U.S. patent application number 09/730028 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-25 for dubbing apparatus and dubbing method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sony Corporation. Invention is credited to Ozawa, Hiroyuki, Tabuchi, Tatsuhito.
Application Number | 20010033531 09/730028 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18463724 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010033531 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ozawa, Hiroyuki ; et
al. |
October 25, 2001 |
Dubbing apparatus and dubbing method
Abstract
In a dubbing apparatus capable of prohibiting next high-speed
dubbing of a piece of data once completing high-speed dubbing for a
predetermined period of time in a process of high-speed dubbing
from a first recording medium to a second recording medium, such a
piece of data cannot be dubbed at a high speed but can be dubbed at
an ordinary speed during the predetermined period of time in
response to a request for re-dubbing of the piece of data at the
high speed. It is thus possible to achieve an object of the dubbing
apparatus to protect a copyright for prohibiting an operation to
copy data to a plurality of recording mediums at one time. When the
user issues a command to again carry out high-speed dubbing of
pieces of data, high-speed dubbing of pieces of data once subjected
to high-speed dubbing during the predetermined period of time is
deferred. Pieces of data not subjected to high-speed dubbing during
the predetermined period of time are dubbed at a high speed, taking
precedence of the pieces of data once subjected to high-speed
dubbing during the predetermined period of time.
Inventors: |
Ozawa, Hiroyuki; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Tabuchi, Tatsuhito; (Chiba, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Charles P. Sammut, Esq.
Limbach & Limbach L.L.P.
2001 Ferry Building
San Francisco
CA
94111-4262
US
|
Assignee: |
Sony Corporation
|
Family ID: |
18463724 |
Appl. No.: |
09/730028 |
Filed: |
December 5, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
369/47.12 ;
G9B/11.01; G9B/11.053; G9B/20.009; G9B/20.027; G9B/27.01;
G9B/27.012; G9B/27.017; G9B/27.037; G9B/27.05; G9B/7.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 11/10595 20130101;
G11B 27/329 20130101; G11B 20/10 20130101; G11B 27/10 20130101;
G11B 20/1217 20130101; G11B 27/3063 20130101; G11B 11/10502
20130101; G11B 2020/10833 20130101; G11B 27/034 20130101; G11B
2220/2529 20130101; G11B 2220/2545 20130101; G11B 7/28 20130101;
G11B 27/031 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
369/47.12 |
International
Class: |
G11B 007/004 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 17, 1999 |
JP |
P11-359285 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A dubbing apparatus capable of selecting either a
predetermined-speed dubbing mode or a high-speed dubbing mode
allowing dubbing of data to be carried out within a period of time
shorter than that of said predetermined-speed dubbing mode in an
operation to record data played back from a first recording medium
for recording data controlled in program units into a second
recording medium, said dubbing apparatus comprising: time-measuring
means for measuring the lapse of time; time-measurement control
means for requesting said time-measuring means to start a time
measurement for a particular piece of data selected from pieces of
data recorded on said first recording medium and controlled in
program units to undergo high-speed dubbing; time-information
storage means for storing time information produced by said
time-measuring means for a particular piece of data selected from
said pieces of data recorded on said first recording medium and
controlled in program units to undergo high-speed dubbing;
operation means for selecting a particular piece of data desired by
the user as an object of high-speed dubbing from said pieces of
data recorded on said first recording medium and controlled in
program units; and control means for referencing time information
stored in said time-information storage means for a particular
piece of data selected by said operation means as desired by said
user as an object of high-speed dubbing and for switching from said
predetermined-speed dubbing mode to said high-speed dubbing mode or
vice versa in accordance with said referenced time information.
2. A dubbing apparatus according to claim 1, said apparatus further
comprising comparison means for comparing time information stored
in said time-information storage means for a particular piece of
data selected by said operation means as desired by the user as an
object of high-speed dubbing with a predetermined period of time,
wherein said high-speed dubbing mode is switched to said
predetermined-speed dubbing mode or vice versa for said particular
piece of data by said control means in dependence on a result of
comparison produced by said comparison means.
3. A dubbing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said control
means prohibits high-speed dubbing of a particular piece of data
selected by said operation means as desired by the user as an
object of high-speed dubbing but allows predetermined-speed dubbing
of said particular piece of data to be carried out in case a result
of comparison produced by said comparison means indicates that time
information stored in said time-information storage means for said
particular piece of data is smaller than said predetermined period
of time.
4. A dubbing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said control
means allows high-speed dubbing of a particular piece of data
selected by said operation means as desired by the user as an
object of high-speed dubbing in case a result of comparison
produced by said comparison means indicates that time information
stored in said time-information storage means for said particular
piece of data is equal to or greater than said predetermined period
of time.
5. A dubbing apparatus capable of selecting either a
predetermined-speed dubbing mode or a high-speed dubbing mode
allowing dubbing of data to be carried out within a period of time
shorter than that of said predetermined-speed dubbing mode in an
operation to record data played back from said first recording
medium for recording data controlled in program units into a second
recording medium, said dubbing apparatus comprising: information
storage means for storing information associated with one of said
pieces of data stored in said first recording medium and used for
indicating whether or not said piece of data associated with said
information has been subjected to high-speed dubbing during a
predetermined period of time in the past with the present point of
time taken as a reference; first high-speed-dubbing-judging means
for forming a judgment as to whether or not a piece of data stored
on said first recording medium and specified to undergo high-speed
dubbing has been subjected to high-speed dubbing during a
predetermined period of time in the past with the present point of
time taken as a reference on the basis of information stored in
said information storage unit and associated with said piece of
data; and recording control means for assigning pending status to
high-speed dubbing of a piece of data stored on said first
recording medium and judged by said first
high-speed-dubbing-judgin- g means to be a piece of data subjected
to high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period of time in the
past with the present point of time taken as a reference and for
implementing high-speed dubbing of a piece of data stored on said
first recording medium and judged by said
high-speed-dubbing-judging means to be a piece of data not
subjected to high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period of
time in the past with the present point of time taken as a
reference on a priority basis.
6. A dubbing apparatus according to claim 5, said apparatus further
comprising second high-speed-dubbing-judging means for forming a
judgment as to whether or not all pieces of data stored on said
first recording medium, specified to undergo high-speed dubbing and
judged by said first high-speed-dubbing-judging means to have not
been subjected to high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period
of time in the past with the present point of time taken as a
reference have been dubbed at a high speed into said second
recording medium, wherein said recording control means starts
sequential high-speed dubbing for pieces of data stored on said
first recording medium, specified to undergo high-speed dubbing and
judged by said first high-speed-dubbing-judging means to have been
subjected to high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period of
time in the past with the present point of time taken as a
reference in case an outcome of a judgment formed by said second
high-speed-dubbing-judging means indicates that all pieces of data
stored on said first recording medium, specified to undergo
high-speed dubbing and judged by said first
high-speed-dubbing-judging means to have not been subjected to
high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period of time in the
past with the present point of time taken as a reference have been
dubbed at a high speed into said second recording medium.
7. A dubbing apparatus according to claim 5, said apparatus further
comprising second high-speed-dubbing-judging means for forming a
judgment as to whether or not all pieces of data stored on said
first recording medium, specified to undergo high-speed dubbing and
judged by said first high-speed-dubbing-judging means to have not
been subjected to high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period
of time in the past with the present point of time taken as a
reference have been dubbed at a high speed into said second
recording medium, wherein said recording control means starts
sequential high-speed dubbing for pieces of data with high-speed
dubbing thereof put in said pending status in case an outcome of a
judgment formed by said second high-speed-dubbing-judging means
indicates that all pieces of data stored on said first recording
medium, specified to undergo high-speed dubbing and judged by said
first high-speed-dubbing-judging means to have not been subjected
to high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period of time in the
past with the present point of time taken as a reference have been
dubbed at a high speed into said second recording medium.
8. A dubbing apparatus according to claim 5, said apparatus further
comprising: time-measuring means for measuring the lapse of time;
time-measurement control means for requesting said time-measuring
means to start a time measurement for a particular piece of data
selected from pieces of data recorded on said first recording
medium and controlled in program units to undergo high-speed
dubbing; and comparison means for comparing time information
obtained as a result of said time measurement started by said
time-measurement control means with said predetermined period of
time.
9. A dubbing apparatus according to claim 5 wherein: said second
recording medium has a management area for storing management
information for controlling program areas for storing pieces of
data played back from said first recording medium and a playback
order of said pieces of data stored in said program areas; and said
management information stored in said management area of said
second recording medium is edited to make said playback order of
said pieces of data stored in said program areas of said second
recording medium match a playback order of said pieces of data on
said first recording medium.
10. A dubbing-processing method for prohibiting high-speed dubbing
of a program stored on a first recording medium and subjected to
high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period of time in the
past with the present point of time taken as a reference till the
end of the lapse of said predetermined period of time as a reaction
to a command to again carry out high-speed dubbing on said program,
said dubbing-processing method comprising the steps of: forming a
judgment as to whether or not a program stored in said first
recording medium and specified to undergo high-speed dubbing is an
object of high-speed-dubbing prohibition; and permitting
predetermined-speed dubbing of a program stored in said first
recording medium, specified to undergo high-speed dubbing and
judged to be an object of high-speed-dubbing prohibition.
11. A dubbing-processing method according to claim 10, said method
further comprising the steps of: measuring the lapse of time;
forming a judgment as to whether or not said lapse of time measured
for a program stored in said first recording medium, specified to
undergo high-speed dubbing and judged to be an object of
high-speed-dubbing prohibition is at least equal to said
predetermined period of time; and allowing high-speed dubbing of a
program stored in said first recording medium, specified to undergo
high-speed dubbing and judged to be an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition to be carried out if an outcome of said judgment
indicates that said lapse of time measured for said program is at
least equal to said predetermined period of time.
12. A dubbing-processing method according to claim 11, said method
further comprising the step of allowing predetermined-speed dubbing
of a program stored in said first recording medium, specified to
undergo high-speed dubbing and judged to be an object of
high-speed-dubbing prohibition to be carried out if an outcome of
said judgment indicates that said lapse of time measured for said
program is shorter than said predetermined period of time.
13. A dubbing-processing method for carrying out sequential
high-speed dubbing on a program stored on a first recording medium
to a second recording medium in a dubbing apparatus prohibiting
high-speed dubbing of a program stored on a first recording medium
and subjected to high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period
of time in the past with the present point of time taken as a
reference till the end of the lapse of said predetermined period of
time as a reaction to a command to again carry out high-speed
dubbing on said program, said dubbing-processing method comprising
the steps of: sequentially forming a judgment as to whether or not
a program stored in said first recording medium and specified to
undergo high-speed dubbing is an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition; assigning pending status to high-speed dubbing of a
program stored on said first recording medium, specified to undergo
high-speed dubbing and judged to be an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition and implementing high-speed dubbing of a program stored
on said first recording medium, specified to undergo high-speed
dubbing and judged to be not an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition in the past on a priority basis; forming a judgment as
to whether or not all programs each stored on said first recording
medium and judged to be not an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition have each completed high-speed dubbing to said second
recording medium; and recording programs each stored on said first
recording medium and judged to be an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition onto said second recording medium starting with one of
said programs having the lapse of said predetermined period of time
completed upon completion of said high-speed dubbing of all
programs each stored on said first recording medium and judged to
be not an object of high-speed-dubbing prohibition to said second
recording medium.
14. A dubbing-processing method according to claim 13, said method
further comprising the steps of: measuring the lapse of time;
forming a judgment as to whether or not said lapse of time measured
for a program stored in said first recording medium, specified to
undergo high-speed dubbing and judged to be an object of
high-speed-dubbing prohibition is at least equal to said
predetermined period of time; and allowing high-speed dubbing of a
program stored in said first recording medium, specified to undergo
high-speed dubbing and judged to be an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition to be carried out if an outcome of said judgment
indicates that said lapse of time measured for said program is at
least equal to said predetermined period of time after all programs
each stored in said first recording medium, specified to undergo
high-speed dubbing and judged to be not an object of
high-speed-dubbing prohibition have been dubbed at a high speed
onto said second recording medium.
15. A dubbing-processing method according to claim 13, further
comprising the steps of: providing a management area for storing
management information for controlling program areas for storing
pieces of data played back from said first recording medium and a
playback order of said pieces of data stored in said program areas
on said second recording medium; and editing said management
information stored in said management area of said second recording
medium so as to make said playback order of said pieces of data
stored in said program areas of said recording medium match a
playback order of said pieces of data on said first recording
medium.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a dubbing apparatus and a
dubbing method, which are capable of protecting a copyright by
typically execution of a management function for program data to be
dubbed.
[0002] In recent years, a CD (Compact Disc) player functioning as a
playback apparatus capable of playing back data from a CD has been
becoming widely popular. In addition, disc media such an MD (mini
disc), which audio data is recorded and played back, and a
recording/playback apparatus for such disc media have also been
becoming very popular as well.
[0003] Furthermore, there is also popularized an audio system,
which is a combination of, among other components, a CD player and
an MD recorder/player serving as a recording/playback apparatus for
an MD.
[0004] By the way, in a system such as the CD player and the MD
recorder/player, audio data is controlled in units each referred to
as the so-called program. The technical term program used in this
specification means a data group recorded on a disc and controlled
as a unit. In the case of audio data, for example, a program
corresponds to a piece of music. A program is also referred to
hereafter as a track. Thus, in general, a piece of music is also
called a track.
[0005] Generally, in an audio system like the one described above,
audio data played back from a CD by a CD player can be recorded
into an MD by an MD recorder/player in a process known as dubbing
recording.
[0006] There is also a system capable of carrying out the so-called
high-speed dubbing in order to shorten the recoding time.
[0007] In high-speed dubbing, a disc-rotation driving control
system or a playback-signal-processing system employed in the CD
player is controlled so as to play back audio data from a CD at a
predetermined multiple-time speed, which is higher than the normal
playback speed. At the same time, a recording-signal-processing
system employed in the MD recorder/player is also controlled so
that the system operates at a multiple-time speed corresponding to
the multiple playback speed of the CD to receive the audio data
played back by the CD player and record it onto an MD.
[0008] In an integrated apparatus including a CD player as a
playback unit and an MD recorder/player as a recording unit, for
example, it is easy to execute control for the high-speed dubbing
described above so that the CD player and the MD recorder/player
operate at the same time at a predetermined multiple-time speed.
Even in a separate-component system with a playback apparatus
provided separately from a recording apparatus, the playback
apparatus can be connected to the recording apparatus by using
typically a control cable to form a configuration in which the
playback apparatus is capable of communicating with the recording
apparatus. In such a configuration, the high-speed dubbing can be
implemented with ease by synchronously controlling the operations
of the playback apparatus connected to the recording apparatus.
[0009] However, a dubbing operation generates a copy of data of a
musical work or the like produced by the author such as a song and
thus infringes the right of the author. A dubbing operation should
thus be handled as an action to be avoided whenever possible. By
carrying out high-speed dubbing, however, the number of tracks that
can be dubbed per time unit is greater than that obtained from the
normal 1-time-speed dubbing.
[0010] Thus, the user is capable of copying a CD or a track
recorded on a CD to a number of MDs exceeding a range of private
use judged to be normal by a common sense and using the MDs each
containing a copy for some purposes.
[0011] If the user is allowed to carry out high-speed dubbing, the
user is capable of copying a CD or a track recorded on a CD to a
number of MDs during a shorter period of time more and in a more
efficient way than the normal 1-time-speed dubbing. That is to say,
on the other side of the coin, high-speed dubbing promotes
infringement upon a copyright.
[0012] In order to solve this problem, a standard called an HCMS
(High-speed Copy Management System) is proposed.
[0013] In accordance with the HCMS standard, when a digital musical
source such as a CD is copied to media such as an MD in high-speed
dubbing, the next high-speed dubbing of a track completing
high-speed dubbing as a piece of music is prohibited during a
period of at least 74 minutes following a point of time at which
high-speed dubbing of the track was started. The prohibition period
of high-speed dubbing is set at 74 minutes because the maximum
total nominal playback time of a CD is 74 minutes. Since high-speed
dubbing of a track is prohibited during a period of time required
to play back a CD, a dubbing efficiency per track is about equal to
that of one-time-speed dubbing. If a dubbing apparatus is designed
to restrict high-speed dubbing in accordance with the HCMS as
described above, the user is allowed to carry out dubbing within a
range not infringing the copyright of the author. It should be
noted that specifications of an apparatus having a dubbing function
can be determined arbitrarily as long as the specifications do not
violate the standard.
[0014] The following is an example of a generally conceivable
operation to restrict high-speed dubbing in accordance with the
HCMS standard.
[0015] Assume that a disc serving as a source of dubbing has
recorded data like that shown in FIG. 1A. As shown in the figure,
the disc contains 5 recorded tracks Tr1 to Tr5. The user has
already dubbed only the track Tr3 at a high speed at a previous
predetermined time. Thus, the track Tr3 is set as an object of HCMS
management. That is to say, next high-speed dubbing is prohibited
till a period of 74 minutes lapses since the start of the
high-speed dubbing carried out at the previous predetermined time.
It should be noted that the other 4 tracks Tr1, Tr2, Tr4 and Tr5
are not objects of the HCMS management so that each of them can be
dubbed at a high speed at any other time.
[0016] Assume that, in an attempt to carry out dubbing of all
tracks recorded on the CD shown in FIG. 1A under such a
circumstance, the user starts high-speed dubbing by commencing a
playback operation beginning with the track Tr1 on the CD as shown
in FIG. 1B. It should be noted that the tracks Tr1 to Tr5 on the CD
are played back sequentially in a track-number order.
