Semiconductor memory card, apparatus for recording data onto the semiconductor memory card, and apparatus for reproducing data of the semiconductor memory card

• US 6,636,773 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2000
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsushima, Hideki, Inoue, Shinji, Ishikawa, Tomokazu, Tagawa, Kenji, Kozuka, Masayuki, Hirota, Teruto
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grier, Laura A
• Application Number:
  US09/580,818
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 711/170, 711/150, 711/115, 700/94, 369/30.04, 369/30.08
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2207/16 Solid state audio deprecated, only for historical reasons, G06F3/16, G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/16 Storage of analogue signals in digital stores using an arrangement comprising analogue/digital [A/D] converters, digital memories and digital/analogue [D/A] converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 of sound signals

Abstract

A semiconductor memory card for storing audio information with corresponding text information and type information, the type information indicating a type of the text information. The type is classified into at least (a), (b), and (c) in which the text information respectively includes a 1-byte character code sequence, a 2-byte character code sequence, and a 1-byte character code sequence and a 2-byte character code sequence.

Claims

1. A semiconductor memory card for storing audio information with corresponding text information and type information, said semiconductor memory card comprising:

a text storage area;

text information which is stored in a consecutive manner from a start of said text storage area; and

type information which is indicative of whether said text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c) as follows;

type (a) indicates that said text information includes a 1-byte character code sequence;

type (b) indicates that said text information includes a 2-byte character code sequence; and

type (c) indicates that said text information includes a 1-byte character code sequence and the 2-byte character code sequence;

wherein said type information is a first terminated code and a second terminated code which are included in said text information;

wherein the first terminated code is stored at the start of said text storage area when said text information stored in said text storage area does not include the 1-byte character code sequence, and the first terminated code is stored in said text storage area at the end of the 1-byte character code sequence when said text information stored in said text storage area includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

wherein the second terminated code is stored in said text storage area at a position immediately after the first terminated code when said text information stored in said text storage area does not include the 2-byte character code sequence, and the second terminated code is stored in said text storage area at the end of the 2-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in said text storage area includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

wherein a storage position of the first terminated code and a storage position of the second terminated code in said text storage area are indicative of whether said text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c).

2. A recording apparatus for storing audio information with corresponding text information and type information onto a semiconductor memory card which can be inserted into and/or removed from said recording apparatus, the semiconductor memory card including a text storage area, said recording apparatus comprising:

a first recording device operable to record audio information onto the semiconductor memory card; and

a second recording device operable to record text information in a consecutive manner from a start of the text storage area and operable to record type information which is indicative of whether the text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c) as follows;

type (a) indicates that the text information includes a 1-byte character code sequence;

type (b) indicates that the text information includes a 2-byte character code sequence; and

type (c) indicates that the text information includes a 1-byte character code sequence and the 2-byte character code sequence;

wherein the type information is a first terminated code and a second terminated code which are included in the text information;

wherein the first terminated code is stored at the start of the text storage area when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 1-byte character code sequence, and the first terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 1-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

wherein the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at a position immediately after the first terminated code when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 2-byte character code sequence, and the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 2-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

wherein a storage position of the first terminated code and a storage position of the second terminated code in the text storage area are indicative of whether the text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c).

3. A recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reading audio information with corresponding text information and type information to/from a semiconductor memory card which can be inserted into and/or removed from said recording/reproducing apparatus, the semiconductor memory card including a text storage area, said recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:

a first recording device operable to record audio information onto the semiconductor memory card; and

a second recording device operable to record text information in a consecutive manner from a start of the text storage area and operable to record type information which is indicative of whether the text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c) as follows;

type (a) indicates that the text information includes a 1-byte character code sequence;

type (b) indicates that the text information includes a 2-byte character code sequence; and

type (c) indicates that the text information includes a 1-byte character code sequence and the 2-byte character code sequence; and

a read-out device operable to read out audio information and corresponding text information and type information from the semiconductor memory card;

wherein the type information is a first terminated code and a second terminated code which are included in the text information;

wherein the first terminated code is stored at the start of the text storage area when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 1-byte character code sequence, and the first terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 1-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

wherein the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at a position immediately after the first terminated code when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 2-byte character code sequence, and the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 2-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

wherein a storage position of the first terminated code and a storage position of the second terminated code in the text storage area are indicative of whether the text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c);

a reproducing device operable to reproduce the read out audio information; and

a control device operable to control a display unit to display either the 1-byte character code sequence or a 2-byte character code sequence in accordance with the read out type information.

