U.S. patent application number 09/094357 was filed with the patent office on 2001-05-31 for disc playback device and media storing a playback control program for the same.
Invention is credited to WATANABE, KENICHI.
Application Number | 20010002223 09/094357 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 15595697 |
Filed Date | 2001-05-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010002223 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WATANABE, KENICHI |
May 31, 2001 |
DISC PLAYBACK DEVICE AND MEDIA STORING A PLAYBACK CONTROL PROGRAM
FOR THE SAME
Abstract
A disc playback device reproduce either video disc or audio disc
which is loaded, comprises: digest playback means for reproducing
each track of the video disc for a predetermined time; scan
playback means for reproducing each track on the audio disc for a
predetermined time; special playback instructing means for
instructing the disc playback device to reproduce each track of the
disc which is loaded, for a predetermined time; disc type judging
means for judging the type of disc to be reproduced; and special
playback control means operating such that when the special
playback instructing means issues an instruction to play back, if
the result of judgement by the disc type judging means shows a
video disc, the special playback control means drives the digest
playback means, and if the result of judgement by the disc type
judging means shows an audio disc, the special playback control
means drives the scan playback means.
Inventors: |
WATANABE, KENICHI; (OSAKA,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LACKENBACH SIEGEL MARZULLO
ARONSON & GREENSPAN
PENTHOUSE SUITE
ONE CHASE ROAD
SCARSDALE
NY
10583
|
Family ID: |
15595697 |
Appl. No.: |
09/094357 |
Filed: |
June 9, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
386/218 ;
386/E5.052; G9B/19.017; G9B/27.019 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 9/8042 20130101;
G11B 27/105 20130101; G11B 2220/2545 20130101; G11B 19/12 20130101;
H04N 9/8063 20130101; G11B 27/36 20130101; H04N 5/85 20130101; H04N
5/783 20130101; G11B 2220/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
386/75 ; 386/106;
386/125 |
International
Class: |
H04N 005/783 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 12, 1997 |
JP |
HEI 9-154961 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A disc playback device reproduce either video disc or audio disc
which is loaded, comprising: digest playback means for reproducing
each track of the video disc for a predetermined time; scan
playback means for reproducing each track on the audio disc for a
predetermined time; special playback instructing means for
instructing the disc playback device to reproduce each track of the
disc which is loaded, for a predetermined time; disc type judging
means for judging the type of disc to be reproduced; and special
playback control means operating such that when the special
playback instructing means issues an instruction to play back, if
the result of judgement by the disc type judging means shows a
video disc, the special playback control means drives the digest
playback means, and if the result of judgement by the disc type
judging means shows an audio disc, the special playback control
means drives the scan playback means.
2. The disc playback device according to claim 1, wherein the
digest playback means outputs a reproduced image of each track to
its related segmental image area on a divided display screen, and
displays a still picture of the reproduced image on the segmental
image area after the reproduction of each track.
3. The disc playback device according to claim 2, wherein the scan
playback means causes display means to display the track number of
the track under reproduction.
4. The disc playback device according to claim 1, further
comprising: a memory for storing the type of disc judged by the
disc type judging means.
5. The disc playback device according to claim 1, wherein the disc
type judging means judges the type of disc use by a TOC on the disc
to be reproduced.
6. A media storing a playback control program for a disc playback
device which is capable of reproducing a video disc for a
predetermined time in a digest playback mode and an audio disc for
a predetermined time in a scan playback mode, the playback control
program including the steps of: when an instruction to play back
each track for a predetermined time is issued, causing the disc
playback device to judge the type of disc to be reproduced; if the
result of judgement shows a video disc, causing the disc playback
device to operate in a digest playback mode; and if the result of
judgement shows an audio disc, causing the special playback control
program the disc playback device to operate in a scan playback
mode.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a disc playback device and
a media storing a playback control program for the disc playback
device. More particularly, the invention relates to a disc playback
device which is capable of playing back a video disc and an audio
disc in a manner that each track of each disc is reproduced for a
predetermined time, and a media for storing a playback control
program for the disc playback device.
