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EP0171266A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Recording digital information signals

Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1985-08-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-08-01
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Abstract

Abstract in a system for recording and reproducing digital signals on a magnetic tape (2) using a rotary head (1A, 1 B), in which the signals are recorded as a series of oblique tracks (5A, 5B) without guard bands, a pilot signal that controls tracking alignment of a playback head (1 A, 1 B) is recorded at a particular position in a specific pilot signal record region, different from the information signal record region. An erase signal having various recording lengths is also recorded in the pilot signal region such that a start position of the erase signal corresponds substantially to a centre portion of the pilot signal on the adjacent track (5A, 5B). When the recorded tracks are reproduced by a playback head (1 A, 1 B) having a tracing width greateer than the track width, the pilot signals from the adjacent tracks (5A, 5B) will be sampled by sampling pulses generated in response to the reproduced erase signal and compared in level, and the comparison output will be used to control the tracking alignment of the playback head (1A, 1B).

Inventors

  • 👤 Kentaro C/O Sony Corporation Odaka
  • 👤 Hiraku C/O Sony Corporation Sugiki
  • 👤 Yoshimoto C/O Sony Corporation Ohmura
  • 👤 Takashi C/O Sony Corporation Ohmori
  • 👤 Makoto C/O Sony Corporation Yamada

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 19:50
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B5/00; G11B5/02; G11B5/09; G11B5/48; G11B5/58; G11B5/584; G11B5/588; G11B5/592; G11B5/5921; C; C07; C07F; C07F9/00; C07F9/02; C07F9/547; C07F9/645; C07F9/6509; C07F9/650952; C07F9/6558; C07F9/65583

