Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Digital audio data processing system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-05
2004-10-19
Mei, Xu (Department: 2644)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Digital audio data processing system
C369S047130, C084S609000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06807450
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information reproducing method and an information reproducing apparatus for reading information pieces recorded on a record medium, such as an MD (Mini Disc) or the like and then demodulating it.
2. Description of the Related Art
An MD player is an information reproducing apparatus for reading compressed information recorded on an MD and then demodulating it. The MD is one type of record medium. Compressed information, for example, compressed digital audio data is spirally recorded on the MD. The compressed information is divided into a plurality of compressed information pieces. In other words, the compressed information is recorded at a unit of information piece. Hereafter, this information piece is referred to as “compressed information piece”. For example, if the compressed information is music, one compressed information piece is a song. Moreover, control information indicative of a record position (for example, an address) of the compressed information piece together with the compressed information is recorded on the MD.
The MD player is provided with: a spindle motor for rotating the MD; a pickup for optically reading the compressed information recorded on the MD; a servo controller for controlling a movement of the pickup on the MD; a signal processor for demodulating the compressed information read by the pickup; a key input section for receiving a command from a user; and a system controller for controlling the MD player as a whole.
The MD player is operated as follows. When a user uses the key input section to then enter a command of reproducing the MD in the MD player, the pickup radiates a laser light toward the rotating MD. Then, the pickup receives the laser light reflected by the MD, and then converts the laser light into an electrical signal. This electrical signal contains the compressed information recorded on the MD. The signal processor receives the electrical signal outputted by the pickup, and then demodulates it. Accordingly, the compressed information is reproduced.
In order to read out the compressed information recorded on the MD by using the pickup, it is necessary to accurately control a radiation position (namely, a read position) of the laser light radiated by the pickup. This is achieved by the servo controller. The electrical signal outputted by the pickup contains the information with regard to the read position of the pickup. The servo controller controls the read position of the pickup based on this information
The MD player not only can simply reproduce the plurality of compressed information pieces recorded on the MD, but also can change a reproduction order of the compressed information pieces based on a user indication. For example, if the MD on which a plurality of songs are recorded is reproduced by the MD player, the user can select several songs from the plurality of songs to then set the reproduction order of the songs. When the reproduction order of the songs is inputted, the MD player reproduces the songs in the inputted reproduction order.
If such an MD player is mounted in a car, a driver can hear the MD in the running car. However, in this case, problems described below are brought about.
In general, if a plurality of songs are recorded on the MD, a silent portion (a blank portion) exists between the songs. That is, in order to clarify a pause between the songs, each song is recorded so as to be kept silent for a few seconds at the beginning of each song. In case of a song whose ending is fade-out, a level of a musical sound becomes gradually lower at the ending of the song.
In this case, at the ending of the song, the musical sound is erased by a noise within the running car. As a result, the driver can not hear the ending of the song, and thereby feels that a period from the end of the song to the start of the next song is long. In other words, the user feels that the blank between the compressed information pieces is long.
In a case of a song whose beginning is fade-in, the level of the musical sound is low at the beginning of the song. Also in this case, the driver can not hear the beginning of the song, and thereby feels that the period between the songs is long. In other words, the user feels that the blank between the compressed information pieces is long.
Such a problem is not limited to the case in which the MD is reproduced within the running car. The problem may be brought about even in a case that the MD is reproduced in a room where the noise is relatively large, an outdoor and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is proposed in view of the above-mentioned problems. It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide an information reproducing method and an information reproducing apparatus which can prevent a user from feeling that a blank at a boundary between continuously reproduced information pieces is long when information composed of a plurality of information pieces is continuously reproduced from a record medium.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an information reproducing method and an information reproducing apparatus which can prevent a user from feeling that a connection between continuously reproduced information pieces is unnatural when information composed of a plurality of information pieces is continuously reproduced.
The aforementioned first object can be achieved by an information reproducing apparatus in accordance with the present invention. The information reproducing apparatus is an apparatus for reproducing a plurality of information pieces recorded on a recording medium. The apparatus has: a reading device for reading the information pieces from the recording medium in accordance with a predetermined reproduction order; a linking device for linking the information pieces read by the reading device with each other, by removing either or both of a beginning and an ending of each of the information pieces; and a converting device for converting the information pieces linked by the linking device into a reproduction signal to be supplied to an output device.
Information is recorded on the recording medium. The information is divided into the information pieces on the recording medium. The information pieces are read from the recording medium by the reading device. Then, either or both of the beginning and the ending of these information pieces are removed, and then, they are linked with each other. Therefore, information for the purpose of identifying the boundary between the information pieces, such as a blank part, a fade-out part, a fade-in part, etc., as mentioned above, can be removed, and the information pieces can be linked in such a way that they are continuously reproduced without a pause.
The linking device may include: a read position detecting device for detecting a read position of the reading device on the recording medium; and a read position control device for controlling a movement of the read position of the reading device on the recording medium. The read position detecting device detects a first read position corresponding to a first position of each of the information pieces, which is located in the vicinity of the ending of each of the information pieces. Then, the read position control device controls the movement of the read position such that the read position jumps from the first read position to a second read position corresponding to a second position of each of the information pieces, which is located in the vicinity of the beginning of each of the information pieces.
Furthermore, the linking device may include a storing device for storing the information pieces read by the reading device such that the first position of each of the information pieces is linked with the second position of each of the information pieces in accordance with the reproduction order. For example, a first information piece is firstly read by the reading device, and stored in the storing device. At this stage, the first information piece except f
Hitomi Yasumitsu
Takenaka Yoshihiko
Mei Xu
Nixon & Vanderhye PC
Pioneer Electronic Corporation
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