Abstract: An optical disc drive 1 of the present invention can record and/or reproduce data including audio data and non-audio data onto and/or from a multi-session optical disc 2 when the optical disc is loaded into the optical disc drive.

Abstract: A method and device for recording information blocks on a record carrier is described. The device has control means 20 for recording and retrieving position data indicative of the position of the recorded information blocks. The control means include a mapping unit 31 for determining in which region the information block is recorded and a detection unit 32. The region is one of a number of consecutive regions constituting the recordable area. The mapping unit records a random signal unit in a unit location in a mapping area. The unit location indicates region, and the unit length of the random signal unit is smaller then the length of information block. The detection unit 32 detects the presence of the recorded random signal units in mapping area and so determines if a region contains at least one information block. The highest written address is found by detecting the highest written unit location in the mapping area, and subsequently searching region for the presence of recorded marks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recording and/or reproducing an audio highlight portion of an audio selection, and a recording medium for storing additional information therefor. A particular portion is designated on an audio track as a representative portion of the audio track. Reproduction related information for reproducing the representative portion is recorded to a predetermined area on the recording medium. Accordingly, a user can easily identify the contents of the track, such as for example, music, within a short time even if many different audio selections are recorded to individual audio tracks on a recording medium.

Abstract: A recording-medium management apparatus includes a playback unit and a recording-medium management unit. The playback unit includes a reading unit for automatically reading an identifier from a recording medium when data is played back and a transmission unit for transmitting the read identifier to the recording-medium management unit. The recording-medium management unit includes a setting information management unit for managing setting information corresponding to the identifier, a check unit for checking whether or not the setting information corresponding to the identifier received from the playback unit is managed by the setting information management unit, and an obtaining-and-transmitting unit for obtaining the setting information corresponding to the identifier from the setting information management unit and transmitting the setting information to the playback unit.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus is provided, which has a new cue point setting function with excellent operability for enabling new application form. Specifically, a cue point for specifying a start position for playing back a disc, and additional information or disc identification information corresponding to the cue point are stored in a backup memory. The additional information or the disc identification information is associated with the cue point and shown on a display according to a proper operation of operation buttons and a turning member. When the operation buttons and the turning member are properly operated, a system controller edits and adds the additional information, or edits the disc identification information in the backup memory. When the operation buttons and the turning member are properly operated to enter retrieval information, information stored in the backup memory is compared and retrieved, and the retrieved information associated with a cue point is shown on the display.

Abstract: A method for reading a table of content (TOC) of a multi-session optical medium is provided. This method includes providing a memory for storing the TOCs of sessions having stored said digital information therein, reading TOC stored in the memory out as the change of the digital information state is adding another session, and combining the stored TOCs with the TOC of the newly-added session together, and changing the digital information state of the latest-stored session at first, and then storing the changed digital information state of the latest-stored session into the memory as the change of the digital information state is not adding another session.

Abstract: A recording medium having a data structure for managing additional content data of main data recorded thereon in accordance with the present invention comprises a data area storing at least one clip file including main data and/or additional content data of the main data; and a navigation area storing a clip information file including information to indicate whether the clip file includes additional content data.

Abstract: The data structure includes a navigation area of the recording medium storing at least one playlist, a first entry point map and a second entry point map. The playlist includes at least one playitem and at least one sub-playitem. The playitem provides navigation information for reproducing at least one still picture from a first file, and the sub-playitem providing navigation information for reproducing audio data from a second file. The first entry point map includes at least one entry point pointing to the still picture, and the second entry point map includes at least one entry point pointing to the audio data.

Abstract: A vehicle audio system is provided that includes an audio receiver having a radio tuner and a random access media reader adapted for accessing audio data files such as those stored on a compact disc. The audio system includes a display having a plurality of display formats for displaying a label associated with an audio data file, and a display switch having a first mode operable for shifting the display from one of the plurality of display formats to another of the plurality of display formats, a second mode operable for setting the default display format to another display format, and a third mode operable for initiating sequential display of a plurality of display pages to displaying the label.

Abstract: An optical disk according to the present invention is the optical disk on which secret information on unique information given to a specific optical disk manufacturer or a specific optical disk and information recorded on an infringement disk list of identifying an illegitimate optical disk manufacturer or an illegitimate optical disk are recorded in advance, and the optical disk has an area in which reproduction-only encrypted data encrypted based on the secret information and the information on the infringement disk list is recorded in advance or an area capable of recording the encrypted data to be encrypted based on the secret information and the information on the infringement disk list.

