1. A reproducing apparatus for reproducing data from a recordable disc or a replay-only disc comprising: a recordable disc (2) in which digital data are grouped into a plurality of clusters (C), each cluster (C) being made up of a pre-set number of sectors (B0~B31), there being inserted a cluster linking sector (L1~L3) in a cluster linking portion for each cluster (C), each cluster linking sector (L1~L3) being longer than an interleaving length used at the time of interleaving, said digital data being interleaved and recorded from cluster to cluster; and a replay-only disc in which digital data are grouped into a plurality of clusters (C), each cluster (C) being made up of a pre-set number of sectors (B0~B31), there being inserted in each cluster linking portion (L1~L3) for each cluster supplementary data having a length equivalent to the length of the cluster linking sector (L1~L3), said digital data being interleaved and recorded from cluster to cluster; characterised in that if the disc loaded on the reproducing apparatus is said replay-only disc, said digital data and the supplementary data are reproduced; and in that if the disc loaded on the reproducing apparatus is said recordable disc, only said digital data is reproduced.

2. A reproducing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus for reproducing data from a recordable disc or a replay-only disc.
This invention relates to a disc recording/reproducing apparatus adapted to implement bit compression processing to successively inputted data caused to be in a digital form to record/reproduce them through a disc.
This application is a divisional out of Indian Patent Application No. 117/Del/2000 filed February 11, 2000 now Patent No. 196,893 which in turn is a divisional out of 849/Del/92 filed September 22, 1992 now Patent No. 185,888.
Description of the Prior Art
Optical discs can have a recording capacity greater than that of magnetic discs by of 2-3 figures or digits, and can make a higher speed access than that in a recording medium in a tape form. Further, such optical discs can carry out recording/reproduction of data in a manner to be not in contact with a medium, thus advantageously providing an excellent durability. For these reasons, optical discs have been frequently used in recent years. For such optical disc, so called CDs (Compact Discs) are most popularly known.
Meanwhile, in the case of attempting to provide, by using an optical disc, a portable recording/reproducing equipment, particularly a head phone stereo equipment of about so-called a

pocket size, or a recording and/or reproducing apparatus similar
-thereto, in existing CDs as described above, for example, there
are standardized formats for a CD of a disk diameter of 12 cm and
a CD of a disk diameter of 8 cm (so called a CD single type).
However, in the case of the disk having a diameter of 12 cm, the
outside dimension of the recording/reproducing apparatus becomes
too large, resulting in poor portability. For this reason, it
is conceivable to use a disk having a diameter of 8 cm or less.
However, in the case of attempting to constitute a portable
recording and/or reproducing apparatus or an apparatus of about
a pocket size by using an optical disk having a diameter of about
8 cm or less, there are the following problems.
First, in a standard CD format (CD-DA format) such that
optical disks, on whigh stereo digital PCM audio signals having
a sampling frequency of 44.1 KHz and subjected to 16 bit
quantization are recorded, are supplied from the maker side, and
only reproduction or playback is conducted on the user side, the
reproduction or playback time (recording time) of the disk having
a diameter of 8 cm is a short value of about 20 to 22 minutes
even at the maximum, so it would be unable to entirely record a
symphony of a classic music. For the reproduction or playback
time, about 74 minutes or more at the maximum the same order as
that of the 12 cm CD presently available is expected. Further,
in the CD-DA format, recording cannot be carried out on the user
side. In addition, a non-contact optical pick-up device is
easily affected by mechanical vibration, etc., so deviation in
tracking and/or defocusing (deviation infocusing), etc. are apt
to occur by vibration, etc. For this reason, in the case of
carrying such equipment, any very effective measure for
suppressing bad influence on the reproducing operation due to
deviation in tracking or defocusing, etc. is required.
Further, in a CD-MO format (format using a recordable
magneto-optical disk) as an extended format of the standard CD
format (CD-DA format), the recording/reproducing time of a disk
having a diameter of 8 cm is disadvantageously a short time of
about 20 to 22 minutes the same as that of the CD-DA format. In
addition, the deviation in tracking and/or defocusing of an
optical pick-up device resulting from mechanical vibration, etc.
are apt to occur. Fo,r this reason, any measure for preventing
bad influence on the recording/reproducing operation resulting
therefrom is required.
In a CD-I (CD-interactive) format, as a mode for
recording/reproducing a bit-compressed digital audio signal,
respective levels as shown in the following Table are
standardized.
In this Table 1, when a disk recorded, e.g. in the B level
mode is reproduced, a signal obtained by bit-compressing a
digital signal of the standard CD-DA format so that its signal
density becomes equal to an approximately quadruple value (a
value about four times grater than that of the original signal)
is reproduced. Accordingly, for example, when all recording data
are stereo audio compressed data, reproduction of a time four
times (four channels) greater than the standard time can be
carried out. As a result, even with an optical disk having a
diameter of about 8 cm or less, recording/reproduction of about
70 minutes can be carried out.
Meanwhile, in the above-mentioned CD-I format, because a
disk is rotationally driven at the same linear velocity as that
of the standard CD-DA format, successive audio compressed data
will be reproduced at a rate of 1/n recording units on the disk.
This unit is called a block or sector. One block (sector) is
comprised of 98 frames, and the period is 1/75 seconds. In this
instance, n is the above-mentioned reproduction or playback time
or a numeric value corresponding to bit compression ratio of
data. For example, in the B level stereo mode, n is equal to 4.
