Compressed audio information recording medium, compressed audio information recording apparatus and compressed audio information reproducing apparatus

• US 6,571,055 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1999
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Sawabe, Takao, Tozaki, Akihiro, Yamamoto, Kaoru
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCCIO, VINCENT F
• Application Number:
  US09/444,719
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.591, 386/125-126, 386/46, 386/95, 386/112, 386/124, 386/96, 386/97, 386/98, 386/99, 386/104
• US Class Current: 386/246
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00007 Time or data compression or expansion audio compression based on psychoacoustics G10L19/00; data processing for reproducing audio data at different playback speeds G10L21/04; video compression H04N19/00; data compression per se H03M7/30
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1251 for continuous data, e.g. digitised analog information signals, pulse code modulated [PCM] data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]

Abstract

On an information recording medium such as a DVD audio, record information is recorded. The record information comprises a plurality of information units each including header information and divided-compressed audio information obtained by dividing compressed audio information so as to include one or a plurality of lead data positioned at a lead of compressed partial audio information. The compressed partial audio information is generated by variable-length-compressing partial audio information obtained by dividing raw audio information and by multiplexing it with compression control information. The compressed audio information is generated by arranging the compressed partial audio information in an order of reproduction. The compression control information includes first control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the compressed partial audio information with respect to a first buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information. The header information includes second control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the divided-compressed audio information with respect to a second buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information.

Claims

1. An information recording medium on which record information is recorded, the record information comprising a plurality of information units each including header information and divided-compressed audio information obtained by dividing compressed audio information so as to include one or a plurality of lead data positioned at a lead of compressed partial audio information, the compressed partial audio information being generated by variable-length-compressing partial audio information obtained by dividing raw audio information into a plurality of the partial audio information and by multiplexing the variable-length-compressed partial audio information with compression control information, the compressed audio information being generated by arranging the compressed partial audio information in an order of reproduction, wherein

the compression control information includes first control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the compressed partial audio information with respect to a first buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information, and

the header information includes second control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the divided-compressed audio information with respect to a second buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information.

2. An information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the first control information comprises:

first input time information multiplexed for each of all the compressed partial audio information and indicating a time on a reproduction time axis of the compressed audio information when the compressed partial audio information, to which the first control information belongs, is to be inputted into said first buffer; and

first output time information multiplexed for each of at least one or a plurality of the compressed partial audio information and indicating a time on the reproduction time axis of the compressed audio information when the compressed partial audio information, to which the first control information belongs, is to be outputted from said first buffer.

3. An information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the second control information comprises:

second input time information indicating a time on a reproduction time axis of the record information when the divided-compressed audio information, which is included in the information unit together with the second control information, is to be inputted into said second buffer;

second output time information indicating a time on the reproduction time axis of the record information when the compressed partial audio information, to which first lead data among lead data each positioned at a lead of one or a plurality of the compressed partial audio information included in the divided-compression audio information included in the information unit together with the second control information belongs, is to be outputted from said second buffer; and

third output time information indicating a time on the reproduction time axis of the record information when each of the compressed partial audio information is to be outputted from said first buffer.

4. An information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the first buffer is a FIFO memory in an audio decoder and the second buffer is an input buffer which is located before the audio decoder.

5. An information recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the compression control information is recorded in the lead data.

6. An information recording apparatus for recording record information onto an information recording medium, the record information comprising a plurality of information units each including header information and divided-compressed audio information obtained by dividing compressed audio information so as to include one or a plurality of lead data positioned at a lead of compressed partial audio information, the compressed partial audio information being generated by variable-length-compressing partial audio information obtained by dividing raw audio information into a plurality of the partial audio information and by multiplexing the variable-length-compressed partial audio information with compression control information, the compressed audio information being generated by arranging the compressed partial audio information in an order of reproduction, said information recording apparatus comprising:

a compressed audio information generating device for generating the compressed audio information;

a first control information generating device for generating first control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the compressed partial audio information with respect to a first buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information;

a second control information generating device for generating second control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the divided-compressed audio information with respect to a second buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information; and

a recording device for recording the first control information and the second control information together with the compressed audio information onto said information recording medium after multiplexing the first control information in the compression control information and multiplexing the second control information in the header information.