Abstract: A method and device for recording information blocks on a record carrier is described. The device has control means 20 for recording and retrieving position data indicative of the position of the recorded information blocks. The control means include a mapping unit 31 for determining in which region the information block is recorded and a detection unit 32. The region is one of a number of consecutive regions constituting the recordable area. The mapping unit records a random signal unit in a unit location in a mapping area. The unit location indicates said region, and the unit length of the random signal unit is smaller then the length of said information block. The detection unit 32 detects the presence of the recorded random signal units in said mapping area and so determines if a region contains at least one information block. The highest written address is found by detecting the highest written unit location in the mapping area, and subsequently searching said region for the presence of recorded marks.

Abstract: A method for recording data in a rewritable recording medium comprising the steps: of comparing the size of the sectioned interval unit of the recording medium with an input unit data to be recorded; and recording the unit data in the sectioned interval unit. A data track of the program area of the rewritable recording medium is sectioned into interval units of a predetermined size and data inputted by the user is recorded by the section interval unit, so that editing such as data rewriting in the sectioned interval unit is possible, which facilitates using of the rewritable recording medium. Also, since the data can be re-recorded partially, the durability of the recording medium can be extended.

Abstract: The present application relates to a copy-protected compact disc and a method for producing the optical disc and preventing unauthorized copying. The contents of at least one of the lead-in items in the optical disc are altered so that it is no longer uniform, thereby making a copied disc effectively corrupted and unplayable.

Abstract: In an information reproduction apparatus, a recording/reproducing unit reproduces a plurality of program data on a recording medium. The program data and identification information for the program data are stored on the recording medium. An operation/display unit displays the identification information and reproduction frequency information, and allows an user to select one of the program data to be deleted. An controller for controlling the recording/reproducing unit in accordance with an instruction from the operation/display unit. The controller calculates the reproduction frequency information for each of the program data by employing a variety of information obtained by reproducing each of the program data. The controller controls the recording/reproducing unit to erase from the recording medium the program data identified by the operation/display unit.

Abstract: A method for accessing an optical disk with an optical disc drive. The optical disc contains at least a session including a lead-in area and a program data area. The method for accessing the optical disk with the optical disc drive includes providing the optical disc drive an optical pickup for accessing the data on the optical disc, using the optical pickup to record a table of contents (TOC) in the lead-in area of the session of the optical disc, using the pick-up head to record descriptive data corresponding to the TOC in the lead-in area of the session, and using the optical pickup to record program data corresponding to the TOC in the program data area of the session.

Abstract: An information recording medium includes a disk information area; a user area including a plurality of sectors; and a spare area including at least one sector which, when at least one of the plurality of sectors included in the user area is a defective sector, is usable instead of the at least one defective sector. The spare area is located radially inward from the user area. A physical sector number of a sector to which a logical sector number “0” is assigned, among the plurality of sectors included in the user area and the at least one sector included in the spare area, is recorded in the disk information area.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus for recording data into a recording medium taking as recording unit a sector corresponding to a predetermined amount of information signal, comprises a file management unit (5) to classify an information signal for recording into the recording medium (101) into a number, two or more, of groups depending upon the importance of the information signal, and a write/read unit (6) to record the information signal into the recording medium (101) while dealing with a defective sector, if any, in the recording medium (101) in a manner designated for the group to which the information signal has been classified to belong at the above classifying step, and record a highly important information signal, when a defective sector is found by checking up the information signal recorded in the recording medium (101), into another sector.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compact disc recording device that includes a housing, sound receiving means for receiving audio signals, a compact disc recorder for recording onto a compact disc, and data storage structure in the housing for storing audio signals. The compact disc recording device is configured such that a music library of sound tracks is storable in the data storage structure, and the compact disc recording device includes means for selecting a set of sound tracks from the music library to be recorded onto a compact disc by the compact disc recorder. The housing includes a display which identifies at least one sound track of the music library.

Abstract: An optical disc drive 1 of the present invention can record and/or reproduce data including audio data and non-audio data onto and/or from a multi-session optical disc 2 when the optical disc is loaded into the optical disc drive.

Abstract: An information reproducing/recording system has a reproducing apparatus which reproduces program information from a first recording medium, a recording/reproducing apparatus which records program information on a second recording medium or reproduces program information from the second recording medium, and a control apparatus which controls the reproducing apparatus and the recording/reproducing apparatus. The control apparatus acquires first management information for program information recorded on the first recording medium, and acquires second management information for program information recorded on the second recording medium. And then, the control apparatus compares the first management information and the second management information, and judges based on the result of comparison whether program information corresponding to the first management information has been recorded on the second recording medium.

Abstract: An information recording/reproducing apparatus which reproduces a program information from an information database recording a plurality of pieces of program information and program management information corresponding to each piece of the program information, includes: a search condition input device which receives a search condition for the program information from a user; a program information identification device which identifies the program information that satisfies the received search condition based on the program management information in the information database; a list generation device which generates a list of the identified program information; and a list recording device which records the generated list in recording medium by associating it with the search condition.