Accordingly, in the B level stereo mode, a data train in which
ones of respective four sectors are respectively caused to serve
as an audio sector as indicated below:
S D D D S D D D • • •
(S is an audio sector, and D is any other data
sector)
are recorded on a disk. It is to be noted that since, at the
time of an actual recording, a predetermined encode processing
(error correction coding processing and interleaving processing)
similar to that for audio data of an ordinary CD format is
implemented to the above-mentioned data train, data of the audio
sector S and data of the data sector D are arranged in a
distributed manner in recording sectors on the disk. Here, e.g. ,
video data or computer data, etc. is used as any other data
sector D mentioned above. In the case where bit-compressed audio
signals are used also for the data sector D, data train [S1 , S2 ,
S3, S4, S1 , S2, S3, S4 •••] in which audio sectors S1 - S4 of
four channels are cyclically arranged in a successive manner will
be subjected to encode processing and are recorded on the disk.
In the case of recording/reproducing successive audio
sngnals, the above-mentioned audio signals of four channels such
that they are connected in a successive manner from the first
channel to the fourth channel are used. At this time, by
reproducing data of the first channel corresponding to the audio
sector S1 from the disk innermost circumference up to the
outermost circumference thereafter to return to the disk
innermost circumference for a second time to reproduce in turn
data of the second channel corresponding to the audio sector S2
up to the outermost circumference to reproduce data of the third
channel corresponding to the next audio sector S3 from the disk
innermost circumference to the outermost circumference for a
second time to finally reproduce data of the fourth channel
corresponding to the remaining audio sector S4 from the disk
innermost circumference up to the outer circumference for a
second time, continuous reproduction of a quadruple time w i l l be
carried out.
However, in a continuous reproduction as described above,
several times of track jump operations of a long distance
returning from the outermost circumference to the inner
circumference are required. Since such track jump operations
cannot be momentarily carried out, there is the serious problem
that reproduced data for that time is lost, so a reproduced sound
is interrupted. Further, in order to attempt to record
successive audio signals, it is impossible to record, e.g., a
signal of the sector S2 alone by the relation of the interleaving
processing at the time of recording. For this reason,
interleaving processing of data of adjacent sectors S1 and S3,
or interleaving processing of data of the peripheral sectors in
addition thereto is required. As a result, it is necessary to
rewrite signals in sectors already recorded. Accordingly,
recording of such successive compressed audio data is very
difficult.
OBJECTS & SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With such actual circumstances in view, this invention has
been made and its object is to permit recording/reproduction of
recording data having a data structure in which an extremely long
convoluted interleaving processing is implemented.
Another object pf this invention is to provide a disk
recording/reproducing apparatus adapted so that a recording area
for addition data is ensured in a reproduction or playback only
area or a reproduction or playback disk where recording data of
the same data structure of the above-mentioned recording data are
recorded, thereby making it possible to reproduce addition data
along with recording data.
A further object of this invention is to provide a
reproduction or playback only disk having a recording area for
addition data broader than that of a recording/reproducing disk.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a
disk including a recording/reproducing region where
recording/reproduction of recording data of a data structure in
which an extremely long convoluted interleaving processing is
impelemented is carried out, and a recording area where
recording data of the same data structure as that of the
recording/reproducing area is recorded along with additiondata
.
To achieve the above-mentioned objections, in accordance
with this invention there is provided a disc
recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:
memory means into which successively inputted data in a
digital form are sequentially written and from which the
written inputted data are sequentially read out as recording
data having a transfer rate higher than a transfer rate of the
inputted data;
recording /reproducing means connected to said memory
means said recording/reproducing means for reading out
recording data from said memory means and dividing said
recording data into clusters (C) and to implement interleaving
as described herein and to reproduce said recorded data;
reproducing means connected to said recording/reproducing
means, said reproducing means for reproducing recorded data and
additional data; and
further memory means connected to said reproducing means, said
further memory means also being connected to said
recording/reproducing means, reproduced data from said
recording/reproducing means or said reproducing means are
written in said further memory means and from which further
memory means the writeen reproduced data are sequentially read
out as successive reproduced data.
A reproduction or playback only disk according to this
invention is adapted so that recording data is divided into
clusters every a fixed number of sectors, that cluster connection
sectors longer than an interleaving length in the interleaving
processing are provided at connection portions of respective
clusters, that recording data to which interleaving processing
is implemented are recorded every cluster, and that addition data
are recorded in advance in the cluster connection sectors. This
reproduction or playback only disk may be reproduced by the
above-mentioned disk .recordi ng/reproduci ng apparatus. In this
case, the addition data may be still picture data.
Further, a disk according to this invention includes a
recording/ reproducing area where recording data is divided into
clusters every a fixed number of sectors, cluster connection
sectors longer than an interleaving length in the interleaving
processing are provided at connection portions of respective
clusters, and recording data to which interleaving processing is
implemented are recorded every cluster; and a reproduction or
playback only area where recording data of the same data format
as that of the recording/reproducing area are recorded, and
addition data are recorded in sectors corresponding to the
cluster connection sectors. This disk may be recorded or
reproduced by the above-mentioned recording/reproducing
apparatus. Dummy data may be stored or recorded in the connection
sector of the recording/reproducing area. The addition data is
still picture data.
In the disk recording/reproducing apparatus according to
this invention, memory means adapted so that successively
inputted data caused to be in a digital form are written
thereinto implements time-base processing to recording data by
sequentially reading out inputted data as recording data of a
transfer speed higher than a transfer rate of the inputted data.
