EP0378449A2 — Information recording and retrieval system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 343 words

An information recording and retrieval system used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, comprising: (1) recording means for (a) successively recording the items of supplemental data in the TOC area in such a way that each item of supplemental data is repeatedly recorded a plurality of times and (b) storing supplemental data on an additionally recorded program at the end of the sequence of supplemental data items in the TOC area, each item of supplemental data at least comprising an identification number corresponding to a program stored in the information recording area and the storage location of the program which corresponds to the absolute addresses thereof; (2) memory means for storing each item of supplemental data read out from the TOC area when the item is read without an error, such an item being read at least once at the time the recording medium is mounted in the system; (3) edit control means for (a) performing an edit control consisting of the steps of i) judging from the items of supplemental data stored in the memory means whether a program is recorded over another program in the information recording area, ii) selecting one as effective data from the items of supplemental data corresponding to the overlapped programs by a specified rule if it is judged that a program is recorded over another and iii) assigning new identification numbers to the new group of supplemental data items which includes thus selected data item, and for (b) permitting the memory means to store the new group of supplemental data after the editing operation; and (4) restoring means for repeating a recording cycle a plurality of times, the recording cycle being a process in which each item of supplemental data stored in the memory means is repeatedly recorded in the TOC area a plurality of times.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 343 words

An information recording and retrieval system used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, comprising: (1) recording means for (a) successively recording the items of supplemental data in the TOC area in such a way that each item of supplemental data is repeatedly recorded a plurality of times and (b) storing supplemental data on an additionally recorded program at the end of the sequence of supplemental data items in the TOC area, each item of supplemental data at least comprising an identification number corresponding to a program stored in the information recording area and the storage location of the program which corresponds to the absolute addresses thereof; (2) memory means for storing each item of supplemental data read out from the TOC area when the item is read without an error, such an item being read at least once at the time the recording medium is mounted in the system; (3) edit control means for (a) performing an edit control consisting of the steps of i) judging from the items of supplemental data stored in the memory means whether a program is recorded over another program in the information recording area, ii) selecting one as effective data from the items of supplemental data corresponding to the overlapped programs by a specified rule if it is judged that a program is recorded over another and iii) assigning new identification numbers to the new group of supplemental data items which includes thus selected data item, and for (b) permitting the memory means to store the new group of supplemental data after the editing operation; and (4) restoring means for repeating a recording cycle a plurality of times, the recording cycle being a process in which each item of supplemental data stored in the memory means is repeatedly recorded in the TOC area a plurality of times.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 323 words

An information recording and retrieval system used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, comprising: (1) recording means for (a) successively recording the items of supplemental data in the TOC area and (b) storing supplemental data on an additionally recorded program at the end of the sequence of supplemental data items in the TOC area when a new program is additionally recorded in the information recording area of the recording medium in which different programs have been already stored, each item comprising at least an identification number corresponding to a program stored in the information recording area and the storage location of the program which corresponds to the absolute addresses thereof; (2) memory means for storing the supplemental data read out from the TOC area, when the recording medium is mounted in the system; and (3) edit control means for (a) performing an edit control consisting of the steps of i) judging from the items of supplemental data stored in the memory means whether a program is recorded over another program in the information recording area, ii) selecting one as effective data from the items of supplemental data corresponding to the overlapped programs when it is judged that a program is recorded over another in the information recording area, the selected item being in a posterior position in the TOC area and iii) assigning new identification numbers to the new group of supplemental data items including the selected item, in such a way that an item corresponding to a program, whose record starting position is located in a lower address, has a smaller identification number, and for (b) permitting the memory means to store the new group of supplemental data after the editing operation.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 323 words