Abstract: An optical disc player providing a management function for a user's MP3 files and a method thereof includes a file management control unit which generates specific directories designated by a user and lists files selected by the user in the directories from the files included in an MP3 file storing medium, and also includes a directory storing unit, which stores the specific directories and the files listed in the directories. Accordingly, the optical disc player provides a function of generating a file structure for the user's convenience and another function of re-naming file names so that the user can conveniently manage the files.

Abstract: In a rewritable optical recording medium, a recording surface is divided into a plurality of zones by setting pitch intervals in the radial direction to be constant and a data area and a spare area for a defective sector are allocated in each zone. As for a capacity of the spare area in each zone, a predetermined total capacity of spare areas is allocated so that a spare ratio K=D1/D2 of a capacity D2 of the spare areas for a capacity D1 of the data areas becomes almost the same in the zones.

Abstract: A device for inputting the title of a recording medium readily. When a capturing key of a tuner unit (1) is depressed, a first system controller (7) stores the text information, received currently by an FM multiplexed text broadcasting receiving tuner (3), in a capturing buffer region (5B) of a memory (5). When the disc title of an MD-MO (11) is to be inputted, a title inputting mode is established, and the disc is selected as an input target unit. Thereafter, when a call key and an ENTER key are depressed, the first system controller (7) stores the captured text information in a title inputting region (5C) of the memory (5) in such a way that the information corresponds to the disc which is the input target unit. Thereafter, when the ENTER key and a title inputting key are depressed, the first system controller (7) sends the contents of the title inputting region (5C) to an MD recorder unit (10) and a second system controller (17) records the contents in a UTOC area of the MD-MO (11) before the ejection.

Abstract: The invention provides a character information copying system, a recording apparatus, and a recording method in which characters can be easily copied onto a recording medium by copying and pasting character information such as titles of music pieces, singer names, and the like opened on a computer communication network and by transmitting it to the recording apparatus via an interface.

Abstract: If, in a recording medium on which a plurality of programs are collected in a plurality of groups and supervised in this grouped state, a command for editing, such as dividing/linking/erasing the predetermined programs or groups, recorded on the recording medium, the management data is to be edited to perform the editing. The present invention contemplates to provide a solution to meet this request by a recording medium, an editing method and an editing apparatus.

Abstract: If, in a recording medium on which a plurality of programs are collected in a plurality of groups and supervised in this grouped state, a command for editing, such as dividing/linking/erasing the predetermined programs or groups, recorded on the recording medium, the management data is to be edited to perform the editing. The present invention contemplates to provide a solution to meet this request by a recording medium, an editing method and an editing apparatus.

Abstract: The invention provides a character information copying system, a recording apparatus, and a recording method in which characters can be easily copied onto a recording medium by copying and pasting character information such as titles of music pieces, singer names, and the like opened on a computer communication network and by transmitting it to the recording apparatus via an interface.

Abstract: A copy-protected compact disc and a method for producing the optical disc and preventing unauthorized copying is provided. In one embodiment, the contents of at least one of the lead-in items in the optical disc are altered so that it is no longer uniform, thereby making a copied disc effectively corrupted and unplayable.

Abstract: A recording medium on which a plurality of programs are collected in a plurality of groups and supervised in this grouped state, wherein when an editing command such as dividing, linking, and erasing the predetermined programs or groups recorded on the recording medium is executed, management data is edited to perform the editing command. The invention provides a solution to meet this request by a recording medium, an editing method and an editing apparatus.

Abstract: There are provided an information recording medium, and a method and system for reading and writing information thereon, which make it possible to facilitate recording by rewriting in use of the rewritable DVD repeatedly by rewriting. When one piece of or a plurality of pieces of program data VRO having already been recorded in a real-time data recording area A3 is reproduced, history management information indicating that the program data has been reproduced is recorded in a predetermined management information recording area A2 of the rewritable DVD, corresponding to the aforementioned one piece of or the aforementioned plurality of pieces of the program information. Moreover, when other program data is recorded, the other program data is adapted to overwrite automatically the program data VRO, having been already recorded, corresponding to the history management information recorded in the management information recording area A2.

Abstract: A method and device for recording information blocks on a record carrier is described. The device has control means 20 for recording and retrieving position data indicative of the position of the recorded information blocks. The control means include a mapping unit 31 for determining in which region the information block is recorded and a detection unit 32. The region is one of a number of consecutive regions constituting the recordable area. The mapping unit records a random signal unit in a unit location in a mapping area. The unit location indicates said region, and the unit length of the random signal unit is smaller then the length of said information block. The detection unit 32 detects the presence of the recorded random signal units in said mapping area and so determines if a region contains at least one information block. The highest written address is found by detecting the highest written unit location in the mapping area, and subsequently searching said region for the presence of recorded marks.

