Abstract: When the information-provision apparatus is providing an audio signal to the specific information reproduction apparatus, the user enters an operation input to the specific information reproduction apparatus to switch processing to reproduce an audio content from the specific information reproduction apparatus to another information reproduction apparatus. In this case, the specific information reproduction apparatus requests the information-provision apparatus to start an operation of providing the audio content to the other information reproduction apparatus specified in the operation input as an apparatus to newly reproduce the audio content. Then, the specific information reproduction apparatus requests the information-provision apparatus to end an operation of providing the audio content to the specific information reproduction apparatus specified in the operation input as an apparatus to terminate an operation of reproducing the audio content.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for initialization of media asset modules for an improved execution sequence on a playback environment. The system includes a player application configured to segment media assets associated with a primary media content into a plurality of asset modules, assemble the plurality of asset modules into a media file, identify a first subset of asset modules from the plurality of asset modules for loading in a first loading process, determine a loading sequence for the first subset of asset modules, and load the first subset of asset modules according to the loading sequence before beginning playback of the primary media content. The player application may be further configured to identify, determine another loading sequence for, and load additional asset modules after playback of the primary media content has begun.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for initialization of media asset modules for an improved execution sequence on a playback environment. The system includes a player application configured to segment media assets associated with a primary media content into a plurality of asset modules, assemble the plurality of asset modules into a media file, identify a first subset of asset modules from the plurality of asset modules for loading in a first loading process, determine a loading sequence for the first subset of asset modules, and load the first subset of asset modules according to the loading sequence before beginning playback of the primary media content. The player application may be further configured to identify, determine another loading sequence for, and load additional asset modules after playback of the primary media content has begun.

Abstract: A disclosed multilayer optical information medium includes three or more information layers. Address information indicating positions in each of the information layers is recorded in a helical manner. The information layers comprise at least one I to O layer in which values representing addresses in the address information increase from an inner perimeter section toward an outer perimeter section, and at least one O to I layer in which the values representing the addresses in the address information increase from the outer perimeter section toward the inner perimeter section. All of the I to O layers have substantially the same address information and all of the O to I layers have substantially the same address information. Layer specifying information specifying the information layer is attached to the address information.

Abstract: Provided are methods and systems of encoding and decoding techniques in an optical storage system having a multi-head detector. In one embodiment, source data may be encoded using error correction coding (e.g., turbo coding) techniques, and the encoded data may be interleaved and distributed to more than one detector head of the multi-head detector. Data recorded in an optical disc may be retrieved by the multi-head detector, and a read data from more than one detector head may be concurrently decoded to retrieve estimates of the original information in the source data. Further, more than one encoder/decoder may be used, and each encoder/decoder may encode or decode data from multiple data heads. Some embodiments also include replicating multiple discs.

Abstract: To compensate for edge shifts varying largely in accordance with preceding mark lengths. Provided are a method and a recorder in which a duration of a cooling pulse in each recording pulse string to form a mark having a length of nT is determined on the basis of an edge shift amount of a front edge of a mark whose preceding mark has a length of nT, where n is an integer and T is a channel bit length.

Abstract: An information recording medium (100) is provided with a plurality of recording layers (L0 layer, L1 layer) to record therein record information, and property information (200) indicating properties of the each recording layer is recorded in each of the plurality of recording layers.

Abstract: To provide an information recording apparatus and so on which can improve convenience of handling even if music information is encoded in an LPCM system with a high quality and recorded therein. Music information M obtained by encoding a musical composition which should be reproduced in an uncompressed state, first control information G1 for controlling the compressed music information PM, compressed music information PM including a content same as at least any one of the music information M, and second control information G2 for controlling the compressed music information PM, the second control information G2 including corresponding information RR representing a corresponding relationship between the music information M and the compressed music information PM.

Abstract: A method for acquiring an optimum position of a reserved block in a holographic storage system is provided. Firstly, an initial offset error between an initial reserved block and its two nearest neighbors is computed. Then, according to a dynamically adjustable modified centroid function ??, a second reserved block is obtained by interpolating the covariance values associated with the initial reserved block and the respective two nearest neighbors. Afterwards, the optimum position of the reserved block is acquired according to the second reserved block and the initial offset error.