An information recording and retrieval system used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, comprising: (1) recording means for (a) successively recording the items of supplemental data in the TOC area and (b) storing supplemental data on an additionally recorded program at the end of the sequence of supplemental data items in the TOC area when a new program is additionally recorded in the information recording area of the recording medium in which different programs have been already stored, each item comprising at least an identification number corresponding to a program stored in the information recording area and the storage location of the program which corresponds to the absolute addresses thereof; (2) memory means for storing the supplemental data read out from the TOC area, when the recording medium is mounted in the system; and (3) edit control means for (a) performing an edit control consisting of the steps of i) judging from the items of supplemental data stored in the memory means whether a program is recorded over another program in the information recording area, ii) selecting one as effective data from the items of supplemental data corresponding to the overlapped programs when it is judged that a program is recorded over another in the information recording area, the selected item being in a posterior position in the TOC area and iii) assigning new identification numbers to the new group of supplemental data items including the selected item, in such a way that an item corresponding to a program, whose record starting position is located in a lower address, has a smaller identification number, and for (b) permitting the memory means to store the new group of supplemental data after the editing operation.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 210 words

An information recording and retrieval system used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, comprising: (1) recording means for successively recording the items of supplemental data in the TOC area, in such a way that each item is repeatedly recorded n times (n represents an integer: n>1), each item comprising at least an identification number corresponding to a program stored in the information recording area and the storage location of the program which corresponds to the absolute addresses thereof; (2) memory means for storing each item of supplemental data which has been repeatedly recorded in the TOC area, when the item is read out without an error (n - α) times (α represents a positive integer: α<n), such an item being read at least once at the time the recording medium is mounted in the system; and (3) access means for accessing the storage location of the item of supplemental data to which the next identification number is assigned, at the time the read item is stored in the memory means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 210 words

An information recording and retrieval system used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, comprising: (1) recording means for successively recording the items of supplemental data in the TOC area, in such a way that each item is repeatedly recorded n times (n represents an integer: n>1), each item comprising at least an identification number corresponding to a program stored in the information recording area and the storage location of the program which corresponds to the absolute addresses thereof; (2) memory means for storing each item of supplemental data which has been repeatedly recorded in the TOC area, when the item is read out without an error (n - α) times (α represents a positive integer: α<n), such an item being read at least once at the time the recording medium is mounted in the system; and (3) access means for accessing the storage location of the item of supplemental data to which the next identification number is assigned, at the time the read item is stored in the memory means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 189 words

An information recording and retrieval system used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, comprising: (1) recording means for successively recording the items of supplemental data in the TOC area, in such a way that each item is repeatedly recorded n times (n represents an integer: n>1), each item comprising at least an identification number corresponding to a program stored in the information recording area and the storage location of the program which corresponds to the absolute addresses thereof; (2) memory means for storing the supplemental data read out from the TOC area, when the recording medium is mounted in the system; and (3) restoring means for repeating a recording cycle a plurality of times, the recording cycle being a process in which each item of supplemental data stored in the memory means is repeatedly recorded in the TOC area (n - β) times (β represents a positive integer: β<n).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 189 words

An information recording and retrieval system used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, comprising: (1) recording means for successively recording the items of supplemental data in the TOC area, in such a way that each item is repeatedly recorded n times (n represents an integer: n>1), each item comprising at least an identification number corresponding to a program stored in the information recording area and the storage location of the program which corresponds to the absolute addresses thereof; (2) memory means for storing the supplemental data read out from the TOC area, when the recording medium is mounted in the system; and (3) restoring means for repeating a recording cycle a plurality of times, the recording cycle being a process in which each item of supplemental data stored in the memory means is repeatedly recorded in the TOC area (n - β) times (β represents a positive integer: β<n).

