Video recording/reproducing apparatus capable of reading a label of laser disk

• US 5,448,371 A
• Filed: 05/02/1994
• Issued: 09/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Seung-lyeol
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US08/236,165
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 358/342, 358/335, 358/310, 348/552, 360/33.1, 360/35.1, 360/60, 360/57, 380/3, 380/4, 380/5
• US Class Current: 386/253
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/12 by sensing distinguishing features of or on records, e.g. diameter end mark
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/30 with provision for auxiliary signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/40 Identifying or analogous means applied to or incorporated in the record carrier and not intended for visual display simultaneously with the playing-back of the record carrier, e.g. label, leader, photograph
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/24 by sensing features on the record carrier other than the transducing track ; sensing signals or marks recorded by another method than the main recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/10 Indicating arrangements; Warning arrangements G11B15/04, G11B19/04, G11B27/34, G11B27/36 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

A video recording/reproducing apparatus comprises a reader for reading out information recorded on a label formed on a non-recording portion of a video recording medium which has a recording portion where a program is recorded and a non-recording portion formed with the label. The label contains bibliographic information of the program recorded on said recording portion and/or information to limit access to the program. The apparatus also has a decoder for decoding the read out information, a character signal storing unit, a controller for controlling the whole apparatus, a video display for outputting a video signal, an on-screen display (OSD) for converting a character string into a signal suitable for the video display, and a video record/playback unit for reproducing the program recorded on the recording portion of the video recording medium and providing the reproduced program to the video display.

Claims

1. A video record/playback apparatus, comprising:

a machine reader for reading label information from a video recording medium containing a program characterized by a title, running time and subject, recorded on a recordable portion of the video recording medium, said label information being comprised of codes readable by said machine reader and recorded on a label formed on a non-recording portion of said video recording medium, said non-recording portion spaced-apart from said recordable portion, and said label information comprising bibliographic information representative of said title, running time and subject of said program recorded on said recording portion of the video recording medium and access limiting information to limit access to the program;

a decoder for decoding the label information read from said machine reader as decoded information;

a character signal storing unit for storing a character signal;

a controller having a memory, for selectively permitting and denying reproduction of said program, for selectively permitting and denying display of said bibliographic information, and for controlling the output of a character string from said character signal corresponding to an alpha-numeric representation of said bibliographic information received from said character signal storing unit according to said access limiting information;

visual display means for providing a video display corresponding to a video signal;

an on-screen display for converting the character string received from said character signal storing unit into a display signal suitable for said video display when said controller permits display of said bibliographic information; and

a video record/playback unit for reproducing the program recorded on said recording portion of said video recording medium and providing the reproduced program to said video display as said video signal when said controller permits reproduction of said program.

2. A video record/playback apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said label is affixed to an outer surface of said video recording medium.

3. An access method for a video record/playback apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

using a machine reader to read a label formed on a non-recording portion of a video recording medium where a program can not be recorded, said video recording medium having a recording portion spaced-apart from said non-recording portion where a program is recorded, said label including bibliographic information comprised of codes readable by said machine reader, said bibliographic information representative of title, running time and subject of said program and access-limiting information comprised codes readable by said machine reader; and

displaying the bibliographic information of said label and permitting reproduction of said recording portion of said video recording medium when access-limiting information is not read by said machine reader; and

restricting the video display of the bibliographic information and reproduction of said recording portion of said video recording medium when the access-limiting information is read by said machine reader.

4. An access method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said label is affixed to an outer surface of said video recording medium.

5. A detection method of video recording media for a video/playback apparatus having a label formed on a non-recording portion of a video recording medium where a program can not be recorded, said video recording medium having a recording portion spaced-apart from said recording portion where the program is recorded, said label including bibliographic information comprised of machine readable codes indicating title, running time and subject of said program and access limiting information comprised of machine readable codes, said method comprising steps of:

reading said label;

determining whether said access limiting information is included on said label;

video-displaying video images representative of the bibliographic information of said label when said access limiting information is not included on said label;

determining whether a user of said video/playback apparatus is authorized to use said video/playback apparatus when said access limiting information is included on said label; and

video-displaying said video images representative of the bibliographic information of said label upon determination that said user is authorized to use said video/playback apparatus.

