Recording medium, information reproducing apparatus and information reproducing method

• US 6,622,276 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsui, Shinzo, Morita, Kazuhiko, Akamine, Yoshikazu, Wakamatsu, Seiichi, Mori, Takeshi, Nagasaki, Tatsuo, Fujimori, Hiroyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, David
• Application Number:
  US10/170,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20020199149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 364/900, 235/375, 235/454, 250/223, 198/465.4, 714/752, 369/14
• US Class Current: 714/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/434 using image data, e.g. images, photos, pictures taken by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06225 using wavelength selection, e.g. colour code
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0033 with cards or other card-like flat carriers, e.g. flat sheets of optical film
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/013 for discrete information, i.e. where each information unit is stored in a distinct discrete location , e.g. digital information formats within a data block or sector
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2104 for one or a few pictures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2162 using a non electronic storage unit, e.g. by recording marks on a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3261 of multimedia information, e.g. a sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

A long time optical recording and repeated reproduction of multimedia information is possible. Using a printer system or printing process system, on a recording medium such as a sheet, the so-caled multimedia information in the form of dot codes (36) together with images (32) and characters (34) is recorded. The multimedia information includes audio information such as voices, image information obtainable from a camera and others, and digitally coded data obtainable from a personal computer and other. A pen-like information reproducing device (40) is manually moved to scan the dot codes (36) and to take in the dot codes. The original sound is generated by a voice output device (42) such as an earphone, the original image information is outputted on a display such as a CRT, and the digitally coded original data to a page printer or the like.

Claims

1. A recording medium comprising:

a portion where information is recorded as a dot code that is optically readable by manual scanning,

wherein one piece of information is recorded so as to be divided into a plurality of dot codes as divided information,

wherein each of said dot codes is constructed of a plurality of blocks, and

wherein each of the blocks includes at least;

a data dot pattern having dots arranged in accordance with the divided information; and

an address dot pattern indicating the address of each block.

2. A recording medium according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of dot codes includes header information for identifying an associated one of said divided pieces of information.

3. A recording medium according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of dot codes includes information indicating, in said one piece of information, a position of an associated one of said divided pieces of information.

4. An information reproducing apparatus for optically reading a dot code recorded on a recording medium and reproducing information represented by the dot code,

wherein one piece of information is recorded on said recording medium so as to be divided into a plurality of dot codes as divided information, and

wherein each of said dot codes is constructed of a plurality of blocks, and

wherein each of the blocks includes at least:

a data dot pattern having dots arranged in accordance with the divided information; and

an address dot pattern indicating the address of each block;

said information reproducing apparatus comprising;

reading means for optically reading each of said plurality of dot codes one after another; and

information reproducing means for reproducing said one piece of information when said reading means reads all of said plurality of dot codes.

5. An information reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

each of said plurality of dot codes includes header information for identifying an associated one of said divided pieces of information; and

said information reproducing means reproduces said one piece of information based on the header information.

6. An information reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

each of said plurality of dot codes includes information indicating, in said one piece of information, a position of an associated one of said divided pieces of information; and

said information reproducing means reproduces said one piece of information based on the information indicating said associated one of said divided pieces of information.

7. An information reproducing method for optically reading a dot code recorded on a recording medium and reproducing information represented by the dot code,

wherein one piece of information is recorded on said recording medium so as to be divided into a plurality of dot codes as divided information;

and

wherein each of said dot codes is constructed of a plurality of blocks, and

wherein each of the blocks includes at least;

a data dot pattern having dots arranged in accordance with the divided information; and

an address dot pattern indicating the address of each block,

said information reproducing method comprising;

optically reading each of said plurality of dot codes one after another; and

reproducing said one piece of information when all of said plurality of dot codes are read.

8. An information reproducing method according to claim 7, wherein:

each of said plurality of dot codes includes header information for identifying an associated one of said divided pieces of information; and

said one piece of information is reproduced based on the header information.

9. An information reproducing method according to claim 7, wherein:

each of said plurality of dot codes includes information indicating, in said one piece of information, a position of an associated one of said divided pieces of information; and

said one piece of information is reproduced based on the information indicating said associated one of said divided pieces of information.