[0017] In this case, the tracks Tr1 and Tr2 can be dubbed at a high
speed sequentially since they are not objects of the HCMS
management. At the end of the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr2,
the operation enters a subsequent stage to dub the track Tr3, which
is an object of the HCMS management. When a high-speed dubbing
operation reaches a time to dub a track serving as an object of the
HCMS management during a process of high-speed dubbing according to
a track playback order of the CD as described above, however, the
high-speed dubbing operation is discontinued to prevent the
subsequent dubbing and recording process from being carried
out.
[0018] By carrying out the operation as described above, the track
under control of the HCMS management at the present time is not
subjected to high-speed dubbing. That is to say, an operation
conforming to the HCMS rule is performed.
[0019] With the restrictive specifications of the high-speed
dubbing described above, however, the recording operation itself to
dub tracks is halted so that the tracks Tr4 and Tr5 are not
subjected to high-speed dubbing after the track Tr3 of the above
example in accordance with the playback order as shown in FIG. 1B
in spite of the fact that the tracks Tr4 and Tr5 are not objects of
the HCMS management.
[0020] Such a restriction of the dubbing function is unreasonable
for the user and becomes an excessive disturbance of the
convenience of the dubbing function. To put it concretely, if a
particular piece of music taken as an object of HCMS management is
found among a plurality of pieces of music during sequential
high-speed dubbing of the pieces of music, control is executed to
halt the high-speed dubbing at a point of time an attempt is made
to dub the particular piece of music and to discontinue the dubbing
operation itself, raising a problem of inhibition of the operation
to dub the particular piece of music taken as an object of HCMS
management and subsequent pieces of music following the object of
HCMS management.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0021] It is thus an object of the present invention addressing the
problems described above to prevent the freedom to use an apparatus
having a dubbing function from being disturbed while taking
protection of the copyright of the author into consideration.
[0022] To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of
the present invention, there is provided a dubbing apparatus
capable of selecting either a predetermined-speed dubbing mode or a
high-speed dubbing mode allowing dubbing of data to be carried out
within a period of time shorter than that of the
predetermined-speed dubbing mode in an operation to record data
played back from a first recording medium for recording data
controlled in program units into a second recording medium, the
dubbing apparatus including time-measuring means for measuring the
lapse of time, time-measurement control means for requesting the
time-measuring means to start a time measurement for a particular
piece of data selected from pieces of data recorded on the first
recording medium and controlled in program units to undergo
high-speed dubbing, time-information storage means for storing time
information produced by the time-measuring means for a particular
piece of data selected from the pieces of data recorded on the
first recording medium and controlled in program units to undergo
high-speed dubbing, operation means for selecting a particular
piece of data desired by the user as an object of high-speed
dubbing from the pieces of data recorded on the first recording
medium and controlled in program units; and control means for
referencing time information stored in the time-information storage
means for a particular piece of data selected by the operation
means as desired by the user as an object of high-speed dubbing and
for switching from the predetermined-speed dubbing mode to the
high-speed dubbing mode or vice versa in accordance with the
referenced time information.
[0023] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a dubbing apparatus capable of selecting either a
predetermined-speed dubbing mode or a high-speed dubbing mode
allowing dubbing of data to be carried out within a period of time
shorter than that of the predetermined-speed dubbing mode in an
operation to record data played back from a first recording medium
for recording data controlled in program units into a second
recording medium, the dubbing apparatus including information
storage means for storing information associated with one of the
pieces of data stored in the first recording medium and used for
indicating whether or not the piece of data associated with the
information has been subjected to high-speed dubbing during a
predetermined period of time in the past with the present point of
time taken as a reference, high-speed-dubbing-judging means for
forming a judgment as to whether or not a piece of data stored on
the first recording medium and specified to undergo high-speed
dubbing has been subjected to high-speed dubbing during a
predetermined period of time in the past with the present point of
time taken as a reference on the basis of information stored in the
information storage unit and associated with the piece of data, and
recording control means for assigning pending status to high-speed
dubbing of a piece of data stored on the first recording medium and
judged by the high-speed-dubbing-judgin- g means to be a piece of
data subjected to high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period
of time in the past with the present point of time taken as a
reference and for implementing high-speed dubbing of a piece of
data stored on the first recording medium and judged by the
high-speed-dubbing-judging means to be a piece of data not
subjected to high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period of
time in the past with the present point of time taken as a
reference on a priority basis.
[0024] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a dubbing-processing method for prohibiting high-speed
dubbing of a program stored on a first recording medium and
subjected to high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period of
time in the past with the present point of time taken as a
reference till the end of the lapse of the predetermined period of
time as a reaction to a command to again carry out high-speed
dubbing on the program, the dubbing-processing method including the
steps of forming a judgment as to whether or not a program stored
in the first recording medium and specified to undergo high-speed
dubbing is an object of high-speed-dubbing prohibition, and
permitting predetermined-speed dubbing of a program stored in the
first recording medium, specified to undergo high-speed dubbing and
judged to be an object of high-speed-dubbing prohibition.
[0025] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a dubbing-processing method for carrying out sequential
high-speed dubbing on a program stored on a first recording medium
to a second recording medium in a dubbing apparatus prohibiting
high-speed dubbing of a program stored on a first recording medium
and subjected to high-speed dubbing during a predetermined period
of time in the past with the present point of time taken as a
reference till the end of the lapse of the predetermined period of
time as a reaction to a command to again carry out high-speed
dubbing on the program, the dubbing-processing method including the
steps of sequentially forming a judgment as to whether or not a
program stored in the first recording medium and specified to
undergo high-speed dubbing is an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition, assigning pending status to high-speed dubbing of a
program stored on the first recording medium, specified to undergo
high-speed dubbing and judged to be an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition and implementing high-speed dubbing of a program stored
on the first recording medium, specified to undergo high-speed
dubbing and judged to be not an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition in the past on a priority basis, forming a judgment as
to whether or not all programs each stored on the first recording
medium and judged to be not an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition have each completed high-speed dubbing to the second
recording medium, and recording programs each stored on the first
recording medium and judged to be an object of high-speed-dubbing
prohibition onto the second recording medium starting with one of
the programs having the lapse of the predetermined period of time
completed upon completion of the high-speed dubbing of all programs
each stored on the first recording medium and judged to be not an
object of high-speed-dubbing prohibition to the second recording
medium.
[0026] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following
description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings in which like parts or elements denoted by
like reference symbols.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] FIG. 1A is a model diagram showing a process to dub only a
track Tr3 among tracks stored in a playback-only recording medium
CD serving as a source of dubbing at a high speed;
[0028] FIG. 1B is a model diagram showing a process to dub all the
tracks stored in the playback-only recording medium CD serving as a
source of dubbing at a high speed following the high-speed dubbing
shown in FIG. 1A;
[0029] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a dubbing apparatus
provided by the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 3A is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure
used for describing clusters, which are each a recording unit of a
writable recording medium MD;
[0031] FIG. 3B is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure
used for describing sectors composing a cluster;
[0032] FIG. 3C is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure
used for describing a sound group;
[0033] FIG. 3D is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure
used for describing a sound group;
[0034] FIG. 3E is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure
used for describing a sound frame;
[0035] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure of
U-TOC (Table of Contents) sector 0 for storing management
information of a writable recording medium MD;
[0036] FIG. 5 is a model diagram showing a method of linking
discrete writable recording areas on a writable recording medium
MD;
[0037] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure of
a frame of a playback-only medium CD;
[0038] FIG. 7A is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure
of a block of a playback-only medium CD;
[0039] FIG. 7B is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure
of a Q channel in sub-code information recorded on a playback-only
medium CD;
[0040] FIG. 8A is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure
for a case in which data of the Q channel shown in FIG. 7B is
recorded in a lead-in area;
[0041] FIG. 8B is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure
for a case in which data of the Q channel shown in FIG. 7B is
recorded in a track area and a lead-out area;
[0042] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing data included in a TOC recorded
in a lead-in area of a playback-only medium CD;
[0043] FIG. 10A is a diagram showing a data structure of the Q
channel in mode 1 of a playback-only medium CD;
[0044] FIG. 10B is a diagram showing a data structure of the Q
channel in mode 2 of a playback-only medium CD;
[0045] FIG. 10C is a diagram showing a data structure of the Q
channel in mode 3 of a playback-only medium CD;
[0046] FIG. 10D is a diagram showing a data structure of the Q
channel in a writable recording medium MD;
[0047] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a table of the alphabetical
characters and their corresponding numerical codes expressed in
binary and octal formats;
[0048] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an HCMS table stored in a
memory;
[0049] FIG. 13 is a model diagram showing a playback-only medium CD
in which tracks under HCMS management coexist with tracks exempted
from the HCMS management;
[0050] FIG. 14 shows a flowchart representing operations carried
out by a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0051] FIG. 15A is a model diagram showing tracks recorded on a
playback-only medium CD, which serves as a playback source;
[0052] FIG. 15B is a model diagram showing a recording area on a
writable recording medium MD, which serves as a recording
target;
[0053] FIG. 16A is a diagram showing a table of cataloged data
recorded in an HCMS management table memory prior to the start of
dubbing;
[0054] FIG. 16B is a diagram showing a table of cataloged data
recorded in the HCMS management table memory after completion of
high-speed dubbing of a first track Tr1;
[0055] FIG. 16C is a diagram showing a table of cataloged data
recorded in the HCMS management table memory after completion of
high-speed dubbing of a third track Tr3;
[0056] FIG. 16D is a diagram showing a table of cataloged data
recorded in the HCMS management table memory after completion of
high-speed dubbing of fifth to tenth tracks Tr5 to Tr10;
[0057] FIG. 16E is a diagram showing a table of cataloged data
recorded in the HCMS management table memory after completion of
high-speed dubbing of a second track Tr2;
[0058] FIG. 17A is a model diagram showing tracks dubbed onto a
writable recording medium MD;
[0059] FIG. 17B is a model diagram showing an order of tracks
dubbed onto the writable recording medium MD prior to a track
rearrangement process;
[0060] FIG. 17C is a model diagram showing an order of tracks
dubbed onto the writable recording medium MD after the track
rearrangement process;
[0061] FIG. 18 shows a table showing an order of dubbing from a
playback-only medium CD to a writable recording medium MD;
[0062] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a pointer table and a
management table in U-TOC sector 0 prior to a track rearrangement
process;
[0063] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the pointer table and the
management table in U-TOC sector 0 after the track rearrangement
process; and
[0064] FIG. 21 shows a flowchart representing operations carried
out by a second embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0065] Some preferred embodiments of the present invention are
described by referring to the accompanying diagrams as follows. In
the dubbing apparatuses implemented by the embodiments, audio data
can be played back from a CD, and recorded onto an MD as well as
played back from the MD. The present invention is exemplified by
using a recording & playback apparatus functioning as a CD/MD
compound machine with a configuration allowing the so-called a
dubbing recording process to record audio data played back from a
CD onto an MD.
[0066] The embodiments are described in the following order:
[0067] 1: Configuration of the Dubbing Apparatus
[0068] 2: MD Track Format
[0069] 3: U-TOC
[0070] 4: Sub-codes and a TOC of a CD
[0071] 5: Typical HCMS Management Operations of the Embodiment
[0072] 6: Dubbing Operations of the Embodiments
[0073] 6-1: First Implementation
[0074] 6-2: Second Implementation
[0075] 1: Configuration of the Dubbing Apparatus
[0076] The description begins with an explanation of the
configuration of an MD/CD compound machine, which is a dubbing
apparatus of FIG. 2 implemented by an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0077] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the dubbing apparatus
provided by the present invention. In the dubbing apparatus shown
in the figure, an MD 90 is mounted on an MD unit for recording and
playing back data onto and from the MD 90, which is an MO (Magnetic
Optical) disc.
[0078] The MD 90 is used as media allowing audio data to be
recorded thereon. The MD 90 is driven into rotation by a spindle
motor 2 during a recording or playback operation.
[0079] An optical head 3 radiates a laser beam to the MD 90
implemented by a magnetic optical disc during a recording or
playback operation to serve as a recording or playback head
respectively. To put it in detail, during a recording operation,
the optical head 3 outputs a laser at a high level for heating a
recording track to the Currie temperature. In a playback operation,
on the other hand, the optical head 3 outputs a laser at a
relatively low level for detecting data from a light reflected by
the optical head 3 due to a magnetic Kerr effect.
[0080] For the above reason, the optical head 3 is equipped with an
optical system and a detector for detecting a reflected light. The
optical system includes a laser diode, a polarization beam splitter
and an objective lens 3a. The objective lens 3a is held by a 2-axis
mechanism 4 movably in directions toward and away from the optical
head 3. A thread mechanism 5 holds the optical head 3 as a whole
movably in the radial direction of the MD 90.
[0081] A magnetic head 6a is held at a counterpart position of the
optical head 3 on the other side of the MD 90. The magnetic head 6a
applies a magnetic field modulated by data supplied thereto to the
MD 90.
[0082] The thread mechanism 5 moves the magnetic head 6a in the
radial direction along with the optical head 3.
[0083] In a playback operation, information detected by the optical
head 3 from a beam reflected by the MD 90 is supplied to an RF
amplifier 7. The RF amplifier 7 processes the information supplied
thereto, extracting a playback RF signal, a tracking-error signal,
a focus-error signal, groove information and the like. The groove
information is absolute-location information recorded as wobbles
created at predetermined intervals on a groove, which is a
recording track on the MD 90. The extracted playback RF signal is
supplied to an EFM/CIRC encoder & decoder unit 8.
[0084] The tracking-error and focus-error signals are supplied to a
servo circuit 9 whereas the groove information is fed to an address
decoder 10 to be demodulated. Address information obtained as a
result of the decoding process carried out by the address decoder
10, address information included in the playback RF signal as data
and obtained as a result of a decoding process carried out by the
EFM/CIRC encoder & decoder unit 8, sub-code information and
other information are supplied to an MD controller 11 to be used in
various kinds of control. The MD controller 11 is a
microcomputer.
[0085] It should be noted that the MD controller 11 functions as a
member for executing the various kinds of control in the MD
unit.
[0086] The servo circuit 9 generates a variety of servo-driving
signals in accordance with the tracking-error and focus-error
signals received from the RF amplifier 7, a track-jump command and
an access command received from the MD controller 11 and
rotational-speed detection information of the spindle motor 2. The
variety of servo-driving signals are used to execute focus control
and tracking control by controlling the 2-axis mechanism 4 and the
thread mechanism 5, and used to control the spindle motor 2 to a
constant linear velocity.
[0087] In the EFM/CIRC encoder & decoder unit 8, the playback
RF signal is subjected to EFM (Eight-Fourteen Modulation)
demodulation and a decoding process such as a CIRC (Cross
Interleave Reed Solomon Coding) decoding process before being
temporarily stored by a memory controller 12 in a buffer memory 13.
It should be noted that playback data is read out by the optical
head 3 from the MD 90 and transferred from the optical head 3 to
the buffer memory 13 intermittently at a transfer speed of 1.41
Mbit/sec.
[0088] The playback data stored in the buffer memory 13 is read
back with timings corresponding to a transfer speed of 0.3 Mbit/sec
and supplied to an audio compression/decompression encoder &
decoder unit 14 in which the playback data is subjected to
playback-signal processing such as a decoding process serving as a
counterpart of audio compression and 16-bit quantization, being
converted into digital audio data at a sampling rate of 44.1 KHz.
The digital audio data is then supplied to a D/A converter 15 for
converting the data into an analog audio signal, which is
subsequently supplied to a terminal TMD of a switch circuit 50.
[0089] In a playback operation of the MD 90, a system controller 21
for controlling the operation of the dubbing apparatus as a whole
executes control to set the switch circuit 50 at the terminal TMD.
Thus, a playback audio signal obtained as a result of conversion of
a signal output by the audio compression/decompression encoder
& decoder unit 14 into an analog audio signal by means of the
D/A converter 15 is supplied to a speaker 53 by way of the switch
circuit 50, a volume adjustment unit 51 and a power amplifier 52.
The speaker 53 finally outputs the playback audio signal as an
output sound.
[0090] It should be noted that operations to write and read out
playback audio data into and from the buffer memory 13 are carried
out by the memory controller 12 by controlling respectively a write
pointer and a read pointer, which each specify an access address in
the buffer memory 13. By making the bit rate of the write operation
greater than the bit rate of the read operation as described above,
the buffer memory 13 can be kept always in an equilibrium state
with data left therein at an amount fixed to a certain degree.
Since the write operation is carried out intermittently, however,
the playback audio data does not overflow the buffer memory 13.
[0091] By outputting a playback audio signal through the buffer
memory 13 in this way, the operation to output the playback audio
signal is never suspended even if the optical head 3 gets out off
the recording track due to typically an external disturbance. This
is because the optical head is restored to a correct position on
the recording track before the playback audio data stored in the
buffer memory 13 runs out so that an access can be made to data at
the position to resume the operation to read out data from the CD
91. Thus, the playback operation can be continued without affecting
the playback output. That is to say, the vibration-proof feature of
the dubbing apparatus can be improved considerably.
[0092] In addition, the recording & playback apparatus also has
a digital interface 54. Playback data produced by the audio
compression/decompressi- on encoder & decoder unit 14 as a
result of decoding in the playback operation is also supplied to
the digital interface 54. The digital interface 54 encodes the
playback data by using, among others, sub-code information
extracted during the playback operation to produce a data stream
having a predetermined digital interface format. The data stream
can be output to a digital output terminal 56 typically as an
optical digital signal. That is to say, the playback data can be
output to an external apparatus as digital data without being
converted into an analog audio signal.
