Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Information location or remote operator actuated control – Selective addressing of storage medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-19
2001-08-14
Neyzari, Ali (Department: 2651)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Information location or remote operator actuated control
Selective addressing of storage medium
C369S047150, C386S349000, C386S349000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06275451
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information recording apparatus for recording information on a recording medium and an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing information recorded on the recording medium, more particularly, to an information recording apparatus and a information reproducing apparatus, capable of displaying a menu screen indicating a plurality of image information recorded on the recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a plurality of information (such as image information) are read out and reproduced from a recording medium in which they are recorded, a menu screen showing the information can be used conveniently.
For example, if a plurality of picture images are recorded on a recording medium, a menu screen is produced with the information for identifying each picture image, such as titles and still images taken out from the picture images so that the menu screen can be displayed on a monitor before actually reproducing the picture images. Accordingly, a desired picture image can be chosen easily from the plurality of picture images recorded on the recording medium.
In particular, by displaying a still image taken out from each picture image on the menu screen, the content of each picture image can be shown further specifically, and thus the picture image can be chosen more easily. This kind of technique is known.
However, it involves a problem in that it is not easy to choose a still image capable of specifically showing the content of the picture because the image which can most appropriately show the content of the picture image differs from person to person.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide an information recording apparatus in which an image for identifying information recorded on a recording medium can be selected and set freely by the user.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an image reproducing apparatus in which the menu screen can be changed freely by the user.
The above-mentioned object can be achieved by an information recording apparatus according to the present invention. The information recording apparatus records information including a plurality of information groups onto a recording medium. Each of the plurality of information groups includes a plurality of images. The information recording apparatus has: a first recording device for recording the plurality of images onto the recording medium for each of the plurality of information groups; an reproduction device for reproducing the plurality of images for each of the plurality of the information groups, while the first recording device is recording the plurality of images onto the recording medium; a selection device for selecting one image from the plurality of images reproduced by the reproduction device as an identification image for identifying one of the plurality of information group in which the selected one image is included, while the first recording device is recording the plurality of images onto the recording medium; and a second recording device for recording at least either one of the identification image and information designating the identification image onto the recording medium.
The information recording apparatus can reproduce the plurality of images, while recording these images onto the recording medium. The user can view the reproduced images, while the information recording apparatus is recording the images onto the recording medium. Therefore, the user can select one desired image from the reproduced images. When the user find a desired image, the user manipulates the information recording apparatus, for example. In response to this, the selection device selects one image from reproduced images as an identification image for identifying one of the plurality of information group in which the selected one image is included. Then, the second recording device records at least either one of the identification image and information designating the identification image onto the recording medium. Thus, the user can freely selects an image for identifying information, while the information recording apparatus is recording the information onto the recording medium.
It is preferable that the recording domain and the identification domain are separately formed on the recording medium. The plurality of images are recorded into the recording domain. The identification image or information designating the identification image is recorded into the identification domain. Therefore, it is easy to discriminate between the identification image and the plurality of images, for example, when an information reproducing apparatus reproduces the plurality of image or the identification image.
Furthermore, the selection device may includes: an accepting device for accepting an input of an instruction; and an image selecting device for selecting one image that is reproduced at a time closest to a time that the accepting device accepts the input of the instruction. Therefore, the user can select a desired image as an identification image in a real time.
The above-mentioned object can be also achieved by an information reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. The information reproducing apparatus reproduces information including a plurality of information groups from a recording medium on which the information is recorded. Each of the plurality of information groups includes a plurality of images. The information reproducing apparatus has: a reproduction device for reproducing the plurality of image from the recording medium for each of the plurality of information groups; a selection device for selecting one image from the plurality of images reproduced by the reproduction device as an identification image for identifying one of the plurality of information group in which the selected one image is included, while the reproduction device is reproducing the plurality of images from the recording medium; a recording device for recording at least either one of the identification image and information designating the identification image onto the recording medium; and a menu screen producing device for producing and displaying a menu screen including the identifying image recorded on the recording medium by the recording device.
While the information recording apparatus is reproducing the images from the recording medium, the user can select one desired image from the reproduced images by viewing the reproduced images. When the user find a desired image, the user manipulates the information reproducing apparatus, for example. In response to this, the selection device selects one image from reproduced images as an identification image for identifying one of the plurality of information group in which the selected one image is included. Then, the recording device records at least either one of the identification image and information designating the identification image onto the recording medium. Thus, the user can freely selects an image for identifying information, while the information reproducing apparatus is reproducing the information from the recording medium. Furthermore, the menu screen producing device uses the identification image recorded on the recording medium, when producing the menu screen.
It is preferable that the recording domain and the identification domain are separately formed on the recording medium. In this case, the identification image or information designating the identification image is recorded into the identification domain. Therefore, it is easy to discriminate between the identification image and the plurality of images, when an information reproducing apparatus reproduces the plurality of image, or when an information reproducing apparatus uses the identification image to produce the menu screen.
Furthermore, the selection device may includes: an accepting device for accepting an input of an instruction; and an image selecting device for selecting one image that is reproduced at a time cl
Endo Jiro
Horiuchi Takahiro
Noguchi Takayoshi
Park Youngju
Neyzari Ali
Pioneer Electronic Corporation
Pitney Hardin Kipp & Szuch LLP
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