Abstract: An optical disc and a method and apparatus for recording digital data streams and management information on the disc, are provided. The method includes recording a digital data stream including at least one predetermined-sized unit, each unit carrying header information and at least one packet, the header information being represented in at least one header entry, selectively appending an additional header entry based on whether a number of the at least one header entry corresponds to a number of the at least one packet, and recording an indication information that indicates whether or not the additional header entry is appended.

Abstract: A recording apparatus and a recording method are provided. Control information is generated by the microcontroller based on the received command. The data preparing unit has a control register and a preparing circuit, wherein the control register is used for storing a set of control register values corresponding to the control information, and the preparing circuit is used for generating prepared data based on the set of control register values and storing the prepared data in the data buffer. The recording circuit records on an optical storage media based on the prepared data. The optical storage media has a lead-in area having a plurality of continuous zones. The prepared data includes a plurality of data to be written into the corresponding zones and the plurality of data are stored in the data buffer in the same sequence as the writing sequence to the zones and are read continuously.

Abstract: A disclosed multilayer optical information medium includes three or more information layers. Address information indicating positions in each of the information layers is recorded in a helical manner. The information layers comprise at least one I to O layer in which values representing addresses in the address information increase from an inner perimeter section toward an outer perimeter section, and at least one O to I layer in which the values representing the addresses in the address information increase from the outer perimeter section toward the inner perimeter section. All of the I to O layers have substantially the same address information and all of the O to I layers have substantially the same address information. Layer specifying information specifying the information layer is attached to the address information.

Abstract: A bi-phase decoder suitable for use in a broadcast router and an associated method for extracting subframes of digital audio data from a stream of digital audio data. Logical circuitry within the bi-phase decoder extracts subframes of the digital audio data by constructing a transition window from an estimated bit time, sampling the stream of digital audio data using a fast clock and applying the sampled stream of digital audio data to the transition window to identify transitions indicative of preambles of the subframes of digital audio data.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus for an optical recording medium, comprising: a reference beam irradiator for irradiating an optical recording medium on which information is recorded by holography with a reference beam to generate a reproduction beam; a two-dimensional image pickup device capable of being partially read, which receives the reproduction beam; a partial reading controller for controlling partial reading of information on the two-dimensional image pickup device; and an information processor for performing a predetermined process by using the information to be partially read.

Abstract: A recording method for recording, on a write once type information recording medium, management information representing a recording state of the write once type information recording medium is provided. The information recording medium includes data including a first synchronization signal. The information recording medium has a second synchronization signal pre-recorded by cutting. The recording method includes the steps of (a) performing a recording operation for recording the management information at a predetermined position of the information recording medium based on the first synchronization signal; (b) determining whether the recording operation in step (a) is normally terminated or not; and (c) when the recording operation in step (a) is not normally terminated, performing a recording operation for recording the management information at the predetermined position of the information recording medium based on the second synchronization signal.

Abstract: A method for recording data on an optical medium is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a first plurality of frames of data at a Cross Interleave Reed-Solomon Code (CIRC) encoder, encoding the first plurality of frames of data by the CIRC encoder to generate a second plurality of frames of data, generating a set of data to form a Q sub-channel, altering selected data bits in the Q sub-channel to form an encoded Q sub-channel, forming a plurality of control bytes including the encoded Q sub-channel, adding one of the control bytes to each one of the second plurality of frames of data to generate a third plurality of frames of data, encoding selected portions of the third plurality of frames of data by an EFM encoder to generate a plurality of channel frames, and recording the channel frames on the optical medium. This method allows CDs to be recorded that cannot be played by conventional CD players.

Abstract: An optical disc medium comprises a track groove, along which main information is recorded. The track groove is divided into a plurality of blocks. The plurality of blocks each include a plurality of frames. The plurality of frames each include one shape of wobbles indicating sub information, among a plurality of prescribed shapes of wobbles. The plurality of blocks each have address information. The address information is represented by a string of at least one piece of sub information represented by the shape of wobbles of at least one of the plurality of frames.

Abstract: An optical disc medium comprises a track groove, along which main information is recorded. The track groove is divided into a plurality of blocks. The plurality of blocks each include a plurality of frames. The plurality of frames each include one shape of wobbles indicating sub information, among a plurality of prescribed shapes of wobbles. The plurality of blocks each have address information. The address information is represented by a string of at least one piece of sub information represented by the shape of wobbles of at least one of the plurality of frames.

