Display of text symbols associated with audio data reproducible from a recording disc

• US 6,174,170 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1997
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Olmedo, Hernan Patricio Silva
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Neill, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harris, Chanda
• Application Number:
  US08/955,180
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 434/307.A, 434/307.R, 434/308, 434/318
• US Class Current: 434/307.00A
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2529 Mini-discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3063 Subcodes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]

Abstract

Text symbols associated with audio data reproducible from a recording disc are displayed by downloading previously stored groups of text characters, each group representing a respective phrase of text. Each text character includes start/end bits to indicate the start and end of respective phrases as well as symbol identifying bits to identify a respective text symbol in the phrase. The start/end and symbol identifying bits of a downloaded group of text characters are used to assemble a phrase of text symbols; and the assembled phrase is displayed.

Claims

1. A method of displaying text symbols associated with audio data that has been recorded on and is reproducible from a recording disc, comprising the steps of:

downloading previously stored groups of text characters, each group representing a respective phrase of text and each text character including start/end bits and symbol identifying bits, the start/end bits designating said each text character as one of at least a start, an intermediary character, a space between characters, and an end of the respective phrase and the symbol identifying bits identifying a respective text symbol for display;

assembling a phrase of text symbols in response to the start/end bits and the symbol identifying bits of a downloaded group of text characters; and

displaying the assembled phrase of text symbols.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said displayed text symbols are karaoke symbols.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assembling a phrase of text symbols comprises storing in a read only memory (ROM) each text symbol to be displayed;

using the symbol identifying bits of each downloaded text character to address said ROM and read therefrom the stored text symbol corresponding to said symbol identifying bits; and

temporarily storing the read text symbol.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said groups of text characters are stored on the same recording disc as is stored said audio data.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said audio data is stored in blocks of frames, with each frame exhibiting a format that includes frame sync data, sync control data, audio data and error correcting data;

and wherein said text characters are stored as one frame in a block in place of said audio data that otherwise would be stored in said one frame.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said frame sync data of said one frame in which text characters are stored differs from the frame sync data of those frames in which said audio data is stored.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said sync control data of said one frame in which text characters are stored differs from the sync control data of those frames in which said audio data is stored.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the frame in which said text characters are stored is provided on said recording disc in advance of those frames in which said associated audio data is stored.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein said audio data is stored in blocks of frames, with each frame exhibiting a format that includes frame sync data, sync control data, audio data and error correcting data;

and wherein said text characters are distributed throughout said sync control data in a block.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said sync control data includes pre-assigned bits and said text characters are represented by bits other than said pre-assigned bits.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein said groups of text characters are stored on a storage medium which is different from the recording disc on which said audio data is stored.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said text characters are stored in frames with each frame exhibiting a format that includes frame sync data, sync control data, said text characters and error correcting data;

and wherein the downloaded text characters are downloaded from said storage medium.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of reading from a recording disc on which said audio data is stored a signal to advance the display from one assembled phrase of text symbols to another assembled phrase of text symbols.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said storage medium comprises a circuit board having a memory and said text characters are stored in said memory;

and wherein the downloaded text characters are downloaded from said memory on said circuit board.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of reading from a recording disc on which said audio data is stored a signal to advance the display from one assembled phrase of text symbols to another assembled phrase of text symbols.

16. Apparatus for displaying text symbols that are associated with audio data that has been pre-recorded on a recording disc, said text symbols being stored as text characters on a record medium, comprising:

a reproducer for recovering groups of said text characters from said record medium, each group representing a respective phrase of text and each text character including position bits and symbol identifying bits the position bits designating said each text character as one of at least a start, an intermediary character a space between characters and an end of the respective phrase and the symbol identifying bits identifying a respective text symbol for display;

an assembler for assembling a phrase of text symbols in response to said position and symbol identifying bits of a recovered group of text characters; and

a display for displaying the assembled phrase of text symbols.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the displayed text symbols are karaoke symbols.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said assembler comprises a read only memory (ROM) for storing at addressable locations all of the text symbols to be displayed;

an addresser for using the symbol identifying bits of a recovered text character to select a location in said ROM from which the text symbol stored thereat is read; and

a RAM for accumulating and temporarily storing the text symbols read from said ROM.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said RAM accumulates a phrase of text symbols.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said groups of text characters are stored on and recovered from the same recording disc as the audio data.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said audio data is stored in blocks of frames, with each frame exhibiting a format that includes frame sync data, sync control data, audio data and error correcting data;

and wherein said text characters are stored as one frame in a block in place of said audio data that otherwise would be stored in said one frame.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said frame sync data of said one frame in which text characters are stored differs from the frame sync data of those frames in which said audio data is stored.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said sync control data of said one frame in which text characters are stored differs from the sync control data of those frames in which said audio data is stored.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the frame in which said text characters are stored is provided on said recording disc in advance of those frames in which said associated audio data is stored.

25. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said audio data is stored in blocks of frames, with each frame exhibiting a format that includes frame sync data, sync control data, audio data and error correcting data;

and wherein said text characters are distributed throughout said sync control data in a block.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said sync control data includes pre-assigned bits and said text characters are represented by bits that differ from said pre-assigned bits.

27. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said groups of text characters are stored on and recovered from a storage medium which is different from the recording disc on which the audio data is stored.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said text characters are stored in a frames with each frame exhibiting a format that includes frame sync data, sync control data, said text characters and error correcting data;

and wherein the downloaded text characters are downloaded from said storage medium.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said RAM stores plural phrases;

wherein the recording disc on which the audio data is stored also stores a phrase advance signal; and

wherein a reader is provided for reading said audio data and said phrase advance signal from the recording disc on which the audio data is stored;

said apparatus further comprising means responsive to said phrase advance signal to transfer to said display a succeeding phrase of text symbols stored in said RAM.

30. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said storage medium comprises a circuit board having a memory and said text characters are stored in frames in said memory;

and wherein the recovered text characters are reproduced from said memory on said circuit board.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said RAM stores plural phrases;

wherein the recording disc on which the audio data is stored also stores a phrase advance signal; and

wherein a reader is provided for reading said audio data and said phrase advance signal from the recording disc on which the audio data is stored;

said apparatus further comprising means responsive to said phrase advance signal to transfer to said display a succeeding phrase of text symbols stored in said RAM.