4. A reproducing apparatus for reading out audio information with corresponding text information and type information from a semiconductor memory card which can be inserted into and/or removed from said reproducing apparatus, the semiconductor memory card including a text storage area, said reproducing apparatus comprising:

a read-out device operable to read out audio information and corresponding text information and type information from the semiconductor memory card;

wherein the text information is stored in a consecutive manner from a start of the text storage area and the type information is indicative of whether the text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c) as follows;

type (a) indicates that the text information includes a 1-byte character code sequence;

type (b) indicates that the text information includes a 2-byte character code sequence; and

type (c) indicates that the text information includes a 1-byte character code sequence and the 2-byte character code sequence;

wherein the type information is a first terminated code and a second terminated code which are included in the text information;

wherein the first terminated code is stored at the start of the text storage area when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 1-byte character code sequence, and the first terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 1-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

wherein the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at a position immediately after the first terminated code when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 2-byte character code sequence, and the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 2-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

wherein a storage position of the first terminated code and a storage position of the second terminated code in the text storage area are indicative of whether the text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c);

a reproducing device operable to reproduce the read out audio information; and

a control device operable to control a display unit to display either the 1-byte character code sequence or a 2-byte character code sequence in accordance with the read out type information.

5. A semiconductor memory card for storing audio information with corresponding text information and type information, the type information indicating a type of the text information, wherein the type is classified into at least (a), (b), and (c) in which the text information respectively includes a 1-byte character code sequence, a 2-byte character code sequence, and a 1-byte character code sequence and a 2-byte character code sequence, wherein:

the text information is stored in a text storage area, which is a part of said semiconductor memory card, consecutively from the start of said text storage area;

the type information is a first terminated code and a second terminated code which are included in the text information;

the first terminated code is stored at the start of said text storage area when the text information stored in said text storage area does not include a 1-byte character code sequence, and is stored in said text storage area at the end of a 1-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in said text storage area includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

the second terminated code is stored in said text storage area at a position immediately after the first terminated code when the text information stored in said text storage area does not include a 2-byte character code sequence, and is stored in said text storage area at the end of a 2-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in said text storage area includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

combinations of what is stored at the start of said text storage area, a storage position of the first terminated code, and a storage position of the second terminated code indicate the types (a), (b), and (c).

6. A recording apparatus for recording audio information onto a semiconductor memory card which can be inserted into and/or removed from said recording apparatus, said recording apparatus comprising:

a first recording device operable to record the audio information onto the semiconductor memory card; and

a second recording device operable to record text information and type information both corresponding to the audio information onto the semiconductor memory card;

wherein the type information indicates a type of the text information, the type being classified into at least (a), (b), and (c) in which the text information respectively includes a 1-byte character code sequence, a 2-byte character code sequence, and a 1-byte character code sequence and a 2-byte character code sequence;

wherein said second recording device is operable to record the text information and the type information onto a consecutive area located at the start of a text storage area, the type information being a first terminated code and a second terminated code,

wherein said second recording device is operable to record the first terminated code at the start of the text storage area when not recording a 1-byte character code sequence onto the text storage area, and record the first terminated code at the end of a 1-byte character code sequence when recording the 1-byte character code sequence onto the text storage area,

wherein said second recording device is operable to record the second terminated code immediately after the first terminated code when not recording a 2-byte character code sequence onto the text storage area, and record the first terminated code at the end of a 2-byte character code sequence when recording the 2-byte character code sequence onto the text storage area; and

wherein combinations of what is stored at the start of the text storage area, a storage position of the first terminated code, and a storage position of the second terminated code indicate the types (a), (b), and (c).

7. A recording apparatus for recording audio information onto a semiconductor memory card which can be inserted into and/or removed from said recording apparatus, said recording apparatus comprising:

a first recording device operable to record the audio information onto the semiconductor memory card; and

a second recording device operable to record text information and type information both corresponding to the audio information onto the semiconductor memory card;

wherein the type information indicates a type of the text information, the type being classified into at least (a), (b), and (c) in which the text information respectively includes a 1-byte character code sequence, a 2-byte character code sequence, and a 1-byte character code sequence and a 2-byte character code sequence;

wherein the 1-byte character code sequence includes pairs of a 1-byte tag and a plurality of 1-byte character codes, the 1-byte tag indicating a name of an item, and the plurality of 1-byte character codes indicating a content of the item; and

wherein the 2-byte character code sequence includes pairs of a 2-byte tag and a plurality of 2-byte character codes, the 2-byte tag indicating a name of an item, and the plurality of 2-byte character codes indicating a content of the item.