Abstract: An optical disc medium comprises a track groove, along which main information is recorded. The track groove is divided into a plurality of blocks. The plurality of blocks each include a plurality of frames. The plurality of frames each include one shape of wobbles indicating sub information, among a plurality of prescribed shapes of wobbles. The plurality of blocks each have address information. The address information is represented by a string of at least one piece of sub information represented by the shape of wobbles of at least one of the plurality of frames.

Abstract: An optical disc medium compares a track groove, along which main information is recorded. The track groove is divided into a plurality of blocks. The plurality of blocks each include a plurality of frames. The plurality of frames each include one shape of wobbles indicating sub information, among a plurality of prescribed shapes of wobbles. The plurality of blocks each have address information. The address information is represented by a string of at least one piece of sub information represented by the shape of wobbles of at least one of the plurality of frames.

Abstract: A disc device in which recording is possible in a basic recording area in units of a subarea and startable at any position. Even if the recording cannot help stopping due to some external cause during recording on a disc-type recording medium that basically employs real-time sequential recording, the recording is re-openable at the position where the recording stopped when the external cause has disappeared. The disc device includes a reference clock counter that starts to count at the starting point of each basic recording area reference clocks read from the disc, and an address memory that holds an address of the basic recording area under recording. When the recording is stopped due to some external cause, the count of the counter and the address held by the address memory at that time are saved.

Abstract: A data-arranging method similar to that of a RAM disk is adopted for a ROM disk to make the ROM disk highly compatible with the RAM disk. According to this method, buffer areas are allocated as a data run-in and a data run-out respectively preceding and succeeding a RUB (Recording Unit Block) used as a recording/reproduction unit. In addition, at locations separated from each other in the buffer areas by a distance equal in length to a sync-data gap in successive frames in the RUB, pieces of sync data (SA) are provided so that the sync data always appears at equal intervals in a signal reproduced from the ROM disk, providing a feature advantageous to establishment and protection of synchronization. It is thus possible to implement a ROM disk that is highly compatible with the RAM disk and advantageous to a synchronization system.

Abstract: Provided is a method of recording data on an optical recording medium having a plurality of addressable unit areas. 62 sync frames, each having a sync code and data, can be recorded in each of the addressable unit areas. Thus, user data can be recorded on a recordable optical disc at a higher density.

Abstract: A decoder for improving the reliability of synchronization pattern detection. The decoder includes a synchronization circuit for detecting a synchronization pattern from LPP data and wobble data. A first frame counter is reset when a synchronization detection circuit detects the synchronization pattern of a first sector and counts the number of frames of data until the synchronization pattern of the next sector is detected. A comparison circuit compares a count value of the first frame counter with a first reference value, which corresponds to the number of frames for one sector. A determination circuit determines whether or not the detected synchronization pattern is proper based on the comparison result of the comparison circuit.

Abstract: A disc device in which recording is possible in a basic recording area in units of a subarea and startable at any position. Even if the recording cannot help stopping due to some external cause during recording on a disc-type recording medium that basically employs real-time sequential recording, the recording is re-openable at the position where the recording stopped when the external cause has disappeared. The disc device includes a reference clock counter that starts to count at the starting point of each basic recording area reference clocks read from the disc, and an address memory that holds an address of the basic recording area under recording. When the recording is stopped due to some external cause, the count of the counter and the address held by the address memory at that time are saved.

Abstract: User data is recorded in a recording medium while being linked in units of a fixed length packet, and information indicative of this fact is written to the recording medium. At the time of reading the user data, the position of data linking block can be detected by making reference to the identification information, whereby the excessive run-out blocks which would be otherwise requisite to detect the position of the data linking block are made unnecessary. At the time of data linking, a part where data in the run-in block is missing is filled with correct data, thus the run-in block can correctly be read, whereby the excessive run-in blocks which would otherwise be requisite are made unnecessary.