[0002] There is known a disc playback device as shown in FIG.
6.
[0003] In FIG. 6, a disc playback device 1 accepts a video compact
disc (CD) (referred to simply as a disc) and/or an audio disc for
its playback or reproduction. The disc playback device 1 reads out
data from the disc loaded by an optical pick-up under control of a
system controller 3. When the data is read out of the video disc,
the data is separated into video data and audio data. The video
data is decoded by an MPEG video decoder 4a. The decoded video data
is image processed in a predetermined manner by a display processor
4b. The processed image data is converted into a corresponding
analog signal by a video D/A converter 4c. The analog signal is
converted into a composite video signal by a video encoder 4d. The
audio data separated from the readout data is decoded by an MPEG
audio decoder 5a. The decoded signal is converted into an analog
signal by an audio D/A converter 5b. The analog signal is then
amplified by an amplifier 5c. The data that is read out of the
audio disc is not MPEG data. Therefore, the data of the audio disc
is input to the audio D/A converter 5b through the MPEG audio
decoder 5a, while not processed by the audio decoder 5a. And it is
converted into an analog signal by the audio D/A converter 5b.
[0004] A specific key on the operation panel 6 is operated to enter
a playback instruction to the disc playback device. In response to
the playback instruction, the system controller 3 executes a
process specified by the instruction. The operation panel 6
includes a digest playback key and a scan playback key, both not
shown, as well as the select switch 6a. When the digest playback
key is operated, the disc playback device 1 reproduces each track
on the video for a predetermined time. When the scan playback key
is operated, the device plays back each track on the audio disc for
a predetermined time. Before operating the digest playback key or
the scan playback key, the video disc or the audio disc is selected
in accordance with the type of the reproduced disc by operating the
select switch 6a. The system controller 3 executes a process of the
digest playback or the scan playback only when the disc type
selected is coincident with the disc type designated by the digest
playback key or the scan playback key.
[0005] The convetional disc playback device described above has the
following disadvantage.
[0006] To set up a special playback, i.e., the digest playback or
the scan playback, the user must take two steps: a first step is to
operate the select switch 6a to designate the type of disc to be
reproduced, and a second step is to operate the digest playback key
or the scan playback key to designate the playback mode. Those key
operations are complicated and troublesome for the user.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to
provide a disc playback device which can designate a special
playback, i.e., a digest playback or a scan playback, through a
simple operation.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
media for storing a playback control program for controlling the
disc playback device.
[0009] To achieve the above object, there is provided a disc
playback device reproduce either video disc or audio disc which is
loaded, comprising: digest playback means for reproducing each
track of the video disc for a predetermined time; scan playback
means for reproducing each track on the audio disc for a
predetermined time; special playback instructing means for
instructing the disc playback device to reproduce each track of the
disc which is loaded, for a predetermined time; disc type judging
means for judging the type of disc to be reproduced; and special
playback control means operating such that when the special
playback instructing means issues an instruction to play back, if
the result of judgement by the disc type judging means shows a
video disc, the special playback control means drives the digest
playback means, and if the result of judgement by the disc type
judging means shows an audio disc, the special playback control
means drives the scan playback means.
[0010] The digest playback means is able to reproduce each track of
the video disc for a predetermined time. The scan playback means is
able to reproduce each track of the audio disc for a predetermined
time.
[0011] The term "track" means a logical set of data. In the case of
a video disc or an audio disc for KARAOKE, a set of data
representative of a piece of music corresponds to a track. The
digest playback produces an image attendant with a sound, while the
scan playback produces only a sound. However, it may be considered
that both the playback modes are substantially the same in their
playback purposes. In other words, the playback purposes of those
playback modes are to retrieve a desired track through the
operation of reproducing each track for a predetermined time.