Further, the recording/reproducing means divides recording data
read out from the memory means into clusters every a fixed number
of sectors to provide,cluster connection sectors longer than an
interleaving length in the interleaving processing at connection
portions of respective clusters to implement interleaving
processing to recording data to record the inter leaved data every
cluster, and to reproduce recorded data from the
recording/reproducing area. By providing the cluster connection
sectors in this way, recording data is separated every cluster.
Further, the reproducing means serves to reproduce recorded data
and addition data from a reproduction or playback only area
where recording data are recorded by the same data format as that
of the recording/reproducing area and addition data are recorded
in sectors corresponding to the cluster connection sectors. In
addition, reproduced data from the recording/reproducing means
or the reproducing means are sequentially read out as successive
reproduced data through memory means. - Namely, time-axis
expanding processing is implemented to reproduced data by the
memory means.
Further, in the reproduction or playback only disk according
to this invention, cluster connection sectors longer than an
interleaving length in the interleaving processing, provided at
connection portions of respective clusters of recording data
divided into clusters every a fixed number of sectors, serve as
a recording area for addition data.
Furthermore, in the disk according to this invention,
recording data is divided into clusters every a fixed number of
sectors, and cluste.r connection sectors longer than an
interleaving length in the interleaving processing are provided
at connection portions of respective clusters. Thus, recording
data to which intet leaving processing is implemented are recorded1
and reproduced every cluster through the recording/reproducing
area. In addition, from the reproduction or playback only area,
recording data of the same data format as that of . the
recording/reproducing area are reproduced along with addition
data.
The
parent application No. 849/Del/92 now Patent No. 185,888
relates to a disc recording/reproducing apparatus comprising-:
memory means into which successively inputted data in a digital
form are sequentially written and from which the written inputted data
are sequentially read out as recording data having a transfer rate higher
than a transfer rate of the inputted data;
recording means connected to said memory means said recording
means for reading out recording data from said memory means and
dividing said recording data into clusters and to implement interleaving
and to reproduce said recording data;
reproducing means connected to said recording means, said
reproducing means for reproducing recorded clusters; and
further memory means connected to said reproducing means, said
further memory means also being connected to said recording means,
reproduced data from said reproducing means are written in said
further memory means and from which further memory means written
reproduced data are sequentially read out as successive reproduced
data.
According to the present invention, there is provided a reproducing
apparatus for reproducing data from a recordable disc and or a replay
only disc,
said recordable disc having digital data grouped into a plurality of
clusters, each cluster being made up of a pre-set number of sectors,
there being inserted a cluster linking sector in a cluster linking portion
for each cluster, each cluster linking sector being longer than an
interleaving length used at the time of interleaving, said digital data
being interleaved and recorded from cluster to cluster, and
said replay-only disc in which digital data are grouped into a
plurality of clusters, each cluster being made up of a pre-set number of
sectors, there being inserted in each cluster linking portion for each
cluster supplementary data having a length equivalent to the length of
the cluster linking sector, said digital data being interleaved and
recorded from cluster to cluster; said reproducing apparatus comprising:
reproducing means for reproducing data from a disc loaded on the
reproducing apparatus;
switching means for switching reproducing signals reproduced by
said reproducing means depending on the sort of the loaded disc;
signal processing means for binary-coding the reproduced signals
selected by said switching means and for interleaving the binary-coded
reproduced signals;
memory means for storing the digital data and the supplementary
data, interleaved by said signal processing means, if the disc loaded on
the reproducing apparatus is the replay-only disc, said memory means
storing only digital data interleaved by said signal processing mans if the
disc loaded on the reproducing apparatus is the recordable disc; and
memory control means for intermittently writing the digital data at
a first transfer rate in said memory means and for continuously reading
out said digital data at a second transfer rate slower than said first
transfer rate.
Brief Description of the Accompanying Drawings
Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the
configuration of an optical disk recording/reproducing apparatus
according to an embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan view in a model form for explaining the
structure of a magneto-optical disk used in the above-mentioned
optical disk recording/reproducing apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an
optical head portion used in the above-mentioned optical disk
recording/reproducing apparatus.
Fig. 4 is a view showing a format of the cluster structure
of recording data recorded into the recording/reproducing area
of the above-mentioned magneto-optical disk.
Fig. 5 is a view showing the state of a memory subjected to
memory control in the recording system of the above-mentioned
optical disk recording/reproducing apparatus.
Fig. 6 is a view showing a format of the cluster structure
of recording data recorded in the reproduction, or'.playback only
area of the above-mentioned magneto-optical disk.
Fig. 7 is a view showing the state of a memory subjected to
memory control in the reproducing system of the above-mentioned
optical recording/reproducing apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram showing, in a block form, the
outline of the configuration of an optical disk
recording/reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of
this invention.
In the optical disk recording/reproducing apparatus shown
in Fig. 1, a magneto-optical disk having a recording/reproducing
area where data can be recorded and reproduced, an optical disk
for reproduction or playback only having a reproduction or
playback only area for recording data, and a magneto-optical disk
having both a recording/reproducing area where data can be
recorded and reproduced and a playback only area for recording
data may be used as a recording medium. These disks are adapted
so that they are rotationally driven by a spindle motor 1. In
this example, a magneto-optical disk 2 having a playback only
area A1Q and a recording/reproducing area A20 provided outside the
playback only area A10 is adapted so that it is rotationally
driven by the spindle.motor 1.
