Digital signal recording and playback apparatus for inter-frame and intra-frame compression data

• US 6,014,493 A
• Filed: 07/15/1997
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimoda, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US08/893,173
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 386/6-8, 386/33, 386/40, 386/66, 386/68, 386/81-82, 386/109, 386/111, 386/112, 386/124, 348/384, 348/403-407, 348/476-479, 348/420, 360/8, 360/32
• US Class Current: 386/314
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/125 conditioned by the operating function of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/1875 adaptations for special effects or editing signal processing or indexing therefor G11B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/107 between spatial and temporal predictive coding, e.g. picture refresh
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/88 involving rearrangement of data among different coding units, e.g. shuffling, interleaving, scrambling or permutation of pixel data or permutation of transform coefficient data among different blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/89 involving methods or arrangements for detection of transmission errors at the decoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9264 using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/93 Regeneration of the television signal or of selected parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/945 for signals recorded by pulse code modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

An apparatus for recording and playing back digital data with variable length codes encoded from intra-frame compression data and inter-frame compression data. The apparatus includes a data rearranging circuit for rearranging the intra-frame compression data in the variable length encoded data, an address and a data length adding circuit for adding addresses and data length information of the intra-frame compression data which is output from the data rearrangement means.

Claims

1. An apparatus for recording digital data onto a tape, the digital data having variable length codes that are encoded from a block of intra-frame compression data and a plurality of blocks of inter-frame compression data, the block of intra-frame compression data including a macro block, the apparatus comprising:

data rearranging means for rearranging the macro block so that it is divided into at least two portions and so that the at least two portions are separated by a predetermined interval, which is created by positioning at least a portion of at least one of the blocks of inter-frame compression data between the at least two portions; and

recording means for recording, onto the tape, the digital data that has been rearranged by the rearranging means.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data rearranging means includes a means for rearranging the at least two portions of the macro block into sync block units of recorded code.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

data length adding means for adding addresses and intra-frame compression data length information to an output from the data rearranging means.

4. An apparatus for recording digital data onto a tape, the digital data having variable length codes that are encoded from a plurality of blocks of intra-frame compression data and a plurality of blocks of inter-frame compression data, each block of intra-frame compression data including a macro block, the apparatus comprising:

data rearranging means for uniformly rearranging the digital data by combining a selected one of the blocks of intra-frame compression data with the blocks of inter-frame compression data, said rearranging means dividing the macro block of the selected one of the blocks of intra-frame compression data into at least two portions and varying the arrangement of the at least two portions within the digital data so that the at least two portions are separated by a predetermined interval, which is created by positioning at least a portion of at least one of the blocks of inter-frame compression data between the at least two portions; and

recording means for recording onto the tape, the digital data that has been rearranged by the rearranging means.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the data rearranging means further comprises:

means for dividing the digital data into a predetermined number of data sections each data section having a corresponding one of the blocks of intra-frame compression data and a preselected number of the blocks of inter-frame compression data; and

means for dividing, within each data section, the macro block of the corresponding block of intra-frame compression data into at least two portions and for uniformly arranging, within each data section, the at least two portions so that they are separated by at least a portion of at least one of the preselected number of blocks of inter-frame compression data.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising:

means for adding intra-frame compression address information and data length information to the digital data.

7. An apparatus for recording data in a digital form onto a tape, the digital data having variable length codes encoded from intra-frame compression data and inter-frame compression data comprising a decoding means for decoding high efficiency encoded data, the decoding means comprising:

unusable data detecting means for detecting errors in high efficiency encoded data having address information multiplexed with an encoded unit block of data;

data generating means for generating superfluous data to be placed within the unit block together with an error flag, the superfluous data having a selected number of bits so that the digital data remains at a constant length;

switching means for selectively outputting the encoded data or the output from the data generating means;

control means for controlling the switching means, said control means signaling the switching means to switch and replace a transmission unusable data block with an output from the data generating means after the unusable data detecting means detects an unusable data block address; and

invalid data inserting means for inserting invalid data between the encoded data and the superfluous data, said invalid data inserting means enabling the output data rate of the switching means to remain constant.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the zero data generating means determines the superfluous data as a non-data state so that no data is transmitted and the following correct data are transmitted without intervals.

9. An apparatus for playing back digital data form from a tape, the digital data having variable length codes that are encoded from intra-frame compression data and inter-frame compression data, comprising:

an ordinary video head provided on a rotating drum for ordinary playback operation;

a special video head provided adjacent to the ordinary video head for use in special playback operation;

a first playback processing means for playing back compression encoded digital signals scanned by the ordinary video head;

a second playback processing means for playing back compression encoded digital signals scanned by the special video head;

a means for generating a control signal that indicates which of the first and second playback processing means has a minimal amount of invalid data, said control signal is produced by a calculation that is based on the compression encoded digital signals played back by the first and second playback processing means;

a means for selecting, based on the control signal, one of the compression encoded digital signals played back by the first playback processing means and the compression encoded digital signals played back by the second playback processing means; and

a means for decoding the compression encoded digital signals selected by the selecting means.

10. An apparatus for playing back data in a digital form from a tape, the digital data having variable length codes encoded from intra-frame compression data and inter-frame compression data comprising a decoding means for decoding high efficiency encoded data, the decoding means comprising:

unusable data detecting means for detecting errors in high efficiency encoded data having address information multiplexed with an encoded unit block of data;

data generating means for generating superfluous data to be placed within the unit block together with an error flag, the superfluous data having a selected number of bits so that the digital data remains at a constant length;

switching means for selectively outputting the encoded data or the output from the data generating means;

control means for controlling the switching means, said control means signaling the switching means to switch and replace a transmission unusable data block with an output from the data generating means after the unusable data detecting means detects an unusable data block address; and

invalid data inserting means for inserting invalid data between the encoded data and the superfluous data, said invalid data inserting means enabling the output data rate of the switching means to remain constant.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the zero data generating means determines the superfluous data as a non-data state so that no data is transmitted and the following correct data are transmitted without intervals.

