Apparatus for recording and/or reproducing an information signal

Claim 1

An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing an information signal comprised of at least an audio signal and a control or index signal for controlling a tape transportation (3T) on a recording medium (2) having a slant track (4A, 4B) format, characterized in, a) audio signal processing means (60) for converting an input audio signal (AUin) into a digital form in such a manner that the audio data for a predetermined data length to be recorded at one data part on said recording medium (2) is grouped as a plurality of block units, each block unit of which has a block address data (ADRS) for identifying the block number thereof; b) transducer means (31 to 35) connected to said audio signal processing means (60) for recording and/or reproducing said digitized audio signal at a part of a slant track (4A, 4B) and said control or index signal (IDX) at another part of said slant track (4A, 4B) on said recording medium (2), said another part being a successive end part of said part; c) control or index signal generating means (71) for generating a control signal having a predetermined frequency; and d) area signal generating means (35 to 39, 80) for supplying said control or index signal (IDX) to said transducer means (31 to 35) to be recorded at said successive part which is defined in accordance with the decoded block address in said grouped audio data reproduced prior to said successive end part on said recording medium (2).

Claim 2

An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing an information signal comprised of at least an audio signal and a control or index signal for controlling a tape transportation (3T) on a recording medium (2) having a slant track (4A, 4B) format, characterized in, a) audio signal processing means (60) for converting an input audio signal (AUin) into a digital form in such a manner that the audio data for a predetermined data length to be recorded at one data part on said recording medium (2) is grouped as a plurality of block units, each block unit of which has a block address data (ADRS) for identifying the block number thereof; b) transducer means (31 to 35) connected to said audio signal processing means (60) for recording and/or reproducing said digitized audio signal at a part of a slant track (4A, 4B) and said control or index signal (IDX) at another part of said slant track (4A, 4B) on said recording medium (2), said another part being a successive end part of said part; c) control or index signal generating means (71) for generating a control signal having a predetermined frequency; and d) area signal generating means (35 to 39, 80) for supplying said control or index signal (IDX) to said transducer means (31 to 35) to be recorded at said successive part which is defined in accordance with the decoded block address in said grouped audio data reproduced prior to said successive end part on said recording medium (2).

Claim 5

The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in means (91 to 95) for recording a generation time of said control or erasing signal (IDX, Er) on said successive end area on said track (4A, 4B) over several seconds.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, when an address data (ADR) of a pulse-code-modulated (PCM) signal is detected, an area specifying signal for said index signal (IDX) is formed on the basis of said address data (ADRS), while when said address data (ADRS) is not detected, said area specifying signal for said index signal (IDX) is formed from a signal indicative of a rotary phase of said rotary head.