Abstract: Output apparatus and method of a printer, a display, or the like for receiving a group of commands from a host computer and for changing subsequent data processes. The output apparatus comprises: a substituting circuit for substituting another discrimination information for discrimination information to be changed in accordance with an input of instruction information to instruct a change in discrimination information stored; and an executing circuit for executing a predetermined operation shown by the discrimination information before it is substituted by the substituting circuit in accordance with an input of the discrimination information substituted by the substituting circuit. A command table of an output unit is rewritten by a special command from the host computer, thereby enabling a desired outputting process to be selectively executed while the host computer easily discriminates the output unit.

Abstract: A recorder comprises an input port for inputting a data, an output unit for outputting data of different formats supplied from the input port as dot matrix data of identical format, and a dot matrix record unit for recording the data supplied by the output unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is an information recording-reproducing apparatus including a light source for emitting a light beam, a lens device for imaging the light beam from the light source on an optical information recording medium, a photodetector for receiving light from the recording medium and for outputting a plurality of types of signals, a detector for detecting a mark indicative of a reference position on the recording medium on the basis of a corresponding signal from the photodetector and for outputting a signal, a device for initiating auto-tracking on the basis of the signal from the detector, a tracking actuator for moving the lens device, and a device for controlling the tracking actuator to start recording and reproduction of information from a predetermined position on the recording medium after the auto-tracking has been initiated.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium includes a plurality of rows of tracking tracks arranged at intervals, a plurality of recording portions provided between the tracking tracks and on which information is recorded by application of a light beam thereto, and an optically detectable mark provided at at least one location on at least one of the recording portions. The recording surface of the recording medium is divided into a recording area and a non-recording area in a direction perpendicular to direction of the plurality of rows of the tracking tracks. The optically detectable mark represents a boundary of the recording area and the non-recording area.

Abstract: An information recording method for recording information on one of a plurality of tracks provided in parallel with each other on an information recording medium while performing a tracking servo operation has a characteristic that when an abnormality of the tracking servo operation is generated during the recording of information on a track, information the same as the above-mentioned information is recorded again on a track which is positioned at least two tracks ahead of the one track.

Abstract: A method of recording information on a recording medium includes generating a plurality of blocks, each having a certain, in the recording area of the recording medium and recording data and directories for effecting the control of the data in the same block in each of the blocks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing a track in a recording medium during a stopped state of recording or reproduction. The method includes accessing a recording and/or reproducing device to a desired track of a plurality of tracks on the information recording medium. The recording and/or reproducing device and the recording medium are not relatively moved in a longitudinal direction of the tracks, while the recording and/or reproducing device is moved relative to the recording medium in a direction which crosses the tracks.

Abstract: There is disclosed an information recording medium having an area for recording data and an area for recording a directory used to manage the recorded data, by providing an area for recording information indicating logical erasure of the unnecessary data. In the information record method of the present invention, when unnecessary data is produced, information indicating the logical erasure of the data is recorded in the area of the information record medium in which the directory is recorded.

Abstract: There is disclosed an information record method comprising the steps of recording information in one record area of an information record medium having a plurality of record areas, reproducing the recorded information and checking error thereof, and recording an indicia indicating absence of error at a portion of the record area in accordance with an error check result. An information record apparatus used for the above method comprises a device for recording information on an information record medium having a plurality of record areas, a device for moving the record device to a record area to which information is to be recorded, a device for reproducing the information recorded in the record area, a device for checking error based on the reproduced information, and a device for recording an indicia for indicating absence of error at a portion of the record area in accordance with error check result.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus comprises: a device to record information into a recording medium such as an optical card; a generator to generate a pattern signal for synchronization of the recording information, this generator being able to generate an arbitrary pattern; a controller for adding the pattern signal to the recording information and for recording the information and the pattern signal into the recording medium; and a host computer for transmitting and receiving the recording information to and from the information recording apparatus. The pattern signal is added in front of the recording information and another pattern signal is added after the recording information. This another pattern signal is derived by reversely rearranging the pattern signal added in front of the recording information. A discriminating signal is interposed between the recording information and the pattern signal. The host computer can arbitrarily set a pattern of the pattern signal.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus comprises: a recorder to record information into a recording medium such as an optical card having a plurality of information recording tracks; a generator to generate management information, i.e., directory to manage the information to be recorded into the card; and a controller for allowing a plurality of directories to be recorded into one of the information recording tracks, wherein when the controller additionally records a directory, it controls the recording position of the directory on the basis of the number concerned with the directories recorded in one track. The controller counts the number of directories or the number of gaps among the directories recorded in one track. When the count value is less than a predetermined number, the controller additionally records a new directory into the track. With this apparatus, the directories can be managed by a simple constitution without adding addresses to the recorded information, respectively.