RECORDING AND/OR REPRODUCING INFORMATION SIGNALS

Abstract: In an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing an information signal in successive slanting tracks on a recording tape, an information signal is recorded by a rotary head in only a part (23) of a respective track scanned by the head on the tape, coded index data formed of a plurality of blocks (BLK1 to BLK6) is generated to identify a respective recorded information signal, such as by an absolute tape position address counted from an end or other reference position on the record tape, a "0" index signal is provided with a predetermined number of bits representing consecutive "0" values which can be detected for identifying the beginning of an event or programme defined by the information signals recorded in a number of the tracks, and the "0" index signal and at least one block of the coded index data are supplied to the rotary head for recording by the latter in an index area (242) of a track where no information signal is recorded.

Description: This invention relates to apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information signals. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to helical-scan type apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information signals, such as a video signal and a pulse-code modulated (PCM) audio signal, on slanting tracks on a recording medium (e.g. a recording tape) by means of a rotary head. Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a rotary head assembly of a previously proposed 8mm video tape recorder (VTR). The assembly includes recording and reproducing rotary magnetic heads HA and HB. The heads HA and HB have gaps with different azimuth angles and are mounted on a rotary drum 1 with an angular spacing of 180° between them. The heads HA and HB are rotated at a rotational speed equal to a standard frame frequency (e.g. 30 Hz) in the direction indicated by an arrow 3H and protrude slightly from the peripheral surface of the drum 1. A magnetic tape 2 is wrapped around the peripheral surface of the drum 1 over an angular extent of 221° and is suitably transported at a constant speed in the direction indicated by an arrow 3T during recording and normal reproducing operations. Accordingly, slanting or skewed tracks 4A and 4B, each having a length corresponding to an angular extent of 221° on the surface of drum 1, are alternately formed on the tape 2 by the heads HA and HB, respectively, as shown in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings. In a normal PCM mode of the 8mm VTR, a so-called overscan area AP of each track, corresponding to an angular extent of 36° measured from a point at which the head HA or HB starts scanning the track 4A or 4B, has recorded therein an audio signal which corresponds to one field period of the video signal and which has been pulse-code modulated and time compressed. Within a succeeding main recording area AV of each track, which has a length corresponding to an angular extent of 180°, a colour video signal of one field period is recorded. The remaining or concluding area of each track, which corresponds to an angular extent of 5°, is assigned as a spare or trace ending area at which the head is disengaged from the track. Further, the PCM audio signal can be recorded and reproduced by the 8mm VTR in a so-called "multi-PCM" or "audio-use" mode in which, as disclosed in detail in our US Patent No. US-A-4 542 419, the main recording area AV of each track is also used for recording PCM audio signals. In such audio-use or multi-PCM mode, the 8mm VTR becomes exclusively a PCM audio signal recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which PCM audio signals can be recorded in multiple channels. More specifically, as shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, in the audio-use or multi-PCM mode the area AV of each track corresponding to the angular range of 180° is divided equally by five and the PCM audio signal is recorded in a selected one of these divided portions during scanning of each track. Therefore, the whole area of each track shown in Figure 2, including the area AP and the area AV, is divided into six track areas AP1 to AP6, each corresponding to an angular range or extent of 36°, and first to sixth track channels are formed by the same numbered segments or track areas AP1 to AP6 of the respective tracks 4A, 4B, 4A, 4B, etc. shown in Figure 3, whereby a suitably time compressed PCM audio signal can be recorded in any desired channel. For example, the PCM audio signal may be recorded first in the segments or track areas AP1 of the successive tracks 4A, 4B from one end of the tape to the other. Thereafter, the PCM audio signal may be further recorded in segments or track areas AP2 of the successive tracks from one end of the tape to the other. Accordingly, PCM audio signals can be recorded in and reproduced from each of the six channels with the result that, in the audio-use or multi-PCM mode shown in Figure 3, the tape 2 has an audio recording time or capacity six times as long as when a PCM audio signal is recorded only in the overscan area AP of each track, as in Figure 2. In each case of the multi-PCM mode, the PCM signal processing circuit used for each of the multiple channels may