduction information of the first predetermined recording area is output from the storage means, and the movement of the head in the second discontinuous portion is completed and the reproduction information is reproduced. 2. An information reproducing apparatus comprising: a control unit that outputs reproduction information of a second predetermined recording area from the storage unit. 2. The storage means is a randomly accessible storage means, and the control means executes a seek command for reproducing information from a desired position H in the first predetermined recording area, The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the following sequence controls a to c are performed. a. The head is moved from the position where the seek command is issued to the beginning of the second continuous portion so that the head can be reproduced. b. The time T determined by the following formula after the seek command is issued
After the time corresponding to c has elapsed, the information after the position H of the first predetermined recording area is output from the storage means. Tc = Ta-Tb (where Ta is the time required to move the head from the position where the seek command is issued to the beginning of the second continuous portion to the reproducible state, and Tb is the first This is the time required to output the information from the position H to the end of the predetermined recording area of No. 1.) c. Information is reproduced by the head from the beginning of the second continuous portion.