The playback only area A-jg of the magneto-optical disk 2
includes a data area A^ where data such as playing information,
etc is recorded-, and a lead in area A12 provided on the inner
circumferential side thereof. In this lead-ion area A-,0, TOC
(Table of Contents) data indicating the recording position or
recording content of the data area A is recorded. In this
playback only area AID, digital data are recorded in advance as
presence and absence of pits corresponding to "1" and "Ov.
Further, the recording/reproducing area A20 of the magnetooptical
disk 2 includes a data area A21 where data such as
playing information, etc. is recorded, and a lead-in area A22
provided on the inner circumferential side thereof. In this
Tead-in area A22, TOC data indicating the recording position or
the recording content of the data area A21 is recorded. This
recording/reproducing area A20 serves as a magneto-optical
recording medium area.
The optical disk recording/reproducing apparatus of this
embodiment applies a modulated magnetic field to the
magneto-optical disk 2 rotated by the spindle motor 1 with a
laser beam being irradiated thereto by means of an optical head
3, for example, to thereby carry out recording (so-called a
magnetic modulation recording) of data along recording tracks of
the recordi ng/reproduci ng area A2Q of the magneto-optical disk 2,
and to trace, by a laser beam, recording tracks of the playback
only area AIO and the recordi ng/reproduci ng area A20 of the
magneto-optical disk 2 by means of the optical head 3 to thereby
optically reproduce data.
The optical head 3 is comprised, as shown in Fig. 3, for
example, of a laser light source 31 such as a laser diode, etc.,
optical components such as a collimator lens 32, a beam splitter
33, an object lens 34, and a polarized beam splitter 35, etc.,
first and second photodetectors 36, 37 for detecting a light
separated by the polarized beam splitter 35, a first signal
synthesis elements for performing additive synthesis of
respective detection outputs by these photodetectors 36, 37, a
second signal synthesis element 39 for performing a subtractive
synthesis of respective detection outputs, and the like. This
optical head 3 is provided at the position opposite to a magnetic
head 4 with the magneto-optical disk 2 being put therebetween.
In the case of recording data into the recording/reproducing area
A2Q of the magneto-optical disk 2, this optical head 3 irradiate
a laser beam onto a target track of the magneto-optical disk 2
to which a modulated magnetic field corresponding to recording
data is applied resulting from the fact that the magnetic head
4 is driven by a head driving circuit 16 of a recording system
which will be described later to thereby carry out data recording
by thermomagnetic recording. This optical head 3 also detects
a reflected light of a laser beam irradiated onto the target
track to thereby detect a focus error, e.g., by the so-called
astigmatism method, and to detect a tracking error, e.g., by the
so-called push-pull method. Further, when data is reproduced
from the playback only area A10 of the magneto-optical disk 2,
this optical head 3 detects a change in a light quantity of a
reflected light from a target track of the laser beam, thereby
making it possible to provide a reproduced signal. Thus, such
a reproduced signal obtained by carrying out additive synthesis
of respective detection outputs by the photodetectors 36, 37 by
using the first signal synthesis element 38 is outputted through
a changeover switch 40. Further, when data is reproduced from
the recording/reproducing area A20 of the magneto-optical disk
2, this optical head 3 detects a difference in the polarization
angles (Kerr rotational angles) of a reflected light from a
target track of a laser beam, thereby making it possible to
provide a reproduced signal. Thus, such a reproduced signal
obtained by applying subtractive synthesis of respective
detection outputs by the photodetectors 36, 37 by using the
second signal synthesis element 39 is outputted through the
changeover switch 40. Here, the above-mentioned changeover
switch 40.is adapted so that switching control corresponding to
respective operational modes is conducted by a system controller
7 which w i l l be described later.
An output of the optical head 3 is delivered to a RF circuit
5 as shown in Fig. 1. This RF circuit 5 extracts a focus error
signal or a tracking error signal from an output of the optical
head 3 to deliver it tp a servo control circuit 6, and to binarycode
the reproduced signal to deliver a decoder 21 of a
reproducing system which will be described later.
The servo control circuit 6 comprises e.g a focus servo
control circuit, a tracking servo control circuit, a spindle
motor servo control circuit, and a sled servo control circuit,
etc. The focus servo control circuit carries out a focus control
of the optical system of the optical head 3 so that the focus
error signal becomes equal to zero. Moreover, the tracking servo
control circuit carries out a tracking control of the optical
system of the optical head 3 so that the tracking error signal
becomes equal to zero. Further, the spindle motor servo control
circuit controls the spindle motor 1 so that the magneto-optical
disk 2 is rotationally driven at a predetermined rotational
velocity (e.g., constant linear velocity). In addition, the sled
servo control circuit moves the optical head 3 and the magnetic
head 4 to a target track position of the magneto-optical disk 2
designated by the system controller 7. The servo control circuit
6 adapted for carrying out various control operations delivers,
to the system controller 7, information indicating operating
states of respective components controlled by the servo control
circuit 6.
To the system controller 7, a key input operation unit 8 and
a display unit 9 are connected. This system controller 7 carries
out control of the recording system and the reproducing system
in an operational mode, designated by operation input i nf orr.aci on
by the key input operation unit 8. Further, this system
controller 7 controls the recording position or the reproducing
position on the recording tracks that the optical head 3 and the
magnetic head 4 trace, on the basis of address information every
sector reproduced from the recording track of the magneto-optical
disk 2 .