be the same signal processing circuit provided for processing the PCM audio signal recorded in the single channel constituted by the track areas AP in the 8mm VTR. The track format of the above-described 8mm VTR in its normal PCM mode will now be described more fully with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings, in which contact of a rotary head with the tape 2, that is the starting point of a track, begins at the left hand side where there is provided a contact starting area which has a length corresponding to a head rotation angle of 5° and comprises a tracking start area 21 having an angular extent of 2.94° and an area 22 having an angular extent of 2.06° corresponding to three horizontal periods (3H) of the video signal and assigned as a preamble area for use as a clock run-in area synchronised with the succeeding PCM data. Following the preamble or clock run-in area 22, there is provided a PCM data recording area 23 having an angular extent of 26.32° and in which a time compressed PCM audio signal is recorded. A postamble area 24, also having an angular extent of 2.06° (3H), follows the PCM data recording area 23 so as to be used as a back margin area to cope with displacement of the recording position when recording is carried out in a so-called after-recording mode. A succeeding area 25 having an angular extent of 2.62° is assigned as a guard band area for separating a video signal recording area 26 which follows the PCM data area 23, and which has an angular range or extent of 180° (as earlier noted), for receiving a recorded colour video signal of one field period. Following the area 26, there is provided a head disengaging area 27, having the angular extent of 5°, in which the rotary head is disengaged or separated freely from the magnetic tape. The PCM data recorded in each recording area 23 is formed by interleaving audio data of one field period and index data associated with the audio data and encoding the same. The index data is formed by coding various items of identifying information, such as the recording date, absolute address, programme number and a so-called time code. Such index data is useful for locating a starting point of a recorded event or programme for reproduction or editing. However, if the index data is interleaved with the audio data and encoded in a mixed state, as described above, the index data cannot be extracted without de-interleaving the PCM data and then decoding the same. Thus, when the index data is used in a programme search or editing operation, it takes considerable time to process the index data. Further, in a search operation, the magnetic tape 2 moves at high speed, for example 30 times the standard tape speed in the recording mode, so that the rotary head traces obliquely across the recording area 23. As a result, it is difficult correctly to reproduce the index data recorded therein with the audio data. To solve the foregoing problems, it has been proposed, for example as disclosed in our European Patent Application Publication No. EP-A-0 209 151, to provide coded index data which is similar to the index data recorded with the PCM audio data in each recording area 23 and which is recorded in the postamble area 24 following the area 23. Recording of index data in the postamble area 24 will now be further explained with reference to Figures 5A to 5F of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a desired recording format with increasing detail. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the postamble area 24, having a length of three horizontal periods (3H), is further divided or segmented into a first half-area 241 of 1.5H and a second half-area 242 of 1.5H. The half-area 241 is used to record a postamble signal for the PCM data and the half-area 242 is an index area used to record and/or reproduce the coded index data. As shown in Figure 5C, the index area 242 is still further divided into an initial preamble signal area 242₁ of 0.5H and a subsequent index data area 242₂ of 1H in which coded index data CDIX is recorded. As shown in Figure 5D, the coded index data CDIX is formed of 7 blocks comprising blocks BLK1 to BLK6 (51 bits each) and an auxiliary block BAUX (36 bits). The auxiliary block BAUX is employed, for example, as an end mark. As shown in Figure 5E, each of the blocks BLK1 to BLK6 comprises a block header of 3 bits, ID codes ID0 to ID4 each comprising 8 bits, and a CRC code CRCC of 8 bits. The CRC code is what might be called a cyclic redundancy check code used to detect errors contained in the ID codes. The ID codes ID0 to ID4 are exactly the same as ID codes ID0 to ID4 recorded with the PCM audio data in the area 23 and indicate data, such as a cut number, recording date and time, absolute position on the magnetic tape 2 or the like. Generally, the PCM data is recorded in the area 23 on the tape with the binary code data having logic levels "1" or "0" being modulated to signals of respective frequencies. In the 8mm VTR, for example, data having the logic level "1" is modulated to, or represented by, a recorded signal having a frequency of 5.8 MHz, while data having the logic level "0" is modulated to, or represented by, a recorded signal having a frequency of 2.9 MHz. Similarly, the index data CDIX is