Recording and reproducing digital video and audio signals together with a time code signal which is within user control words of the audio data

• US 4,914,527 A
• Filed: 03/24/1989
• Issued: 04/03/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kotani, Hiroki, Asai, Toshiya, Tatsuzawa, Kaichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Faber, Alan
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOUNG, WAYNE R
• Application Number:
  US07/328,523
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 360/9.1, 360/10.1-10.3, 360/18, 360/19.1, 360/23, 360/32, 360/33.1, 360/40, 360/47, 360/49, 360/53, 358/335, 358/341, 358/343, 369/32, 369/47-49, 371/2, 375/26
• US Class Current: 386/324
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1803 by redundancy in data representation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1809 by interleaving
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3036 Time code signal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/323 Time code signal, e.g. on a cue track as SMPTE- or EBU-time code
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/92 Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/926 by pulse code modulation H04N5/919 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9268 with insertion of the PCM audio signals in the vertical blanking interval of the PCM video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/945 for signals recorded by pulse code modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/802 involving processing of the sound signal H04N9/806, H04N9/835 take precedence

Abstract

In recording a time code signal together with digital video and audio signals, at least one channel of a digital audio signal is supplied to rotary heads scanning successive slant tracks on a tape for recording in intermediate sections of the slant tracks, a digital video signal is supplied to the same heads for recording in other sections of the slant tracks situated before and after the intermediate sections and being relatively longer than the latter, and the time code signal is also supplied to the rotary heads for recording in the intermediate sections with the same time codes being represented by the time code signal recorded in the intermediate sections of a successive plurality of the slant tracks which contain the digital video signal for a respective frame.

Claims

1. A method for tape recording a time code signal together with digital video and audio signals comprising:

scanning successive slant tracks extending obliquely across a tape;

processing at least one channel of a digital audio signal into audio blocks each comprised of data words and user control words;

recording said audio blocks in intermediate sections of said slant tracks which are spaced from the opposite ends of the respective tracks;

recording a digital video signal in other sections of said slant tracks which are located before and after said intermediate sections considered in the direction of said scanning; and

recording a time code signal as said user control words in at least some of said audio blocks recorded in said intermediate sections of said slant tracks, with said time code signal in said audio blocks recorded in the intermediate sections of a successive plurality of said slant tracks representing the same time code.

2. A method according to claim 1;

in which said other sections of each slant track are relatively long in respect to said intermediate sections containing the digital audio signal and time code signal.

3. A method according to claim 1;

including recording a digital video signal for each field in said other sections of a plurality of said slant tracks, and in which the same time codes are represented by the time code signal recorded as said user control words in at least some of said audio blocks recorded in said intermediate sections of the slant tracks which have the digital video signal for two fields recorded in said other sections thereof.

4. A method according to claim 1;

in which said time code signal includes time code data and user bits associated therewith in respective bytes; and

including separating said time code data and said user bits from the respective bytes of the time code signal, and recording the separated time code data and user bits as respective ones of said user control words in said at least some audio blocks recorded in said intermediate sections of the slant tracks.

5. A method according to claim 4;

in which said time code data includes frames information bits, seconds information bits, minutes information bits and hours information bits; and

including recording bytes of said frames information bits, of said seconds information bits, of said minutes information bits and of said hours information bits, respectively, separated from said user bits as corresponding first ones of said user control words in said at least some audio blocks, and recording bytes of said user bits separated from said time code data as corresponding second ones of said user control words.

6. A method according to claim 1;

including recording the digital video signal for each frame in said other sections of a predetermined number of said slant tracks;

recording a plurality of channels of said digital audio signal;

processing said digital audio signal in segments each corresponding, in duration, to the time required for scanning of a group of said slant tracks which are a fraction of said predetermined number of slant tracks, and each including a plurality of said audio blocks respectively containing data words representing odd and even samples of each of said channels and each further containing respective user control words;

recording, in said intermediate sections of each said group of said slant tracks, a number of audio sectors for respectively containing said blocks corresponding to odd and even samples of each of said channels and duplicates thereof in a scattered arrangement within said intermediate sections of the corresponding group of said slant tracks; and

recording said time code signal as said user control words of selected blocks of each audio segment corresponding to said odd and even samples of at least one of said channels and the duplicates of said selected blocks, said time code signal being the same for all of said segments of the audio signal recorded in said intermediate sections of the slant tracks corresponding to a respective one of said frames.

7. A method according to claim 6;

including recording the digital video signal for each frame in said other sections of twenty successive slant tracks, each of said groups of slant tracks contains four successive tracks, each of said slant tracks has four of said audio sectors in said intermediate section thereof, and recording said time code signal as said user control words in the scattered arrangement of said audio sectors of each audio signal segment which have recorded therein said odd and even samples of one of said channels and duplicates thereof.