The recording system of the optical disk
recording/reproducing apparatus includes an A/D converter
supplied with an analog audio signal A through a low-pass
filter 11 from an input terminal 10. The A/D converter 12
quantizes the audio signal A to form digital audio data of a
data rate of 2 ch. x 16 bits x 44.1 KHz . 1.4 M bits/s. The
digital audio data obtained from the A/D converter 12 is
delivered to an ATRAC (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding)
encode r 13.
This ATRAC encoder 13 analyzes 1.4M bit/s data rate digital
audio data obtained by quantizing the audio signal AjN by using
the A/D converter 12 so that a waveform on the time base is
divided into about 1,000 components on the frequency base by the
so-called orthogonal-transform processing with data of about 20
ms at the maximum being as one block to extract those components
in order from frequency components considered to be important
from a viewpoint of hearing sense to generate about 300K bits/s
digital audio data. Namely, there is carried out a processing
to compress the 1.4 M.bit/s data rate digital audio data to 300
K bit/s data rate digital audio data which is about one fifth
thereof. Thus, the transfer rate of data is converted from 75
sectors/sec to about 15 sectors/sec in the standard CD DA"
format.
Data write and readout in the memory 14 are controlled by
the system controller 7. This memory 14 is used as a buffer
memory for temporarily storing compressed audio data delivered
from the ATRAC encoder 13 to record it onto the disk according
to need. Namely, the data transfer rate of compressed audio data
delivered from the ATRAC encoder 13 is reduced to one fifth of
the data transfer rate of 75 sectors/sec., i.e., 15 sectors/sec.
and such compressed data are successively written into the
memory 14. Such compressed data can be provided if recording of
one of five sectors is carried out. Since such recording every
fifth sector is virtually impossible, recording successive in
sector as described later is carried out. This recording is
carried out in a burst at a data transfer rate of 75 seconds/sec,
with a cluster comprised of a predetermined plural number of
sectors (.e.g., 32 sectors + several sectors) through idle
periods. Namely, in the memory 14, compressed audio data
successively written at a low transfer rate of 15 (= 75/5)
sectors/sec, corresponding to the bit compression rate is read
out in a burst at the transfer rate of 75 sectors/sec, as
recording data. With respect to data read out and recorded, the
entire data transfer rate including the recording idle periods
is a low rate of 15 sectors/sec. , but momentary data transfer
rate within a time of the recording operation carried out in a
burst is 75 sec to sectors Sec.
Compressed audio data, i.e., recording data read out in a
burst at the transfer rate of 75 sectors/sec, from the memory 14
is delivered to the encoder 15. Here, in the data train
delivered from the memory 14 to the encoder 15, a unit in which
data are successively recorded by a single recording is caused
to be a cluster comprised of plural sectors (e.g., 32 sectors)
and several sectors for connection of cluster arranged before and
after the cluster mentioned above. This cluster connection
sector has a length set so that it is longer than an interleaving
length at the encoder 15. Even if interleaving processing is
carried out, such cluster connection sectors have no influence
on data of adjacent clusters.
Namely, recording data (data read out from the memory 14)
in this optical disk recording/reproducing apparatus is in a form
such that recording data is divided into clusters every a fixed
number of. sectors (or blocks), and that several sectors for
connection of cluster are arranged between these clusters. In
actual terms, as shown in Fig. 4, a cluster C is comprised of 36
sectors in total of 32 sectors (blocks) BO - B31, a single subcode
sector S, and three connection (linking) sectors LI ~ L3,
and is joined with adjacent clusters through the linking sectors
L1 ~ L3. Here, in the case of recording one cluster, e.g., the
K-th cluster CK, recording is carried out with 36 sectors
including not only 32 sectors BO ~ B31 of the cluster Ci/ and a
single Sub- code sector but also two sectors L2, L3- on the
cluster CK-I side (run-in block) and a single sector LT on the
cluster CK+I side (run-out block) being as a unit. At this time,
recording data of 36 sectors is sent from the memory 14 to the
encoder 15. As the result of the fact that the interleaving
processing is carried out at this encoder 15, sequencing of a
distance of 108 frames (corresponding to 1 . 1 sectors) at the
maximum is carried out. With respect to data within the cluster
CK, those data sufficiently fal1 within the range from the run-in
block L2 , L3 up to the run-out block LI, and have therefore no
influence on other clusters CK-1 on CK+I. It is to be noted that,
in the linking sectors L1 - L3, dummy data, e.g., 0, etc. are
arranged. Thus, bad influence on original data by the
interleaving processing can be avoided.
By carrying out such a recording every cluster, it has been
unnecessary to take into consideration interference by the
interleaving processing with other clusters. As a result, the
data processing can be simplified to much degree. Further, in
the case where recording data fails to be normally recorded at
the time of recording by defocusing, tracking deviation, other
erroneous operations, or the like, re-recording can be carried
out every cluster. In addition, in the case where effective data
reading fails to be carried out at the time of reproduction,
re-reading can be carried out every cluster.
The encoder 15 implements coding processing for error
correction (addition of parity and interleaving processing) or
EFM coding processing, etc. to recording data delivered in a
burst as described above from the memory 14. The recording data
to which coding processing has been implemented by the encoder
15 is delivered to the magnetic head driving circuit 16. This
magnetic head driving circuit 16, to which the magnetic head 4
is connected, drives the magnetic head 4 so as to apply a
modulated magnetic field corresponding to the recording data to
the magneto-optical disk 2.
