Method of recording and reproducing digital and video data relating to a moving picture on and from a two-region recording disk

A method of recording and reproducing information on a recording disk records a frequency modulated video signal in one outer region of a recording region of the disk, and records digital data associated with the video signal in another inner region of the recording region of the disk, and in reproduction, reads the digital data recorded in the outer region and stores the data in a data memory, and reads the video signal recorded in the inner region and simultaneously reading out the digital data stored in the data memory and in turn processes the digital data. Thus, the interaction between the recorded video signal and the recorded digital data is provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a method of recording and reproducing 
information on and from a recording disk such as a video disk, and to a 
recording disk, and further relates to a method of reproducing information 
from a recording disk. 
2. Description of Background Information 
Optical information recording disks having a compact size which are capable 
of recording a large quantity of digital data, designated as CD-ROM or 
CD-I (CD-Interactive), are attracting attention recently in the field of 
recording technology. However, since the picture information should be 
digitized in the method for recording and reproducing information on and 
from this compact-size optical recording disk, a great number of digital 
bits are required in order that a delicate difference of color in each 
part of the picture can be expressed. Moreover, there are drawbacks such 
that a complex procedure is required for the digitalization of the picture 
information, making it impossible to obtain a picture having a natural 
appearance, and moreover, only still pictures can be processed 
practically. 
On the other hand, as an application of a recording technique in which a TV 
picture signal and a digital audio signal are recorded by a frequency 
division multiplex system, a design improvement an LV-ROM in which a 
digital data signal is recorded instead of the audio signal. However, in 
the method of recording and reproducing using this LV-ROM, the quantity of 
data corresponding to one TV picture is limited at about 5 kilobytes, and 
there is a drawback that the audio signal and the data signal can not be 
obtained at the same time. 
Therefore, it has been difficult, in conventional methods of recording and 
reproducing of a recording disk, to make the recorded video signal and the 
digital signal to interact with each other during the playing time. 
Therefore, it was not possible with the conventional methods, to present 
more effective uses of the disk such as the playing of a game having 
realistic effects, or presenting of an effective explanation of a 
merchandise, and so on. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method of 
recording and reproducing information on and from a disk, which is capable 
of reproducing a moving picture with sound and also capable of processing 
a large quantity of digital data associated with the moving picture. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording disk by a 
moving picture with sound and a large quantity of digital data associated 
with the moving picture can be obtained. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of 
reproducing information from a disk, which is capable of reproducing a 
moving picture with sound and also capable of processing a large quantity 
of digital data associated with the moving picture. 
A method of recording and reproducing information on and from a disk 
according to the present invention is characterized by dividing an 
effective information recording region on one main surface of a recording 
disk into a first region on an inner peripheral side and a second region 
on an outer peripheral side, recording a video signal which is converted 
into a frequency modulation signal and digital data associated with the 
video signal on the second and first regions respectively, and in 
reproduction, reading the digital data recorded in the first region and 
writing the digital data into a digital memory, and subsequently reading 
the video signal recorded in the second region and simultaneously reading 
out the digital data stored in the data memory and in turn processing the 
digital data. 
A recording disk according to the present invention is characterized in 
that an effective information recording region on one main surface of the 
disk is divided into a first region on an inner peripheral side and a 
second recording region on an outer peripheral side, and that a video 
signal converted into a frequency modulation signal and digital data 
associated with the video signal are recorded in the second and first 
regions respectively. 
A method of reproducing information according to the present invention is 
characterized by reading digital data recorded in a first recording region 
of a recording disk and storing the data in a data memory, and reading a 
video signal recorded in a second recording region of the recording disk 
and simultaneously reading out the digital data stored in the digital 
memory and in turn processing the digital data.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
An embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail with 
reference to the accompanying drawings hereinafter. 
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional view of a 
recording disk according to the present invention. In this figure, in a 
first region E.sub.1 located on an inner peripheral side (referred to as 
digital data recording region hereinafter) of the disk, there is recorded 
a digital data EFM signal obtained by the EFM system which is adopted in 
digital audio disks, by means of a known method. In a second region 
E.sub.2 located on an outer peripheral side (referred to as video 
recording region hereinafter), there are recorded a video FM signal 
obtained by converting a TV video signal into a frequency modulation 
signal, as well as an audio EFM signal obtained by modulating by the EFM 
system an audio signal after being digitized, which signals are processed 
by frequency division multiplexing, by a known method. The frequency 
spectrum of the recording signal in this video recording region is as 
illustrated in FIG. 2. 