[0093] In an operation to record audio data onto the MD 90, an
analog audio signal, which is a signal to be recorded, is supplied
to an analog input terminal 17. The analog audio signal is
converted by an A/D converter 18 into digital audio data with 16
quantization bits at a sampling rate of 44.1 KHz before being
supplied to the audio compression/decompression encoder &
decoder unit 14 for carrying out audio compression encoding process
on the digital audio data to produce compressed digital audio data
with the amount thereof reduced to about 1/5.
[0094] In addition, it is also possible to record data input
through the digital interface 54 onto the MD 90. That is to say, a
signal with a digital interface format supplied to a digital input
terminal 55 by an external apparatus is decoded by the digital
interface 54, which then extracts digital audio data, sub-codes and
the like from the decoded signal. Control information of the
sub-codes and the like is supplied to the system controller 21. On
the other hand, the digital audio data with 16 quantization bits
and a sampling rate of 44.1 KHz is supplied to the audio
compression/decompression encoder & decoder unit 14 for
carrying out audio compression encoding process on the digital
audio data to produce compressed digital audio data with the amount
thereof reduced to about 1/5.
[0095] Moreover, audio data played back from a CD 91 in the CD unit
to be described later can also be recorded onto the MD 90 in an
operation known as the so-called dubbing recording process. In this
case, the audio data played back from the CD 91 and decoded by an
EFM/CIRC decoder 37 into CD playback data cdg is supplied to the
audio compression/decompression encoder & decoder unit 14 for
carrying out audio compression encoding process on the CD playback
data cdg to produce compressed digital audio data with the amount
thereof reduced to about 1/5. The CD playback data cdg is digital
audio data with 16 quantization bits and a sampling rate of 44.1
KHz.
[0096] A digital input PLL circuit 58 is a member for receiving
digital audio data input through the digital interface 54 or CD
playback data cdg output by the CD unit to be described later and
for generating a clock signal CLK.M synchronized to a
synchronization signal inserted into the input data. The clock
signal CLK.M has a predetermined frequency equal to a multiple of
typically a base frequency fs of 44.1 KHz.
[0097] The frequency of the clock signal CLK.M is further
multiplied or divided to generate a desired frequency. In an
operation to record data supplied to the MD unit as digital data
onto the MD 90, a signal with the desired frequency can be used at
least as a clock signal for signal processing carried out by the
audio compression/decompression encoder & decoder unit 14 or
for transfers of input or output data.
[0098] To-be-recorded data compressed by the audio
compression/decompressi- on encoder & decoder unit 14 is stored
by the memory controller 12 temporarily into the buffer memory 13.
The data is read back from the buffer memory 13 and supplied to the
EFM/CIRC encoder & decoder unit 8. In the EFM/CIRC encoder
& decoder unit 8, the data is subjected to a CIRC (Cross
Interleave Reed Solomon Coding) encoding process and an encoding
process such as the EFM demodulation before being supplied to a
magnetic-head-driving circuit 6.
[0099] The magnetic-head-driving circuit 6 supplies a
magnetic-head-driving signal representing the to-be-recorded data
completing the encoding processes in the EFM/CIRC encoder &
decoder unit 8 to the magnetic head 6a. The magnetic-head-driving
signal supplied to the magnetic head 6a applies a magnetic field of
magnetic N and S poles to the MD 90. At that time, the MD
controller 11 supplies a control signal to the optical head 3,
driving the optical head 3 to generate a laser beam at a high
recording level.
[0100] By the way, in operations to record and play back data onto
and from the MD 90, it is necessary to read out management
information, that is, a P-TOC (Pre-mastered Table of Contents) and
a U-TOC (User TOC), from the MD 90 in advance. From the management
information, the MD controller 11 identifies an address of an area
on the MD 90 to which data is to be recorded and an address of an
area on the MD 90 from which data is to be read out. The management
information read out from the MD 90 is stored in the buffer memory
13. The buffer memory 13 is thus divided into a buffer area for
storing data to be recorded or playback data, and a TOC area for
storing the management information.
[0101] The MD controller 11 reads out the management information by
execution of an operation to play back the information from the
innermost circumference of the MD 90 in advance when the MD 90 is
mounted on the MD unit for the first time, and stores the
management information in the buffer memory 13. The innermost
circumference is a recording area dedicated to the management
information. The management information can be referenced in later
operations to record and play back data onto and from the MD
90.
[0102] The U-TOC can be edited and updated in accordance with an
operation to record or erase data onto or from the MD 90. The MD
controller 11 edits the U-TOC stored in the buffer memory 13 each
time data is recorded or erased onto or from the MD 90. The MD
controller 11 then stores the edited U-TOC into a U-TOC area on the
MD 90 with a predetermined timing.
[0103] The recording & playback apparatus further has a
playback system for the CD 91, which serves as a playback-only
optical disc.
[0104] The CD 91 is mounted on the CD unit for playing back data
from the CD 91.
[0105] The spindle motor 31 drives the CD 91 into rotation at a
constant linear velocity (CLV) . The optical head 32 reads out data
recorded on the CD 91 in a PIT format and supplies the data to an
RF amplifier 35. An objective lens 32a employed in the optical head
32 is held by a 2-axis mechanism 33 movably in the tracking and
focus directions.
[0106] The thread mechanism 34 holds the optical head 32 movably in
the radial direction of the CD 91.
[0107] Besides a playback RF signal, the RF amplifier 35 also
generates a focus-error signal and a tracking-error signal,
supplying these error signals to a servo circuit 36.
[0108] From the focus-error and tracking-error signals, the servo
circuit 36 generates a variety of driving signals such as a
focus-driving signal, a tracking-driving signal, a thread-driving
signal and a spindle-driving signal for controlling operations of
the 2-axis mechanism 33, the thread mechanism 34 and the spindle
motor 31.
[0109] The playback RF signal is supplied to the EFM/CIRC decoder
37. In the EFM/CIRC decoder 37, first of all, the playback RF
signal is subjected to binary conversion to generate an EFM signal.
The EFM signal is then subjected to processes such as EFM
demodulation and a CIRC decoding process for decoding the
information read out from the CD 91 into digital audio data with 16
quantization bits decoded at a sampling rate of 44.1 KHz.
[0110] The EFM/CIRC decoder 37 is also capable of extracting
control data such as a TOC (Table of Contents) and sub-codes, and
supplies the TOC and the sub-codes to the system controller 21 for
use in various kinds of control.
[0111] The EFM signal obtained as a result of the binary conversion
carried out by the EFM/CIRC decoder 37 is also supplied to a PLL
circuit 39.
[0112] The PLL circuit 39 outputs a clock signal PLCK synchronized
to channel bits of the EFM signal received from the EFM/CIRC
decoder 37. At the ordinary one-time speed, the frequency of the
clock signal PLCK is 4.3218 MHz. The clock signal PLCK is used as a
clock signal for typically signal-processing circuits at stages
succeeding the EFM/CIRC decoder 37.
[0113] The digital audio data output by the EFM/CIRC decoder 37 is
converted in a D/A converter 38 into an analog audio signal, which
is supplied to the switch circuit 50. In a playback operation of
the CD 91, the system controller 21 executes control to set the
switch circuit 50 at the terminal TCD. Thus, a playback audio
signal obtained as a result of conversion of a signal output by the
EFM/CIRC decoder 37 into an analog audio signal by means of the D/A
converter 38 is supplied to the speaker 53 by way of the switch
circuit 50, the volume adjustment unit 51 and the power amplifier
52. The speaker 53 finally outputs the playback audio signal as an
output sound.
[0114] In this embodiment, the CD playback data can be dubbed and
recorded onto the MD 90. In this case, the digital audio data
output by the EFM/CIRC decoder 37 is supplied to the audio
compression/decompression encoder & decoder unit 14 as it
is.
[0115] In addition, the digital audio data output by the EFM/CIRC
decoder 37 can also be supplied to the digital interface 54 for
outputting CD playback data cdg having a digital format to an
external apparatus by way of the digital output terminal 56.
[0116] In an operation to play back data from the CD 91, it is
necessary to read out management information, that is, a TOC, from
the CD 91 in advance. From the management, the system controller 21
identifies, among others, the number of tracks recorded on the CD
91 and the address of each of the tracks, which are used for
controlling the playback operations. The system controller 21 reads
out the management information included in the TOC by execution of
an operation to play back information from the innermost
circumference of the CD 91 in advance when the CD 91 is mounted on
the CD unit for the first time, and stores the TOC typically in an
internal RAM 21a employed in the system controller 21. The
innermost circumference is a recording area dedicated to the
management information. The management information included in the
TOC can be referenced in later operations to record and play back
data onto and from the CD 91.
[0117] The system controller 21 is implemented by a microcomputer
for controlling the dubbing apparatus as a whole. The system
controller 21 gives a variety of commands to the MD controller 11
in order to request the MD controller 11 to execute control of the
operations of the MD unit. In an operation to record or play back
data onto or from the MD 90, the system controller 21 receives
management information such as sub-codes from the MD controller
11.
[0118] As for the CD unit, the system controller 21 typically
executes direct control of operations thereof.
[0119] The internal RAM 21a employed in the system controller 21 is
a memory for temporarily storing various kinds of information
required in execution of necessary processing by the system
controller 21.
[0120] In this embodiment, the system controller 21 issues a
variety of commands to the MD controller 11 in accordance with a
clock signal CLK with a predetermined frequency based on the
frequency of the PCLK signal obtained in the CD unit, various kinds
of data and typically the state of a playback operation underway in
the CD unit. It should be noted that the various kinds of data
include the TOC and the sub-codes obtained in a CD playback
operation.
[0121] In addition, in this embodiment, an HCMS-management-table
memory 22 and a timer unit 23 are provided for the system
controller 21. The HCMS-management-table memory 22 and the timer
unit 23 are used in the execution of the HCMS management.
[0122] The HCMS-management-table memory 22 can be implemented
typically by an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read
Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory). The
HCMS-management-table memory 22 implemented by a memory device such
as an EEPROM can be used as a non-volatile memory for storing for
example a cataloged track to be described later and a timer time
measured by the timer unit 23 for the track. A non-volatile memory
is capable of sustaining data stored therein even if, for example,
the dubbing apparatus is reset or the power supply is turned off.
In addition, a predetermined storage area in the internal RAM 21a
in the system controller 21 can be allocated to such a table
instead of employing a separate RAM as the HCMS-management-table
memory 22.
[0123] It should be noted that HCMS-management operations using the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 and the timer unit 23 will be
described later. The HCMS management is various kinds of
information management and operation control for implementing
operations to restrict dubbing in accordance with HCMS
regulations.
[0124] It should be noted that such an implementation of the
control system is typical. As an alternative, it is also possible
to provide a CD controller for executing control on the CD unit. In
addition, the system controller 21 and the MD controller 11 can
also be implemented in an integrated unit.
[0125] An operation unit 19 includes a recording key, a stop key,
an AMS (Auto Music Sensor) key, a search key and a dubbing key,
which can be operated by the user to carry out operations to record
and play back musical data onto and from the MD 90 or the CD 91.
The dubbing key is operated to set ordinary-speed dubbing or
high-speed dubbing.
[0126] By operating the operation unit 19, it is also possible to
enter a string of characters to be recorded as additional data onto
the MD 90, to confirm the cataloging of the string of characters
and to set a cataloging mode.
[0127] Operation information generated by the operation unit 19 is
supplied to the system controller 21. The system controller 21
drives other components to carry out necessary operations by
execution of an operating program in accordance with the operation
information.
[0128] It should be noted that the operation unit 19 may include an
additional remote-operation function for executing an operation in
accordance with a command issued by typically an infrared-ray
remote commander.
[0129] A display unit 20 carries out a necessary operation to
display information such as a playback time and a recording time of
the MD 90 and the CD 91. In addition, the system controller 21 also
displays various kinds of information including information on time
such as a total performance time and lapse times of playback and
recording operations, a track number and an operating mode on the
display unit 20.
[0130] Thus, the recording & playback apparatus having the
configuration described above is capable of carrying out an MD
playback operation, an MD recording operation, a CD playback
operation and a dubbing operation from the CD 91 to the MD 90.
[0131] In particular, a dubbing operation from the CD 91 to the MD
90 carried out by this embodiment may be a normal-speed dubbing
operation performed at the ordinary one-time speed or a high-speed
dubbing operation performed at a predetermined multiple or an
N-time speed higher than the normal one-time speed where N is an
integer .gtoreq.2.
[0132] In a high-speed dubbing operation, first of all, a servo
circuit 36 employed in the CD unit drives the spindle motor 31 at a
CLV equivalent to the N-time speed equal to N times the normal
one-time speed where N is an integer .gtoreq.2. In this state, data
is played back from the CD 91. Assume that N is 2. In this case,
the PLL circuit sets a clock frequency at 2.times.4.3218 MHz=8.6436
MHz, which is equal to 2 times the clock frequency at the normal
1-time speed, as a target value of a locked state corresponding to
the 2-time speed. It should be noted that the system controller 21
controls a switching operation to change the target value for the
PLL circuit With the PLL circuit 39 put in a locked state as
described above, the CD 91 is controlled to a stable rotation at a
2-time CLV and the EFM/CIRC decoder 37 as well as the D/A converter
38 are carrying out normal processing at a 2-time speed.
[0133] Then, by carrying out the processing at the 2-time speed in
this way, CD playback data cdg with 16 quantization bits and a
sampling rate of 88.2 KHz (=2.times.44.1 KHz) is transferred to the
audio compression/decompression encoder & decoder unit 14
employed in the MD unit at a transfer rate 2 times that for the
normal 1-time speed.
[0134] The CD playback data cdg is also supplied to a digital input
PLL circuit 58 employed in the MD unit at the 2-time transfer rate.
The digital input PLL circuit 58 sets a clock frequency equal to 2
times the clock frequency at the normal 1-time speed as a target
value of a locked state corresponding to the 2-time speed. It
should be noted that the MD controller 11 controls a switching
operation to change the target value for the digital input PLL
circuit 58 in accordance with a command issued by the system
controller 21.
[0135] With the digital input PLL circuit 58 put in a locked state
as described above, a clock frequency equal to 2 times the clock
frequency at the normal 1-time speed is obtained as the frequency
of the clock signal CLK.M. With timings set by the clock signal
CLK.M, the audio compression/decompression encoder & decoder
unit 14 carries out signal compression processing and transfers
data to the memory controller 12. As a result, it is possible to
carry out processing of the signal to be recorded in
synchronization with the CD playback data received from the CD unit
at a 2-time transfer rate.
[0136] The operation by the EFM/CIRC encoder & decoder unit 8
to read out data from the buffer memory 13, signal processing by
the EFM/CIRC encoder & decoder unit 8 and all other processing
in the MD unit including an operation to record the data onto the
MD 90 are carried out with operation timings set by properly using
a master clock signal generated by the MD controller 11 or a clock
signal or the like obtained during rotation control based on a
wobble period formed on the MD 90.
[0137] As is obvious from the previous description, during a
recording operation in the MD unit, data is read out from the
buffer memory 13 and recorded into the MD 90 at a speed higher than
a speed to write data into the buffer memory 13. Thus, data must be
read out from the buffer memory 13 and recorded into the MD 90
intermittently to sustain the buffer memory 13 always in an
equilibrium state with data left therein at an amount fixed to a
certain degree. To put it in detail, when the amount of data stored
in the buffer memory 13 exceeds a predetermined value, data is
written onto the MD 90. As the operation to write data onto the MD
90 makes the amount of data stored in the buffer memory 13 smaller
than a predetermined value or equal to 0, the write operation is
put in a wait state till the amount of data stored in the buffer
memory 13 is restored to the predetermined value allowing the write
operation to be resumed. These operations are carried out
repeatedly.
[0138] For the reason described above, it is not necessary to set
the driven-rotation speed of the MD 90, the transfer rate of data
input to and output from the EFM/CIRC encoder & decoder unit 8
and the signal processing speed at respective values for the
N-time-speed dubbing, that is, at respective values corresponding
to the N-time speed in the CD unit.
[0139] Assume that, during the N-time-speed dubbing, the
driven-rotation speed of the MD 90, the transfer rate of data input
to and output from the EFM/CIRC encoder & decoder unit 8 and
the signal processing speed at respective values corresponding to
the 1-time speed in the CD unit. In this case, the wait state of
the operation to write data onto the MD 90 is merely shortened or
the write operation is carried out continuously instead of
intermittently to record the data onto the MD 90 properly.
[0140] It should be noted, however, that, the driven-rotation speed
of the MD 90, the transfer rate of data input to and output from
the EFM/CIRC encoder & decoder unit 8 and the signal processing
speed can also be set at respective values corresponding to a
predetermined-N-time speed in the CD unit in dependence on
conditions including typically the capacity of the buffer memory
13.
[0141] 2: MD Track Format
[0142] The following description explains a cluster format of the
recording data track on the magnetic optical disc (MD) 90.
[0143] Data is recorded into a magnetic optical disc in a mini-disc
system in cluster units. The format of a cluster is explained by
referring to FIGS. 3A to 3E.
[0144] An entire recording track in a mini-disc system is a
contiguous sequence of clusters (CL) shown in FIG. 3A. A cluster is
a minimum recording unit. 1 cluster corresponds to 2 to 3 circular
tracks.
[0145] Each of the sectors comprises a sub-data area consisting of
4 sectors SFC to SFF and a main-data area consisting of 32 sectors
S00 to SlF as shown in FIG. 3B. In the case of an audio system, the
main data is audio data compressed in ATRAC (Adaptive TRansform
Acoustic Coding) processing.
[0146] Used as a data unit, a sector is 2,352 bytes in length.
[0147] The 4-sector sub-data area is used for storing sub-data or
used as a linking area. On the other hand, the 32-sector main-data
area is used for storing main data and TOC data. Since the
interleave length of the CIRC technique adopted this time is
greater than a sector length of 13.3 msec of a CD and the like, the
sectors of the linking area are to-be-discarded sectors provided
for the sake of consistency so that the sectors are basically used
as a reserved area. The sectors can also be used for recording some
pieces of processing and some control data.