[0012] The digest playback means may be constructed such that each
track is reproduced for a predetermined time in successive manner.
In the present invention, the digest playback means outputs the
reproduced image of each track to its related segmental image area
on the divided display screen, and displays a still picture of the
reproduced image on the segmental image area after the reproduction
of each track.
[0013] Thus, the reproduced image of each track is output to its
related segmental image area on the divided display screen, and a
still picture is displayed on the segmental image area after the
reproduction of each track. Therefore, with progression of the
reproducing operation, the still pictures of the reproduced images
of the tracks are additively displayed. If the track numbers are
attached to the reproduced tracks, the user can know the track
number of a desired track after the completion of the digest
playback.
[0014] The scan playback means may constructed such that the tracks
are successively reproduced from the first track of those serially
arrayed tracks. Another function may additionally be used. For
instance, the scan playback means causes display means to display
the track number of the track under reproduction. The track number
may be displayed in terms of numerals or in a suitable graphic
manner.
[0015] To a special playback, e.g., a digest playback and a scan
playback, the user instructs the disc playback device to execute
the special playback by use of the special playback instructing
means. The disc type judging means judges the type of disc to be
reproduced, a video disc or an audio disc. If the judged disc is
the video disc, the special playback control means drives the
digest playback means, and if it is the audio disc, the special
playback control means drives the scan playback means.
[0016] Where the technical idea of the present invention is
realized by a software technique, it is evident that a recording
media containing a software describing the technical idea is within
the spirit and scope of the invention.
[0017] In this respect, the present invention provides a media
storing a playback control program for a disc playback device which
is capable of reproducing a video disc for a predetermined time in
a digest playback mode and an audio disc for a predetermined time
in a scan playback mode, the playback control program controlling
the disc playback device such that when an instruction to play back
each track for a predetermined time is issued, the playback control
program causes the disc playback device to judge the type of disc
to be reproduced, if the result of judgement shows a video disc,
the playback control program causes the disc playback device to
operate in a digest playback mode, and if the result of judgement
shows an audio disc, the special playback control program causes
the disc playback device to operate in a scan playback mode.
[0018] The recording media may take any form of media, e.g., a
magnetic recording media, a magneto-optical recording media or any
other recording media to be developed in the future. Further, any
other copies, e.g., primary copies and secondary copies, are also
contained in the recording media, as matter of course. The products
obtained transmitted through communication networks are within the
scope of the invention. What are s stored into semiconductor chips
fall with the present invention.
[0019] The invention may be realized in part by hardware and in
part by software, and in a manner that a part of the technical idea
of the invention is stored in a storage, and it is read out as it
is used.
[0020] Operation to select the digest playback or the scan playback
is simplified and easy.
[0021] It is easy to retrieve a desired track from the video
disc.
[0022] It is easy to retrieve a desired track from the audio
disc.
[0023] A playback control program is suitable for the disc playback
device whose operation is improved to be easy in selecting the
digest playback or the scan playback.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a specific hardware
construction of a disc playback device according to an embodiment
of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a special playback control
program;
[0026] FIG. 3 is a diagram useful in explaining a digest playback
process;
[0027] FIG. 4 is a front view showing a divided display screen used
for the digest playback;
[0028] FIG. 5 is a diagram useful in explaining a scan playback
process; and
[0029] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a hardware construction of
a conventional disc playback device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0030] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0031] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a specific hardware of a
disc playback device, which is an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, a disc playback device 10 includes a
disc drive unit 20. The disc drive unit 20 is made up of an optical
pickup 21, RF signal processor 22, digital signal processor 23, and
servo signal processor 24.