12. An apparatus for recording digital data onto a tape, the digital data having a first frame and a plurality of second frames, the first frame being encoded by an intra-frame compression process, each second frame being encoded by an inter-frame compression process, the apparatus comprising:

data rearranging means for splitting the first frame into at least two parts, and for rearranging the at least two parts of the first frame at regular intervals by positioning at least a part of at least one of the the second frames between the at least two parts; and

recording means for recording, onto the tape, the digital data that has been rearranged by the rearranging means.

13. An apparatus for playing back digital data that is stored on a tape, the digital data having a first frame and a plurality of second frames, the first frame being encoded by an intra-frame compression process and being divided into at least two parts, the at least two parts being arranged at regular intervals by positioning at least a part of at least one of the second frames between the at least two parts, each second frame being encoded by an inter-frame compression process, the apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reading the digital data from the tape; and

data rearranging means for detecting the at least two parts of the first frame and for rearranging the at least two parts so that they are adjacent to one another in the digital data.

14. An apparatus for playing back digital data that is stored on a tape, the digital data having variable length codes that are encoded from a block of intra-frame compression data and a plurality of blocks of inter-frame compression data, the block of intra-frame compression data including a macro block that is arranged so that at least two portions of the macro block are separated by a predetermined interval, which is created by positioning at least a portion of at least one of the blocks of inter-frame compression data between the at least two portions, the apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reading the digital data from the tape; and

data rearranging means for detecting the at least two portions and for rearranging the at least two portions so that they are disposed in a continuous fashion within the digital data.

15. An apparatus for playing back digital data from a tape, the digital data having variable length codes that are encoded from a plurality of blocks of intra-frame compression data and a plurality of blocks of inter-frame compression data, each block of intra-frame compression data including a macro block, the macro block of at least one of the blocks of intra-frame compression data being arranged so that at least two portions of the macro block are separated by a predetermined interval, which is created by positioning at least a portion of at least one of the blocks of inter-frame compression data between the at least two portions, the apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reading the digital data from the tape; and

data rearranging means for detecting the at least two portions and for rearranging the detected at least two portions so that they are disposed in a continuous fashion within the digital data.

16. An apparatus for recording digital data onto a tape, the digital data having variable length codes that are encoded from a block of intra-frame compression data and a plurality of blocks of inter-frame compression data, the block of intra-frame compression data including at least two macro blocks, the apparatus comprising:

data rearranging means for rearranging the at least two macro blocks so that the at least two macro blocks are separated by a predetermined interval, which is created by positioning at least a portion of at least one of the blocks of inter-frame compression data between the at least two macro blocks; and

recording means for recording, onto the tape, the digital data that has been rearranged by the rearranging means.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the data rearranging means includes a means for rearranging the at least two macro blocks into sync block units of recorded code.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising:

data length adding means for adding addresses and intra-frame compression data length information to an output from the data rearranging means.

19. An apparatus for recording digital data onto a tape, the digital data having variable length codes that are encoded from a plurality of blocks of intra-frame compression data and a plurality of blocks of inter-frame compression data, each block of intra-frame compression data including at least two macro blocks, the apparatus comprising:

data rearranging means for uniformly rearranging the digital data by combining a selected one of the blocks of intra-frame compression data with the blocks of inter-frame compression data, said rearranging means varying the arrangement of the at least two macro blocks of the selected block of intra-frame compression data within the digital data so that the at least two macro blocks of the selected block of intra-frame compression data are separated by a predetermined interval, which is created by positioning at least a portion of at least one of the blocks of inter-frame compression data between the at least two macro blocks of the selected block of intra-frame compression data; and

recording means for recording, onto the tape, the digital data that has been rearranged by the rearranging means.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the data rearranging means further comprises:

means for dividing the digital data into a predetermined number of data sections each data section having a corresponding one of the blocks of intra-frame compression data and a preselected number of the blocks of inter-frame compression data; and

means for uniformly arranging, within each data section, the at least two macro blocks of the corresponding block of intra-frame compression data so that the corresponding blocks of intra-frame compression data are separated by at least a portion of at least one of the preselected number of blocks of inter-frame compression data.

21. An apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising:

means for adding intra-frame compression address information and data length information to the digital data.

22. An apparatus for playing back digital data that is stored on a tape, the digital data having variable length codes that are encoded from a block of intra-frame compression data and a plurality of blocks of inter-frame compression data, the block of intra-frame compression data including at least two macro blocks that are arranged so that the at least two macro blocks are separated by a predetermined interval, which is created by positioning at least a portion of at least one of the blocks of inter-frame compression data between the at least two macro blocks, the apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reading the digital data from the tape; and

data rearranging means for detecting the at least two macro blocks and for rearranging the at least two macro blocks so that they are disposed in a continuous fashion within the digital data.

23. An apparatus for playing back digital data from a tape, the digital data having variable length codes that are encoded from a plurality of blocks of intra-frame compression data and a plurality of blocks of inter-frame compression data, each block of intra-frame compression data including at least two macro blocks, the at least two macro blocks of at least one of the blocks of intra-frame compression data being separated by a predetermined interval, which is created by positioning at least a portion of at least one of the blocks of inter-frame compression data between the at least two macro blocks of the at least one of the blocks of intra-frame compression data, the apparatus comprising:

reproducing means for reading the digital data from the tape; and

data rearranging means for detecting the at least two macro blocks of the at least one block of intra-frame compression data and for rearranging the detected at least two macro blocks so that they are disposed in a continuous fashion within the digital data.