[0148] It should be noted that an address is assigned to each
sector.
[0149] A sector is further divided into finer units each referred
to as a sound group. To put it in detail, 2 sectors comprise 11
sound groups as shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D.
[0150] That is to say, 2 adjacent sectors, that is, an even sector
such as a sector S00 and an odd sector such as a sector S01,
include 11 sound groups SG00 to SG0A as shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D. A
sound group SG consists of 424 bytes for accommodating compressed
audio data of an amount corresponding to a time duration of 11.61
msec.
[0151] As shown in FIGS. 3D and 3E, a sound group SG is divided
into an area for recording left-channel data and an area for
recording right-channel data. For example, the sound group SG00 is
used for recording left-channel data L0 and right-channel data R0
whereas the sound group SG01 is used for recording left-channel
data L1 and right-channel data R1.
[0152] It should be noted that the area for recording right-channel
or left-channel data is 212 bytes in length and referred to as a
sound frame.
[0153] 3: U-TOC
[0154] Clusters are spread over the entire area of a magnetic
optical disc (MD) 90 in a format shown in FIGS. 3A to 3E. The area
of the MD 90 can also be viewed as an area comprising
circumferences spread in the radial direction of the MD 90. In this
case, the innermost circumferences are a management area and the
remaining circumferences are a program area following the
management area.
[0155] It should be noted that the innermost circumferences include
a playback-only area for recording playback-only data by phase
pits, and a magnetic optical area following the playback-only area.
The magnetic optical area allows magnetic optical recording and
playback operations to be carried out. The management area
described above covers the playback-only area and the innermost
circumference of the magnetic optical area.
[0156] Thus, the magnetic optical area comprises a portion of the
management area and a portion of the program area following the
management area. The program area includes a main-data area, which
is a recordable user area. Each sector in this main-data area is
used for recording audio data.
[0157] The playback-only area of the management area is used for
storing a P-TOC (Pre-mastered TOC) utilized for controlling the
entire area of the disc. The innermost circumference of the
magnetic optical area in the management area is used for storing a
U-TOC (User Table of Contents). The U-TOC is an information list
for controlling programs recorded in the program area.
[0158] The following description explains a U-TOC sector for
storing management information used for controlling operations to
record and play back tracks onto and from the MD 90.
[0159] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a data structure of
U-TOC sector 0 for storing management information of a writable
recording medium MD.
[0160] It should be noted sectors 0 to 31 can be used as U-TOC
sectors. That is to say, sectors S00 to S1F of 1 cluster in the
management area can all be used as U-TOC sectors. Normally, sectors
1 and 4 are used for storing character information. Sector 2 is
used as an area for storing a recording date and a recording
time.
[0161] U-TOC sector 0 is a data area for recording mainly
management information on tracks recorded by the user and
management information on free areas available for newly recording
additional tracks. Management information recorded in U-TOC sector
0 includes the start address, the end address, copyright
information and emphasis information of each program. The copyright
information of a program can also be regarded as a characteristic
of the program or a track mode.
[0162] In an attempt made to record a track onto the MD 90, for
example, the system controller 21 searches U-TOC sector 0 for a
free area on the MD 90 and records the audio data of the track into
the free area. In a playback operation, the area for recording a
piece of music to be played back is identified from U-TOC sector 0.
Then, an access to the area is made to carry out the playback
operation.
[0163] As shown in FIG. 4, U-TOC sector 0 has a header at the
beginning thereof. The header comprising 12 bytes serves as a synch
pattern.n The header is followed by data of 3 bytes, namely,
"Cluster H", "Cluster L" and "Sector," which are used for storing
the address of this sector. Data following these 3 bytes includes a
maker code, a model code, "First TNO", "Last TNO", sector use
condition "used sector", "disc serial No" and a disc ID. "First
TNO" and "Last TNO" are the numbers of the first and last programs
respectively.
[0164] The disc ID is followed by a pointer for defective areas
P-DFA showing the position of a start table slot (part entry) used
for storing information on a location of a defect generated on the
MD 90. The pointed P-DFA is followed by a pointer for empty slots
P-EMPTY showing the position of a first empty table slot. The
pointer P-EMPTY is followed by a pointer for free areas P-FRA
showing the position of a start table slot used for storing
information on a location of a free area. The pointer P-FRA is
followed by track-number pointers P-TN01, P-TN02, . . . and
P-TN0255, which each show a start table slot used for storing
information on a program. Then, the disc ID through P-TN0255
constitute a corresponding-table pointer data portion.
[0165] U-TOC sector 0 is ended with a management table comprising
255 table slots each having a length of 8 bytes. Each table slot
contains a start address, an end address, a track mode and link
information.
[0166] In the case of the magnetic optical disc 90 provided by the
present embodiment, data may not be necessarily recorded in a
contiguous area on the disc 90. That is to say, a sequential array
of data can be recorded in a plurality of discrete parts on the
recording medium 90. A part is a portion of data continuous along
the time axis that is recorded in a physically contiguous
cluster.
[0167] In the recording & playback unit or the MD unit for
recording and playing back data onto and from the disc 90, data is
stored temporarily in the buffer memory 13 as described above.
Sequential accesses to pieces of data stored in discrete recording
areas on the disc 90 are made intermittently by using the optical
head 3 to store the data into the buffer memory 13. By properly
adjusting the rate of transfer from the disc 90 to the buffer
memory 13 and the transfer rate of the operation to read out data
back from the buffer memory 13, the original sequential array of
data can be restored as playback data.
[0168] To put it in detail, since the transfer rate of the
operation to intermittently write data into the buffer memory 13 is
higher than the transfer rate of the operation to read the data
back from the buffer memory 13, a continuous playback operation of
audio data can be carried out without any disturbance.
[0169] In addition, when a program shorter than an already recorded
program is recorded to overwrite the already recorded program, the
leftover area can be specified as a recordable area controlled by
using the pointer P-FRA without the need to delete a portion of the
already recorded program occupying the leftover area. Thus, the
recording area can be used efficiently.
[0170] The following description explains a technique to link
available discrete areas by using the pointer P-FRA for managing
recordable areas with reference to FIG. 4.
[0171] Assume that the pointer P-FRA showing the position of a
start table slot used for storing information on a location of a
free area is set at 03 h where the suffix h indicates that the
number is expressed in the hexadecimal format. The number 03 h is
the number of a slot in the management table portion comprising 255
table slots. In slot 03 h, data is stored.
[0172] The data stored in slot 03 h is the start and end addresses
of a part, which can be used as an available recording area on the
disc 90. Thus, the start and end addresses represent the locations
of the beginning and the end of the part.
[0173] The data stored in slot 03 h also includes link information.
The link information is the number of a next slot, which is 18 h in
this example. The data stored in slot 18 h is the start and end
addresses of a next part, which can be used as an available
recording area on the disc 90 following the part described by a
slot 03 h.
[0174] The data stored in slot 18 h also includes link information.
The link information is the number of a next slot, which is 2 Bh in
this example. The data stored in slot 2 Bh is the start and end
addresses of a next part, which can be used as an available
recording area on the disc 90 following the part described by a
slot 18 h.
[0175] In this way, slots each containing the start and end
addresses of an available recording area on the disc 90 are linked
to each other by using pieces of link information. The number of
the first slot on such a link for managing all parts each usable as
a recording area is indicated by the pointer P-FRA whereas the last
slot contains link information of 00 h.
[0176] By tracing the link starting with a slot indicated by the
pointer P-FRA to the last slot containing link information of 00 h,
the discrete parts on the disc 90 can be treated like linked areas
on the disc 90. In this way, a recordable part on the disc can be
distinguished from a part, in which data has already been
recorded.
[0177] In the above description, the pointer P-FRA is used to
exemplify a technique to link discrete parts on the disc 90. It
should be noted that the other pointers P-DFA, P-EMPTY, P-TNO1,
P-TNO2, . . . and P-TN0255 are used for indicating a first slot on
a link of discrete parts of different types in the same way as the
pointer P-FRA.
[0178] 4: Sub-codes and a TOC of a CD
[0179] Next, sub-codes and a TOC recorded on the CD 91 are
explained.
[0180] The TOC is recorded in the so-called lead-in area and
sub-codes are inserted into data as described later.
[0181] A frame is the smallest unit of data recorded on a disc
having the CD format. 98 frames constitute a block.
[0182] The structure of a frame is shown in FIG. 6.
[0183] As shown in the figure, 1 frame consists of 588 bits. The
first 24 bits are synchronization data, which is followed by a
14-bit sub-code data area. The sub-code data area is followed by a
sequence of data and a parity bit for the data.
[0184] As described above, 98 frames each having the above
configuration constitute 1 block. Pieces of sub-code data each
extracted from a frame are collected to form block sub-code data
shown in FIG. 7A.
[0185] Pieces of sub-code data extracted from the first and second
frames of a block, that is, frames 98n+1 and 98n+2 shown in FIG.
7A, are a sync pattern. Pieces of sub-code data extracted from the
third to 98th frames of the block, that is, frames 98n+3 and 98n+98
shown in FIG. 7A, are each 96-bit channel data. 96-bit channel data
is P, Q, R, S, T, U, V and W sub-code data of a frame.
[0186] The P and Q channels are used for control such as access
control. It should be noted, however, that the P channel merely
shows a pose portion between tracks. Finer control is executed by
using the Q channel (Q1 to Q96). The 96-bit Q-channel data has a
format shown in FIG. 7B.
[0187] The 4 bits at the beginning of the Q-channel data, namely,
Q1 to Q4, are control data used for indicating, among others, the
number of audio channels, an emphasis, a CD-ROM identification and
whether or not digital copying is possible.
[0188] The control data is followed by 4 bits Q5 to Q8, which are
an address indicating the type of sub Q data.
[0189] The address is followed by 72 bits Q9 to Q80 serving as the
sub Q data. The remaining bits Q81 to Q96 are CRC (Cyclic
Redundancy Check) bits.
[0190] Thus, the lead-in area is used for storing sub Q data, that
is, information in the TOC.
[0191] The sub Q data in the 72 bits Q9 to Q80 of the Q-channel
data stored in the lead-in area has information shown in FIG. 8A.
As shown in the figure, the sub Q data comprises pieces of data
each having a length of 8 bits.
[0192] The piece of data at the beginning of sub Q data is a track
number. The lead-in area is on a track with a number of 00.
[0193] The truck number is followed by POINT, which is further
followed by MIN indicating time information in terms of minutes,
SEC indicating time information in terms of minutes and a frame
number.
[0194] The last 3 pieces of data are PMIN, PSEC and PFRAME which
each have different meanings in dependence on the value of
POINT.
[0195] A value of POINT set in the range 01 to 99 is a track number
and indicates meanings of PMIN, PSEC and PFRAME as follows. The
start point or the absolute time address of the track having a
track number equal to the value of POINT is expressed in terms of
minutes specified by PMIN, seconds specified by PSEC and a frame
number specified by PFRAME.
[0196] A value of POINT set at A0 indicates that PMIN is the track
number of the first track, and PSEC indicates CD-DA (Digital Audio)
CD-I or CD-ROM (XA) specifications.
[0197] A value of POINT set at A1 indicates that PMIN is the track
number of the last track.
[0198] A value of POINT set at A2 indicates that the start point or
the absolute time address of the lead-out area is expressed in
terms of minutes specified in PMIN, seconds specified in PSEC and a
frame number specified in PFRAME.
[0199] Assume for example that 6 tracks have been recorded on the
disc 90. In this case, sub Q data in the TOC has a structure shown
in FIG. 9.
[0200] As shown in FIG. 9, all track numbers (TNOs) are set at
0.
[0201] A block number is the number of a unit of sub Q data read in
as block data comprising 98 frames as described above.
[0202] 3 consecutive blocks contain the same TOC data.
[0203] PMIN, PSEC and PFRAME for POINT having a value of On
represent the start point of the nth track, namely, track #n, where
n=1 to 6.
[0204] PMIN of POINT having a value of A0 is the track number 01 of
the first track. In this case, PSEC identifies the disc. A PSEC
value of 00 indicates that the disc is an ordinary audio CD. It
should be noted that a PSEC value of 20 indicates that the disc is
a CD-ROM conforming to the XA specifications and a PSEC value of 10
indicates that the disc is a CD-I.
[0205] PMIN of POINT having a value of A1 is the track number of
the last track and PMIN, PSEC and PFRAME of POINT having a value of
A2 is the start point of the lead-out area.
[0206] TOC data for block number n+27 and subsequent block numbers
is the same as the TOC data for block numbers n to n+26.
[0207] Sub Q data recorded in the lead-out area and the program
area for recording music data and the like as tracks #1 to #n
includes information shown in FIG. 8B.
[0208] The piece of data at the beginning of sub Q data is a track
number. A track number of n in the range 01 to 99 is track number
#n. A track number of AA indicates the lead-out area.
[0209] The truck number is followed by an index representing a
finer portion of the track.
[0210] The index is further followed by MIN and SEC, which
represent the lapse of time of the track, and FRAME representing a
frame number.
[0211] FRAME is further followed by AMIN, ASEC and AFRAME for
expressing an absolute time address in terms of minutes, seconds
and a frame number respectively.
[0212] In addition, as is generally known, the Q-channel data of a
CD varies in dependence on whether the mode is mode 1, 2 or 3.
[0213] First of all, the Q-channel data of a CD for mode 1 is
explained by referring to FIG. 10A.
[0214] The first 4 bits Q1 to Q4 shown in FIG. 10A are CTL for
indicating, among others, the number of audio channels, an emphasis
and a CD-ROM identification.
[0215] That is to say, the 4-bit control data is defined as
follows:
[0216] 0 *** . . . 2-channel audio
[0217] 1 *** . . . 4-channel audio
[0218] *b 0 ** . . . CD-DA (CD digital audio data)
[0219] *1** . . . CD-ROM
[0220] **0* . . . Disabled digital copying
[0221] **1* . . . Enabled digital copying
[0222] ***0 . . . No pre-emphasis
[0223] ***1 . . . With pre-emphasis
[0224] The control data CTL is set at a value representing the
actual contents of the CD. The control data CTL Q1 to Q4 of the
Q-channel data for modes 2 and 3 to be described later is set in
the same way as mode 1.
[0225] The next 4 bits Q5 to Q8 are an address ADR, which is
control bits indicating the type of the data Q9 to Q80.
[0226] For example, an ADR of 0001 or 1 when expressed in the
hexadecimal format indicates that the following sub Q data Q9 to
Q80 is Q data of an audio CD in mode 1.
[0227] The 72 bits Q9 to Q80 are sub Q data and the remaining bits
Q81 to Q96 are a CRC code.
[0228] The sub data in the 72 bits Q9 to Q80 has information shown
in FIG. 10A. As shown in the figure, the sub Q data comprises
pieces of data each having a length of 8 bits.
[0229] The piece of data at the beginning of sub Q data is a track
number TNO. A track number of n in the range 01 to 99 is track
number #n. A track number of AA indicates the lead-out area.
[0230] The truck number is followed by an index representing a
finer portion of the track.
[0231] The index is further followed by MIN and SEC, which
represent the lapse of time of the track, and FRAME representing a
frame number.
[0232] FRAME is further followed by AMIN, ASEC and AFRAME for
expressing an absolute time address in terms of minutes, seconds
and a frame number respectively. The absolute time address is
continuous time information up to the lead-out area beginning at a
start point of the first track, which is expressed by 0 minutes, 0
seconds and a frame number of 0. The absolute time address is thus
absolute address information for managing tracks on the disc
90.
[0233] FIG. 10B is a diagram showing the structure of Q-channel
data in mode 2.
[0234] The address ADR Q5 to Q8 of the Q-channel data in mode 2 is
set at 0010 or 2 when expressed in the hexadecimal format to
indicate that the sub Q data Q9 to Q80 is Q data of an audio CD in
mode 2.
[0235] The sub Q data Q9 to Q80 in mode 2 is data of up to 13
digits N1 to N13 or 52 (=4.times.13) bits. The data N1 to N13 is
followed by bits of all 0, which are further followed by a frame
number of the absolute time AFRAME and a CRC code.
[0236] The data N1 to N13 is identification information
representing the product number of the CD. The data N1 to N13 is
used for the so-called bar coding.
[0237] FIG. 10C is a diagram showing the structure of Q-channel
data in mode 3. CD specifications allow a piece of Q-channel data
in mode 3 to be inserted into at least 100 consecutive sub-coding
blocks.
[0238] The address ADR Q5 to Q8 of the Q-channel data in mode 3 is
set at 0011 or 3 when expressed in the hexadecimal format to
indicate that the sub Q data Q9 to Q80 is Q data of an audio CD in
mode 3.
[0239] In the area of the sub Q data Q9 to Q80 in mode 3, an ISRC
(International Standard Recording Code) I1 to I12 consisting of 60
bits is stored.
[0240] The ISRC is information used as a number or an
identification peculiar to a track, which is a piece of music.
Typically, the ISRC is an international standard code used for
identifying a track recorded on the CD for managing a
copyright.
[0241] The ISRC is followed by 0 bits, which are further followed
by a frame number of the absolute time AFRAME and a CRC code.
[0242] Pieces of data I1 to I5 among the data I1 to I12 composing
the ISRC are each 6 bits in length. The 6 bits are shown on the
Binary column in a table of FIG. 11 along with characters
represented by the 6 bits and octal representations thereof. The
remaining pieces of data I6 to I12 are each expressed in a 4-bit
BCD representation. Two 0 bits are inserted between the data I1 to
I5 and the data I6 to I12.
[0243] The 12 bits I1 to I2 are a country code, which is 2
characters expressed in the representation shown in FIG. 11 to
identify the name of a country.