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 95 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, said absolute addresses being formed in accordance with the positions thereof on the recording medium so that the reflection factor of light caused by phase transition or the like is changed thereat.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 76 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, said rewritable recording medium being an optical card, magnetic tape or other medium.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 87 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, said rewritable recording medium being a rewritable disk in which information is recorded and erased by utilizing magneto-optical effect, phase transition or the like.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 114 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording disk in which information is recorded and erased by utilizing magneto-optical effect, phase transition or the like and which includes a spiral track or concentric circular tracks; absolute addresses in the form of pits on the track or tracks; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system, formed within the outer part of the disk ; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, formed within the inner-most part of the disk.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 113 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording disk in which information is recorded and erased by utilizing magneto-optical effect, phase transition or the like and which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, the spacing between said absolute addresses being so determined that one address is read per second on condition that the disk is rotated at a specified linear velocity at the time of playback.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 144 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording disk in which information is recorded and erased by utilizing magneto-optical effect, phase transition or the like and which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, said absolute address comprising a preamble used for synchronous control at the time of playback; an address mark for indicating the leading end of the absolute address; an address number for indicating an address which is successively incremented by one outwardly from the inner part of the rewritable disk; and an error detection code for detecting an error when the address number is detected.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 141 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, used for recording and playing back programs on and from a rewritable recording disk in which information is recorded and erased by utilizing magneto-optical effect, phase transition or the like and which includes absolute addresses; an information recording area for storing programs input from outside the system; and a TOC area for storing supplemental data on the programs recorded in the information recording area, one frame of information to be stored in the TOC area or the information recording area comprising a frame synchronizing signal; a data field comprising 24 bytes of data such as a part of a music program and 8 bytes of parity used for error detection; and a sub-code comprising an identification number and the time data etc. of the program.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 82 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, wherein said recording means includes an optical head for projecting a light beam to the recording medium thereby reading information therefrom, and a magnetic coil for applying an external magnetic field to the recording medium according to recording signals which are used for recording the programs input from outside the system, in order to record information on the recording medium in cooperation with the optical head.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 37 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, wherein said memory means includes a TOC memory which is a read/write memory for storing data recorded in the TOC area.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 37 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, wherein said programs input from outside the system include music programs, image data, data utilized for various types of computers etc.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 40 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, wherein said supplemental data include the identification numbers, record starting positions and record terminating positions of the programs recorded in the information recording area.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 60 words

An information recording and retrieval system according to any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, wherein said supplemental data include information on the programs recorded in the information recording area such as identification numbers, record starting positions and record terminating positions, recording lengths, silence damping, fade-in/fade-out and information on procedures for continuously playing back a plurality of specified programs.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 192 words

A method of playing back data from a TOC area in an information recording and retrieval system comprising the steps of: starting to read supplemental data on programs recorded in an information recording area, each item of supplemental data being stored in a plurality of blocks in the TOC area; detecting the presence/absence of an error in reading an item from a block; repeating the reading of the same item of supplemental data from the subsequent block until the item can be read without an error at least once, when an error is detected in the detecting step; storing the read item in a TOC memory, when the item is read without an error; judging whether the retrieval of supplemental data on all the programs is completed; accessing to the storage location of the supplemental data on the next program for performing the next reading operation, when the retrieval of supplemental data on all the programs is not completed; editing the items of supplemental data stored in the TOC memory, when the retrieval of supplemental data on all the programs is completed; and restoring the edited supplemental data in the TOC memory.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 192 words

A method of playing back data from a TOC area in an information recording and retrieval system comprising the steps of: starting to read supplemental data on programs recorded in an information recording area, each item of supplemental data being stored in a plurality of blocks in the TOC area; detecting the presence/absence of an error in reading an item from a block; repeating the reading of the same item of supplemental data from the subsequent block until the item can be read without an error at least once, when an error is detected in the detecting step; storing the read item in a TOC memory, when the item is read without an error; judging whether the retrieval of supplemental data on all the programs is completed; accessing to the storage location of the supplemental data on the next program for performing the next reading operation, when the retrieval of supplemental data on all the programs is not completed; editing the items of supplemental data stored in the TOC memory, when the retrieval of supplemental data on all the programs is completed; and restoring the edited supplemental data in the TOC memory.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 186 words

A method of executing an edit control in an information recording and retrieval system comprising the steps of: comparing the items of supplemental data stored in a TOC memory, the supplemental data corresponding to programs recorded in an information recording area; arranging the programs in a sequence in such a way that a program, whose record starting position is in a lower address is anteriorly placed, based on the record starting position and record terminating position of each program, the positions being obtained from the supplemental data; judging whether a program is recorded over another program in the information recording area; selecting one as effective data from the items of supplemental data corresponding to the overlapped programs and deleting the other, when it is judged one program is recorded over another program, the selected item being posteriorly placed in the TOC area; and assigning new identification numbers to the new group of effective supplemental data items including thus selected item, in such a way that an item on a program, whose record starting position is located in a lower absolute address, has a smaller identification number.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 186 words

