Time code generator and time code generating method, time code reader and time code reading method, and video recording and reproducing apparatus

• US 20040197081A1
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Hiroaki, Tanaka, Yoshiaki, Ueda, Yoshihito, Kato, Tomokiyo
• Granted Patent: US 7,298,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for generating a time code compatible with 50P, 60P or 59.94P and having interchangeability with existing time codes. The apparatus includes: a microcomputer for dividing a frame number indicated by time address data in supplied code word data to obtain a quotient and a remainder; and the microcomputer and a time code reader for replacing the frame number indicated by the time address data in the code word data with the quotient and for generating a time code based on the code word data in which a value of a color frame flag is set to 0 if the remainder is 0 and for replacing the frame number with the quotient and for generating the time code based on the code word data in which the value of the color frame flag is set to 1 if the remainder is 1.

Claims

1. A time code generator comprising:

means for dividing a frame number indicated by time address data in supplied code word data by 2 so as to obtain a quotient and a remainder; and

means for replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said code word data with a value of said quotient and for generating a time code based on the code word data in which a value of a color frame flag is set to 0 if a value of said remainder is 0, and for replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said code word data with said value of said quotient and for generating a time code based on the code word data in which said value of said color frame flag is set to 1 if said value of said remainder is 1.

2. The time code generator according to claim 1, further comprising means for performing drop frame correction by dropping frames of frame numbers 00, 01, 02 and 03 at every minute, except every tenth minute (00, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50).

3. A time code generating method, comprising the steps of:

dividing a frame number indicated by time address data in supplied code word data by 2 so as to obtain a quotient and a remainder; and

replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said code word data with a value of said quotient and generating a time code based on the code word data in which a value of a color frame flag is set to 0 if a value of said remainder is 0, and replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said code word data with said value of said quotient and generating a time code based on the code word data in which said value of said color frame flag is set to 1 if said value of said remainder is 1.

4. The time code generating method according to claim 3, further comprising a step of performing drop frame correction by dropping frames of frame numbers 00, 01, 02 and 03 at every minute, except every tenth minute (00, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50).

5. A time code reader comprising:

means for reading a time code;

means for multiplying a frame number indicated by time address data in said time code by 2 to obtain a product; and

means for replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said time code with a value obtained by adding 1 to said product if a value of a color frame flag in said time code is 1, and for replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said time code with said value of said product if said value of said color frame flag in said time code is 0.

6. A time code reading method comprising the steps of:

reading a time code;

multiplying a frame number indicated by time address data in said time code by 2 to obtain a product; and

replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said time code with a value obtained by adding 1 to said product if a value of a color frame flag in said time code is 1, and replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said time code with said value of said product if said value of said color frame flag in said time code is 0.

7. A video recording and reproducing apparatus comprising:

means for dividing a frame number indicated by time address data in supplied code word data by 2 so as to obtain a quotient and a remainder;

means for replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said code word data with a value of said quotient and for generating a time code based on the code word data in which a value of a color frame flag is set to 0 if a value of said remainder is 0, and for replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said code word data with said value of said quotient and for generating a time code based on the code word data in which said value of said color frame flag is set to 1 if said value of said remainder is 1;

means for recording supplied video data with said generated time code onto a recording medium;

means for reproducing data from said recording medium;

means for reading the time code from said reproduced data;

means for multiplying a frame number indicated by time address data in said readout time code by 2 to obtain a product; and

replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said time code with a value obtained by adding 1 to said product if a value of a color frame flag in said readout time code is 1, and for replacing said frame number indicated by said time address data in said readout time code with said value of product if said value of said color frame flag in said readout time code is 0.

8. The video recording and reproducing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising means for performing drop frame correction by dropping frames of frame numbers 00, 01, 02 and 03 at every minute, except every tenth minute (00, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50).