Further, the system controller 7 carries out a memory
control as described above with respect to the memory 14, and
carries out control of the recording position so as to
successively record the recording data read out in a burst from
the memory 14 by the memory control onto recording tracks of the
magneto-optical disk 2. The control of the recording position
is carried out by controlling, by using the system controller 7,
the recording position of the recording data read out in a burst
from the memory 14 to deliver a control signal for designating
the recording position on the recording track of the
magneto-optical disk 2 to the servo control circuit 6.
Namely, in this optical disk recording/reproducing
apparatus, digital data obtained from the A/D converter 12 is
audio PCM data having a sampling frequency of 44.1 KHz, a
quantization bit number of 16 bits, and a data transfer rate of
75 sectors/sec, as described above. This audio PCM data is sent
to the ATRAC encoder 13. As a result, compressed audio data
having a data transfer rate of 15 sectors/sec, which is one fifth
of the audio PCM data is outputted. Thus, compressed audio data
successively outputted at a transfer speed of 15 sectors/sec, is
delivered from the ATRAC encoder 13 to the memory 14.
The system controller 7 successively increments, as shown
in Fig. 5, a write pointer W of the memory 14 at a transfer rate
of 15 sectors/sec, to thereby successively write the compressed
audio data into the memory 14 at a transfer rate of 15
sectors/sec. When the data quantity of the compressed audio data
stored in the memory 14 exceeds a predetermined quantity K, the
system controller 7 carries out a memory control so as to
increment in a burst a read pointer R of the memory 14 at a
transfer rate of 75 sectors/sec, to read out, from the memory 14,
the compressed audio data as recording data at the transfer rate
of 75 sectors/sec, by the predetermined quantity K.
By such memory control by the system controller 7,
compressed audio data successively outputted, e.g., at a transfer
rate of 15 sectors/sec, from the ATRAC encoder 13 is written into
the memory 14 at the transfer rate of 15 sectors/sec. When the
data quantity of the compressed audio data stored in the memory
14 exceeds the predetermined quantity K, the compressed audio
data is read out from.the memory 14 in a burst at a transfer rate
of 75 sectors/sec, by the predetermined quantity K as recording
data. Accordingly, it is possible to successively write inputted
data into the memory 14 while ensuring a data write area having
a capacity of more than a predetermined quantity in the memory
14 at all times.
The recording data which are read out in a burst from the
memory 14 in a successive manner on recording tracks of the
magneto-optical disk 2 by controlling the recording position on
recording tracks of the magneto-optical disk 2 by using the
system controller 7. As mentioned above, data write area having
a capacity of more than a predetermined quantity is always
ensured in the memory 14. Accordingly, if the operation of
recording on the magneto-optical disk 2 is interrupted by the
occurrence of a track jump or other incident due to a disturbance
which is detected by the system controller 7, a recovery
operation can be carried out while inputted data continue to be
written into the data write area having a capacity of more than
a predetermined quantity, and the inputted data can be recorded
on the recording track of the magneto-optical disk 2 in a
successive manner.
It is to be noted that header time data corresponding to a
physical address of the sector are added to the compressed audio
data every sector and recorded on the magneto-optical disk 2.
In addition, Table-of-contents data indicating the recording area
or the recording contents are recorded in a Table-of-contents
area.
When attention is now drawn to recording data recorded as
presence or absence of: pits in n the playback only area A of the
magneto-optical disk 2, it is seen that one cluster C is
c o m p r i e d of 36 sectors in total of 32 sectors (blocks) BO - B31
and four sub-data sectors SI S4, as shown in Fig. 6, with
connection sectors L1 - L3 for recording data in the
above-described recordi ng/reproduci ng area A20 shown in Fig. 4
being as a sub-data sector S. Since there is no possibility that
recording data in the playback only area A,g is rewritten, it is
possible to use the connection sectors L1 ~ L3 as sub-data sector
§. By providing four sub-data sectors S1 - S4 every cluster in
the playback only area A in this way, it is possible to record,
into the sub-data sectors S1 - S4, addition data of a quantity
four times greater than that of addition data recorded in the
sub-data sector S of the recording/reproducing area A20.
The reproducing system in this optical disk
recording/reproducing apparatus will now be described.
This.reproducing system serves to reproduce recording data
which have been successively recorded on the recording tracks of
the playback only area A1Q and the recordi ng/reproduci ng area A20
of the magneto-optical disk 2, and includes a decoder 21 supplied
with a reproduced output obtained by tracing recording tracks of
the magneto-optical disk 2 by a laser beam from the optical head
3, i.e., a reproduced signal of the playback only area A-
outputted through the changeover switch 40 from the first signal
synthesis element 38, or a reproduced signal of the
recording/reproducing area A2Q outputted through the changeover
switch 40 from the second signal synthesis element 39 under the
state where the reproduced output, i.e., the reproduced signal
of the region A^ or the recordi ng/reproduci ng area AJQ is binarycc
led by the RF circuit 5.
The above-mentioned decoder 21 corresponds to the encoder
15 in the above-described recording system, and carries out
processing such as decoding processing or EFM decoding processing
as described above for error correction, etc. with respect to
reproduced output binary-coded by the RF circuit 5 to reproduce
the above-described compressed audio data at a transfer rate of
75 sectors/sec. The reproduced data obtained by the decoder 21
is delivered to the memory 22. The data write/read operations
of the memory 22 are controlled by the system controller 7.