6. A detection method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, said label is affixed to an outer surface of said video recording medium.

7. A video playback apparatus, comprising:

means for machine reading coded label information recorded on a label formed on a non-recording portion of a video signal recording medium, said video signal recording medium having a recording portion spaced-apart from said non-recording portion, said program being recorded on said recording portion, said coded label information comprising codes readable by said reading means, said codes comprising bibliographic information representative of title, running time and subject of said program and/or access limiting information;

means for generating decoded label information by decoding said coded label information;

means for converting said decoded label information into on-screen display video signals;

video playback means for selectively permitting and denying reproduction of said video program recorded on said recording portion of said video signal recording medium to generate program video signals, in accordance with said access limiting information; and

means for selectively providing and denying said on-screen display video signals and said program video signals to a video display unit independance with said access limiting information.

8. A video playback apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said video signal recording medium is a video disk, said non-recording portion is a hub portion of said video disk, and said recording portion is an annular region of said video disk concentric with and surrounding said non-recording portion.

9. A video playback apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said coded label information containing said access limiting information includes a code a user must enter in order to enable said video playback apparatus to reproduce said video program.

10. A video playback apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said coded label information containing said access limiting information includes a code which a user must enter in order to enable said video playback apparatus to reproduce said video program.

11. A video playback apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said means for reading coded label information is an optical-magnetic reader.

12. A video playback apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said means for reading coded label information is a magnetic reader.

13. A video playback apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said converting means comprises:

means for generating character strings in response to said decoded label information; and

means for generating said on-screen display video signals by addressing said character strings for display on said video display unit.

14. A method of operation of a video playback apparatus, said method comprising:

machine reading access-limiting information comprised of machine readable codes and bibliographic information comprised of machine readable codes representative of title, running time and subject of a program, from a label formed on a non-recording portion of a video signal recording medium when;

a video program can not be recorded, for said video program recorded on a recording portion of said video signal recording medium;

controlling a display device to display a message prompting a user to enter an access code and receiving said access code;

determining whether said access code matches said access-limiting information;

displaying an error message if said access code does not match said access-limiting information; and

displaying said bibliographic information and reproducing said video program with a video playback unit if said access code matches said access-limiting information.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

before reading said bibliographic information, determining whether said video playback apparatus is in a locked condition;

controlling a display device to display a message prompting a user to enter an unlocking code and receiving said unlocking code;

determining whether said unlocking code matches a stored code; and

blocking reading of said bibliographic information if said unlocking code does not match said stored code.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said video signal recording medium is a video disk, said non-recording portion is a hub portion of said video disk, and said recording portion is an annular region of said video disk concentric with and surrounding said non-recording portion.

17. A method of operation of a video playback apparatus, said method comprising:

determining whether said video playback apparatus is in a locked condition;

controlling a display device of said video playback apparatus to display a message prompting a user to enter an unlocking code and receiving said unlocking code when said video playback apparatus is in said locked condition;

determining whether said unlocking code matches a stored code;

blocking reading of bibliographic information comprised of machine readable codes representative of title, running time and subject of a program, from a label formed on a non-recording portion of a video signal recording medium where a video program can not be recorded, for said video program recorded on a recording portion of said video signal recording medium when said unlocking code does not match said stored code;

disabling said locked condition of said video playback apparatus when said unlocking code does match said stored code;

machine reading access-limiting information comprised of machine readable codes and said bibliographic information;

controlling said display device to display a message prompting a user to enter an access code and receiving said access code;

determining whether said access code matches said access-limiting information;

displaying an error message when said access code does not match said access-limiting information; and

displaying said bibliographic information and reproducing said video program with a video playback unit when said access code matches said access-limiting information.