Frame addressing scheme for video recording medium

Claim 2

Apparatus for alternately encoding blocks of binary control information and blocks of binary data information in a selfclocking non-return-to-zero format for sequentially recording the blocks of control and data information respectively along alternate first and second lengths of a track of a magnetic record medium wherein information is recorded as sequences of magnetic flux transitions between different magnetic states occurring at discrete intervals; each of the blocks of control information recorded along said first length of the track as a selected sequence of magnetic flux transitions; the selected sequence of magnetic flux transitions recorded exclusively in said first lengths of the track; said encoding apparatus comprising; means for generating a sequence of binary bits occurring at discrete intervals corresponding to the selected sequence of magnetic flux transitions forming a block of binary control information at a rate equal to the rate at which the blocks of binary control information are to be recorded along the track of the magnetic record medium; each of said control block sequences of binary bits including contiguous first and second sequences of binary bits, said first sequence of a selected number of binary bits and occurring at the beginning and ending boundaries of the binary bit control sequence, said second sequence of a selected number of binary bits and interjacent said first sequences, each of said second sequences including two first sub-sequences of a selected number of binary bits one contiguous with each of said first sequences and a second subsequence of a selected number of binary bits contiguous with the end of each first sub-sequence, each of said second sequences including an exclusive sequence of flux transitions occurring therein; means for generating blocks of data information each as a sequence of binary bits without generating the exclusive sequence included in the second sequences of the control block sequence; a self-clocking NRZ encoder for converting the control block and data block sequences of binary bits to a self-clocking NRZ signal format wherein the binary bit information is represented by transitions between different signal levels at discrete intervals; switching means for alternately coupling the control block sequence of binary bits and the data block sequence of binary bits to the input of the self-clocking NRZ encoder; and a clock generator providing a timing signal for synchronizing the operations of the control block sequence generator, data information binary bit generator, self-clocking NRZ encoder and switching means to provide the sequence of alternating data and control block sequences.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said data information binary bit generator includes a stepable binary counter storing at one time one binary number of a sequence of consecutive binary numbers, command means responsive to the generation of each control block sequence of binary bits to issue a command signal, said stepable binary counter responsive to said command means to output the stored binary number for coupling to the encoder upon the issuance of said command signal, and said stepable binary counter is advanced one binary number after outputting each stored binary number.

Claim 4

The apparatus to claim 2 further comprising means in circuit connection with said stepable binary counter to command it to output binary bits occurring at regular intervals of each binary number twice in succession, the interval between the successively output binary bit is less than the interval of the exclusive sequence included in the second sequence of selected number of binary bits.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said control block sequence generator Provides a sequence of odd number of binary bits symmetrical about a binary bit at the center of the odd number of binary bits.

Claim 6

Apparatus for decoding binary information recorded in a self-clocking NRZ format along a track of a magnetic record medium wherein information is recorded as sequences of magnetic flux transitions at discrete intervals between different magnetic states, said information including blocks of binary control information and binary data information sequentially recorded respectively along alternate first and second lengths of said track, the sequence of magnetic flux transitions forming the binary control information being identical and recorded only along said first lengths of the track, each identical sequence of magnetic flux transitions forming the blocks of binary control information including contiguous first and second sequences of magnetic flux transitions, said first sequence occurring for a selected number of intervals along a boundary segment at each end of each of said first lengths of said track, said second sequence occurring for a selected number of intervals along an interjacent segment between said boundary segments of each of said first lengths, each of said second sequences including a first subsequence of reproducible magnetic flux transitions extending from each first sequence for a selected number of intervals towards the other first sequence and a second sub-sequence of reproducible magnetic flux transitions contiguous with the end of each first sub-sequence and extending from said end for a selected number of intervals, said second sequence including an exclusive sequence of flux transitions therein; said decoding apparatus comprising; means for reproducing the recorded sequences of control and data information magnetic flux transitions to provide signals representative of the transitions recorded along the track; means responsive to said first sequences of reproduced magnetic flux transitions to provide first signal commands; means responsive to said exclusive sequences of reproduced magnetic flux transitions to to provide second signal commands; means for sensing the direction of motion of the recording medium coupled to receive said first and second signal commands and the sequences of reproduced magnetic flux transitions; said motion direction sensing means responsive to said first and second signal commands to issue a motion direction signal according to the reproduced second sub-sequence of magnetic flux transitions; means responsive to the sequences of reproduced control information magnetic flux transitions to provide a timing signal corresponding to the speed at which the recording medium is being transported; and decoding means coupled to receive the sequences of reproduced magnetic flux transitions and responsive to the motion direction signal and timing signal to decode the reproduced data information.