Abstract: If, in a recording medium on which a plurality of programs are collected in a plurality of groups and supervised in this grouped state, a command for editing, such as dividing/linking/erasing the predetermined programs or groups, recorded on the recording medium, the management data is to be edited to perform the editing. The present invention contemplates to provide a solution to meet this request by a recording medium, an editing method and an editing apparatus.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus for recording record information onto a record medium, on which (i) a plurality of information groups each comprising one series of the record information and (ii) management information including positional information indicating a recorded area of each of the information groups are recordable, is provided with: a detecting device for detecting the management information, which is recorded in advance on the record medium, from the record medium; a recording device for newly recording the record information onto the record medium; an outputting device for outputting an identification information to identify the information groups, which are recorded in advance on the record medium, on the basis of the detected management information while the recording device is newly recording the record information; a specifying device for specifying an erasable information from among the information groups which are identified by the outputted identification information while the recordin

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recording control for a recording medium having a data recording region for recording data such as audio data, speech data, and a control data region for recording control data for the data recording region. The method and apparatus includes identifying a non-silent recorded portion and a silent recorded portion of the data recorded in the data recording region based upon the signal level of the data recorded in the data recording region, and recording control data for separating the data recorded in the data recording region into temporally former and temporally latter portions at a boundary portion between the non-silent recorded portion and the silent recorded portion based upon the results of the identification after recording of the data in the data recording region has ended.

Abstract: An information recording and/or reproducing apparatus that records desired information from a plurality of kinds of information having identification information attached thereto, the apparatus having identification information detecting means for detecting the identification information from information supplied thereto; first recording means for sequentially recording supplied information and for recording a table of contents (TOC) of the supplied information including the identification information detected by the identification information detecting means; specifying means for specifying desired information from the TOC recorded by the first recording means; and controlling means for reading the desired information specified by the specifying means from the first recording means.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to simplify work to edit sub data by: recording one or a plurality of main data, recording management data for controlling the main data, recording one or a plurality of sub data related to the main data and sub management data for controlling the sub data on a recording medium; and linking the sub data and the sub management data so that they can be referenced from the management data.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus is provided, which has a new cue point setting function with excellent operability for enabling new application form. Specifically, a cue point for specifying a start position for playing back a disc, and additional information or disc identification information corresponding to the cue point are stored in a backup memory. The additional information or the disc identification information is associated with the cue point and shown on a display according to a proper operation of operation buttons and a turning member. When the operation buttons and the turning member are properly operated, a system controller edits and adds the additional information, or edits the disc identification information in the backup memory. When the operation buttons and the turning member are properly operated to enter retrieval information, information stored in the backup memory is compared and retrieved, and the retrieved information associated with a cue point is shown on the display.

Abstract: If, in a recording medium on which a plurality of programs are collected in a plurality of groups and supervised in this grouped state, a command for editing, such as dividing/linking/erasing the predetermined programs or groups, recorded on the recording medium, the management data is to be edited to perform the editing. The present invention contemplates to provide a solution to meet this request by a recording medium, an editing method and an editing apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a reproducing apparatus that record/reproduce a digital audio signal to/from a rewritable magnetic optical disc. With an operating portion and a displaying portion having an input field with a plurality of lines, character information such as titles of individual programs in a plurality of character formats can be input at a time.

Abstract: A data recording and reproducing method for an optical disk data storage system to record data compressed at different data compression rate according to an operator's specification, and to reproduce the recorded data by decompressing. According to the operator's indication, the data is recorded at certain data compression rate in indicated area. The information of the data compression rate and the recorded area is stored as a table of contents (TOC) data. The TOC data is reproduced and stored in a memory after the optical disk is loaded. The recorded data is reproduced by selecting a decoding circuit to decompress the data. The decoding circuit is selected by referring the TOC data to identify data compression rate of the recorded data. Also the TOC data is referred to identify read-in and read-out region of the recorded data. The position of a pick-up when the data recording is started and ended, is recorded as the TOC data to provide random access capability for the data reproduction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a data playback apparatus which efficiently performs playback or erasure of a program composed of video or audio which is stored in a memory card. A decoding means for reading data from the memory to decode the same retrieves an ID which matches a program ID designated by the user from a program file management data file, reads a movie data file in the folder of the designated program and decodes the same, with referring to the relevant program information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a reproducing apparatus that record/reproduce a digital audio signal to/from a rewritable magnetic optical disc. With an operating portion and a displaying portion having an input field with a plurality of lines, character information such as titles of individual programs in a plurality of character formats can be input at a time.