8. A reproducing apparatus for reading out audio information from a semiconductor memory card which can be inserted into and/or removed from said reproducing apparatus and reproducing the read-out audio information, said reproducing apparatus comprising:

a read-out device operable to read out the audio information, text information, and type information from the semiconductor memory card, wherein the type information indicates a type of the text information, the type being classified into at least (a), (b), and (c) in which the text information respectively includes a 1-byte character code sequence, a 2-byte character code sequence, and a 1-byte character code sequence and a 2-byte character code sequence;

a reproducing device operable to reproduce the read-out audio information; and

a control device operable to control a display unit to display either a 1-byte character code sequence or a 2-byte character code sequence in accordance with the read-out type information;

wherein the type information includes a first attribute and a second attribute, the first attribute showing whether the text information includes a 1-byte character code sequence, and the second attribute showing whether the text information includes a 2-byte character code sequence; and

wherein said control device is operable to determine a type of the text information based on the first attribute and the second attribute included in the type information, and to allow the display unit to display a character code sequence corresponding to the determined type of the text information.

9. A reproducing apparatus for reading out audio information from a semiconductor memory card which can be inserted into and/or removed from said reproducing apparatus and reproducing the read-out audio information, said reproducing apparatus comprising:

a read-out device operable to read out the audio information, text information, and type information from the semiconductor memory card, wherein the type information indicates a type of the text information, the type being classified into at least (a), (b), and (c) in which the text information respectively includes a 1-byte character code sequence, a 2-byte character code sequence, and a 1-byte character code sequence and a 2-byte character code sequence;

a reproducing device operable to reproduce the read-out audio information; and

a control device operable to control a display unit to display either a 1-byte character code sequence or a 2-byte character code sequence in accordance with the read-out type information;

wherein the text information is stored in a text storage area consecutively from the start of the text storage area;

wherein the type information is a first terminated code and a second terminated code which are included in the text information;

wherein the first terminated code is stored at the start of the text storage area when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include a 1-byte character code sequence, and is stored in the text storage area at the end of a 1-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

wherein the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at a position immediately after the first terminated code when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include a 2-byte character code sequence, and is stored in the text storage area at the end of a 2-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

wherein combinations of what is stored at the start of the text storage area, a storage position of the first terminated code, and a storage position of the second terminated code indicate the types (a), (b), and (c).

10. A reproducing apparatus for reading out audio information from a semiconductor memory card which can be inserted into and/or removed from said reproducing apparatus and reproducing the read-out audio information, said reproducing apparatus comprising:

a read-out device operable to read out the audio information, text information, and type information from the semiconductor memory card, wherein the type information indicates a type of the text information, the type being classified into at least (a), (b), and (c) in which the text information respectively includes a 1-byte character code sequence, a 2-byte character code sequence, and a 1-byte character code sequence and a 2-byte character code sequence;

a reproducing device operable to reproduce the read-out audio information; and

a control device operable to control a display unit to display either a 1-byte character code sequence or a 2-byte character code sequence in accordance with the read-out type information;

wherein the 1-byte character code sequence includes pairs of a 1-byte tag and a plurality of 1-byte character codes, the 1-byte tag indicating a name of an item, and the plurality of 1-byte character codes indicating a content of the item; and

the 2-byte character code sequence includes pairs of a 2-byte tag and a plurality of 2-byte character codes, the 2-byte tag indicating a name of an item, and the plurality of 2-byte character codes indicating a content of the item.

11. A semiconductor memory card for storing audio information and text information that is reproduced in synchronization with the audio information, said semiconductor memory card comprising:

a text storage area having a fixed size;

text information which includes at least one of a 1-byte character code sequence and a 2-byte character code sequence which are stored in said text storage area;

boundary information which is indicative of at least one of a termination of the 1-byte character code sequence and a beginning of the 2-byte character code sequence; and

type information which is indicative of whether said text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c) as follows;

type (a) indicates that said text information includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

type (b) indicates that said text information includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

type (c) indicates that said text information includes the 1-byte character code sequence and the 2-byte character code sequence;

wherein said text information is stored in said text storage area in a consecutive manner from a start of said text storage area;

wherein said type information includes a first terminated code and a second terminated code;

wherein the first terminated code is stored at the start of said text storage area when said text information stored in said text storage area does not include the 1-byte character code sequence, and the first terminated code is stored in said text storage area at the end of the 1-byte character code sequence when said text information stored in said text storage area includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

wherein the second terminated code is stored in said text storage area at a position immediately after the first terminated code when said text information stored in said text storage area does not include the 2-byte character code sequence, and the second terminated code is stored in said text storage area at the end of the 2-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in said text storage area includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

wherein the boundary information is obtained based on a position of the first terminated code which indicates the termination of the 1-byte character code sequence.