In order to efficiently recording the digital data EFM signal having a band 
width of 1.75 MHz and the multiplex FM video signal having the band width 
of 13 MHz, it is necessary to change the linear velocity in the recording 
time. Therefore, during the time of recording in the video recording 
region, the speed of rotation of the disk is made higher than the speed at 
the time of recording in the digital data recording region. 
In the video recording region there are recorded, on a same track, video 
information composed of moving pictures and still pictures combined 
arbitrarily, using the standard NTSC television video signal format, and 
in the audiop EFM signal channel, audio signals corresponding to the 
moving pictures, compressed audio signals corresponding to the still 
pictures, and various data signals, using the digital signal format, in 
such a manner that those signals are related to each frame of the video 
signal in the sense of time and location. 
On the other hand, in the digital data recording region, there is recorded 
a series of data associated with the video signal recorded in the video 
recording region (there are cases where the data is associated with the 
video signal for each frame, and where the data are associated with a 
series of video signals, as in one chapter). Examples of the content of 
such data are, time compressed audio data of an explanatory text of a 
predetermined time length corresponding to the still picture, signals 
indicating letters or characters, or data signal of pictures to be 
combined, which are to be displayed by means of the superimposition on the 
pictures, data signals which are not displayed, but are used for 
calculations in the player, and control program signals which control the 
playing operation of the player, for instance. In short, by using the data 
signals in this digital data recording region, it is possible to obtain 
varieties of effects and expressions which are more than simply 
reproducing the video signal and audio signal recorded in the video 
recording region. 
A player for reproducing the above explained recording information of the 
recording disk is illustrated in FIG. 3. In the figure, the recording disk 
1 is driven to rotate by means of a spindle motor 2. The information 
recorded on this recording disk 1 is read by means of a pickup 3. The 
spindle motor 2 is controlled, in speed of rotation, by means of a spindle 
servo system (not shown). An information detecting light spot of the 
pickup 3 is controlled, in the radial position, by means of a tracking 
servo system (not shown) so that it traces a recording track accurately. 
In addition to the above servo systems, there are provided varieties of 
servo systems such as a focus servo system and a tangential servo system. 
However, those are omitted in this figure since those are not necessary 
for the explanation. 
Near the path of the movement of the pickup 3 in the radial direction, 
there is provided a position detector 4 which detects a state that the 
information detection light spot of the pickup 3 has reached a position 
corresponding to the vicinity of the boundary between the digital data 
recording region and the video recording region of the disk 1, and 
produces a detection signal. By the generation of this detection signal, 
it can be detected that the information detection light spot of the pickup 
3 has reached the video recording region. As the position detector 4, a 
photo interrupter of the reflection type or the transmission type which is 
made by a combination of a light emitting element and a light receiving 
element, and arranged such that the light emitted by the light emitting 
element is irradiated on the light receiving element, by reflection or 
transmission, when the pickup 3 has reached a predetermined position, can 
be used. 
A what is called an RF signal issued from the pickup 3 is supplied to an 
EFM signal demodulation circuit 5 and to a video signal demodulation 
circuit 6. A demodulation signal of the EFM signal demodulation circuit 5 
is supplied to a stationary contact, on an N (normal reproduction) side, 
of a switch SW.sub.1. On the other hand a demodulation signal of the video 
signal demodulation circuit 6 is supplied to a stationary contact on the N 
side of a switch SW.sub.2. These switches SW.sub.1 and SW.sub.2 are 
interlocked with each other, and constructed so that movable contacts are 
connected to stationary contacts on the N side respectively when a switch 
control signal a is absent, and the movable contacts are connected to 
stationary contacts on an S (still picture reproduction) side 
respectively, when the switch control signal a is present. Signals derived 
at the movable contacts of the switches SW.sub.1 and SW.sub.2, are 
respectively supplied to movable contacts of switches SW.sub.3 and 
SW.sub.4. The switches SW.sub.3 and SW.sub.4 are interlocked with each 
other, and constructed such that each movable contact is connected to each 
stationary contact on a D (data) side when a switch control signal b is 
absent, and each movable contact is connected to a stationary contact on 
an A (audio) side or a stationary contact on a V (video) side 
respectively, when the switch control signal b is present. 
The signal derived at the stationary contact of the switch SW.sub.3 on the 
D side is supplied to a data decoder 7. Data decoded by the data decoder 7 
is supplied to a data memory 8. The data memory 8 is controlled by means 
of a data memory controller 9. The data memory controller 9 performs the 
control operation such that the data which is outputted from the data 
decoder 7 in sequence is written in the data memory 8 in sequence in 
response to a write command c, and the stored data is read-out 
sequentially in the order of writing, in response to a read-out command d. 
