Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Information location or remote operator actuated control – Selective addressing of storage medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-10
2001-03-13
Neyzari, Ali (Department: 2752)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Information location or remote operator actuated control
Selective addressing of storage medium
C369S047360
Reexamination Certificate
active
06201772
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for reproducing acoustic information from a disk such as a CD (Compact Disk) recording acoustic information, the disk and cards used for the disk reproduction apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
A disk reproduction apparatus has a CD mounted thereon and with recorded acoustic information as a digital signal, which digital signal is read out by a pickup while rotating the CD and an analog signal obtained by digital-to-analog conversion is amplified and outputted from the speaker. The CD has tracks recording acoustic information spirally formed on one of the surfaces thereof. There are 99 or less tracks, each of which is assigned a track number according to a predetermined standard. Each track is divided into 100 or less portions, each of which is assigned an index number also according to a predetermined standard. The index number, combined with the track number, constitutes an address. Each track is allotted with a read-in area recording TOC (Table Of Contents) information representing the address structure of the next program area or the like, a program area recording acoustic information and a read-out area recording ending information of all the programs sequentially from the leading portion of the track.
When the CD is mounted on and the reproduction start is commanded to the disk information reproduction apparatus, the disk reproduction apparatus reads the TOC information from the CD and displays the information on the display for a predetermined length of time, after which the acoustic information recorded in the program area of the CD is reproduced sequentially from the leading portion. Upon application of the address mentioned above thereto, on the other hand, the disk information reproduction apparatus reproduces the acoustic information recorded in the relevant address. Further, when a repeat command is given, the disk information reproduction apparatus repeatedly reproduces the acoustic information of the designated address or a plurality of acoustic information between designated addresses.
In the conventional disk information reproduction apparatus, when used for education, for example, the voice information recorded in the CD is reproduced and outputted so that a user can hear and learn the information. In this unidirectional type of operation, however, applications are limited only to narrow fields including language education.
Also, there is a disk reproduction apparatus in which a CD recording a plurality of pieces of music is mounted, the digital signal read from the CD by a pickup arranged in opposed relation to the CD is converted into an analog signal and music is outputted from the speaker. In this type of apparatus, a desired piece of music is selected for reproduction from the CD by operating a music selection button on the body or ten-keys on a remote controller.
With the above-mentioned disk information reproduction apparatus, it is difficult for infants to perform the music selection operation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,437 proposes the following disk reproduction apparatus. A card formed with a plurality of holes associated with the track numbers recording music is fitted in a card insertion slot of the body, and a plurality of optical sensors arranged in the card insertion slot detect the presence or absence and the position of a hole formed in the card, whereby the track number designated by the relevant card is determined, the track number is accessed and the desired music is reproduced. In this disk information reproduction apparatus, a picture and words of a song associated with the music designated by a card are printed on that card, so that infants can replace the card in the body and reproduce the desired music on the basis of the picture and the words printed on the card.
The conventional disk information reproduction apparatus described above, when applied to the language education or the like, however, poses the following problem. Each area assigned a track number of the CD used for the language education is divided into a plurality of portions each assigned an index number. An address is constructed of a track number and an index number. The track number and the index number can use 0 to 99 according to a standard. As a result, a CD can have a maximum of 1×10
4
addresses. Therefore, an index number can be assigned to each sentence, for example, recorded in a track, and only the sentence of a desired index number can be repeated and learned. In order to meet this requirement, however, a multiplicity of cards formed with holes for identifying addresses are required, which is not practical.
With CDs recording words, by contrast, they are classified into the beginners', middle and advanced courses, and the CD is appropriately replaced in accordance with the progress of the learning. Nevertheless, it is difficult for infants to replace the CD. Further, the CD is required for each of the beginners', middle and advanced courses, thereby leading to a high cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a method for disk information reproduction, an apparatus and a disk that can be widely used for executing the method, in which, on the basis of information associated with a predetermined audio band signal read from the disk, the reproduction of acoustic information and the information associated with the audio band signal recorded in the disk is controlled.
Another object of the invention is to provide a disk information reproduction apparatus in which even infants can easily designate an address by identifying a track number and an index number independently of each other through a card.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a disk information reproduction apparatus in which the portion determined by the index number registered and the track number identified is accessed, whereby a recorded contents on the disk of different levels can be used, thereby reducing the cost.
A disk information reproduction apparatus according to the invention includes a decoder for decoding information associated with an audio band signal for controlling the reproduction operation read from a disk recording such information independently of the acoustic information and outputting a command signal, and a control section for accepting the command signal from the decoder and controlling the reproduction of the acoustic information and the information associated with the audio band signal in accordance with the command signal.
In addition to the acoustic information such as voice and music, the disk records the information to be reproduced into an audio band signal for controlling the reproduction operation including the movement of a pickup and the setting of an output level of a disk reproduction apparatus, which audio band signal is a DTMF (Dual Tone Multifrequency) signal, for example. The upper and lower limits of the frequency of this audio band signal are the same as the upper and lower limits respectively of the frequency permitted for reproduction of the acoustic information. The information associated with the audio band signal read from the disk is decoded into, for example, a command signal for jumping to a predetermined index unconditionally, a command signal for jumping to a different index on the basis of set conditions, or other command signal determined in accordance with an audio band signal in advance, and then the reproduction of the acoustic information and the information associated with the audio band signal is controlled in accordance with the command signal.
Assume, for example, that a disk is used which records information associated with an audio band signal to be decoded into a command signal with an answer to a question set as a condition in accordance with a voice signal of the question, together with a message to be outputted in accordance with the situation meeting or not meeting the particular condition. After outputting the voice of a question, an appropriate message is ou
Armstrong, Westerman Hattori, McLeland & Naughton
Neyzari Ali
Sanyo Electric Co,. Ltd.
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