12. A recording apparatus for recording audio information, and text information that is reproduced in synchronization with the audio information, onto a semiconductor memory card which can be inserted into and/or removed from said recording apparatus, the semiconductor memory card including a text storage area having a fixed size, said recording apparatus comprising:

a first recording device operable to record audio information onto the semiconductor memory card; and

a second recording device operable to record text information, type information, and boundary information, each of which corresponds to the audio information, onto the semiconductor memory card;

wherein the text information includes at least one of a 1-byte character code sequence and a 2 byte character code sequence which are stored in the text storage area;

wherein the boundary information is indicative of at least one of a termination of the 1-byte character code sequence and a beginning of the 2-byte character code sequence;

wherein the type information is indicative of whether the text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c) as follows;

type (a) indicates that the text information includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

type (b) indicates that the text information includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

type (c) indicates that the text information includes the 1-byte character code sequence and the 2-byte character code sequence;

wherein said second recording device is operable to record the text information in the text storage area in a consecutive manner from a start of the text storage area;

wherein the type information includes a first terminated code and a second terminated code;

wherein the first terminated code is stored at the start of the text storage area when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 1-byte character code sequence, and the first terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 1-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

wherein the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at a position immediately after the first terminated code when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 2-byte character code sequence, and the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 2-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

wherein the boundary information is obtained based on a position of the first terminated code which indicates the termination of the 1-byte character code sequence.

13. A recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reading audio information, and text information that is reproduced in synchronization with the audio information, to/from a semiconductor memory card which can be inserted into and/or removed from said recording/reproducing apparatus, the semiconductor memory card including a text storage area having a fixed size, said recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:

a first recording device operable to record audio information onto the semiconductor memory card; and

a second recording device operable to record text information, type information, and boundary information, each of which corresponds to the audio information, onto the semiconductor memory card;

a read-out device operable to read out audio information and corresponding text information, type information, and boundary information from the semiconductor memory card;

wherein the text information includes at least one of a 1-byte character code sequence and a 2-byte character code sequence which are stored in the text storage area;

wherein the boundary information is indicative of at least one of a termination of the 1-byte character code sequence and a beginning of the 2-byte character code sequence;

wherein the type information is indicative of whether the text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c) as follows;

type (a) indicates that the text information includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

type (b) indicates that the text information includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

type (c) indicates that the text information includes the 1-byte character code sequence and the 2-byte character code sequence;

a reproducing device operable to reproduce the read out audio information; and

a control device operable to control a display unit to display either the 1-byte character code sequence or a 2-byte character code sequence in accordance with the read out type information;

wherein said second recording device is operable to record the text information in the text storage area in a consecutive manner from a start of the text storage area;

wherein said read-out device is operable to read out the text information from the text storage area in a consecutive manner from a start of the text storage area;

wherein the type information includes a first terminated code and a second terminated code;

wherein the first terminated code is stored at the start of the text storage area when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 1-byte character code sequence, and the first terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 1-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

wherein the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at a position immediately after the first terminated code when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 2-byte character code sequence, and the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 2-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

wherein the boundary information is obtained based on a position of the first terminated code which indicates the termination of the 1-byte character code sequence.

14. A reproducing apparatus for reading audio information, and text information that is reproduced in synchronization with the audio information, from a semiconductor memory card which can be inserted into and/or removed from said reproducing apparatus, the semiconductor memory card including a text storage area having a fixed size, said reproducing apparatus comprising:

a read-out device operable to read out audio information and corresponding text information, type information, and boundary information from the semiconductor memory card;

wherein the text information includes at least one of a 1-byte character code sequence and a 2-byte character code sequence which are stored in the text storage area;

wherein the boundary information is indicative of at least one of a termination of the 1-byte character code sequence and a beginning of the 2-byte character code sequence; and

wherein the type information is indicative of whether the text information is type (a), type (b), or type (c) as follows;

type (a) indicates that the text information includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

type (b) indicates that the text information includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

type (c) indicates that the text information includes the 1-byte character code sequence and the 2-byte character code sequence;

a reproducing device operable to reproduce the read out audio information; and

a control device operable to control a display unit to display either the 1-byte character code sequence or a 2-byte character code sequence in accordance with the read out type information;

wherein said read-out device is operable to read out the text information from the text storage area in a consecutive manner from a start of the text storage area;

wherein the type information includes a first terminated code and a second terminated code;

wherein the first terminated code is stored at the start of the text storage area when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 1-byte character code sequence, and the first terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 1-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 1-byte character code sequence;

wherein the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at a position immediately after the first terminated code when the text information stored in the text storage area does not include the 2-byte character code sequence, and the second terminated code is stored in the text storage area at the end of the 2-byte character code sequence when the text information stored in the text storage area includes the 2-byte character code sequence; and

wherein the boundary information is obtained based on a position of the first terminated code which indicates the termination of the 1-byte character code sequence.