[0244] The 18 bits I3 to I5 are an owner code, which is 2
alphabetical characters and 2 numerical characters expressed in the
representation shown in FIG. 11 to identify the name of the owner
in one of 24,480 ways.
[0245] The 8 bits I6 to I7 are a year of record, which is two 4-bit
numbers I6 and I7 each expressed in the BCD format.
[0246] The 20 bits I8 to I12 are the track's serial number of
recording, which is five 4-bit numbers I8 to I12 each expressed in
the BCD format.
[0247] The ISRC comprising these pieces of information is inserted
as a sub-code, which has a value varying from track to track,
allowing the track to be identified.
[0248] The structure of Q-channel data of a mini disc is shown in
FIG. 10D.
[0249] As shown in the figure, in the case of a mini disc, the
Q-channel data includes a track number TNO, index information INDEX
and a CRC code but excludes time information.
[0250] In addition, areas supposed for storing CTL control data Q1
to Q4 and an ADR address Q5 to Q8 are each filled with "0000".
[0251] 5: Typical HCMS Management Operations of the Embodiment
[0252] As is obvious from the explanation given so far, in this
embodiment, high-speed dubbing at a predetermined multiple-time
speed can be carried out. Also as mentioned in the description of
the conventional apparatus, however, it is feared that frequent
operations to dub the same disc or the same track at a high speed
may infringe a copyright since such high-speed dubbing operations
may go beyond the domain of the normal private use.
[0253] In order to solve this problem, in a high-speed dubbing
operation carried out in the dubbing apparatus implemented by this
embodiment, a copyright is protected by imposing a restriction for
each track, which is used as an object of recording, in accordance
with the HCMS standard. That is to say, the dubbing apparatus is
designed into a configuration for executing HCMS management.
[0254] What has been described before is confirmed once again as
follows. In accordance with the HCMS standard, next high-speed
dubbing of a track completing high-speed dubbing as a piece of
music is prohibited during a period of at least 74 minutes
following a point of time at which high-speed dubbing of the track
was started.
[0255] A typical HCMS management operation carried out by the
embodiment is explained as follows.
[0256] FIG. 12 is a typical data mapping structure of the
HCMS-management-table memory 22.
[0257] In the HCMS-management-table memory 22 shown in FIG. 12,
entry areas corresponding to management numbers 1 to 50 are
provided. There are provided as many management numbers as tracks
that can be subjected to the HCMS management. In this example, a
maximum of 50 tracks can be subjected to the HCMS management.
[0258] Information stored in an entry area corresponding to each
management number is classified into 2 main categories, namely, a
track ID and a timer ID. The track ID is further divided into disc
specific information and a track number. The disc specific
information comprises a total performance time, the total number of
tracks and a lead-out address.
[0259] The 3 pieces of information included in the disc specific
information, namely, the total performance time, the total number
of tracks and the lead-out address can be obtained on the basis of
TOC information of a disc on which the track is recorded.
[0260] As is obvious from the description with reference to FIGS.
8A and 9, the TOC of a CD shows the start point of each track
recorded on the CD and the start point of the lead-out area in
terms of minutes, seconds and frames. Thus, from these start
points, it is possible to obtain the 3 pieces of information
included in the disc specific information, namely, the total
performance time, the total number of tracks and the lead-out
address. To be more specific, the total performance time is found
as a sum of performance times of all tracks. The total number of
tracks is found from the number of the last track for POINT having
a value of A1. The lead-out address is found by referring to the
start point of a lead-out track for POINT having a value of A2.
[0261] When considering the total performance time, the total
number of tracks and the lead-out address as a whole, it is
possible to regard them as CD specific information, that is,
information peculiar to a CD. That is to say, a set of these 3
pieces of information can be treated like disc specific
information. Then, by combining the CD specific information and a
track number in a CD identified by the CD specific information, it
is possible to obtain information used as a track ID for
identifying a track.
[0262] It should be noted that, since a total performance time, a
total number of tracks, a lead-out address and a track number are 2
bytes, 1 byte, 2 bytes and 1 byte in length respectively, a track
ID has a total length of 6 bytes.
[0263] A timer ID is assigned to each of a plurality of timers
provided in the timer unit 23. A timer-ID area shown in FIG. 12 is
used for storing the timer ID of a timer provided in the timer unit
23 for the HCMS management as described below.
[0264] As many timers as controllable tracks are provided in the
timer unit 23. Typically, the number of controllable tracks, that
is, the maximum track number is 50. Thus, in this case, 50 timers
are provided. Accordingly, the HCMS management-table memory 22 also
comprises 50 entries each including a timer-ID field. In this case,
a 2-byte timer-ID field is used for storing a timer ID with a value
in the range 01 h (or the decimal number 1) to 32 h (or the decimal
number 50).
[0265] Initially, no track is cataloged in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22. Then, as the 2 tracks Tr1 and Tr2
are dubbed at a high speed from a CD to an MD, the tracks Tr1 and
Tr2 are cataloged in the HCMS-management-table memory 22 as shown
in FIG. 12. Let the CD be referred to as CD-1 in the following
description for the sake of convenience.
[0266] From the TOC information read out from CD-1 and stored in
the RAM 21a, assume that the total performance time, the total
number of tracks and the lead-out address are found to be 45
minutes and 37 seconds, 18, and 45 minutes and 55 seconds
respectively.
[0267] In this case, with a timing coinciding with the high-speed
dubbing of the track Tr1 of CD-1, the system controller 21 first of
all stores the total performance time of 4537 h representing 45
minutes and 37 seconds, the total track number of 18 h representing
18 tracks and the lead-out address of 4555 h representing 45
minutes and 55 seconds in the first entry in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 indicated by the management number
of 1 as shown in FIG. 12. In the track-number field, a value of 01
h representing a track number of 1 is cataloged. The track number
of 1 is the ID of a track, the high-speed dubbing of which is
started.
[0268] As described above, the number of frames is omitted from the
expressions of the total performance time and the lead-out address.
It should be noted, however, that in actuality, the number of
frames may be included in the numerical expression cataloged in
each of the fields of the total performance time and the lead-out
address.
[0269] In addition, when a track ID is newly stored in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22, an unused timer employed in the
timer unit 23 is selected and activated. The timer ID of the
selected timer is associated with the newly cataloged track ID.
Each timer employed in the timer unit 23 is a 74-minute timer. Once
activated, the timer operates to count down for a period of 74
minutes starting from the activation time. It should be noted that
each timer can be set to reversely count up from 0 to 74
minutes.
[0270] In this case, the timer ID of the selected timer is
cataloged in the timer-ID field of the same entry of the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 as the total performance time, the
total number of tracks, the lead-out address and the track ID.
[0271] That is to say, a timer ID of 01 h is cataloged for the
activated timer, being associated with the start of the high-speed
dubbing of the track Tr1 from CD-1. As a result, in the timer-ID
field of the entry indicated by the management number of 1, a value
of 01 h is cataloged as shown in FIG. 12.
[0272] Then, when the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr1 from CD-1
is completed, high-speed dubbing of the track Tr2 from CD-1 is
started.
[0273] In this case, in the timer-ID field of the entry indicated
by the management number of 2, a value of 02 h is cataloged for the
track Tr2 of CD-1 as shown in FIG. 12. That is to say, the ID of
the track Tr2 of CD-1 is cataloged in the timer-ID field of the
entry indicated by the management number of 2 and, at the same
time, a timer with an ID of typically 02 h in the timer unit 23 is
activated whereas the timer ID of 02 h is cataloged in the timer-ID
field of the same entry.
[0274] In the example shown in FIG. 12, a track Tr1 of CD-2
different from CD-1 is subjected to high-speed dubbing.
[0275] In this case, the track Tr1 of CD-2 is cataloged in an entry
indicated by a management number of 3 in the HCMS-management-table
memory 22 shown in FIG. 12. To put it in detail, what is cataloged
in the entry is the track ID and a timer ID of 03 h assigned to the
timer activated at the start of the high-speed dubbing of the track
Tr1 recorded on CD-2. The track ID comprises the disc specific
information of CD-2 and a track number of 01 h. In this case, the
disc specific information comprises a total performance time of
1211 h, a total track number of 03 h and a lead-out address of 1234
h.
[0276] In the case described above, the 3 tracks subjected to the
high-speed dubbing are cataloged in the HCMS-management-table
memory 22. The timers with timer IDs of 01 h, 02 h and 03 h
activated for the 3 cataloged tracks actually count down in the
timer unit 23 since the starts of the high-speed-dubbing operations
of their respective tracks. At a point of time, the timers with
timer IDs of 01 h, 02 h and 03 h have timer times of 180, 200 and
210 respectively as shown in FIG. 12.
[0277] When the system controller 21 needs to refer to the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 for a timer time of a timer
activated for a track cataloged in the HCMS-management-table memory
22, the system controller 21 specifies the ID of the desired track
and the ID of the timer in an access to the HCMS-management-table
memory 22 to read out the timer time. To put it concretely, in
order to obtain the timer time of the track Tr1 recorded on CD-1,
the system controller makes an access to an entry indicated by the
ID of the track Tr1 and the ID of the timer assigned to the track
Tr1, that is, an entry indicated by the management number of 1, for
the timer time.
[0278] A time measured by each timer employed in the timer unit 23
has a maximum value of 74 minutes. The timer time of each timer
shown in FIG. 12 is a number representing the remaining time in the
period of 74 minutes. Thus, the initial value of a timer time
represents the period of 74 minutes at a predetermined resolution.
For a resolution of 20 seconds, for example, the timer counts down
at intervals of 20 seconds, that is, the timer decrements the timer
time for every 20 seconds, and the initial timer time is set at the
following value:
74.times.60/20=222<255
[0279] Since the initial value is smaller than 255, the timer can
be implemented sufficiently by a variable with a size of 1
byte.
[0280] When a period of time equal to 74 minutes lapses, that is,
when the timer time of a timer corresponding to a track ID stored
in the HCMS-management-table memory 22 becomes 0, all pieces of
information in an entry corresponding to the track ID and the timer
ID of the timer are erased from the HCMS-management-table memory
22.
[0281] In the example with entries indicated by management numbers
of 1 to 50 as shown in FIG. 12, entries indicated by a management
number of 4 and subsequent numbers have not been used. In an unused
entry, all 0s are stored. To be more specific, 0000 h, 00 h, 0000 h
and 00 h are stored in the fields of the total performance time,
the total number of tracks, the lead-out address and the track
number respectively. The timer-ID field is also set at 00 h to
indicate that no timer is used for this entry.
[0282] In this embodiment, the HCMS-management-table memory 22 is
configured in the way described above. It should be noted that the
numerical expressions stored in the fields of each entry are no
more than typical representations. That is to say, the scope of the
present invention is not limited to the typical expressions adopted
by the embodiment.
[0283] Assume for example that, at the present time, tracks are
cataloged in the HCMS-management-table memory 22 as shown in FIG.
12 and timers associated with the cataloged tracks are measuring
times. Under such a circumstance, HCMS management is executed to
restrict high-speed dubbing of the cataloged tracks as follows.
[0284] In the first place, the 3 tracks cataloged in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22, namely, the tracks Tr1 and Tr2 of
CD-1 and the track Tr1 of CD-2, are under the HCMS management to
prohibit high-speed dubbing of the tracks as shown in FIG. 12. To
put it concretely, the dubbing apparatus is designed into a
configuration with specifications at least inhibiting a dubbing
& recording operation of a track completing high-speed dubbing
such as the track Tr1 or Tr2 of CD-1 or the track Tr1 of CD-2 in an
attempt made by the user to again carry out high-speed dubbing.
That is to say, the specifications prohibit high-speed dubbing of a
track having an ID matching a track ID cataloged in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22.
[0285] In the second place, the configuration of the dubbing
apparatus must allow high-speed dubbing of a track that is exempted
from the prohibition of high-speed dubbing. A track exempted from
the prohibition of high-speed dubbing is a track not cataloged in
the HCMS-management-table memory 22. Examples of such a track are,
first of all, tracks recorded on a CD other than CD-1 and CD-2,
tracks recorded on CD-1 other than the tracks Tr1 and Tr2 and
tracks recorded on CD-2 other than the track Tr1.
[0286] As described above, when the counting-down period of a timer
corresponding to a track ID stored in the HCMS-management-table
memory 22 is ended, all pieces of information in an entry
corresponding to the track ID and the timer ID of the timer are
erased from the HCMS-management-table memory 22 so that high-speed
dubbing of a track indicated by the track ID is thereafter
permitted.
[0287] In the example shown in FIG. 12, the timer time first has a
value of 180 corresponding to about 50 minutes. Thus, when a period
of about 50 minutes lapses from the present point of time, all
pieces of information in an entry, indicated by the management
number 1, for the track Tr1 recorded on CD-1 are erased from the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 so that high-speed dubbing of the
track Tr1 on the CD-1 is thereafter permitted.
[0288] In this way, in this embodiment, high-speed redubbing of a
track once dubbed at a high speed is prohibited during a period of
typically 74 minutes following the start of an operation to dub the
track at a high speed so that an attempt to again dub the track at
a high speed made within the period will end in a failure. It is
thus possible to prevent a copyright from being infringed by a
number of copy operations carried out on the same track within a
short period of time.
[0289] As described above, TOC information recorded on a CD is
combined with a track number to form a track ID. It should be
noted, however, that a track ID can also be formed from an ISRC
explained earlier by referring to FIG. 10C. In this case, since an
ISRC is information inserted into digital audio data of each track,
however, a judgment as to whether high-speed dubbing of a track
recorded on a CD is allowed or prohibited must be formed after the
track is played back from the CD and Q-channel data of mode 3 is
extracted.
[0290] In the case of this embodiment, on the other hand, since a
track ID shown in FIG. 12 is formed from TOC information, a
judgment as to whether high-speed dubbing of a track recorded on a
CD is allowed or prohibited can be formed before the track is
played back from the CD.
[0291] For a comparison purpose, assume that execution of the HCMS
management is based on the ISRC described above. In this case, a
time it takes for the system controller 21 to detect an ISRC
included in Q-channel data in mode 3 after an operation to play
back a track from a CD at a 1-time speed is started is about 1
second, which corresponds to 75 sub-coding blocks on the assumption
that at least 1 ISRC is always included in 100 sub-coding blocks.
Even though such a time depends on the actual playback speed, an
ISRC can be detected within 1 second with an all but high degree of
reliability. In addition, in execution of HCMS management based on
an ISRC, the ISRC itself is used as a track ID. Thus, unlike the
track ID shown in FIG. 12, processing to create a track ID from TOC
information of the CD can be eliminated. As a result, HCMS
management based on an ISRC can be considered to be a sufficiently
practical and useful technique.
[0292] As a simpler HCMS-management technique, it is possible to
implement total management whereby a recording medium such as a CD
serving as a copy source is taken as a unit. To put it concretely,
in this case, management is executed by associating the disc
specific information explained earlier by referring to FIG. 12 with
a timer ID.
[0293] That is to say, typically only a disc ID, that is, disc
specific information, is stored in the track-ID field shown in FIG.
12 for each execution of high-speed dubbing. Besides the disc ID, a
timer ID is stored. A timer indicated by the timer ID in the timer
unit 23 is activated when high-speed dubbing of the disc is
started.
[0294] Then, when an attempt is made to dub a CD at a high speed,
the disc ID of the CD is compared with disc IDs cataloged in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22. If the disc ID of the CD matches
any one of the disc IDs cataloged in the HCMS-management-table
memory 22, the high-speed dubbing of the disc is prohibited. If the
disc ID of the CD does not match any one of the disc IDs cataloged
in the HCMS-management-table memory 22, on the other hand, the
high-speed dubbing of the disc is permitted.
[0295] In the case of this simple HCMS management, however, the
management is executed in disc units. Thus, when the track Tr1
recorded on the CD is dubbed at a high speed, for example,
high-speed dubbing of not only the track Tr1 but also the remaining
track Tr2 and subsequent tracks recorded on the CD is prohibited
during a period of 74 minutes beginning from the start of the
high-speed dubbing of the track Tr1.
[0296] It should be noted that the initial timer time or the
high-speed dubbing prohibition period adopted by this embodiment to
protect a copyright is not limited to 74 minutes if it is not
necessary to follow HCMS regulations in particular. The high-speed
dubbing prohibition period can be set at a value smaller or greater
than 74 minutes in accordance with a result of consideration of
factors such as an actual usage condition and an effect of the
copyright protection.
[0297] Let an average of performance times of tracks be about 3
minutes. In this case, the initial timer time can conceivably be
set at 3 minutes, which are equal to the performance time of 1
track. In addition, the start of the time measurement of a timer
does not have to coincide with the beginning of high-speed dubbing
of a track associated with the timer. Instead, the time measurement
of a timer can be started at a time during high-speed dubbing of a
track associated with the timer. For example, the time measurement
of a timer can be conceivably started at the end of high-speed
dubbing of a track associated with the timer.
[0298] 6: Dubbing Operations of the Embodiments
[0299] 6-1: First Implementation
[0300] By using the explanation given so far as a basis, the
following description explains an example of the dubbing operation
carried out by the embodiment. The dubbing operation is performed
under a condition of execution of the HCMS management by adoption
of the technique explained earlier by referring to FIG. 12.
[0301] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a first implementation
exemplifying a typical dubbing operation in a simple and plain
manner.
[0302] As shown in the figure, 4 tracks Tr1 to Tr4 have been
recorded on a CD. As the present state of the HCMS management, the
tracks Tr1 and Tr3 are exempted from the HCMS management while the
tracks Tr2 and Tr4 are each an object of the HCMS management. That
is to say, the tracks Tr2 and Tr4 were once subjected to high-speed
dubbing during the past 74 minutes with the present point of time
taken as a reference and, therefore, cataloged in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 so as to prohibit high-speed
dubbing thereof. On the other hand, the tracks Tr1 and Tr3 are not
cataloged in the HCMS-management-table memory 22 so that their
high-speed dubbing is allowed.
