JPS6337876A - Optical card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To read a card from directions opposite with each other by providing an ID part on both ends of plural tracks in parallel with each other. CONSTITUTION:The optical card 11 is provided with ID parts 14a, 14b recorded with information representing its attribute corresponding to each track at both ends of an optical recording section 13 having plural tracks 12 in parallel with each other and a part between the ID parts 14a and 14b is used as a data area 15. The ID part 14a is formed from one end face 11a of the card 11 and the ID part 14b is formed from the other end face 11b by a prescribed distance inward. When the head is moved from the left to the right in the track direction to the card 11, the left ID part 14a is read and when the head is moved from the right to the left, the right ID part 14b is read so as to seek in both reciprocating directions.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] This invention relates to an optical card.

[Conventional technology]

Data recording and/or using optical cards as recording media
Or, in a playback system, an optical card having a plurality of tracks parallel to each other and a head for optically recording and/or reproducing data on the optical card are used.
Data is recorded and/or reproduced by relatively reciprocating movement in the track direction and in a direction perpendicular thereto.

FIG. 5 shows the configuration of a conventional optical card in such an optical card system. In this optical card 1, an ID section 4 is provided at one end of an optical recording section 3 having a plurality of tracks 2 parallel to each other, in which information indicating the attributes of each track is recorded. The area from the end position to the other end of the optical recording section 3 is defined as a data area 5.

Conventionally, the optical card 1 shown in FIG. 5 is used to confirm the position of the current track by reading the attributes of the ID section 4 as shown in FIG. A seek is performed to a track, and data is read or written to the sought target track.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the conventional optical card 1, since the ID section 4 is located at one end of the optical recording section 3, the direction from the side where the ID section 4 is located, that is, the left end of the optical card l in FIG. For example, the attributes in the ID section 4 can be checked only when the head is moved from left to right, which limits the seek operation and takes time. Furthermore, if the sequence is to read the data immediately after checking the attributes in the ID section 4, the data can only be read in one direction, which slows down the overall data access time. There is also the problem. Furthermore, since the end of the card is generally easily scratched or soiled, the ID section 4 is only located at one end.
There is also the problem that if the track becomes unreadable due to scratches or dirt, the track becomes unusable.

The present invention was made in view of these conventional problems, and provides an optical card that can perform seek and data access in a short time, and is appropriately configured so that each track can be used stably at all times. The purpose is to

[Means and operations for solving the problem] In order to achieve the above object, in the optical card of the present invention, ID sections are provided at both ends of each of a plurality of tracks parallel to each other so as to be readable from opposite directions. establish.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention.

This optical card 11 has a plurality of tracks 12 parallel to each other.
An ID section 14a in which information indicating the attributes of each trunk is recorded at both ends of the optical recording section 13 having an ID section 14a.

14b is provided, and a data area 15 is defined between these ID sections 14a and 14b. ID section 14a,
14b, in order to avoid adding physical factors such as scratches and dirt on the edge of the optical card 11 that would be an obstacle to reading information, and to reverse the relative movement of the optical card 11 and the head in the track direction. In order to obtain a sufficiently stable movement speed, the ID section 14a is moved a predetermined distance from each end surface of the optical card 11, that is, the ID section 14a is moved from one end surface 11a, and the ID section 14b is moved a predetermined distance from the other end surface 11b. Form inside. In this way, the ID section 14
By forming 14a and 14b, the information can always be read stably and reliably.

As shown in detail in FIG.
A left sync pattern 16a for synchronizing when reading information from left to right and left trunk information 17a indicating the track are recorded in 14a, and information from right to left is recorded in ID section 14b on the right side. A right sync pattern 16b for pulling in synchronization when reading , and right trunk information 17b indicating the track are recorded. Here, the contents of the left and right track information 17a and 17b are the same in the sense that they represent the same track, but the left track information 17a is easy to read from left to right, and the right track information 17b is easy to read from right to left. For example, record symmetrically. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3, the data area 15 of each track 12 is provided with sync patterns 18a on both sides for synchronization so that data can be read from both left and right directions.

Record 18b. In addition, in FIGS. 2M and 3, reference numeral 19 indicates a guide track corresponding to each trunk 12.

If the optical card 11 with the above configuration is used, for example, when the head is moving from left to right in the track direction with respect to the optical card 11, the ID section 14a on the left side is moved, and when the head is moving from right to left, the head is moved from left to right. By reading the ID section 14b on the right side, seek operations can be performed in both directions of reciprocating movement, so the seek time can be reduced to about half of the conventional one. Furthermore, even if one ID section becomes unreadable during a seek operation, the seek operation can be continued as long as the other ID section is readable, so conventional optical cards that have an ID section only on one side can In comparison, the probability of being unable to seek can be reduced by half. Furthermore, since the data area 15 can be read from both left and right directions, data access time can be significantly reduced.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show the above-mentioned ID sections 14a and 14b.
This shows other formats of . In this example, I
Five blocks consisting of the left sync pattern 16a and the left tracker 317a are formed via blanks 2o so that the D section 14a can be read from left to right, and at the same time, so that the ID section 14b can be read from right to left. Similarly, the right sync pattern 16b and the right track information 1117b
Five blocks consisting of the following are formed with blanks 2o interposed therebetween. In this way, each ID section 14a,
Trunk information 17a readable in 14b,
Since there are five 17b, for example, by taking a majority vote based on the read track information, misreading of the information can be effectively prevented, and the probability that the track information cannot be read can be reduced to one-fifth on one side. .

Note that this invention is not limited only to the embodiments described above, and numerous modifications and changes are possible. For example, in FIGS. 4A and 4B, each ID section 14a, 14
For the second and subsequent blocks of b, ', i7') butter 716a + 16b can be omitted, and the blank 2o between each block can also be omitted. Furthermore, the number of blocks is not limited to five, but may be any number of blocks.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, ID sections are provided at both ends of each track so that they can be read from opposite directions, so that seek and data access can be performed in a short time, and Even if one ID section becomes unreadable, a seek operation can be performed as long as the other ID section is readable, so each track can always be used stably.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the format of the ID section shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the format of the data area, 4A and 4B are diagrams showing other examples of the format of the ID section shown in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining the conventional technology. 11... Optical card 12... Track 13
...Optical recording section 14a, 14b...ID
Part 15...Data areas 16a, 16b...Sink patterns 17a, 17
b...Track information 18a, 18b...Sink pattern 19...Guide track 2o...Blank patent Applicant Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. - 9 Figure 5? Figure 6

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. An optical card characterized in that an ID section is provided at both ends of each of a plurality of tracks parallel to each other so as to be readable from opposite directions. 2. The optical card according to claim 1, wherein the ID section of each track has a plurality of pieces of track information. 3. The optical card according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ID portion of each track is provided a predetermined distance inward from the end surface of the card.