A method of executing an edit control in an information recording and retrieval system comprising the steps of: comparing the items of supplemental data stored in a TOC memory, the supplemental data corresponding to programs recorded in an information recording area; arranging the programs in a sequence in such a way that a program, whose record starting position is in a lower address is anteriorly placed, based on the record starting position and record terminating position of each program, the positions being obtained from the supplemental data; judging whether a program is recorded over another program in the information recording area; selecting one as effective data from the items of supplemental data corresponding to the overlapped programs and deleting the other, when it is judged one program is recorded over another program, the selected item being posteriorly placed in the TOC area; and assigning new identification numbers to the new group of effective supplemental data items including thus selected item, in such a way that an item on a program, whose record starting position is located in a lower absolute address, has a smaller identification number.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 170 words

A method of recording and playing back information on and from a TOC area in an information recording and retrieval system comprising the steps of: performing one recording cycle in which each item of supplemental data corresponding to a program recorded in an information recording area is repeatedly recorded a plurality of times; repeating the recording cycle a plurality of times; reading the item of supplemental data the same number of times as the number of repetitive recordings; judging whether each item of all the supplemental data has been read without an error at least once; and terminating the reading operation if each item of supplemental data has been read without an error at least once; starting to read the items of supplemental data recorded in the next recording cycle, and repeatedly reading the items until each item of all the supplemental data is at least once read without an error, if any one of the supplemental data in the first recording cycle has not been read without an error.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 170 words

A method of recording and playing back information on and from a TOC area in an information recording and retrieval system comprising the steps of: performing one recording cycle in which each item of supplemental data corresponding to a program recorded in an information recording area is repeatedly recorded a plurality of times; repeating the recording cycle a plurality of times; reading the item of supplemental data the same number of times as the number of repetitive recordings; judging whether each item of all the supplemental data has been read without an error at least once; and terminating the reading operation if each item of supplemental data has been read without an error at least once; starting to read the items of supplemental data recorded in the next recording cycle, and repeatedly reading the items until each item of all the supplemental data is at least once read without an error, if any one of the supplemental data in the first recording cycle has not been read without an error.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 166 words

Apparatus for recording and playing back information programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes an information recording area for storing the input information programs and a TOC area for storing data relating to the information programs stored in said information recording area, the apparatus being operable to record onto a said medium which already carries one or more said programs new data for a program newly recorded at a position in said TOC area following the data or sequence thereof relating to the already recorded information program or programs, the apparatus also being operable for processing the data read from the TOC area of a said recording medium so as to determine from said data whether any information program in the information recording area overlaps another and to select only one of the overlapped programs in accordance with predetermined selection rules and to establish an edited program list including the selected one and omitting the non-selected one or ones of the overlapped programs.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 166 words

Apparatus for recording and playing back information programs on and from a rewritable recording medium which includes an information recording area for storing the input information programs and a TOC area for storing data relating to the information programs stored in said information recording area, the apparatus being operable to record onto a said medium which already carries one or more said programs new data for a program newly recorded at a position in said TOC area following the data or sequence thereof relating to the already recorded information program or programs, the apparatus also being operable for processing the data read from the TOC area of a said recording medium so as to determine from said data whether any information program in the information recording area overlaps another and to select only one of the overlapped programs in accordance with predetermined selection rules and to establish an edited program list including the selected one and omitting the non-selected one or ones of the overlapped programs.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 68 words

Recording/playback apparatus for a rewritable medium (eg. optical disc) in which an existing list of program data in a TOC area of the medium is only added to and not rearranged when overlap recording takes place and in which the apparatus reorganises the read out list for presentation to omit data concerning any older programs over-recorded by a new recording identified by added data in the TOC area.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 68 words

Recording/playback apparatus for a rewritable medium (eg. optical disc) in which an existing list of program data in a TOC area of the medium is only added to and not rearranged when overlap recording takes place and in which the apparatus reorganises the read out list for presentation to omit data concerning any older programs over-recorded by a new recording identified by added data in the TOC area.

Information recording and retrieval system

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