[0303] In such a state of the HCMS management, assume that the user
mounts the CD shown in FIG. 13 on the dubbing apparatus implemented
by this embodiment. Then, the user carries out an operation to set
a high-speed dubbing mode for implementing dubbing at a high speed
and an operation to dub all the tracks from the CD to the MD.
[0304] In this case, the CD unit plays back the tracks from the CD
in an order of increasing track numbers whereas the MD unit records
the tracks onto the MD in a dubbing recording operation. Thus, the
dubbing operation begins with the track Tr1.
[0305] Since the first dubbed track Tr1 recorded on the CD is
exempted from the HCMS management, high-speed dubbing of the track
Tr1 is permitted. Thus, in the dubbing apparatus implemented by
this embodiment, the track Tr1 is subjected to high-speed dubbing,
being recorded onto the MD. At the beginning of the high-speed
dubbing of the track Tr1, processing is also carried out to catalog
the track Tr1 into the HCMS-management-table memory 22. Since the
track Tr1 is cataloged in the HCMS-management-table memory 22,
management is executed to prohibit high-speed re-dubbing of the
track Tr1 till a period of 74 minutes lapses since the start of the
high-speed dubbing of the track Tr1.
[0306] As the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr1 is completed, an
attempt is made to start high-speed dubbing of the track Tr2. Since
the track Tr2 has already been cataloged in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22, however, management is executed to
prohibit high-speed re-dubbing of the track Tr2.
[0307] In this case, this embodiment switches the dubbing speed to
the 1-time speed for the track Tr2, the high-speed dubbing of which
is prohibited, and copies the track Tr2 from the CD to the MD in a
dubbing operation at the 1-time speed.
[0308] Then, the completion of the 1-time-speed dubbing operation
of the track Tr2 is taken as a timing to start high-speed dubbing
of the track Tr3. Since the track Tr3 recorded on the CD is
exempted from the HCMS management, high-speed dubbing of the track
Tr3 is permitted. Thus, in the dubbing apparatus implemented by
this embodiment, the dubbing speed is switched back to the
predetermined multiple-time speed and the track Tr3 is subjected to
high-speed dubbing, being recorded onto the MD.
[0309] As the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr3 is completed, an
attempt is made to start high-speed dubbing of the track Tr4. Since
the track Tr4 has already been cataloged in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22, however, management is executed to
prohibit high-speed re-dubbing of the track Tr4. In this case, much
like the track Tr2, this embodiment switches the dubbing speed to
the 1-time speed for the track Tr4, the high-speed dubbing of which
is prohibited, and copies the track Tr4 from the CD to the MD in a
dubbing operation at the 1-time speed.
[0310] In the conventional apparatus, when an attempt is made to
start high-speed dubbing of a track, the high-speed dubbing of
which is prohibited, during a recording operation carried out in a
high-speed dubbing mode, the dubbing operation itself is
discontinued.
[0311] In the case of this embodiment, on the other hand, a track,
the high-speed dubbing of which is permitted is subjected to
high-speed dubbing while, for another track, the high-speed dubbing
of which is prohibited, the dubbing speed is switched to the 1-time
speed for carrying out a dubbing operation for the other track as
described above.
[0312] In the high-speed-dubbing mode, for a track, the high-speed
dubbing of which is prohibited, the dubbing speed is switched to
the 1-time speed, that is, a low speed for carrying out a dubbing
operation not violating HCMS regulations for the track. In this
way, the recording operation carried out in the high-speed-dubbing
mode can be continued till the last track without suspending the
dubbing/recording operation in the course of processing.
[0313] FIG. 14 shows a flowchart representing operations carried
out by a first embodiment of the present invention, that is, the
dubbing operations given as the first implementation shown in FIG.
13. It should be noted that the system controller 21 carries out
the operations represented by the flowchart.
[0314] As shown in the figure, the processing begins with a step
S101 at which the system controller 21 enters a state of waiting
for a request for high-speed dubbing to be made. As the user makes
a request for high-speed dubbing by typically carrying out an
operation to start high-speed dubbing, the flow of the processing
goes on to a step S102.
[0315] At the step S102, the HCMS-management-table memory 22 is
referenced for information on a current track to be dubbed. A
current track is one of tracks recorded on the CD selected as a
track to be dubbed at the present time. When the operation of the
step S102 is carried out for the first time, the first track in the
playback order of the CD shown in FIG. 13 is taken as the current
track.
[0316] The flow of the processing then goes on to a step S103 to
form a judgment as to whether high-speed dubbing of the current
track is prohibited or permitted, that is, whether or not the
information on the current track is found as a result of
referencing the HCMS-management-table memory 22 at the step S102. A
result of referencing the HCMS-management-table memory 22
indicating that the information on the current track is not
cataloged in the HCMS-management-table memory 22 can be interpreted
as permitted high-speed dubbing of the current track. In this case,
the flow of the processing goes on to a step S104. On the other
hand, a result of referencing the HCMS-management-table memory 22
indicating that the information on the current track is cataloged
in the HCMS-management-table memory 22 can be interpreted as
prohibited high-speed dubbing of the current track. In this case,
the flow of the processing goes on to a step S108.
[0317] As described above, if high-speed dubbing of the current
track is permitted, the flow of the processing then goes on to the
step S104 to form a judgment as to whether the current dubbing
speed is a 1-time speed or a high speed. If the result of the
judgment indicates that the current dubbing speed is a high speed,
the flow of the processing goes on to a step S112 directly. If the
result of the judgment indicates that the current dubbing speed is
a 1-time speed, on the other hand, the flow of the processing goes
on to the step S112 by way of steps S105, S106 and S107.
[0318] At the step S105, control is executed to temporarily halt
the playback operation of the CD and the recording operation of the
MD. The playback operation of the CD is temporarily halted after
completion of the playback operation of the immediately preceding
track but prior to the start of the playback operation of the
current track. By the same token, the recording operation of the MD
is temporarily halted with a timing of completion of an operation
to write data of the immediately preceding track into an area to
the last location for the data on the MD. Processing carried out at
a step S109 to be described later is the same as the processing of
the step S105.
[0319] At the step S106, control is executed to switch the dubbing
speed from the 1-time speed to the high speed. That is to say, the
rotational speed of the CD in the CD unit is controlled to an
N-time CLV and the frequency of a clock signal supplied to a
variety of components employed in the CD unit is also set at a
value equal to N times the normal clock frequency as described
earlier by referring to FIG. 2.
[0320] The flow of the processing then goes on to a step S107 to
enter a state of waiting for a condition to be stabilized after a
variety of servo control operations in the CD unit are carried out
at the N-time speed. Then, the flow of the processing goes on to
the step S112. It should be noted that the system controller 21 is
capable of forming a judgment as to whether or not the variety of
servo control operations in the CD unit have been stabilized at the
step S107 by monitoring the operating condition of the PLL circuit
39 to determine whether the PLL circuit 39 has entered a locked
state at the N-time speed. Typically, in an actual implementation
of this embodiment, a predetermined signal is generated when the
PLL circuit 39 enters a locked state at the N-time speed. In this
case, the system controller 21 is capable of forming a judgment as
to whether or not the variety of servo control operations in the CD
unit have been stabilized at the step S107 by detecting the signal
generated for the locked state.
[0321] At the step S112, processing is carried out to catalog the
current track into the HCMS-management-table memory 22. To put it
in detail, a track ID is formed from TOC information of the CD
presently mounted on the CD unit and the number of the current
track as described earlier by referring to FIG. 12. The track ID
and a timer ID are then cataloged in an entry indicated by an
available management number in the HCMS-management-table memory 22.
Then, a timer indicated by the cataloged timer ID is activated.
[0322] After the processing to catalog the current track into the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 is completed, the flow of the
processing goes on to a step S113 at which control of the
operations of the CD and MD units is started so as to correctly
carry out the subsequent processing to dub the current track. When
the flow of the processing arrives at the step S113 through the
steps S104 and S112 or through the steps S104, S105, S106, S107 and
S112, control is executed to synchronously carry out a recording
operation of the MD unit and a playback operation of the CD unit as
high-speed dubbing. When the flow of the processing arrives at the
step S113 through the step S108 or through the steps S108, S109,
S110, S111 and S112, on the other hand, control is executed to
synchronously carry out a recording operation of the MD unit and a
playback operation of the CD unit as 1-time-speed dubbing.
[0323] If the result of the judgment formed at the step S103
indicates that high-speed dubbing of the current track is
prohibited, on the other hand, the flow of the processing goes on
to the step S108 to form a judgment as to whether the current
dubbing speed is a 1-time speed or a high speed. If the result of
the judgment indicates that the current dubbing speed is the 1-time
speed, the flow of the processing goes on directly to the step S113
to start a recording operation of the MD unit and a playback
operation of the CD unit as 1-time-speed dubbing.
[0324] If the result of the judgment formed at the step S108
indicates that the current dubbing speed is high speed, on the
other hand, the flow of the processing goes on to the step S113 by
way of steps S109, S110 and S111. At the step S109, control is
executed to temporarily halt the playback operation of the CD and
the recording operation of the MD. At the step S110, control is
executed to switch the dubbing speed from the high speed to the
1-time speed. The flow of the processing then goes on to a step
S111 to enter a state of waiting for a condition to be stabilized
after a variety of servo control operations in the CD unit are
carried out at 1-time speed. Then, the flow of the processing goes
on to the step S113 to start a dubbing operation of the current
track at the 1-time speed.
[0325] The flow of the processing continues from the step S113 to a
step S114 to enter a state of waiting for a track change in the CD
currently undergoing a playback operation. As a track change is
detected, the flow of the processing proceeds to a step S115.
[0326] At the step S115, the system controller 21 forms a judgment
as to whether or not a track remaining to be played back exists as
an undubbed object in the CD, which serves as a source of dubbing
recording medium. Normally, tracks are played back from the CD in
an order of increasing track numbers. In this case, the judgment of
the step S115 is formed typically by determining whether or not a
track change detected at the step S114 has occurred after the
operation to play back a track with the last track number.
[0327] If the outcome of the judgment formed at the step S115
indicates that a track remaining to be played back exists as an
undubbed object in the CD, the flow of the processing goes back to
the step S102 at which the HCMS-management-table memory 22 is
referenced for information on a new current track to be dubbed.
When the flow of the processing goes back from the step S115 to the
step S102, a track to be played back next from the CD and recorded
into the MD in the next dubbing operation as indicated by the track
change detected at the step S114 is taken as the new current
track.
[0328] By repeatedly carrying out the operations of the steps S102
to S115 described above, a dubbing operation can be carried out
continuously to perform high-speed dubbing on tracks with the
high-speed dubbing thereof permitted like the ones shown in FIG. 13
and perform 1-time-speed dubbing on tracks, the high speed dubbing
of which is prohibited like those shown in the same figure.
[0329] If the outcome of the judgment formed at the step S115
indicates that a track remaining to be played back no longer exists
as an undubbed object in the CD, on the other hand, the flow of the
processing goes on to a step S116 at which the playback operation
of the CD and the recording operation of the MD are halted. In
addition, necessary end processing such as processing to update the
U-TOC recorded on the MD is carried out in accordance with results
of processing obtained so far if required.
[0330] 6-2: Second Implementation
[0331] A second implementation of the embodiment is used for
exemplifying the dubbing operation. Also in the dubbing operation
exemplified by the second implementation, the HCMS management is
executed as shown in FIG. 12 to implement dubbing and recording in
the high-speed-dubbing mode.
[0332] A second implementation is used to exemplify the dubbing
operation by referring to FIGS. 15A to 21.
[0333] The recording medium serving as a source of dubbing in this
example is a CD-A for recording 10 tracks Tr1 to Tr10 as shown in
FIG. 15A. On the other hand, a recording medium MD serving as a
destination of dubbing is the so-called blank disc with no audio
data recorded in its recordable user area at all as shown in FIG.
15B. It should be noted that, as is generally known, data is
recorded on circular tracks created on a signal surface of an MD
starting with the innermost circumferential track in a direction
toward the outermost circumferential track.
[0334] In this second implementation, all data recorded on the CD-A
shown in FIG. 15A is subjected to a dubbing & recording process
in a high-speed-dubbing mode to the MD shown in FIG. 15B.
[0335] FIGS. 16A to 16E are each a diagram showing data cataloged
in the HCMS-management-table memory 22 and a stage in the course of
the dubbing operation exemplified by the second implementation. The
figures show a procedure of the dubbing operation in terms of steps
{circle over (1)} to {circle over (7)}.
[0336] To be more specific, FIG. 16A shows data cataloged in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 immediately before the operation to
dub all data recorded in the CD-A shown in FIG. 15A to the MD shown
in FIG. 15B. As shown in FIG. 16A, the track IDs of the track Tr2
and Tr4 recorded on the CD-A are cataloged respectively in entries
indicated by management numbers of 1 and 2 in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22.
[0337] Both the track IDs include common information, namely, a
CD-A total performance time of 40 minutes and 23 seconds, a total
track number of 10 and a lead-out address of 41 minutes and 00
seconds as indicated by a value of 4023 h stored in the field of
the total performance time, a value of 10 h in the field of the
total track number and a value of 4100 h in the field of the
lead-out address in both the entries indicated by the management
numbers of 1 and 2 in the HCMS-management-table memory 22. The
entry indicated by the management number of 1 includes a track
number of 02 h in the field of the track number and a timer ID of
01 h in the field of the timer ID for the track Tr2. On the other
hand, the entry indicated by the management number of 2 includes a
track number of 04 h in the field of the track number and a timer
ID of 02 h in the field of the timer ID for the track Tr4.
[0338] At this point of time, the timer time of a timer indicated
by the timer ID of 01 h in the entry indicated by the management
number of 1 is 30. On the other hand, the timer time of a timer
indicated by the timer ID of 02 h in the entry indicated by the
management number of 2 is 200. In this state of management, the 2
tracks Tr2 and Tr4 among the 10 tracks recorded on the CD-A are
presently under the HCMS management to prohibit high-speed dubbing
thereof.
[0339] Assume for example that the user mounts the CD-A and the MD
shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B respectively on the dubbing apparatus
implemented by this embodiment, and then carries out a
predetermined operation on the operation unit 19 to start
high-speed dubbing under a condition represented by the state of
management shown in FIG. 16A.
[0340] When the requested high-speed dubbing is started, basically,
the CD unit plays back the tracks Tr1 to Tr10 from the CD-A in an
order of increasing track numbers, and transfers the reproduced
tracks to the MD unit. The MD unit then writes audio data of the
tracks Tr1 to Tr10 played back from the CD-A onto the MD.
[0341] As is obvious from the entries of the HCMS-management-table
memory 22 shown FIG. 16A, the track Tr1 played back initially from
the CD-A is not cataloged in the HCMS-management-table memory 22.
Thus, the track Tr1 can be dubbed at a high speed. Thus, first of
all, at a step {circle over (1)} of the procedure, the track Tr1 is
dubbed at a high speed. With a timing to start the high-speed
dubbing of the track Tr1, the track Tr1 is cataloged in typically
an entry indicated by a management number of 3 in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22. It should be noted, however, that
the operation to catalog the track Tr1 with such a timing is not
shown explicitly in FIG. 16A. To be more specific, the track ID
identifying the track Tr1 and the timer ID of a timer activated at
that time are cataloged in the entry indicated by a management
number of 3 in the HCMS-management-table memory 22. This
data-cataloging operation is also carried out for a track subjected
before to high-speed dubbing as explained in the following
description.
[0342] As a period of time about equal to the playback time of the
track Tr1 lapses since the start of the high-speed dubbing of the
track Tr1 carried out at the step {circle over (1)} of the
procedure, the HCMS management state shown in FIG. 16A changes to
an HCMS management state shown in FIG. 16B at the end of the
high-speed dubbing of the track Tr1.
[0343] As shown in FIG. 16B, the timer times for the timer IDs of
01 h and 02 h are decremented by a difference corresponding to the
duration of the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr1 to values
smaller than those shown in FIG. 16A due to countdown operations
taking place in the respective timers during the high-speed dubbing
of the track Tr1. In the management state shown in FIG. 16B,
however, high-speed dubbing of the tracks Tr2 and Tr4 on the CD-A
remains prohibited as is the case with the management state shown
in FIG. 16A.
[0344] After the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr1 carried out at
the step {circle over (1)} of the procedure is completed, the CD
unit normally carries out an operation to play back the track Tr2.
At that time, however, high-speed dubbing of the track Tr2 remains
prohibited as indicated by the HCMS management state shown in FIG.
16B.
[0345] In such a case, the dubbing operation of the track Tr2
itself is not carried out at this stage of this second
implementation but will be performed later. Instead, next tracks in
the playback order are sequentially dubbed at a high speed. The
next tracks are each a track exempted from the HCMS management at
the present time, that is, a track, the high-speed dubbing of which
is permitted.
[0346] That is to say, the embodiment defers the dubbing of a track
treated as an object of the HCMS management at the present time,
that is, a track, the high-speed dubbing of which is prohibited.
Instead, tracks, the high-speed dubbing of which is permitted at
the present time, are dubbed from the CD-A at a high speed
sequentially in accordance with the playback order and recorded
onto the MD.
[0347] In this case, the track Tr3 following the track Tr2 is the
first track in the playback order, the high-speed dubbing of which
is permitted. Thus, after the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr1
is completed, the track Tr3 is dubbed at a high-speed at a step
{circle over (2)} of the procedure. That is to say, after the
multiple-time-speed dubbing of the track Tr1 is completed, a track
change to the track Tr3 takes place in the CD unit. The track Tr3
is then dubbed at the multiple-time speed in the same way as the
track Tr1. Then, data obtained as a result of the playback
operation at the multiple-time speed is recorded onto the MD.
