Resynchronization of serial data blocks

Claim 1

Electronic apparatus, such as a videotape recorder or the like utilizing a data error correction code, for recording and reproducing data information words, said electronic apparatus comprising: coding means (6) for coding and forming a block (13, 17) of a plurality of said data information words, first means (6) for forming and adding a plurality of error check bits to each of said data information words, second means (6) for forming each of said data infor­mation words and error check bits in said block (13,17) into a plurality of sub-blocks (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....), each of said sub-blocks (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....) having a predetermined number of bits, said predetermined number of bits being no greater than the number of bits correctable by said error correc­tion code, characterized by third means (8) for forming a re-synchronization word (15a,15b,...,19a,19b,....) having a predetermined number of bits arranged in a recognizable unique bit pattern, said re-synchroni­zation word (15a,15b,...,19a,19b,....) indicative of the position of the beginning of a sub-block (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....), recording means (12) for recording one of said plural ity of sub-blocks (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....), then recording said re-synchronization word (15a,15b,...,19a,19b,....) and repeating such recording steps until all of said data information words and error check bits in said block (13,17) are recorded, reading means (12) for reading said recorded block (13,17) of data information words and error check bits, detecting means (12) for detecting said re-synchroniza­tion word (15a,15b,...,19a,19b,....), means (8) responsive to said detected re-synchroniza­tion word (15a,15b,...,19a,19b,....) for synchronizing a read clock with said beginning of the succeeding sub-block (13a,­13b,...,17a,17b,....), and decoding means (6) for decoding said plurality of sub-­blocks (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....), said means (6) for decoding responsive to said plurality of error check bits for error detec­tion and correction in said information words.

Claim 6

A method of re-synchronizing a read clock with the beginning of a data sub-block recorded in a suitable media, said method comprising the steps of: formatting a data stream in blocks (13,17) of a plu­rality of said data sub-blocks (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....), having a predetermined number of bits, characterized by the steps of forming a re-synchronization signal (15a,15b,...,­19a,19b,....) having a predetermined number of bits arranged in a recognizable unique bit pattern, indicative of the position of the beginning of said data sub-blocks (13a,13b,...,­ 17a, 17b, ....), recording one of said plurality of data sub-blocks (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....) and then recording said re-synchroni­zation signal (15a,15b,...,19a,19b,....) and repeating such recording steps until all of said plurality of data sub-blocks (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....) in each block (13,17) are recorded, detecting said re-synchronization signal, and synchronizing said read clock with the beginning of the next succeeding data sub-block (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....) in response to said detected re-synchronization signal.

Claim 7

A method of re-synchronizing a read clock with the beginning of a data sub-block recorded in a suitable media, said method comprising the steps of: formatting a data stream in blocks (13,17) of a plu­rality of said data sub-blocks (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....), having a predetermined number of bits, characterized by the steps of forming a re-synchronization signal (15a,15b,...,­19a,19b,....) having a predetermined number of bits arranged in a recognizable unique bit pattern, indicative of the position of the beginning of said data sub-blocks (13a,13b,...,­ 17a, 17b, ....), recording one of said plurality of data sub-blocks (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....) and then recording said re-synchroni­zation signal (15a,15b,...,19a,19b,....) and repeating such recording steps until all of said plurality of data sub-blocks (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....) in each block (13,17) are recorded, detecting said re-synchronization signal, and synchronizing said read clock with the beginning of the next succeeding data sub-block (13a,13b,...,17a,17b,....) in response to said detected re-synchronization signal.