Information reproduction system which utilizes physical information on an optically-readable code and which optically reads the code to reproduce multimedia information

• US 5,898,166 A
• Filed: 05/21/1996
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Mori, Takeshi, Tatsuta, Seiji, Fukuda, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gross, Anita Pellman
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Douglas X.
• Application Number:
  US08/651,978
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/494, 235/454, 371/6, 369/14
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/005 Reproducing G11B7/0065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4078 using gradational references, e.g. grey-scale test pattern analysis

Abstract

A sensing section reads the dot codes by optically scanning a recording medium on which multimedia information has been recorded in the form of optically readable dot codes. The thus obtained dot codes are processed and restored to the original multimedia information by a scanning conversion section, a data string adjusting section, an error correction section, a reproducing section and a controller. An output unit reproduces each piece of information and outputs them. In this case, on the basis of the dot codes thus read, the scanning conversion section and controller sense information reproduction parameters, such as the dot size. The sensed parameters are then stored in a parameter memory. According to the parameters stored in the parameter memory, the dot codes are then subjected to a reproducing process.

Claims

1. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having data dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information and markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said reading means includes an imaging element having a specific image range in which said imaging element shoots, and zooming means for varying the image range; and

wherein said parameter setting means includes zooming control means for controlling said zooming means so that a number of said markers present in the image range of said imaging element and a size of said markers have specific values.

2. An information reproduction system comprising;

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein said reading means includes an imaging element for obtaining an image in a plurality of fields by scanning said code for each field;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets the parameters based on a first field image in which the dots shot by said imaging element are present, and also stores values of the set parameters during a same code scanning period.

3. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having data dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information and markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means; and

wherein said processing means also includes marker sensing means for sensing marker candidates in a single screen read by said reading means, and said parameter setting means sets values of the parameters based on an error sensing result during a time when said marker sensing means is sensing the marker candidates.

4. The information reproduction system according to claim 3, wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker sensing parameter for sensing markers.

5. An information reproduction system comprising;

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having data dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information and markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said processing means also includes marker sensing means for sensing marker candidates in a single screen read by said reading means, and counting means for counting a number of the marker candidates sensed by the marker sensing means; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets the values of the parameters based on the number of marker candidates counted by said counting means.

6. The information reproduction system according to claim 5, wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker sensing parameter for sensing markers.

7. The information reproduction system according to claim 5, wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker search area parameter for searching for markers.

8. The information reproduction system according to claim 7, wherein said parameter setting means includes means for resetting the parameters when it has been judged that parameters more suitable for reading said code can be set.

9. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having data dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information and markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said processing means also includes measuring means for measuring a size of said dot; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker sensing parameter used for sensing markers based on the size of the dot measured by said measuring means.

10. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having data dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information and markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said processing means also includes measuring means for measuring a size of said dot; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker search area parameter used for searching for markers based on the size of the dot measured by said measuring means.

11. The information reproduction system according to claim 10, wherein said parameter setting means includes means for resetting the parameters when it has been judged that parameters more suitable for reading said code can be set.

12. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having data dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information and markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said processing means also includes measuring means for measuring a size of the markers; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker sensing parameter used for sensing markers based on the size of the markers measured by the measuring means.

13. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having data dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information and markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said processing means also provides marker measuring means for sensing a size of markers; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker search area parameter used for searching markers based on the size of the markers measured by the measuring means.

14. The information reproduction system according to claim 13, wherein said parameter setting means includes means for resetting the parameters when it has been judged that parameters more suitable for reading said code can be set.

15. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having data dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information and markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said processing means also includes measuring means for measuring a size of matching pattern dots; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker sensing parameter used for sensing markers based on the size of the matching pattern dots measured by the measuring means.

16. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having data dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information and markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said processing means also includes measuring means for measuring a size of matching pattern dots; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker search area parameter used for searching for markers based on the size of said matching pattern dots measured by the measuring means.

17. The information reproduction system according to claim 16, wherein said parameter setting means includes means for resetting the parameters when it has been judged that parameters more suitable for reading said code can be set.

18. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having;

(i) dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information, (ii) markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots, and (iii) matching pattern dots arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to said data dots and the markers;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said processing means also includes inter-dot distance measuring means for measuring a distance between dots in said matching pattern dots; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker sensing parameter used for sensing markers based on the distance between dots measured by the inter-dot distance measuring means.

19. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having;

(i) dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information (ii) markers arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots, said markers being larger in size than the data dots, and (iii) matching pattern dots arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to said data dots and the markers, said matching pattern dots and said markers together determining a data reading reference point;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said processing means also includes inter-dot distance measuring for measuring a distance between dots in said matching pattern dots; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker search area parameter used for searching for markers based on the distance between dots measured by the inter-dot distance measuring means.

20. The information reproduction system according to claim 19, wherein said parameter setting means includes means for resetting the parameters when it has been judged that parameters more suitable for reading said code can be set.

21. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having data dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information and markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said processing means also includes inter-marker distance measuring means for measuring a distance between markers in said code; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker sensing parameter used for sensing markers based on the distance between the markers measured by the inter-marker distance measuring means.

22. An information reproduction system comprising:

reading means for optically scanning and reading codes recorded on a recording medium, said codes representing multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data;

processing means for processing the codes read by the reading means to thereby restore the multimedia information; and

output means for reproducing the multimedia information based on an output signal from the processing means;

wherein each of said codes comprises an arrangement of blocks, each block having data dots arranged so as to correspond to said multimedia information and markers for determining a data dot reading reference point, said markers being larger in size than the data dots and being arranged in a specific positional relationship with respect to the data dots;

wherein said processing means includes parameter setting means for setting information reproduction parameters based on physical information on the codes read by said reading means;

wherein said processing means also includes inter-marker distance measuring means for measuring a distance between markers in said code; and

wherein said parameter setting means sets a marker search area parameter used for searching for markers based on the distance between the markers measured by the inter-marker distance measuring means.

23. The information reproduction system according to claim 22, wherein said parameter setting means includes means for resetting the parameters when it has been judged that parameters more suitable for reading said code can be set.