[0033] The RF signal processor 22 receives an electrical signal
from the optical pickup 21, and forms an RF signal, a focus
tracking signal and a tracking servo error signal in accordance
with the electrical signal thus received. The RF signal processor
22 waveshapes the RF signal, and outputs an EFM signal to the
digital signal processor 23. The digital signal processor 23
includes a PLL circuit, an EFM demodulator circuit and the like,
which are not shown. The PLL circuit generates a bit clock signal
used in demodulating the EFM signal. The digital signal processor
23 serially outputs a serial data stream. The digital signal
processor 23 further includes a spindle servo control circuit, not
shown. The servo control circuit controls the disc rotation so as
to provide a fixed linear velocity of the disc.
[0034] A focus tracking signal and a tracking servo error signal
are output from the RF signal processor 22, and input to the servo
signal processor 24. The servo signal processor 24, which contains
various types of servo circuits, performs a servo control in
accordance with the focus tracking signal, to thereby maintain a
fixed distance between the lens of the optical pickup 21 and the
disc signal surface, and another servo control in accordance with
the tracking servo error signal to follow up track pits. Further,
the servo signal processor 24 performs a feed servo control to move
the optical pickup 21 to the inner and outer circumferences of the
disc.
[0035] The disc playback device 10 is capable of playing back or
reproducing the video disc and the audio disc. The reproducing
operations of the video disc and the audio disc are similar to each
other in that the digital signal processor 23 produces a serial
data stream, but are different from each other in the data format
and the subsequent data processings carried out in the stages
succeeding to the digital signal processor 23. The process of
reproducing the video disc will first be described.
[0036] The data stream, which is output from the digital signal
processor 23 during the operation of reproducing the video disc,
comprises video data and audio data, which are arranged in an
interleaving fashion. Therefore, the A/V separator circuit 30
separates the data stream into video data and audio data. The video
data and the audio data are then input to the MPEG video decoder 41
and the MPEG audio decoder 51, respectively.
[0037] The MPEG video decoder 41 and the MPEG audio decoder 51
decode the video data and the audio data, arranges the video data
and the audio data on the same time axis so as to synchronously
reproduce the video data and the audio data, and outputs the
resultant data. The MPEG video decoder 41 includes a RAM (not
shown). The RAM is used as a buffer for temporarily storing input
data or a memory for storing the image data already decoded for the
operation compensation purpose.
[0038] The decoded video data that is output from the MPEG video
decoder 41 is input to the display processor 42. The display
processor 42 processes the video data for a divided display screen
to be described later, and outputs R, G and B color digital signals
each being of 8 bits, to the video D/A converter 43. The horizontal
and vertical sync signals, which are used for generating video
signals, are also generated by the display processor 42. The video
D/A converter 43 converts the digital signals into R, G and B
analog signals and outputs the resultant to the video encoder 44.
The video encoder 44 forms a composite video signal by using the R,
G and B analog signals and the horizontal and vertical sync
signals, and sends the composite video signal to a monitor (not
shown). The decoded audio signal is output from the MPEG audio
decoder 51 to the audio D/A converter 52. The audio D/A converter
52 converts the audio signal into an analog audio signal and
outputs the audio signal to the amplifier 53. The amplifier 53
amplifies the audio signal and applies it to a speaker (not
shown).
[0039] During the process of reproducing the audio disc, the data
stream that is output from the disc drive unit 20 is not the MPEG
data. Therefore, it is input to the audio D/A converter 52 by way
of the A/V separator circuit 30 and the MPEG audio decoder 51; the
audio D/A converter 52 converts it into an analog audio signal and
outputs the analog audio signal to the amplifier 53; and the
amplifier 53 amplifies the analog audio signal and outputs the
amplified one to the speaker.
[0040] Various operation controls of the hardware and the controls
for the digest playback and the scan playback, which will
subsequently be described, are carried out by the system controller
60. In this sense, digest playback means is constructed with the
disc drive unit 20, A/V separator circuit 30, MPEG video decoder
41, display processor 42, video D/A converter 43, MPEG audio
decoder 51, audio D/A converter 52, amplifier 53, and system
controller 60. Scan playback means is constructed with the disc
drive unit 20, audio D/A converter 52 and system controller 60.