8. A method according to claim 7;

including arranging said audio sectors in each of said slant tracks in rows with respect to said audio sectors in the adjacent slant tracks, and said scattered arrangement is such that two spaced apart rows of said audio sectors for a respective audio signal segment contain even samples of respective channels in different orders and the other two of said rows of audio sectors contain odd samples of respective channels in orders that are different from each other and also different from said orders of the first mentioned two rows.

9. A method for tape recording a time code signal together with digital video and audio signals comprising:

scanning successive slant tracks extending obliquely across a tape;

processing at least one channel of a digital audio signal into audio blocks each comprised of data words and user control words;

recording said audio blocks in first sections of said slant tracks;

recording a digital video signal in other sections of slant tracks which are relatively longer than said first sections of said slant tracks; and

recording a time code signal representing time codes as said user control words in at least some of said audio blocks recorded in said first sections of said slant tracks.

10. A method according to claim 9;

in which said time code signal includes time code data and user bits associated therewith in respective bytes; and

including separating said time code data and said user bits from the respective bytes of the time code signal, and recording the separated time code data and user bits as respective ones of said user control words in said at least some audio blocks recorded in said first sections of the slant tracks.

11. A method according to claim 10;

in which said time code data includes frames information bits, seconds information bits, minutes information bits and hours information bits; and

including recording bytes of said frames information bits, of said seconds information bits, of said minutes information bits and of said hours information bits, respectively, separated from said user bits as corresponding first ones of said user control words in said at least some audio blocks, and recording bytes of said user bits separated from said time code data as second ones of said user control words.

12. A method according to claim 9;

including recording the digital video signal for each frame in said other sections of a predetermined number of said slant tracks;

recording a plurality of channels of said digital audio signal;

processing said digital audio signal in segments each corresponding, in duration, to the time required for scanning of a group of said slant tracks which are a fraction of said predetermined number of slant tracks, and each including blocks respectively containing data words representing odd and even samples of each of said channels, and each further containing user control words;

recording in said first sections of each said group of said slant tracks, a number of audio sectors for respectively containing said blocks corresponding to odd and even samples of each of said channels and duplicates thereof in a scattered arrangement within said first sections of the corresponding group of said slant tracks; and

recording said time code signal as said user control words of selected blocks of each audio segment corresponding to said odd and even samples of at least one of said channels and the duplicates of said selected blocks, said time code signal being the same for all of said segments of the audio signal recorded in said first sections of the slant tracks corresponding to a respective one of said frames.

13. A method for tape recording and reproducing a time code signal together with digital video and audio signals comprising:

in a recording phase,

processing at least one channel of a digital audio signal into audio blocks each comprised of data words and user control words,

recording said audio blocks in intermediate sections of successively scanned slant tracks which extend obliquely across a tape, with each of said intermediate sections being spaced from the opposite ends of the respective tracks,

recording a digital video signal in other sections of said slant tracks which are located before and after said intermediate sections considered in the direction in which said slant tracks are scanned, and

recording digital time code signals representing time codes as said user control words in at least some of said audio blocks recorded in said intermediate sections of said slant tracks, with said time code signals recorded in said intermediate sections of a successive plurality of said slant tracks representing the same time codes; and

,

in a reproducing phase,

reproducing said digital video signals and audio blocks recorded in said successive tracks,

separating said digital time code signals and audio signals from the separated audio blocks, and

reading time codes from said separated digital time code signals.

14. A method according to claim 13;

including advancing the tape at substantially different speeds during said recording and reproducing phases, respectively, and performing the following additional steps in said reproducing phase;

detecting erroneous bits in the reproduced digital time code signals,

storing from each reproduced digital time code signal only those bits indicated to be free of error, and reading said time codes from the stored bits which are free of error and which are drawn from reproduced digital time code signals representing the same time code.

15. A method according to claim 13;

in which each of said digital time code signals includes time code data and user bits associated therewith in respective bytes; and

including, in said reproducing phase, separating said time code data and said user bits from the respective bytes of the respective time code signal, and recording the separated time code data and user bits as respective ones of said user control words in a respective one of said at least some audio blocks recorded in said intermediate sections of the slant tracks.

16. A tape recording apparatus comprising:

head means scanning successive slant tracks extending obliquely across a tape;

audio processing means for processing at least one channel of a digital audio signal into audio blocks each comprised of data words and user control words;

video processing means providing a digital video signal;

means for generating a time code signal representing successive time codes; and

time multiplexing means for supplying said audio blocks, said video signals and said time code signal to said head means for recording said audio blocks in intermediate sections of said slant tracks which are spaced from the opposite ends of the respective tracks, for recording said digital video signal in other sections of said slant tracks which are located before and after said intermediate sections considered in the direction of said scanning, and for recording said time code signal as said user control words in at least some of said audio blocks recorded in said intermediate sections of said slant tracks with the time code signal in said audio blocks recorded in the intermediate sections of a successive plurality of said slant tracks representing the same time code.