7. An information recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first buffer is a FIFO memory in an audio decoder and the second buffer is an input buffer which is located before the audio decoder.

8. An information recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the compression control information is recorded in the lead area.

9. An information reproducing apparatus for reproducing compressed audio information in accordance with first control information and second control information, from an information recording medium on which record information is recorded,

the record information comprising a plurality of information units each including header information and divided-compressed audio information obtained by dividing the compressed audio information so as to include one or a plurality of lead data positioned at a lead of compressed partial audio information, the compressed partial audio information being generated by variable-length-compressing partial audio information obtained by dividing raw audio information into a plurality of the partial audio information and by multiplexing the variable-length-compressed partial audio information with compression control information, the compressed audio information being generated by arranging the compressed partial audio information in an order of reproduction, wherein

the compression control information includes the first control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the compressed partial audio information with respect to a first buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information, and

the header information includes the second control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the divided-compressed audio information with respect to a second buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information,

said information reproducing apparatus comprising:

a detecting device for detecting the compressed audio information, the first control information and the second control information respectively from said information recording medium;

the first buffer;

the second buffer;

a controlling device for controlling said second buffer to temporarily store and output the divided-compressed audio information in accordance with the detected second control information, and controlling said first buffer to temporarily store and output the compressed partial audio information outputted from said second buffer in accordance with the detected first control information; and

a reproducing device for applying an expanding process corresponding to the compressing process with respect to the compressed-partial audio information outputted from said first buffer to thereby output the partial audio information.

10. An information reproducing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first buffer is a FIFO memory in an audio decoder and the second buffer is an input buffer which is located before the audio decoder.

11. An information reproducing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the compression control information is recorded in the lead area.

12. An information recording method for recording record information onto an information recording medium, the record information comprising a plurality of information units each including header information and divided-compressed audio information obtained by dividing compressed audio information so as to include one or a plurality of lead data positioned at a lead of compressed partial audio information, the compressed partial audio information being generated by variable-length-compressing partial audio information obtained by dividing raw audio information into a plurality of the partial audio information and by multiplexing the variable-length-compressed partial audio information with compression control information, the compressed audio information being generated by arranging the compressed partial audio information in an order of reproduction, said method comprising:

(a) generating the compressed audio information;

(b) generating first control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the compressed partial audio information with respect to a first buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information;

(c) generating second control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the divided-compressed audio information with respect to a second buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information; and

(d) recording the first control information and the second control information together with the compressed audio information onto said information recording medium after multiplexing the first control information in the compression control information and multiplexing the second control information in the header information.

13. An information recording method according to claim 12, wherein the first buffer is a FIFO memory in an audio decoder and the second buffer is an input buffer which is located before the audio decoder.

14. An information recording method according to claim 13, wherein the compression control information is recorded in the lead data.

15. An information reproducing method for reproducing compressed audio information in accordance with first control information and second control information, from an information recording medium on which record information is recorded,

the record information comprising a plurality of information units each including header information and divided-compressed audio information obtained by dividing the compressed audio information so as to include one or a plurality of lead data positioned at a lead of compressed partial audio information, the compressed partial audio information being generated by variable-length-compressing partial audio information obtained by dividing raw audio information into a plurality of the partial audio information and by multiplexing the variable-length-compressed partial audio information with compression control information, the compressed audio information being generated by arranging the compressed partial audio information in an order of reproduction, wherein

the compression control information includes the first control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the compressed partial audio information with respect to a first buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information, and

the header information includes the second control information to control an inputting and outputting operation of the divided-compressed audio information with respect to a second buffer, which is used when reproducing the compressed audio information,

said information reproducing method comprising:

(a) detecting the compressed audio information, the first control information and the second control information respectively from said information recording medium;

(b) controlling said second buffer to temporarily store and output the divided-compressed audio information in accordance with the detected second control information, and controlling said first buffer to temporarily store and output the compressed partial audio information outputted from said second buffer in accordance with the detected first control information; and

(c) applying an expanding process corresponding to the compressing process with respect to the compressed partial audio information outputted from said first buffer to thereby output the partial audio information.

16. An information reproducing method according to claim 15, wherein the first buffer is a FIFO memory in an audio decoder and the second buffer is an input buffer which is located before the audio decoder.

17. An information reproducing method according to claim 15, wherein the compression control information is recorded in the lead data.