Claim 7

Apparatus for decoding binary information recorded in a self-clocking NRZ format along a track of a magnetic record medium wherein information is recorded as sequences of magnetic flux transitions at discrete intervals between different magnetic states, said information including blocks of binary control information and binary data information sequentially recorded respectively along alternate first and second lengths of said track, the sequence of magnetic flux transitions forming the binary control information being identical and recorded only along said first lengths of the track, each identical sequence of magnetic flux transitions forming the blocks of binary control information including contiguous first and second sequences of magnetic flux transitions, said first sequence occurring for a selected number of intervals along a boundary segment at each end of each of said first lengths of said track, said second sequence occurring for a selected number of intervals along an interjacent segment between said boundary segments of each of said first lengths, each of said second sequences including a first subsequence of reproducible magnetic flux transitions extending from each first sequence for a selected number of intervals towards the other first sequence and a second sub-sequence of reproducible magnetic flux transitions contiguous with the end of each first sub-sequence and extending from said end for a selected number of intervals, said second sequence including an exclusive sequence of flux transitions therein; said decoding apparatus comprising; means for reproducing the recorded sequences of control and data information magnetic flux transitions to provide signals representative of the transitions recorded along the track; means responsive to said first sequences of reproduced magnetic flux transitions to provide first signal commands; means responsive to said exclusive sequences of reproduced magnetic flux transitions to to provide second signal commands; means for sensing the direction of motion of the recording medium coupled to receive said first and second signal commands and the sequences of reproduced magnetic flux transitions; said motion direction sensing means responsive to said first and second signal commands to issue a motion direction signal according to the reproduced second sub-sequence of magnetic flux transitions; means responsive to the sequences of reproduced control information magnetic flux transitions to provide a timing signal corresponding to the speed at which the recording medium is being transported; and decoding means coupled to receive the sequences of reproduced magnetic flux transitions and responsive to the motion direction signal and timing signal to decode the reproduced data information.

Claim 8

The decoding apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each block of binary data information is recorded in a self-clocking NRZ format along spaced segments of the second lengths of the track of the magnetic record medium as a sequence of magnetic flux transitions at discrete intervals, each of said segments of said second lengths of a length equal to a number of intervals less than the number of intervals of the exclusive magnetic flux transition sequence along each of said first lengths, said segments of said second lengths spaced from each other a length of at least one interval, the space between each of the segments of each second length having a magnetic flux transition condition representative of the same binary digit represented in the adjacent interval of the preceding segment, and the decoding apparatus further comprising means responsive to the reproduction of the magnetic flux transitions of the blocks of control information to command the decoding means to remove signals representative of magnetic flux transition reproduced from the spaces between the segments from the signals representative of Magnetic flux transition reproduced from the segments of the second lengths.

Claim 9

A magnetic record medium having a track of alternating first and second lengths, each of said first lengths including a boundary segment at each of its ends and an interjacent segment, each of said first lengths having thereon contiguous first and second sequences of reproducible magnetic flux transitions between first and second magnetic states representative of binary digits occurring at discrete intervals, said first sequence occurring along each boundary segment for a selected number of intervals, said second sequence occurring along each interjacent segment for a selected number of intervals, each of said second sequences including a first sub-sequence of reproducible magnetic flux transitions extending from each first sequence for a selected number of intervals towards the other first sequence and a second sub-sequence of reproducible magnetic transitions contiguous with the end of each first sub-sequence and extending from said end for a selected number of intervals, each of said second sequences including an exclusive sequence of magnetic flux transitions occurring only along the interjacent segment of said first length.