17. A tape recording apparatus according to claim 16;

in which the digital video signal for each frame is recorded in said other sections of a predetermined number of said slant tracks, said digital audio signal is processed in segments each corresponding, in duration, to the time required for scanning of a group of said slant tracks which are a fraction of said predetermined number of slant tracks, and there is a plurality of channels of said digital audio signal to be recorded;

said audio processing means includes data distributing means for distributing the data for each of said segments of the audio signal into audio blocks respectively comprised of data words representing odd and even samples of each of said channels, with each of said audio blocks further containing user control words, and for recording, in each said group of said slant tracks, a number of audio sectors in said intermediate sections thereof containing said respective audio blocks corresponding to odd and even samples of each of said channels and duplicates thereof in a scattered arrangement within said intermediate sections of the corresponding group of said slant tracks; and

for inserting said time code signal as said user control words of selected blocks of each audio segment corresponding to said odd and even samples of at least one of said channels and the duplicates of said selected blocks, and said time code signal is the same for all of said segments of the audio signal recorded in said intermediate sections of the slant tracks corresponding to a respective one of said frames.

18. A tape recording apparatus according to claim 17;

in which the digital video signal for each frame is recorded in said other sections of twenty successive slant tracks, each of said groups of slant tracks contains four successive tracks, each of said slant tracks has four of said audio sectors in said intermediate section thereof, and said time code signal is recorded as said user control words in the scattered arrangement of said audio sectors of each audio signal segment which have recorded therein said odd and even samples of one of said channels and duplicates thereof.

19. A tape recording apparatus according to claim 18;

in which said audio sectors in each of said slant tracks are arranged in rows with respect to said audio sectors in the adjacent slant tracks, and said scattered arrangement is such that two spaced apart rows of said audio sectors for a respective audio signal segment contain even samples of respective channels in different orders and the other two of said rows of audio sectors contain odd samples of respective channels in orders that are different from each other and also different from said orders of the first mentioned two rows.

20. A tape recording apparatus according to claim 16;

in which said time code signal includes time code data and user bits associated therewith in respective bytes; and

including time code distributing means for separating said time code data and said user bits from the respective bytes of the time code signal, and for recording the separated time code data and user bits as respective one of said user control words in said at least some audio blocks recorded in said intermediate sections of the slant tracks.

21. A tape recording apparatus according to claim 20;

in which said time code data includes frames information bits, seconds information bits, minutes information bits and hours information bits; and

said time code distributing means effects recording of bytes of said frames information bits, of said seconds information bits, of said minutes information bits and of said hours information bits, respectively, separated from said user bits as corresponding first ones of said user control words in said at least some audio blocks, and recording of bytes of said user bits separated from said time code data as corresponding second ones of said user control words.

22. A tape recording apparatus according to claim 16;

in which said other sections of the slant tracks are relatively longer than said intermediate sections of slant tracks.

23. A tape recording and reproducing apparatus comprising:

head means for scanning successive slant tracks extending obliquely across a tape;

audio processing means for processing at least one channel of a digital audio signal into audio blocks each comprised of data words and user control words;

video processing means for providing a digital video signal;

means for generating a time code signal representing successive time codes;

time multiplexing means operative in a recording mode of the apparatus for supplying said audio blocks, said video signals and said time code signal to said head means for recording said audio blocks in intermediate sections of said slant tracks which are spaced from the opposite ends of the respective tracks, for recording said digital video signal in other sections of said slant tracks which are located before and after said intermediate sections considered in the direction of said scanning, and for recording said time code signal as said user control words in at least some of said audio blocks recorded sections of said slant tracks, with the time code signal in said audio blocks recorded in said intermediate sections of a successive plurality of said slant tracks representing the same time code;

means operative in a reproducing mode of the apparatus for separating the reproduced digital video signals and audio blocks from the output of said head means and for separating the digital time code signal and audio signals from the separated audio blocks; and

means for reading time codes from the digital time code signal separated from the reproduced audio blocks.

24. The tape recording and reproducing apparatus according to claim 23;

further comprising means for driving the tape at a different speed in said reproducing mode than in said recording mode, means for detecting erroneous bits in the reproduced digital time code signal, and means for storing, from each reproduced digital time code signal, only those bits indicated to be free of error; and

in which said means for reading time codes reads the stored bits which are free of error and which are drawn from reproduced digital time code signals representing the same time code.

25. The tape recording and reproducing apparatus according to claim 23;

in which said time code signal includes time code data and user bits associated therewith in respective bytes; and

including time code distributing means for separating said time code data and said user bits from the respective bytes of the time code signal, and for recording the separated time code data and user bits as respective ones of said user control words in said at least some audio blocks recorded in said intermediate sections of the slant tracks.

26. The tape recording and reproducing apparatus according to claim 25;

in which said time code data includes frames information bits, seconds information bits, minutes information bits and hours information bits; and

said time code distributing means effects recording of bytes of said frames information bits, of said seconds information bits, of said minutes information bits and of said hours information bits, respectively, separated from said user bits as corresponding first ones of said user control words in said at least some audio blocks, and recording of bytes of said user bits separated from said time code data as corresponding second ones of said user control words.