[0041] Further, the system controller 60, which controls the
hardware, controls the operation of the display unit 70, and
detects instructions coming from the operation panel 80. The
display unit 70 displays a given count and the track number of the
track under reproduction. With the display by the display unit, the
user can visually know the track number of the track under
reproduction from the display by the display unit 70.
[0042] The operation panel 80 includes various operation keys,
e.g., a playback key. The system controller 60 carries out a
process designated by an instruction, which is entered from the
operation panel 80. The operation panel 80 further includes a
special playback key (not shown). When the special playback key is
operated, an instruction is entered into the disc playback device.
In the device, the system controller 60 detects the instruction,
and carries out a special playback process described by a special
playback control program, which is flow charted in FIG. 2.
[0043] A special playback control flow by the program will be
described with reference to FIG. 2.
[0044] The system controller 60 decides the type of disc that is
loaded into the disc drive unit 20 (step S100). The disc playback
device in this embodiment is capable of playing back or reproducing
the video disc and/or the audio disc. Therefore, the disc playback
device must recognize the type of disc currently loaded in the disc
drive unit 20. Namely, the disc playback device reads a TOC (table
of contents) on the disc to recognize the type of the disc to be
reproduced. More specifically, when the video disc or the audio
disc is loaded to the disc drive unit 20, the system controller 60
detects the setting of the disc, reads the TOC of the disc to be
reproduced, and stores the TOC information into a predetermined
storage area. In the step S100, the system controller 60 refers to
the stored TOC information and decides the type of the loaded disc,
on the basis of the TOC information.
[0045] The controller judges whether or not the loaded disc is the
video disc (step S110). If the answer is YES, the controller
advances to a step S120, and executes a digest playback process. If
the answer is NO, the controller advances to a step S130, and
executes a scan playback process.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 3, in the disc playback device, the tracks
on the disc are sequentially reproduced from the first track to the
subsequent ones in such a way that each track is reproduced for a
predetermined time. When the reproducing operation of the first
track (track 1) starts, the controller instructs the display
processor 42 to output the reproduced image of the first track to
its related display area in a divided display screen. To be more
specific, a front view of the divided display screen is shown in
FIG. 4. As shown, the divided display screen consists of nine
segmental image areas (1) to (9) arrayed in a matrix of 3.times.3.
The reproduced image of the first track is input to the segmental
image area (1), and the operation of reproducing the first track is
stopped after the reproducing operation continues for a
predetermined time. At this time, the controller instructs the
display processor 42 to retain the present still picture in the
segmental image area (1), and to continue the outputting of the R,
G and B image signals.
[0047] After the reproducing operation for the first track is
stopped, the system controller 60 acquires the start address of the
next track (track 2) from the TOC of the video disc under
reproduction, and starts the operation of reproducing the next
track. At this time, the controller instructs the display processor
42 such that the display process outputs the reproduced image of
the next or second track to the segmental image area (2) while
retaining the still picture of the first track in the segmental
image area (1). When the operation of reproducing the second track
has continued for a predetermined time, the display processor 42,
under control of the controller 60, stops the reproducing operation
and retains a still picture of the second track in the segmental
image area (2). Subsequently, the sequential operations including
the steps of 1) retaining a reproduced still picture of the present
track in its related segmental image area, 2) acquiring the start
address of the next track, and 3) reproducing the next track, are
repeated while changing the segmental image areas one to another in
the direction of arrows in FIG. 4. With those operations, after the
digest playback mode ends, the user can know the track number of a
desired track from the still picture present on the display
screen.