[0348] After the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr3 carried out at
the step {circle over (2)} of the procedure is completed, the state
of the HCMS management transits to that shown in FIG. 16C.
[0349] As shown in FIG. 16C, the timer times for the timer IDs of
01 h and 02 h are decremented by a difference corresponding to the
duration of the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr3 to values
smaller than those shown in FIG. 16B due to countdown operations
taking place in the respective timers during the high-speed dubbing
of the track Tr3. In the management state shown in FIG. 16C,
however, the timer times for the timer IDs of 01 h and 02 h have
not become 0 yet, indicating that high-speed dubbing of the tracks
Tr2 and Tr4 on the CD-A remains prohibited as is the case with the
management state shown in FIG. 16B.
[0350] Thus, after the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr3 carried
out at the step {circle over (2)} of the procedure is completed,
the dubbing operation of the track Tr4, which is the next track in
the playback order, is not carried out. In accordance with the
present state of the HCMS management, the 6 tracks Tr5 to Tr10
following the track Tr4 can each be subjected to high-speed
dubbing. Thus, at a step {circle over (3)} of the procedure, the
dubbing apparatus continuously dubs the tracks Tr5 to Tr10 at a
high speed.
[0351] When the high-speed dubbing of the tracks Tr5 to Tr10
carried out at the step {fraction (e)} of the procedure is
completed, the 2 tracks Tr2 and Tr4, which were each treated as an
object of the HCMS management and could not thus be subjected to
high-speed dubbing at the start of the high-speed dubbing, remain
to be played back from the CD-A shown in FIG. 15A.
[0352] At a point of time the high-speed dubbing of the tracks Tr5
to Tr10 carried out at the step {circle over (3)} of the procedure
is completed, the state of the HCMS management transits to that
shown in FIG. 16D. In the state shown in this figure, the timer
time for the timer ID of 01 h has become 0 due to the lapse of time
corresponding to the high-speed dubbing. The timer time and the
timer ID are cataloged in the entry for the track Tr2 of FIG. 15A
indicated by the management number of 1 in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22.
[0353] That is to say, the state of the HCMS management at the
point of time the high-speed dubbing of the tracks Tr5 to Tr10
carried out at the step {circle over (3)} of the procedure is
completed indicates that the track Tr2 recorded on the CD-A has
been exempted from the HCMS management so that high-speed dubbing
of the track Tr2 is permitted thereafter.
[0354] On the other hand, at the same point of time, the timer time
associated with the timer ID of 02 h for the track Tr4 has not
become 0. That is to say, the state of the HCMS management at that
point indicates that the track Tr4 is still an object of the HCMS
management so that high-speed dubbing of the track Tr4 is still
prohibited.
[0355] In actuality, the data cataloged in the entry indicated by
the management number of 1 is erased from the HCMS-management-table
memory 22 at a point of time the timer time becomes 0 as described
above. In order to make the explanation easy to understand,
however, the data cataloged in the entry indicated by the
management number of 1 for the track Tr2 recorded on the CD-A is
left in FIG. 16D.
[0356] In such a state of HCMS management, the track Tr2, the
high-speed dubbing of which is permitted, is dubbed at a high speed
in high-speed dubbing at a step {circle over (4)} of the procedure
in this second implementation.
[0357] At a point of time the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr2
carried out at the step {circle over (4)} of the procedure is
completed, the only track remaining to be dubbed is the track Tr4.
The state of the HCMS management at the point of time the
high-speed dubbing of the track Tr2 carried out at the step {circle
over (4)} of the procedure is completed is shown in FIG. 16E. As
shown in this figure, the entry indicated by the management number
of 2 in the memory 22 for the track Tr4 includes a timer time of
110 associated with a timer ID of 02 h. This state of the HCMS
management indicates that the high-speed dubbing of the track Tr4
is still prohibited.
[0358] In such a case, the remaining track Tr4 is subjected to
dubbing and recording at the 1-time speed at a step {circle over
(5)} of the procedure. When the dubbing and recording of the track
Tr4 at the 1-time speed are completed, processing to end the
dubbing & recording process is carried out at a step {circle
over (6)} of the procedure. To put it in detail, after the CD unit
completes the playback operation of the CD-A, the MD unit finishes
the operation to record audio data onto the MD at a point of time
the data of the track Tr4 is written completely onto the MD.
[0359] FIGS. 17A and 17B are diagrams showing results of data
recording carried out by the MD unit at the steps {circle over (1)}
to {circle over (6)} of the procedure shown in FIG. 16.
[0360] To be more specific, FIG. 17A is a diagram showing a
recordable user area on the MD, which was in a blank state as shown
in FIG. 15B but now contains data recorded in track units. The
track numbers Tr1 to Tr10 shown in FIGS. 17A to 17C are the same as
those of the CD-A shown in FIG. 15A.
[0361] As shown in FIG. 17A, in the dubbing process carried out at
the steps {circle over (1)} to {circle over (6)} of the procedure
described earlier, the MD unit writes audio data of the tracks into
the recordable user area from the start of the area on an inner
circumference in a direction toward an outer circumference track
after track in the following order: Tr1.fwdarw. Tr3.fwdarw.
Tr5.fwdarw. Tr6.fwdarw. Tr7.fwdarw. Tr8.fwdarw. Tr9.fwdarw.
Tr10.fwdarw. Tr2.fwdarw. Tr4. In this figure, an area between the
end of the recording area of the track Tr4 and a location
immediately preceding the lead-out start address is a free
area.
[0362] This figure also shows the start and end addresses of each
area for recording a track, which are stored in U-TOC sector 0 as
described in a later explanation of a management state of U-TOC
sector 0. The start and end addresses are explained as follows. It
should be noted that notations A0 to A21 each denote an address,
which actually has a real value.
[0363] [Track number (area): Start address, End address]
[0364] [Tr1: A0, A1]
[0365] [Tr2: A2, A3]
[0366] [Tr3: A4, A5]
[0367] [Tr4: A6, A7]
[0368] [Tr5: A8, A9]
[0369] [Tr6: A10, A11]
[0370] [Tr7: A12, A13]
[0371] [Tr8: A14, A15]
[0372] [Tr9: A16, A17]
[0373] [Tr10: A18, A19]
[0374] [Free area: A20, A21]
[0375] The MD unit basically controls tracks recorded on the MD by
sequentially assigning ascending track numbers to the tracks in a
chronological order in which the tracks are recorded on the MD.
[0376] The tracks Tr1 to Tr10 are dubbed from the CD-A to the MD at
the steps {circle over (1)} to {circle over (6)} of the procedure
shown in FIG. 16 in the order of Tr1.fwdarw. Tr3.fwdarw.
Tr5.fwdarw. Tr6.fwdarw. Tr7.fwdarw. Tr8.fwdarw. Tr9.fwdarw.
Tr10.fwdarw. Tr2.fwdarw. Tr4 as shown on the lower line of FIG.
17B.
[0377] The track numbers shown on the upper line of FIG. 17B are
assigned to the respective tracks recorded on the MD in the order
shown on the lower line at the steps {circle over (1)} to {circle
over (6)} of the procedure. To put it in detail, the track numbers
#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9 and #10 are assigned to the
tracks Tr1, Tr3, Tr5, Tr6, Tr7, Tr8, Tr9, Tr10, Tr2 and Tr4
recorded on the CD-A respectively.
[0378] In a dubbing operation like the one explained so far as the
second implementation, there is possibly an unavoidable case in
which tracks are recorded onto the MD in a recording order not
matching the order of increasing track numbers assigned to the
tracks in the CD.
[0379] If the order of recording of tracks onto the MD, that is,
the order of increasing track numbers assigned to the tracks by the
MD unit remains in a state of not matching the order of increasing
track numbers assigned to the tracks by the CD as shown in FIG.
17B, the user will feel a sense of incompatibility with the order
of increasing track numbers assigned to the tracks by the MD unit.
The user naturally desires an order of increasing track numbers
assigned to the tracks by the MD unit matching the order of
increasing track numbers assigned to the tracks by the CD, which
serves as the source of dubbing. In this case, the user must take
the trouble to edit the MD by rearranging the tracks on the MD.
Thus, the load borne by the user increases. It is therefore
desirable to control the tracks recorded on the MD by assigning
track numbers to the tracks in the same order as that set in the CD
unit even if the tracks recorded on the MD are obtained as a result
of a dubbing operation like the one explained as the second
implementation.
[0380] For the reason described above, in the second
implementation, after the dubbing & recording process carried
out at the step {circle over (6)} of the procedure is completed,
processing is carried out automatically at the step {circle over
(7)} of the procedure to rearrange the tracks recorded on the MD in
the same order set in the CD unit. To put it concretely, in this
processing, the order of tracks recorded on the MD as shown in FIG.
17B in which the tracks would otherwise be processed is changed to
an order shown in FIG. 17C. That is to say, control is executed to
assign the track numbers #1 to #10 on the MD respectively to the
tracks Tr1 to Tr10 dubbed from the CD-A.
[0381] The following description explains a configuration for
implementing the processing carried out at the step {circle over
(7)} of the procedure.
[0382] In order to carry out the processing, first of all, it is
necessary for the system controller 21 to store the order of tracks
set in the CD unit when carrying out the dubbing & recording
process.
[0383] Thus, in carrying out a dubbing operation such as the one
exemplified by the second implementation, a dubbing-order table
like one shown in FIG. 18 is prepared in the RAM 21a. Each time a
dubbing operation to dub a track from the CD-A is carried out
during track-after-track dubbing through the steps {circle over
(1)} to {circle over (6)} of the procedure shown in FIG. 16, the
system controller 21 records the track number of the track in the
dubbing-order table at a slot for an order number of the dubbing
operation. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing, in concrete terms, the
contents of the dubbing-order table, which are obtained as a final
result of the track-after-track dubbing through the steps {circle
over (1)} to {circle over (6)} of the procedure shown in FIG.
16.
[0384] The system controller 21 updates data recorded in the U-TOC
as will be described later by referring to the contents of the
dubbing-order table in order to rearrange the tracks into a new
order.
[0385] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing typical data of a
part-entry-pointer table and a management table (or part-entry
table) in U-TOC sector 0 stored in the buffer memory 13 at the end
of the dubbing & recording operation carried out at the step
{circle over (6)} of the procedure shown in FIG. 16 prior to a
track rearrangement process. By a part entry, a table slot is
implied.
[0386] Every part-entry-pointer in the part-entry-pointer table and
every link information in the management table are each 1-byte
data, whereas every start address and every end address in the
management table are each 3-byte data. The symbol "-" in a
part-entry-pointer or link information represents a
part-entry-pointer or link information of 00 h, while the symbol
"-" in a start address or an end address represents a start address
or an end address of 000000 h.
[0387] Thus, the symbol "-" for the P-DFA represents a P-DFA value
of 00 h, which indicates that there is no defect in the recordable
user area on the disc 1.
[0388] In U-TOC sector 0, the values 01 h to 0 Ah set at the
part-entry-pointers P-TN01 to P-TNO10 and the value 0 Bh set at the
part-entry-pointer P-FRA in the part-entry-pointer table, and the
start addresses A0 to A20 set in the part table and the end
addresses A1 to A21 set in the part table match the assignment of
track numbers #1 to #10 shown in the upper row of FIG. 17B to
tracks recorded on the MD and assignment of start and end addresses
shown in FIG. 17A to recorded areas indicated by the track numbers
#1 to #10 and a free area. On the other hand, the locations of the
tracks Tr#1 to Tr#10 in the part table of U-TOC sector 0 match the
their locations shown in FIG. 17A and the lower row of FIG.
17B.
[0389] As shown in FIG. 19, the part-entry pointer P-TNO1
corresponding to the track number #1 on the MD is set at 01 h
pointing to a part entry 01 h including a start address A0 and an
end address A1 of an area for recording the track Tr1, which is the
first track dubbed from the CD-A.
[0390] In the same way, the part-entry pointer P-TNO2 corresponding
to the track number #2 on the MD is set at 02 h pointing to a part
entry 02 h including a start address A2 and an end address A3 of an
area for recording the track Tr3, which is the second track dubbed
from the CD-A.
[0391] By the same token, the part pointer P-TNOj corresponding to
the track number #j on the MD is set at 0 jh pointing to a part
entry Ojh where j=3 to 8. The part entry 0 jh includes a start
address Ak and an end address Al of an area for recording the track
Trm, which is the jth track dubbed from the CD-A, where k=2j-2,
1=2j-1 and m=j+2.
[0392] That is to say, for j=3, the part-entry pointer P-TNO3
corresponding to the track number #3 on the MD is set at 03 h
pointing to a part entry 03 h including a start address A4 and an
end address A5 of an area for recording the track Tr5, which is the
3rd track dubbed from the CD-A. In the same way, for j=4, the
part-entry pointer P-TNO4 corresponding to the track number #4 on
the MD is set at 04 h pointing to a part entry 04 h including a
start address A6 and an end address A7 of an area for recording the
track Tr6, which is the 4th track dubbed from the CD-A. By the same
token, for j=5, the part-entry pointer P-TNO5 corresponding to the
track number #5 on the MD is set at 05 h pointing to a part entry
05 h including a start address A8 and an end address A9 of an area
for recording the track Tr7, which is the 5th track dubbed from the
CD-A.
[0393] Likewise, for j=6, the part-entry pointer P-TNO6
corresponding to the track number #6 on the MD is set at 06 h
pointing to a part entry 06 h including a start address A10 and an
end address A11 of an area for recording the track Tr8, which is
the 6th track dubbed from the CD-A. Similarly, for j=7, the
part-entry pointer P-TNO7 corresponding to the track number #7 on
the MD is set at 07 h pointing to a part entry 07 h including a
start address A12 and an end address A13 of an area for recording
the track Tr9, which is the 7th track dubbed from the CD-A.
Finally, for j=8, the part-entry pointer P-TNO8 corresponding to
the track number #8 on the MD is set at 08 h pointing to a part
entry 08 h including a start address A14 and an end address A15 of
an area for recording the track Tr10, which is the 8th track dubbed
from the CD-A.
[0394] In the same way, the part-entry pointer P-TNO9 corresponding
to the track number #9 on the MD is set at 09 h pointing to a part
entry 09 h including a start address A16 and an end address A17 of
an area for recording the track Tr2, which is the 9th track dubbed
from the CD-A.
[0395] By the same token, the part-entry pointer P-TNO10
corresponding to the track number #10 on the MD is set at 0 Ah
pointing to a part entry 0 Ah including a start address A18 and an
end address A19 of an area for recording the track Tr4, which is
the 10th track dubbed from the CD-A.
[0396] Likewise, the part-entry pointer P-FRA is set at 0 Bh
pointing to a part entry 0 Bh including a start address A20 and an
end address A21 of a free area available for recording other tracks
dubbed from the CD-A.
[0397] It should be noted that, in the example shown in FIG. 19,
the part entries 01 h to 0 Bh each include no link information.
[0398] Similarly, the part-entry pointer P-EMPTY is set at 0 Ch
pointing to a first unused part entry 0 Ch in the management table.
All subsequent part entries including the last part entry FFh are
unused. Unused part entries are linked by using pieces of link
information.
[0399] With the information stored in the U-TOC shown in FIG. 19,
the recorded tracks are controlled by a track-number order from
track number #1 to track number #10 which are set on the MD and do
not match the track order from track Tr1 to track Tr10 set on the
CD as shown in 17B as described earlier. In order to make the
track-number order from the track number #1 to the track number #10
set on the MD match the track order from the track Tr1 to the track
Tr10 set on the CD as shown in 17C, it is necessary to modify the
information stored in the U-TOC to U-TOC information reflecting a
track-number order matching the track order by referring to the
dubbing-order table shown in FIG. 18.
[0400] The track Tr2 dubbed from the CD-A is used to exemplify an
example of a modification made to the information stored in the
U-TOC.
[0401] Since the track Tr2 is dubbed as a 9th track, an area on the
MD for recording the track Tr2 is described in the part entry 09 h
in the U-TOC shown in FIG. 19, which is pointed to by the
part-entry pointer P-TNO9 for the track number #9 on the MD set at
09 h and includes the start address A16 and the end address A17. In
order to treat the track Tr2 as a track with the track number #2 on
the MD, the part-entry pointer P-TNO2 corresponding to the track
number #2 on the MD is set at 09 h to point to the part entry 09 h
describing the track Tr2.
[0402] Other changes are made to the U-TOC information in the same
way as the above example described for the track Tr2 to make the
track-number order from the track number #1 to the track number #10
set on the MD match the track order from the track Tr1 to the track
Tr10 set on the CD as shown in 17C. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing
data of a part-entry-pointer table and a management table (or
part-entry table) in U-TOC sector 0, which is obtained as a result
of the changes made to make the track-number order match the track
order.
[0403] The data of the management table shown in the lower part of
FIG. 20 is the same as that shown in FIG. 19. On the other hand,
the data of the part-entry-pointer table shown in the upper part of
FIG. 20 is different from that shown in FIG. 19.
[0404] To put it in detail, the part-entry-pointer table shown in
the upper part of FIG. 20 now contains the following data. The
part-entry pointer P-TNO1 corresponding to the track number #1 on
the MD is set at 01 h pointing to a part entry 01 h including a
start address A0 and an end address A1 of an area for recording the
track Tr1.
[0405] In the same way, the part-entry pointer P-TNO2 corresponding
to the track number #2 on the MD is set at 09 h pointing to a part
entry 09 h including a start address A16 and an end address A17 of
an area for recording the track Tr2.