On the other hand, the signal derived at the stationary contact of the 
switch SW.sub.3 on the A side is supplied to an audio signal decoder 10, 
so that the audio signal is decoded. Output of this audio signal decoder 
10 is supplied to an audio signal output terminal 12 after passing through 
an audio signal processing circuit 11. To the audio signal processing 
circuit 11, an audio signal issued from an audio signal generation circuit 
13 is also supplied, and outputted after being superimposed on the output 
signal of the audio signal decoder 10 or being switched to replace it. 
The audio signal generation circuit 13 generates an audio signal 
corresponding to the audio digital data supplied from a microcomputer 14. 
A signal derived at the stationary contact of the switch SW.sub.4 on the D 
side is not supplied to any of the circuits, and the signal derived at the 
stationary contact of the switch SW.sub.4 on the V side is supplied to a 
video memory 15. The video memory 15 has a memory capacity capable of 
recording a video signal of one frame long or one field long, provided 
with an A/D converter for converting the input video signal to a digital 
signal, to form data to be written into the memory, and provided with a 
D/A converter for converting data read-out from the memory to an analog 
signal, and controlled by means of a video memory controller 16. The video 
memory controller 16 performs a control operation so that the video signal 
outputted from the video signal demodulation circuit 6 is written into the 
video memory 15 in sequence in response to a write command e, and the 
written video signal is sequentially read-out in the order of recording in 
response to a read-out command f. 
The video signal read-out from the video memory 15 is supplied to a video 
output terminal 18 through a video signal processing circuit 17. To the 
video signal processing circuit 17, a video signal issued from a video 
signal generation circuit 19 is also supplied, and outputted after being 
superimposed on the output signal of the video memory 15 or being switched 
to replace it. 
The video signal generation circuit 19 generates a video signal 
corresponding to letters for example, which are designated by data 
supplied from the microcomputer 14. 
The microcomputer 14 comprises a processor, a ROM, and a RAM, and the 
processor performs the control of each part in accordance with programs 
previously stored in the ROM, or control programs stored in a data memory 
8, or various instructions generated by an operation instruction generator 
20. 
The operation of the processor in the microcomputer 14 with the above 
described construction will be explained with reference to the flowchart 
shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. 
When a start command is issued from the operation instruction generator 20, 
the processor issues instructions to every servo system controlling the 
pickup 3 and the spindle motor 2, to start the reading of information 
recorded in the digital data recording region, at a step S1. Then, the 
processor starts the transmission of a write command c to the data memory 
controller 9, at a step S2. Accordingly, the digital data EFM signal 
recorded in the digital data recording region of the recording disk 1 is 
read. This digital EFM signal is supplied to the EFM signal demodulation 
circuit 5, so that it is converted to the digital signal, and further 
converted to the data signal by means of the data decoder 7, and written 
into the data memory 8. During this operation of reading from the digital 
data recording region, the FM video signal recorded in the video recording 
region is not read, and the video signal and the audio signal are not 
reproduced. 
During the reading operation from the digital data recording region, the 
processor repeatedly executes the detections as to whether or not the 
information reading light spot of the pickup 3 has reached the video 
recording region by using the position detector 4, and as to whether or 
not a video recording region reading command is generated from the 
operation instruction generator 20, in order, at steps S3 and S4. 
At the step S3, if it is judged that the information reading light spot of 
the pickup 3 has reached the video recording region, the processor stops 
the transmission of the write command c to the data memory controller 9 at 
a step S5, and immediately after, generates the switch control signal b at 
a step S6, and starts the transmission of a write command d and a read 
command d to the video memory controller 16 at a step S7. At the step S4, 
if it is judged that the video recording region reading command is issued, 
the processor stops the transmission of the write command c to the memory 
controller 9 at a step S8, and moves the pickup 3 in a direction toward 
the outer periphery at a step S9. Subsequently, detection as to whether or 
not the video recording region is reached is performed by using the 
detection signal of the position detector 4 at a step S10, and the 
movement of the pickup 3 is stopped at a step S11 and processor proceeds 
to the step S6 if it is judged that the video recording region is reached. 
Accordingly, the FM video signal and the audio EFM signal recorded in the 
video recording region are read, and supplied respectively to the video 
signal demodulation circuit 6 and the EFM signal demodulation circuit 5. 
The FM video signal is, after being converted to a video signal by means 
of the video signal demodulation circuit 6, outputted by way of the video 
memory 15 and the video signal processing circuit 17. The audio EFM singal 
is, after being converted to the audio signal by means of the EFM signal 
demodulation circuit 5 and the audio signal decoder 10, outputted by way 
of the audio signal processing circuit 11. 
During the reading operation from the video recording region, the processor 
reads the data associated with the video signal read from the disk among 
data stored in the data memory 8 and decodes it at a step S12. 