Claim 10

A magnetic record medium having a track of alternating first and second lengths, each of said first lengths including a boundary segment at each of its ends and an interjacent segment, each of said first lengths having thereon contiguous first and second sequences of reproducible magnetic flux transitions between first and second magnetic states representative of binary digits occurring at discrete intervals, said first sequence occurring along each boundary segment for a selected number of intervals, said second sequence occurring along each interjacent segment for a selected number of intervals, each of said second sequences including a first sub-sequence of reproducible magnetic flux transitions extending from each first sequence for a selected number of intervals towards the other first sequence and a second sub-sequence of reproducible magnetic transitions contiguous with the end of each first sub-sequence and extending from said end for a selected number of intervals, each of said second sequences including an exclusive sequence of magnetic flux transitions occurring only along the interjacent segment of said first length.

Claim 11

The magnetic record medium according to claim 7 wherein the second magnetic flux transition sequence is symmetrical about one second magnetic flux transition sub-sequence, and the first magnetic flux transition sub-sequence extending from each first magnetic flux transition sequence is contiguous with the said one second sub-sequence.

Claim 12

The magnetic record medium according to claim 8 wherein a magnetic flux transition from the first magnetic state to the second magnetic state at an interval represents one of the binary digits and a magnetic flux transition from said second magnetic state to said first magnetic state at an interval represents the other of the binary digits, and the one second magnetic flux transition sub-sequence in each of the first lengths is a single magnetic flux transition from the same one of the two magnetic states to the other of the two magnetic states occurring within one interval of both ends of the first magnetic flux transition sub-sequences.

Claim 13

The magnetic record medium according to claim 8 wherein each first magnetic flux transition sub-sequence and the contiguous one second magnetic flux transition sub-sequence forms one exclusive sequence of magnetic flux transitions included in the second magnetic flux transition sequence.

Claim 14

The magnetic record medium according to claim 7 wherein each of the second magnetic flux transition sub-sequences in the first lengths is a single magnetic flux transition from the same one of the two magnetic states to the other of the two magnetic states occurring within one interval of the end of the first magnetic flux transition sub-sequence.

Claim 15

The magnetic record medium according to claim 11 wherein a magnetic flux transition from the first magnetic state to the second magnetic state at an interval represents one of the binary digits and a magnetic flux transition from said second magnetic state to said first magnetic state at an interval represents the other of the binary digits.

Claim 16

The magnetic record medium according to claim 7 further having a series of reproducible magnetic flux transitions between first and second magnetic states along the second lengths of said magnetic record medium representative of data information binary digits occurring at discrete intervals, each of said second lengths including spaced segments each of a length equal to a number of intervals less than the number of intervals of the exclusive magnetic flux transition sequence along each of said first lengths, said segments of said second lengths spaced from each other a length of at least one interval, said digital data information magnetic flux transitions occurring in said second lengths only along said spaced segments, and the space between each of the segments of each second length having a magnetiC flux transition condition representative of the same binary digit represented in the adjacent interval of the preceding segment.

Claim 17

The magnetic record medium according to claim 13 wherein a magnetic flux transition from the first magnetic state to the second magnetic state at an interval represents one of the binary digits and a magnetic flux transition from said second magnetic state to said first magnetic state at an interval represents the other of the binary digits, and the spaces between the segments of each second length having magnetic flux transitions at the intervals from the same one of the two magnetic states to the other of the two magnetic states as the magnetic flux transition in their respective adjacent intervals of their respective preceding segments.

Claim 18

The magnetic record medium according to claim 14 wherein each of the spaces between the segments of the second length is of a length equal to one interval, and each of said spaces has a magnetic flux transition at the interval from the same one of the two magnetic states to the other of the two magnetic states as the magnetic flux transition in the adjacent interval of the preceding segment.

Claim 19

The magnetic record medium according to claim 13 further having a second track for recording signal information at separate locations therealong, the second lengths of the track of alternating first and second lengths aligned along the magnetic record medium relative to said separate locations of said second track to have the second magnetic flux transition sub-sequences along the interjacent segments of the first length aligned relative to the boundaries between adjacent separate locations along said second track, and the series of magnetic flux transitions in the spaced segments of each of said second lengths representative of address information identifying a location for recording signal information along said second track.