Thus, reproduced data delivered at a transfer rate of 75
sectors/sec, from the decoder 21 is written into the memory 22
in a burst at a transfer rate of 75 sectors/sec. Further, from
the memory 22, the reproduced data written in a burst at the
transfer rate of 75 sectors/sec, is read out in a successive
manner at a transfer rate of 15 sectors/sec.
The system controller 7 carries out such a memory control
to write the reproduced data into the memory 22 at a transfer
rate of 75 sectors/seg., and to read out in a successive manner
the reproduced data from the memory 22 at the transfer rate of
15 sectors/sec.
Further the system controller 7 carries out a memory
control as described above with respect to the memory 22, and
carries out control of the reproducing position so as to
successively reproduce, from the recording track of the
magneto-optical disk 2, the reproduced data written in a burst
from the memory 22 by this memory control. The control of the
reproducing position is carried out by controlling, by using the
system controller 7, the reproducing position of the reproduced
data read out in a burst from the memory 22 to deliver a control
for designating the reproducing position on the recording
track of the magneto-optical disk 2 to the servo control circuit
6.
Namely, the system controller 7 carries out a memory
control, as shown in Fig. 7, to increment a write pointer W of
the memory 22 at a transfer rate of 75 sectors/sec, to write the
reproduced data into the memory 22 at a transfer rate of 75
sectors/sec., and to successively increment the read pointer R
of the memory 22 at a transfer rate of 15 sectors/sec, to
successively read out the reproduced data from the memory 22 at
a transfer rate of 15 sectors/sec, to stop the write operation
when the write pointer W catches up with the read pointer R to
increment in a burst the write pointer W of the memory 22 at a
transfer rate of 75 sectors/sec, so as to carry out a write
operation when the data quantity of the reproduced data stored
in the memory 22 is below a predetermined quantity L.
By such memory control by the systern control 7,
compressed audio data reproduced from recording tracks of the
magneto-optical disk 2 is written into the memory 22 in a burst
at a transfer rate of 75 sectors/sec., and the compressed audio
data is successively read out from the memory 14 as reproduced
data at a transfer rate of 75 sectors/sec. Accordingly, while
ensuring a data readout area having a capacity of more than a
predetermined quantity L at all times in the memory 22,
reproduced data can be successively read out from the memory 22.
Further, the reproduced data read out in a burst from the memory
22 can be reproduced in a successive manner from the recording
tracks of the magneto-optical disk 2 by controlling the
reproducing position on the recording tracks of the
magneto-optical disk 2 by using the system controller 7. In
addition, since a data readout area having a capacity of more
than a predetermined quantity L is ensured at all times in the
memory 22 .as described above, even in the case where the system
controller 7 detects that a track jump, etc. takes place by
disturbance, etc. to interrupt the reproducing operation with
respect to the magneto-optical disk 2, it is possible to read out
reproduced data from the data readout area having a capacity of
more than a predetermined quantity L to successively provide an
output of analog audio signals. Thus, a recovery processing
operation can be carried out during that time period.
The compressed audio data obtained as reproduced data
successively read but from the memory 22 at a transfer rate of
15 sectors/sec, is delivered to an ATRAC decoder 23. This ATRAC
decoder 23 corresponds to the ATRAC encoder 13 of the recording
system. When an operational mode is designated by the system
controller 7, the ATRAC decoder 23 in this optical disk
recording/reproducing apparatus reproduces digital audio data
having a transfer rate of 75 sectors/sec, by expanding the
compressed audio data to five times. The digital audio data
thus obtained is delivered from the ATRAC decoder 23 to a D/A
converter 24.
The D/A converter 24 converts digital audio data delivered
from the ATRAC decoder 23 to data in an analog form to form an
analog audio signal A. The analog audio signal A obtained by
the D/A converter 24 is outputted from an output terminal 26
through a low-pass filter 25.
It is to be noted that the reproducing system of the optical
disk recording/reproducing apparatus of this embodiment has also
a digital output function. By the ATRAC encoder 23, digital
audio data is outputted from a digital output terminal 26 as a
digital audio signal Dgyy through a digital output encoder 27.
As stated above, in the optical disk recording/reproducing
apparatus of this embodiment, recording data obtained by
implementing, by using the ATRAC encoder 13, data compression to
digital audio data obtained by digitizing, by using the A/D
converter 12, analog audio signals AjN, i.e., successive signals
is divided into clusters every a fixed number of sectors and
cluster connection sectors L1 ~ L3 longer than an interleaving
length in the interleaving processing are provided at connection
portions of respective clusters C, thus to implement interleaving
processing thereto to record the data thus processed into the
recording/reproducing area A20 of the magneto-optical disk
every cluster, and to reproduce recorded data from the
recording/reproducing area A2Q. Since recording data is
separated every cluster by providing the cluster connection
sectors LI ~ L3 as described above, recording/reproduction of
recording data having a data structure in which an extremely long
convoluted interleaving processing is implemented can be carried
out.
Further, from the playback only area AIQ where recording
data is recorded in accordance with the same data format as that
of the recordi ng/rep roduci ng area A2Q, and addition data are
recorded i.n four sub-code sectors SI ~ S4 which correspond to the
cluster connection sectors L1 ~ L3, recorded data and addition
data are reproduced. Then, time-base expansion processing is
implemented to reproduced data from the recording/reproducing
means or the reproducing or playback means by using the
reproduced data memory means. Thus, the recording area for
addition data where recording data of the same data structure as
that of the recordi ng/reproduci ng area Aon are recorded is
ensured in the playback only area A,Q, thus making it possible to
reoroduce addition' data along with the recorded data.