Abstract: A method for recoding data on an optical medium such as DVD. The method includes receiving main data from a data source, determining a plurality of data frame values in response to the main data, inverting at least one selected bit in at least one of the data frame values to generate a plurality of encoded data frames, scrambling the encoded data frames by a feedback shift register to generate scrambled data frames, generating ECC values in response to the scrambled data frames, adding the ECC values to the scrambled data frames to generate an ECC block, rearranging the ECC block to generate a plurality of recording frames, encoding the recording frame by an eight-to-sixteen modulation (ESM) encoder to generate code words, adding sync values to the code words to generate a plurality of physical sectors, and recording the physical sectors on the optical medium. There is a complementary method for reading and decoding data from an optical medium.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus and method for recording information of a recording block including a plurality of sectors as one verifying unit into an optical information recording medium, a recording area of the optical information recording medium including a plurality of zones, and wherein each zone is different in a sector number per round of a track. A recorder records information of a plurality of recording blocks into the optical information recording medium and a verification conductor conducts a verify control. A number of the recording block included in the verifying unit is determined to be a minimal number in a rotation waiting sector number.

Abstract: The method is capable of securely reading audio data from an optical disk with reducing errors. The method comprises the steps of: reading the audio data, which are divided into a plurality of data units, from the optical disk; detecting an error flag of each of the data units so as to check if a reading error exists in each of the data units or not; rereading the audio data from the optical disk and storing the audio data of the data units, in which no reading errors exist, if the reading error exists in at least one of the data units; repeating the rereading-and-storing step prescribed times; and combining the stored audio data of the data units, in which no reading errors exist, so as to reproduce the recorded audio data.

Abstract: For mapping sampled digital audio information onto a linear physical mapping space that is partitioned in a string of uniform-sized blocks, in particular for variable-rate coded audio information that is distributed over successive audio units which are each composed from one or more audio packets, each block is supplemented with a block header for indicating an actual content of the block in question with respect to any constituent packet of the audio information.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for use with a read-only optical information storage medium having a plurality of areas, including: a recording and/or reading unit which records data on and/or reads data from the plurality of areas; and a controller which: controls the recording and/or reading unit to record data in at least one of the plurality of areas in the form of pits in a first pit pattern, and controls the recording and/or reading unit to record data in others of the plurality of areas in the form of pits in a second pit pattern different from the first.

Abstract: Conventionally, as in the case of switching between a DVD-R and a DVD-RAM, when the method of record mark arrangement in a track is changed, the physical format of the disk is also changed. This makes it difficult to ensure compatibility between pieces of data recorded by a plurality of different methods of record mark arrangement. According to the present invention, sector address data and block address data are recorded in each sector by using wobbling or deformation of a recording groove. Then, depending on which address is used, sector data structure is modified, thereby making it possible to select an address data detection and a data structure on a disk in a single physical format depending on the purpose.

Abstract: Formatting is applied only to a local area which is a part of the entire recordable area of a rewritable disk and which does not include portions where a lead-in area and a lead-out area are to be formed. In other words, only the required minimum area is formatted. The formatted area is extended afterwards as required. Thus, disk formatting is shortened.

Abstract: An encoder & decoder unit for encoding data to be recorded has a data-supply-start-signal-generating circuit for generating an ATTX signal requesting that an operation to supply the data to be recorded to the encoder & decoder unit be started by counting 88.5 frames starting at detection of the rising edge of a 1F•START signal by an address decoder. The encoder & decoder unit also includes a laser-power-switching-signal-generating circuit for generating an ATRECP signal making a request for switching of a laser power by counting 49 frames starting at detection of the rising edge of an FD•START signal by the address decoder. A system controller thus needs to generate an RECXPB signal requesting that a recording operation from the next cluster be started only at a precision of about 2 seconds with respect to the period of 1 cluster.

Abstract: A method for writing a file of data to a compact disc media is provided. The method begins by receiving a first portion of the file for writing to the compact disc media. The first portion can be any portion of the file. Once received, the first portion is divided into a plurality of chunks. A map data sector is then generated for a set of the plurality of chunks, and the map data sector includes information for interrelating the file data and the plurality of chunks to be written to the compact disc media. The map data sector is then written to the compact disc media followed by the plurality of chunks of the first portion of the file. If possible, the plurality of chunks are first compressed before writing to the compact disc media. If the first portion is long enough to fill multiple sets of chunks, associated map data sectors will be generated for those additional sets of chunks.

Abstract: A data record medium on which a digital signal has been recorded in which the digital signal is composed of main data and a sub code, the sub code having time information representing reproduction elapsed time, and the sub code being recorded in association with the main data, wherein information that represents the reproduction elapsed time of the sub code is represented with a binary coded decimal number and address information in synchronization with the time information of the main data is represented with a binary number, the address information being contained in the main data.