By means of the data after being decoded, the processor performs judgements 
as to whether the insertion of video information such as letters, figures 
is instructed, whether or not the insertion of sound is instructed, and 
whether or not the reproduction of a still picture is instructed, in 
sequence, at steps S13, S14, S15. 
At the step S13, if it is determined that the insertion of the video 
information such as letters and figures is instructed, the processor 
supplies the read data to the video signal generation circuit 19 at a step 
S16, and judges as to whether or not the reading of all of the information 
recorded in the video recording region has been completed at a step S17. 
At the step S17, if it is judged that the reading of all of information 
recorded in the video recording region has been completed, the processor 
resets each part to the initial state at a step S18, and restarts the 
execution of the routine which was executed just before proceeding to the 
step S1. At the step S17, if it is judged that the reading of all of the 
information recorded in the video recording region has not been completed, 
the processor again executes each step from the step S12. 
At the step S14, if it is judged that the insertion of sound is instructed, 
the processor supplies the read data to the audio signal generation 
circuit 13 at a step S19, and proceeds to the step S17. 
At the step S15, if it is judged that the reproduction of a still picture 
is instructed, the processor generates the switch control signal a so that 
each movable contact of the switches SW.sub.1 and SW.sub.2 is connected to 
the stationary contacts on the S side at a step S20, and stops the 
transmission of the write command e to the video memory controller 16 at a 
step S21. At the same time the processor controls the information 
detecting light spot to jump in the direction toward the inner periphery 
at predetermined intervals, so that a pause mode is performed at a step 
S22. 
After these operations, the processor transmits the time compressed audio 
data which has been read, to the audio signal generation circuit 13 at a 
step S23. Accordingly, the reproduced sound obtained by this time 
compressed audio data is added to a still picture which is obtained by 
repeatedly reading the video signal of one field or one frame long stored 
in the video memory 15, thus reproduction of a still picture with sound is 
performed. 
After the judgment of the completion of the transmission of this time 
compressed audio data at a step S24, the processor terminates the switch 
control signal a, so that the movable contacts of the switches SW.sub.1 
and SW.sub.2 are respectively connected to the stationary contacts on the 
N side at a step S25. Then, the processor starts the transmission of the 
write command e to the video memory controller 16 at a step S26, releases 
the pause mode at a step S27 subsequently, and proceeds to the step S17. 
In the above embodiment, the reading of the data stored in the data memory 
8 is performed only when the information recorded in the video recording 
region is reproduced. However, it is also conceivable to read-out the data 
stored in the data memory while the digital data is read from the digital 
data recording region and in turn written in the data memory 8, and to 
supply the data to the audio signal generation circuit 13 and the video 
signal generation circuit 19, so that the synthesized audio signal, 
character video signal, and so on are outputted. 
Also, the switches SW.sub.3 and SW.sub.4 are interlocked with each other in 
the above embodiment. However, it is also conceivable to arrange the 
switches SW.sub.3 and SW.sub.4 to be operated independently with each 
other, so that the data signal recorded in the audio EFM signal part is 
supplied to the data recorder 7 and stored in the data memory 8 at the 
same time as the reproduction of the video information recorded in the 
video recording region. 
As described in detail so far, the disk recording and reproducing method 
according to the present invention is characterized in that the video 
signal converted into the frequency modulation signal and digital data 
associated with the video signal are respectively recorded in a second 
region located on the outer peripheral side, and in a first region located 
on the inner peripheral side, of an effective information recording region 
on a main surface of the disk, and in reproduction, the video signal 
recorded in the second region is read and at the same time the digital 
data stored in a data memory is read out and processed, after the digital 
data recorded in the first region has been read and written in the data 
memory. Therefore it is possible to obtain the moving picture signal with 
sound signal and a large quantity of associated data signal at the same 
time, so that more effective use of the disk such as the playing of a game 
having realistic effects and presentation of an effective merchandise 
explanation, and so on are enabled. 
In addition, the recording disk according to the present invention is 
characterized in that the effective information recording region on one 
main surface thereof is divided into a first region on the inner 
peripheral side and a second region on the outer peripheral region, and a 
video signal converted to a frequency modulation signal and digital data 
associated with the video signal are recorded in the second and first 
regions respectively. Therefore, by arranging the reproduction operation 
such that the video signal recorded in the second region is read and 
outputted, and simultaneously obtaining from a memory the digital data 
associated with the video signal, after reading the digital data recorded 
in the first recording region, and storing the data into the memory. Thus, 
moving pictures with sound and a large quantity of associated data signals 
are obtained, so that more effective uses of the disk such as the playing 
of a game with realistic effects or the presentation of an effective 
explanation of merchandise, are enabled as mentioned above.