Here, in the optical disk recording/reproducing apparatus
of this embodiment, magneto-optical disk 2 including both the
playback only area AIO and the recordi ng/reproduc i ng area A20 is
used as a recording medium. However, there may be used a
magneto-optical disk as a recording medium, in which the entire
area is caused to be the recording/reproducing area A™ without
provision of the playback only area A1Q to record, into the
recordi ng/reproduci ng area A2Q, recording data of the
above-described data structure shown in Fig. 4 provided with
Cluster connection sectors longer than an interleaving length in
the interleaving processing provided at connection portions of
respective clusters of recording data divided into clusters every
a fixed number of sectors, and to reproduce the recorded data
from the recording/reproducing area A20.
Further, there may be used a reproduction or playback only
disk as a. recording medium, in which the entire area is caused
to be the playback only area A-jg without provision of the
recording/reproducing area A20, and recording data of the
above-described data structure shown in Fig. 6 are recorded on
the entire surface, thus to reproduce recorded data of the
playback only area A. In the playback only optical disk,
cluster connection se.ctors provided at connection portions of
respective clusters of recording data divided into clusters every
a fixed number of sectors may be used as sub-data sector to
record in advance addition data thereinto, thereby making it
possible to increase the quantity of addition data. Thus, a
playback only disk having a recording area for addition data
broader than that of the magneto-optical disk, i.e., the
recording/reproducing disk can be provided.
It is to be noted various data such as still picture data,
character data or speech data, etc. are conceivable as the
addition data.
As is clear from the foregoing description, in the disk
ecording/reproducing apparatus according to this invention,
recording data obtained by implementing time base compression
processing to successively inputted data caused to be in a
digital form by using memory means is divided into clusters every
a fixed number of sectors to provide cluster connection sectors
longer than an interleaving length in the interleaving processing
at connection portions of respective clusters to implement
interleaving processing to recording data to record the
interleaved data into the recording/reproducing area every
cluster, and to reproduce recorded data from the
recording/reproducing area. As stated above, since recording data
is separated every cluster by providing the cluster connection
sectors, it is possible to carry out recording/reproduction of
recording data having .a data structure in which an extremely long
convoluted interleaving processing is implemented. Further, the
reproducing means reproduces recorded data and addition data from
a playback orrly area whereb recording data is by the same
data format as that of the recordi ng/reproduci ng area are
recorded, and addition data are recorded in sectors corresponding
to the cluster connection sectors. Then, time-base expansion
processing is implemented to reproduced data from the
recording/reproducing means or the reproducing or playback means
by using the reproduced data memory means. Thus, a recording
region for addition data is ensured in the playback only area or
playback only disk where recording data of the same data
structure as that of the recording/reproducing area are recorded,
onus making it possible to reproduce addition data along with
recording data.
Accordingly, in accordance with this invention, there can
be provided a disk recording/reproducing apparatus in which
recording/reproduction of recording data having a data structure
where an extremely long convoluted interleaving processing is
implemented can be carried out, and a recording area for addition
data is ensured in a playback only area or a playback only disk
where recording data of the same data structure as that of the
recording data are recorded, thus making it possible to reproduce
addition data together with recorded data.
Further, in the playback only disk according to this
invention, since addit.ion data are recorded in cluster connection
sectors longer than the interleaving length in the interleaving
processing provided at connection portions of respective clusters
of recording data divided into clusters every a fixed number of
sectors, the quantity of addition data can be increased.
Accordingly, in accordance with this invention, there can be
provided a playback only disk having a recording area for
addition data broader -than that of the recording/reproducing
disk.
In addition, in the disk according to this invention,
recording data is divided into clusters every a fixed number of
sectors, and cluster connection sectors longer than the
interleaving length in the interleaving processing are provided
at connection portions of respective clusters. Accordingly, it
is possible to carry out recording/reproduction of data to which
the interleaving processing is implemented every cluster through
the recording/reproducing area. Further, from the playback only
area, recording data of the same data format as that of the
recording/reproducing area can be reproduced together with
addition data. Accordingly, in accordance with this invention,
there can be provided a disk including a recording/reproducing
area where recording/reproduction of recording data of a data
structure in which an extremely long convoluted interleaving
processing is implemented is carried out, and a recording area
where recording data of the same data structure as that of the
recording/reproducing, region are recorded along with addition
data.

WE CLAIM:
1. A reproducing apparatus for reproducing data from a recordable disc or a
replay-only disc comprising:
a recordable disc (2) in which digital data are grouped into a plurality of clusters (C), each cluster (C) being made up of a pre-set number of sectors (B0~B31), there being inserted a cluster linking sector (L1~L3) in a cluster linking portion for each cluster (C), each cluster linking sector (L1~L3) being longer than an interleaving length used at the time of interleaving, said digital data being interleaved and recorded from cluster to cluster; and
a replay-only disc in which digital data are grouped into a plurality of clusters (C), each cluster (C) being made up of a pre-set number of sectors (B0~B31), there being inserted in each cluster linking portion (L1~L3) for each cluster supplementary data having a length equivalent to the length of the cluster linking sector (L1~L3), said digital data being interleaved and recorded from cluster to cluster;
characterised in that
if the disc loaded on the reproducing apparatus is said replay-only disc, said digital data and the supplementary data are reproduced; and in that
if the disc loaded on the reproducing apparatus is said recordable disc, only said digital data is reproduced.
2. A reproducing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.