Abstract: A method is provided for extracting music data from a compact disc and managing the music data. The method is configured to have the system extract at least a portion of an initial track of music data at an extracting rate that is greater than the listening rate. The system simultaneously writes the extracted portion of the initial track of music data to a storage media at the extracting rate while performing the extracting. Meanwhile, a user may listen to at least a portion of the extracted portion of the initial track of music data from the storage media at the listening rate.

Abstract: An information recording and reproducing apparatus can reduce a time spent on an initial formatting operation performed on a rewritable recording medium such as a CD-RW disk. The rewritable recording medium has a user data area. A track containing a plurality of packets is defined in the user data area by being subjected to an initial formatting process before use so that data is recorded in the user data area on an individual packet basis. A blank, rewritable recording medium is formatted without formatting the user data area so that only information regarding the track is recorded on the recording medium in accordance with the initial formatting process. Time information previously recorded on the rewritable recording medium is read so that recording operation on the user data area is performed by referring to the time information.

Abstract: A process for recording and playing audio, video and/or data signals simultaneously from a recording medium includes the steps of initially acquiring a plurality of audio, video and/or data signals. Incremental temporal segments of each signal are taken and assembled into a single composite data frame in memory, and the composite frame is recorded in a permanent or erasable recording system. For example, the first 100 ms of each signal comprises the first incremental temporal segments, and all of these first segments of all signals are recorded in a predetermined order in the first composite frame. The second composite frame consists of the second 100 ms segments of the same signals, which are recorded in the same order as the first composite frame. This process is reiterated until the entire lengths of all of the signals are recorded in such composite frames.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementing a variable-speed audio data playback system comprises a processor that truncates audio data into frames and then performs a series of synchronized crossfades to discard excess audio data that is unneccessary during variable-speed playback. During the synchronized crossfade, the processor stores a source frame and a destination frame into memory. The processor then locates a maximum crosscorrelation point between the source frame and the destination frame and performs a synchronized crossfade that starts at the maximum crosscorrelation point to thereby produce high-quality reproduced sound to a system user during a variable-speed playback mode.

Abstract: A frame number detector for detecting frame number receives input signals consisting of a plurality of sectors. A sector consists of a plurality of frames, a frame including synchronizing signals and data, the synchronizing signals having a pattern used to identify a frame number in a sector, the pattern being defined to identify a frame number from a pattern of the synchronizing signals in a frame or from patterns of the synchronizing signals in consecutive frames. A pattern of synchronizing signals is extracted for consecutive frames from input signals, and the extracted pattern is compared with a predetermined pattern to determine with majority principle whether the extracted pattern agrees with the predetermined pattern. Then, a frame number is determined based on an output signal of the comparison. In an example, a block consists of for example two frames of the extracted pattern of synchronizing signals, and the comparison is performed in the unit of block.

Abstract: An improved file system and method for incrementally recording data on compact discs is disclosed. The improved file system and method employs compact discs physically formatted in accordance with the so-called Orange Book specification. Files to be stored are selected from time to time and are divided into packets. The packets are then recorded in a program area of the compact disc together with link, run-in and run-out blocks in a format compatible with the Orange Book rules for linking incrementally recorded packets. File linking information is also stored with each file. If desired, files may, but need not, be recorded in a form compatible with existing CD-ROM and drivers adhering to the ISO-9660 standard. As selected files are recorded, file and directory information are stored in a first storage area either in a host system or in a track of the compact disc in a double linked and highly efficient format.

Abstract: For recording data into a disc-like recording medium without any lower linear density in data tracks in the lead out zone even in the CAV mode, a radial position on the recording medium of an n-th one of the sectors is calculated to generate a position information; a write frequency is determined based of the position information; a number of bits which are to be recorded into the n-th one of the sectors is calculated based on a following expression (1): F 2 ⁢ π · N · 2 ⁢ π P ⁢ ( R 0 2

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media which has a data slicer for generating a digital output signal from an analogue input signal, a comparison signal generating unit for providing a comparison signal to the data slicer, and a clock generator for generating a clock signal which is matched to the input signal and/or to the output signal. The device optimizes the function of the data slicer independently of the maximum run length in the analogue input signal. The device has a phase comparison device for comparing the digital output signal with the clock signal, which device is connected to an input of the comparison signal generating unit.