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 184 words
A method of recording digital signals on a record medium (2) using a rotary head (lA, 1B) that periodically traces the record medium (2), the method comprising: recording a digital information signal at first predetermined areas in a plurality of oblique tracks (5A, 5B) formed on said record medium (2) by said rotary head (lA, 1B) and forming the tracks (5A, 5B) by said rotary head (lA, 1B) with no guard bands between adjacent tracks (5A, 5B); and being characterised by the further steps of: determining second predetermined areas proximate to the ends of the tracks (5A, 5B) and differing from said first predetermined areas; recording a tracking pilot signal in said second predetermined areas on the tracks (5A, 5B), whereby said tracking pilot signal is available for controlling tracking alignment of a playback head (lA, 1B) during reproduction of said information signal; determining predetermined positions in said second areas corresponding substantially to a centre portion of said pilot signal on an adjacent track (5A, 5B); and recording an erase signal having various recording lengths at said predetermined position in said second predetermined areas.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 184 words
A method of recording digital signals on a record medium (2) using a rotary head (lA, 1B) that periodically traces the record medium (2), the method comprising: recording a digital information signal at first predetermined areas in a plurality of oblique tracks (5A, 5B) formed on said record medium (2) by said rotary head (lA, 1B) and forming the tracks (5A, 5B) by said rotary head (lA, 1B) with no guard bands between adjacent tracks (5A, 5B); and being characterised by the further steps of: determining second predetermined areas proximate to the ends of the tracks (5A, 5B) and differing from said first predetermined areas; recording a tracking pilot signal in said second predetermined areas on the tracks (5A, 5B), whereby said tracking pilot signal is available for controlling tracking alignment of a playback head (lA, 1B) during reproduction of said information signal; determining predetermined positions in said second areas corresponding substantially to a centre portion of said pilot signal on an adjacent track (5A, 5B); and recording an erase signal having various recording lengths at said predetermined position in said second predetermined areas.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said erase signal has various different frequencies.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 71 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said erase signal of a first frequency having first and second recording lengths is alternately recorded at said predetermined position in every other one of the tracks (5A, 5B), and said erase signal of a second frequency having first and second recording lengths is alternately recorded at said predetermined position in each track (5A, 5B) not having said erase signal of said first frequency.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 123 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of: tracing a track (5A, 5B) recorded by said rotary head (1A, 1B) with a playback head (lA, 1B); reproducing the tracking pilot signal recorded at said second predetermined areas from both tracks (5A, 5B) adjacent to the track (5A, 5B) being traced; reproducing the erase signal recorded at said second predetermined areas on a track (5A, 5B); generating sampling pulses in response to said reproduced erase signal; comparing levels of said reproduced tracking pilot signals sampled by said sampling pulses from said adjacent tracks (5A, 5B); generating a tracking signal in response to said comparison; and controlling a tracking alignment of said playback head (5A, 5B) in response to said tracking signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 52 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein said step of generating sampling pulses includes the steps of generating first sampling pulses in response to said reproduced erase signal, and generating second sampling pulses when a reproducing length of said reproduced erase signal substantially corresponds to a recording length of said erase signal.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 185 words
An apparatus for recording digital signals on a record medium (2) using a rotary head (lA, 1B) that periodically traces the record medium (2), the apparatus comprising: means for recording a digital information signal at first predetermined areas in a plurality of oblique tracks (5A, 5B) formed on said record medium (2) by said rotary head (lA, 1B) and forming the tracks (5A, 5B) by said rotary head (lA, 1B) with no guard bands between adjacent tracks; characterised by: means for determining second predetermined areas proximate to the end of the tracks (5A, 5B) and differing from said first predetermined areas; means for recording a tracking pilot signal in said second predetermined areas on the tracks (5A, 5B), whereby said pilot signal is available for controlling tracking alignment of a playback head (lA, 1B) during reproduction of said information signal; means for determining predetermined positions in said second areas corresponding substantially to a centre portion of said pilot signal on an adjacent track (5A, 5B); and means for recording an erase signal having various recording lengths at said predetermined position in said second predetermined areas.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 185 words
An apparatus for recording digital signals on a record medium (2) using a rotary head (lA, 1B) that periodically traces the record medium (2), the apparatus comprising: means for recording a digital information signal at first predetermined areas in a plurality of oblique tracks (5A, 5B) formed on said record medium (2) by said rotary head (lA, 1B) and forming the tracks (5A, 5B) by said rotary head (lA, 1B) with no guard bands between adjacent tracks; characterised by: means for determining second predetermined areas proximate to the end of the tracks (5A, 5B) and differing from said first predetermined areas; means for recording a tracking pilot signal in said second predetermined areas on the tracks (5A, 5B), whereby said pilot signal is available for controlling tracking alignment of a playback head (lA, 1B) during reproduction of said information signal; means for determining predetermined positions in said second areas corresponding substantially to a centre portion of said pilot signal on an adjacent track (5A, 5B); and means for recording an erase signal having various recording lengths at said predetermined position in said second predetermined areas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said means for recording the erase signal includes means for providing the erase signal having various frequencies.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 79 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said means for recording the erase signal includes means for recording the erase signal of a first frequency having first and second recording lengths at said predetermined position in every other of the tracks (5A, 5B) alternately, and means for recording the erase signal of a second frequency having first and second recording lengths at said predetermined position in each track (5A, 5B) not having said erase signal of said first frequency.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 117 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising: means including a playback head (lA, 1B) for reproducing the pilot signal recorded at said second predetermined areas from both tracks (5A, 5B) adjacent to the track (5A, 5B) being traced and for reproducing the erase signal recorded at said second predetermined areas on a track (5A, 5B); means for generating sampling pulses in response to said reproduced erase signal; means for comparing levels of said reproduced tracking pilot signals sampled by said sampling pulses from said adjacent tracks (5A, 5B); means for generating a tracking signal in response to said comparison; and means for controlling a tracking alignment of said playback head in response to said tracking signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 53 words
An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said means for generating sampling pulses includes means for generating first sampling pulses in response to said reproduced erase signal, and means for generating second sampling pulses when the reproducing length of said reproduced erase signal substantially corresponds to the recording length of said erase signaj.

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