[0048] When the disc playback device is in a scan playback mode and
the disc to be reproduced is the audio disc, a first track (tack 1)
is reproduced for a predetermined time and then the reproducing
operation is stopped (FIG. 5). At the end of reproducing the tack
1, a start address of the next track (track 2) is acquired from the
TOC of the audio disc, and the operation of reproducing the next
track starts. Subsequently, this sequence of reproducing operations
is repeated successively. The track number of the track under
reproduction is displayed by the display unit 70. Therefore, the
user can visually know the track number of his desired track
reproduced, from the display by the display unit 70.
[0049] In the sense as mentioned above, the operation panel 80
constitutes special playback instructing means, and the system
controller 60 which executes the special playback control program
constitutes special playback control means.
[0050] As stated already, to select the special playback, i.e., the
digest playback or the scan playback, the conventional disc
playback device needs two steps; one step to operate the select
switch to designate the disc to be reproduced, i.e., the video disc
or the audio disc, and a second step to operate the special
playback key to designate the special playback to be executed,
i.e., the digest playback or the scan playback. Therefore, the
operation to select the special playback is complicated and
troublesome for the user. On the other hand, the disc playback
device of the present invention enables the user to set up the
special playback mode in a simple manner. That is, the operations
required for the user to select this playback mode are only to load
a disc to be reproduced to the device, and to operate the special
playback associated with the type of the loaded disc by use of the
related key. Thus, the operation for setting up the special
playback mode is remarkably improved to be simple and easy.
[0051] The operation of the thus constructed disc playback device
when it is placed in the special playback mode will be described.
To start, the user loads his desired disc to the disc drive unit
20. In response to the disc loading, the system controller 60 of
the disc playback device detects the disc loading, reads the TOC of
the disc to recognize the type of the loaded disc, and stores the
type of the disc into the related storage area. Then, the user
operates his desired special playback key on the operation panel
80. The system controller 60 responds to the key operation to
execute the special playback control program.
[0052] Specifically, the system controller 60 reads out the disc
type information from the storage area (step S100), and decides
whether or not the loaded disc is the video disc on the basis of
the readout information (step S110). If it is the video disc, the
controller starts the digest playback operation (step S130).
[0053] In the digest playback mode, the reproduced image of the
first track is output to the segmental image area (1) (FIG. 4); the
reproducing operation is stopped after the reproducing operation
continues for a predetermined time; and a still picture at that
time is displayed in the segmental image area (1). An audio signal
is output in synchronism with the outputting of the image, as a
matter of course. Then, the image reproduced from the next or
second track is output to the next or second segmental image area
(2) while retaining the still picture of the first track in the
first segmental image area (1). When the reproducing operation
continues for a predetermined time, a still picture at that time is
displayed in the same segmental image area. Subsequently, the third
track is reproduced, the reproduced image is output to the third
segmental image area (3), the reproducing operation of the third
track is stopped after it continues for a predetermined time, and
the fourth track is reproduced while retaining the still pictures
of the third track in the third segmental image area (3), and so
on. At the end of reproducing the last track, the digest playback
mode is completed.
[0054] When the audio disc is set in the disc drive unit 20, viz.,
the disc playback device is placed in the scan playback mode, the
system controller 60 starts the operation of reproducing the first
track and causes the display unit 70 to display the track number of
the first track. After a predetermined time elapses, the system
controller 60 stops the reproducing operation, and reproduces the
second track, while at the same time causing the display unit 70 to
display the track number of the present track. Subsequently, the
sequence of the above operations is repeatedly applied to the
subsequent tracks. At the end of reproducing the last track, the
scan playback mode is completed.
[0055] As described above, in the disc playback device 10 capable
of reproducing the video disc and the audio disc which are set in
the disc drive unit 20, when a special playback key on the
operation panel 80 is operated, the system controller 60 judges the
type of the disc to be reproduced. If that disc is the video disc,
the disc playback device is operated in the digest playback mode.
If the disc is the audio disc, the disc playback device is operated
in the scan playback mode. Therefore, the user can select the
digest playback or the scan playback without regard to the disc
type. The operation of selecting the playback mode is
simplified.
* * * * *