[0406] By the same token, the part-entry pointer P-TNO3
corresponding to the track number #3 on the MD is set at 02 h
pointing to a part entry 02 h including a start address A2 and an
end address A3 of an area for recording the track Tr3. Similarly,
the part-entry pointer P-TNO4 corresponding to the track number #4
on the MD is set at 0 Ah pointing to a part entry 0 Ah including a
start address A18 and an end address A19 of an area for recording
the track Tr4. Likewise, the part-entry pointer P-TNOj
corresponding to the track number #j on the MD is set at 0 kh
pointing to a part entry 0 kh including a start address Al and an
end address Am of an area for recording the track Trj where j=5 to
10, k=j-2, 1=2j-6 and m=2j-5.
[0407] To put it concretely, for j=5, the part-entry pointer P-TNO5
corresponding to the track number #5 on the MD is set at 03h
pointing to a part entry 03h including a start address A4 and an
end address A5 of an area for recording the track Tr5. In the same
way, for j=6, the part-entry pointer P-TNO6 corresponding to the
track number #6 on the MD is set at 04h pointing to a part entry 04
h including a start address A6 and an end address A7 of an area for
recording the track Tr6. By the same token, for j=7, the part-entry
pointer P-TNO7 corresponding to the track number #7 on the MD is
set at 05 h pointing to a part entry 05 h including a start address
A8 and an end address A9 of an area for recording the track Tr7.
Similarly, for j=8, the part-entry pointer P-TNO8 corresponding to
the track number #8 on the MD is set at 06 h pointing to a part
entry 06 h including a start address A10 and an end address A11 of
an area for recording the track Tr8. Likewise, for j=9, the
part-entry pointer P-TNO9 corresponding to the track number #9 on
the MD is set at 07 h pointing to a part entry 07 h including a
start address A12 and an end address A13 of an area for recording
the track Tr9. Finally, for j=10, the part-entry pointer P-TNO10
corresponding to the track number #10 on the MD is set at 08 h
pointing to a part entry 08 h including a start address A14 and an
end address A15 of an area for recording the track Tr10.
[0408] It should be noted that, in this case, the part-entry
pointer P-FRA pointing to a part entry describing a free area and
the part-entry pointer P-EMPTY pointing to a first unused part
entries in the management table are the same as those shown in FIG.
19.
[0409] The dubbing operations exemplified by the second
implementation of the embodiment are all completed when the
processing to update the U-TOC, that is, the process to rearrange
the tracks into a new order, is finished.
[0410] In accordance with the dubbing operations exemplified by the
second implementation, the operations begin with sequential
recording of results of high-speed dubbing carried out on tracks
found exempted from the HCMS management at the beginning of the
operations. After the high-speed dubbing is completed, the state of
the HCMS management is usually examined to identify tracks, which
have become exempted from the HCMS management in the course of the
high-speed dubbing. If such a track is identified, the track is
subjected to high-speed dubbing and recorded on to the target disc,
taking precedence of other undubbed tracks.
[0411] This process is repeated till all tracks, which have become
exempted from the HCMS management in the course of the high-speed
dubbing, are dubbed at a high speed. Remaining tracks, which have
not become exempted from the HCMS management in the course of the
high-speed dubbing, are dubbed sequentially at a 1-time speed. For
this reason, the dubbing speed is switched from the high speed to
the 1-time speed.
[0412] Comparison of the first implementation with the second one
indicates that, in both the examples, a track, which is an object
of management in the course of the high-speed dubbing in the
high-speed-dubbing mode, is dubbed sequentially at a 1-time
speed.
[0413] In the case of the second implementation, however, tracks,
which are exempted from the HCMS management or have become exempted
from the HCMS management in the course of the high-speed dubbing,
are dubbed first at a high speed in batch processing, while
remaining tracks, which have not become exempted from the HCMS
management in the course of the high-speed dubbing, are dubbed at a
1-time speed after checking the HCMS-management status. Thus, the
number of operations to switch the dubbing speed in the second
example is smaller than that in the first implementation, resulting
in an advantage of a higher dubbing efficiency. In addition, the
number of control operations for varying the rotational speed of
the spindle motor or the like to implement a speed change also
decreases, giving rise to a possible merit of reduced power
consumption.
[0414] In the case of the second implementation, on the other hand,
there is possibly an unavoidable case in which tracks are recorded
onto the MD in a recording order not matching the order of
increasing track numbers assigned to the tracks in the CD. In order
to provide the user with convenience of dubbing and recording, it
also becomes necessary to consider a device of making the track
order in a destination of dubbing match the track order in a source
of dubbing by updating information stored in the U-TOC as described
above. In this respect, since tracks are dubbed from a recording
medium serving as a source of dubbing in the track order in the
case of the first implementation, the above consideration is not
necessary.
[0415] The following description explains processing to implement
the dubbing operations exemplified by the second implementation by
referring to a flowchart shown in FIG. 21. Much like the processing
represented by the flowchart shown in FIG. 14, the system
controller 21 carries out the operations represented by the
flowchart.
[0416] As shown in the figure, the processing begins with a step
S201 at which the system controller 21 enters a state of waiting
for a request for high-speed dubbing to be made. As the user makes
a request for high-speed dubbing by typically carrying out an
operation to start high-speed dubbing, the flow of the processing
goes on to a step S202.
[0417] At the step S202, a current track is determined as a track
to be dubbed from a playback order such as a track-number order set
in the CD unit for a recording medium, which serves as a source of
dubbing. In the following description, a current track is a track
serving as a current object of dubbing. At the next step S203, the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 is referenced for information on a
current track to be dubbed to form a judgment as to whether
high-speed dubbing of the current track is prohibited or permitted,
that is, whether or not the information on the current track is
found in the HCMS-management-table memory 22 as an object of the
HCMS management.
[0418] A result of referencing the HCMS-management-table memory 22
indicating that the information on the current track is cataloged
in the HCMS-management-table memory 22 can be interpreted as
prohibited high-speed dubbing of the current track. In this case,
the flow of the processing goes back to the step S202 at which a
next current track is determined. To put in detail, a new track to
be dubbed after the current track is determined from the playback
order. In the example shown in FIG. 16, if the current track is the
track Tr2, which is an object of the HCMS management, the flow
processing goes back to the step S202 at which the track Tr3 is
determined as a next track to be dubbed. By the same token, if the
current track is the track Tr4, which is another object of the HCMS
management, the flow processing goes back to the step S202 at which
the track Tr5 is determined as a next track to be dubbed.
[0419] On the other hand, a result of referencing the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 at the step S203 indicating that
the information on the current track is not cataloged in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 as an object of the HCMS management
can be interpreted as allowed high-speed dubbing of the current
track. In this case, the flow of the processing goes back on to a
step S204 at which processing to start the high-speed dubbing of
the current track is carried out. At the next step S205, the
current track, the high-speed dubbing of which is started, is
cataloged in the HCMS-management-table memory 22 with a timing of
the beginning of the high-speed dubbing. At the next step S206,
processing is carried out to catalog the track number of the
current track, the high-speed dubbing of which was started, in the
dubbing-order table shown in FIG. 18.
[0420] The flow of the processing then goes on to a step S207 to
enter a state of waiting for the high-speed dubbing of the current
track to be completed. As the completion of the high-speed dubbing
of the current track is detected, the flow of the processing
proceeds to a step S208.
[0421] At the step S208, the system controller 21 forms a judgment
as to whether or not the last track in the playback order has been
subjected to the pieces of processing carried out at the steps S202
to S207. In these pieces of processing, each track recorded on the
CD is checked in the playback order to determine whether or not the
track is an object of the HCMS management. Dubbing of a track
determined to be an object of the HCMS management is deferred. Only
tracks exempted from the HCMS management are subjected to
high-speed dubbing.
[0422] If the outcome of the judgment formed at the step S208
indicates a negation, that is, the last track in the playback order
has not been subjected to the pieces of processing carried out at
the steps S202 to S207, these pieces of processing are carried out
on a next track to be dubbed. If the outcome of the judgment formed
at the step S208 indicates an acknowledgement, that is, the last
track in the playback order has been subjected to the pieces of
processing carried out at the steps S202 to S207, on the other
hand, the flow of the processing goes on to a step S209. In the
case of the example shown in FIG. 16, for instance, the flow goes
on from the step S208 to S209 when all the tracks Tr1 to Tr10
recorded on the CD-A except Tr2 and Tr4 have completed high-speed
dubbing, being recorded onto the MD.
[0423] At the step S209, the system controller 21 forms a judgment
as to whether or not there exists a track, which is supposed to be
dubbed but has not been subjected to dubbing yet. A track supposed
to be dubbed but not subjected to dubbing yet is a track the
information on which is cataloged in the HCMS-management-table
memory 22 to indicate prohibition of high-speed dubbing thereof in
accordance with a result of the judgment formed at the step
S203.
[0424] If a track supposed to be dubbed but not subjected to
dubbing yet exists, the flow of the processing goes on to a step
S210.
[0425] At the step S210, the current data stored in the
HCMS-management-table memory 22 is examined to form a judgment as
to whether or not a track not subjected to high-speed dubbing yet
has become exempted from the HCMS management. If a track not
subjected to high-speed dubbing yet has become exempted from the
HCMS management, the flow of the processing goes on to a step S211.
If such a track does not exist, on the other hand, the flow of the
processing goes on to a step S212. At the step S211, a track that
was not subjected to high-speed dubbing yet but has become exempted
from the HCMS management is dubbed at a high speed, taking
precedence of others.
[0426] To put it in detail, at the step S211, the first track in
the playback order among tracks that have become exempted from the
HCMS management is selected as a track to be dubbed. It should be
noted that, if there is only one track that was not subjected to
high-speed dubbing yet but has become exempted from the HCMS
management, the track is naturally selected as a track to be
dubbed. Control is then executed to start high-speed dubbing for
the track selected as a track to be dubbed.
[0427] Subsequently, at the next step S213, the current track, the
high-speed dubbing of which was started at the step S211, is
cataloged in the HCMS-management-table memory 22 with a timing of
the beginning of the high-speed dubbing in the same way as the step
S205.
[0428] Then, at the next step S214, processing is carried out to
catalog the track number of the current track, the high-speed
dubbing or the 1-time-speed dubbing of which was started
respectively at the step S211 or S212 to be described later, in the
dubbing-order table shown in FIG. 18.
[0429] The flow of the processing then goes on to a step S215 to
enter a state of waiting for the dubbing of the current track to be
completed. As the completion of the dubbing of the current track is
detected, the flow of the processing goes back to the step
S209.
[0430] If the outcome of the judgment formed at the step S210
indicates that no track not subjected to high-speed dubbing yet has
become exempted from the HCMS management, on the other hand, the
flow of the processing goes on to the step S212 as described above.
At the step S212, the first track in the playback order among
tracks that were not subjected to high-speed dubbing and have not
become exempted from the HCMS management yet is selected as an
object of dubbing. 1-time-speed dubbing of the track selected as a
track to be dubbed is then started. Finally, the flow of the
processing goes back to the step S209 by way of the steps S214 and
S215.
[0431] If the outcome of the judgment formed at the step S209
indicates that there is no longer track, which is supposed to be
dubbed but has not been subjected to dubbing yet, on the other
hand, the flow of the processing proceeds to a step S216.
[0432] At the step S216, the U-TOC is updated so as to make the
track order of dubbed tracks under management by the MD unit match
the track order of tracks recorded on the CD under management by
the CD unit as described earlier by referring to FIGS. 17 to 20.
The processing represented by the flowchart shown in FIG. 21 is
ended as the process to update the U-TOC is completed.
[0433] It should be noted that the scope of the present invention
is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments described
above.
[0434] For example, the embodiments described above each implement
a dubbing apparatus integrating an MD recorder/player for driving a
recording medium serving as a destination of dubbing and a CD
player for driving a recording medium serving as a source of
dubbing. It is worth noting that the present invention can also be
applied to a system in which a recording apparatus for driving a
recording medium serving as a destination of dubbing is provided
separately from a recording apparatus for driving a recording
medium serving as a source of dubbing.
[0435] In addition, the present invention can also be applied to a
dubbing system including a plurality of MD recorders and players
and a dubbing system employing a recording or playback apparatus
for driving tape media such as DAT and a tape cassette
recorder.
[0436] In the future, besides the applications to dubbing systems
for copying audio data played back from recording media serving as
a source of dubbing, it is conceivable to apply the present
invention also to a system for dubbing audio data received from a
source of dubbing by a means such as a radio tuner or a tuner of
digital satellite broadcasting as long as the source of dubbing can
be controlled by typically a copy management system.
[0437] The dubbing apparatus provided by the present invention has
a management function conforming to a regulation whereby next
high-speed dubbing of a program or a track subjected once to
previous high-speed dubbing is prohibited during a predetermined
period of time beginning from the start point of the previous
high-speed dubbing. In the configuration of the subbing apparatus,
a program, high-speed dubbing of which is prohibited, is not dubbed
at a high speed. Instead, the dubbing speed is switched from a high
speed to a low one on the basis of typically the present state of
management. In an actual typical application, for example, a
program, high-speed dubbing of which is permitted, is dubbed at a
high speed. On the other hand, a program, high-speed dubbing of
which is prohibited, is dubbed and recorded at a low speed.
[0438] Thus, in accordance with the present invention, when a
program, high-speed dubbing of which is prohibited at the present
time, is to be dubbed in the course of high-speed dubbing in a
high-speed-dubbing mode, the program can be dubbed at a low speed
at a predetermined opportunity. Therefore, at a stage such a
program is determined to be an object to undergo dubbing, the
dubbing operation for the program is not halted. As a result, the
present invention is capable of sustaining the convenience of the
dubbing function while protecting copyrights.
[0439] In the configuration of the present invention, dubbing and
recording of programs onto a recording medium serving as a
destination of dubbing are carried out in an order the programs
were recorded on the recording medium serving as a source of
dubbing. When a program, high-speed dubbing of which is prohibited,
is encountered in the course of the dubbing and recording, the
program is dubbed at a low speed. As for a program, high-speed
dubbing of which is permitted, high-speed dubbing is carried
out.
[0440] In such a configuration, programs are dubbed from a
recording medium serving as a source of dubbing in an order the
programs were recorded onto the recording medium. Thus, the
programs are recorded onto a recording medium serving as a
destination in the same order as the programs were recorded onto
the recording medium serving as a destination.
[0441] In an alternative configuration of the present invention
described above, if a program selected as an object of dubbing
happens to be a program under control to prohibit high-speed
dubbing thereof, this program is temporarily excluded from a list
of dubbing objects and another program is selected as a next object
of dubbing instead. That is to say, the high-speed dubbing of the
program, which has its high-speed dubbing prohibited at the present
time and is thus temporarily excluded from the list of dubbing
objects, is deferred to a later predetermined opportunity.
[0442] In such a configuration, programs, which are supposed to be
dubbed and have high-speed dubbing thereof permitted, are first
dubbed at a high speed and recorded onto a destination recording
medium, taking precedence of other programs. Accordingly, the time
efficiency of the dubbing operation is improved. In addition, the
number of operations to switch the system for driving the recording
media and the system for processing signals can be decreased,
resulting in improvements such as enhancement of the processing
efficiency and reduction of the power consumption.
[0443] The dubbing and recording described above are carried out by
referring to the management state. Programs, which are on a list of
dubbing objects and have high-speed dubbing thereof permitted, are
first dubbed at a high speed. On the other hand, programs, which
are on a list of dubbing objects but have high-speed dubbing
thereof prohibited, are put on a list of deferred-dubbing objects.
After the last program on the list of dubbing objects is processed,
the list of deferred-dubbing objects is searched for programs, the
status of the high-speed dubbing of which was changed from
prohibited to permitted in the course of the dubbing and recording.
Programs, which are on a list of deferred-dubbing objects and have
high-speed dubbing thereof permitted, are first dubbed at a high
speed. On the other hand, programs, which are on a list of
deferred-dubbing objects but have high-speed dubbing thereof still
prohibited, are typically dubbed at a low speed.
[0444] With the additional procedure adopted in the alternative
configuration described above, the status of programs, which have
high-speed dubbing thereof prohibited and are thus put on a list of
deferred-dubbing objects, may be changed from prohibited to
permitted in the course of the dubbing and recording. Such programs
can thus be subjected to high-speed dubbing. As a result, the time
efficiency of the dubbing operation can be improved.
[0445] As described above, the high-speed dubbing begins with
programs, which are on a list of dubbing objects and have
high-speed dubbing thereof permitted and programs, which are on a
list of deferred-dubbing objects and have the status of high-speed
dubbing thereof changed from "prohibited" to "permitted". The
dubbing operation continues to low-speed dubbing of programs, which
are on a list of deferred-dubbing objects but have high-speed
dubbing thereof still prohibited. In this case, however, programs
are recorded onto a recording medium serving as a destination of
dubbing in an order different from the recording order of the
programs on a recording medium serving as a dubbing source. In
order to solve this problem, the present invention automatically
carries out processing to change the program order on the recording
medium serving as a destination of dubbing so as to make the
program order on the recording medium serving as a destination of
dubbing match the program order on the recording medium serving as
a source of dubbing.
[0446] It is thus possible to obtain a recording medium serving as
a destination of dubbing with a program order matching the program
order on the recording medium serving as a source of dubbing,
hence, making the dubbing function better even if programs, which
are supposed to be dubbed and have high-speed dubbing thereof
permitted, are first dubbed at a high speed and recorded onto a
destination recording medium, taking precedence of other programs.
In addition, since it is no longer necessary for the user to carry
out later editing work to change the program order, the magnitude
of a load borne by the user decreases.
[0447] While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has
been described using specific terms, such description is for
illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes
and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or
scope of the following claims.
* * * * *