converted into a bi-phase signal which is recorded on the magnetic tape 2, and which has a frequency of 2.9 MHz for logic level "0" and 5.8 MHz for logic level "1". If the index data CDIX is recorded in the index area 242 independently of the PCM data area 23 as mentioned hereinabove, it is possible immediately to obtain the index data by tracing the postamble area 24 in the reproducing mode. Even in the search mode, with a tape speed 30 times as high as that in the recording mode, the index area 242 is short, that is it corresponds to only 1.5H, so that the rotary head can positively reproduce the index data CDIX recorded therein. Further, since the index data CDIX is recorded in the index area 242, which is provided independently of the PCM data area 23 and separated therefrom by the postamble area 241, the index data can be independently and easily recorded in the index area 242 within the postamble area 24 of the recorded track in the after-recording mode, that is a mode in which the index data is recorded after recording of the PCM data. If the index signal is merely to represent a relative position on the tape, that is if the index signal is merely indicative of the starting point of a tune, event, programme or the like but does not absolutely locate such starting point, it is only necessary that the index signal be discriminated from the video signal and the PCM audio data which make up the information signal recorded on the tape. Thus, for example, if a postamble signal recorded in the postamble area 24 is a single tone signal having a frequency of 5.8 MHz and thus corresponding to PCM data of all "1"s, an index signal which can be readily discriminated from this postamble signal and which has a very small probability of appearing as PCM audio data can be a single tone signal having a frequency of 2.9 MHz and which corresponds to data consisting of consecutive "0"s only. In such a so-called "0" index system, the index signal generator can be simplified and provided at low cost so that it can be used in a relatively inexpensive version of a recording and/or reproducing apparatus. However, in the "0" index system, that is where only relative position information is provided, the actual position along the tape can be determined from such relative position information only by counting the number of the index signals as the tape is searched from its head or leading end. However, if a tape cassette is ejected from a video tape recorder and then loaded therein again, and the starting point of a recorded event is searched beginning from a point midway between the ends of the tape, it is impossible to know the count of the first detected index signal measured from the head end of the tape. Therefore, it is desirable to achieve compatibility between the "0" index system and the coded index system. To achieve such compatibility, it has been proposed, for example as disclosed in our above-cited European Patent Application Publication No. EP-A-0 209 151, to record both coded index data and "0" index data in successive halves, respectively, for example in the areas 241 and 242, of the postamble area 24. Since each of the areas 241 and 242 has a length corresponding to 1.5H, they are adequate for the recording therein of the coded index data and the "0" index data. However, by using the area 241 for recording of the coded index data, the postamble area recorded with "1"s is omitted between the recorded PCM audio data in the area 23 and the coded index data of similar format in the area 241, with the result that the end of the PCM audio data in the area 23 may not be readily discriminated. In order to permit retention of the postamble area 241 recorded with successive "1"s, consideration may be given to the use, as a "0" index area, of the preamble area 242₁ (0.5H) constituting the initial part of the index area 242 (Figure 5C). In other words, the preamble area 242₁, which is generally recorded with logic "1", is rewritten as logic "0". However, the preamble area 242₁ of 0.5H is represented as 210 bits at the most. With regard to the foregoing, it should be noted that, in the "0" index system, consecutive data "0"s of more than a predetermined number have to be written so as to be surely discriminated from the information signal data. For example, a detecting circuit at the reproducing side may have to detect consecutive "0"s of more than 256 bits in order surely to identify the starting point of a recorded event or programme. In that case, if consecutive "0"s of no more than 210 bits are written in the preamble area 242₁, they cannot be surely detected as the "0" index. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for recording an information signal in limited parts of successive slanting tracks on a recording medium by means of a rotary head, each track having an index area apart from said limited part for recording of the information signal, the apparatus comprising: means for processing an information signal in a digital form; means for supplying the processed information signal to the rotary head for recording in said limited parts of the slanting tracks; means for generating coded index data which is formed of a plurality of blocks; characterized by: means for generating an index signal having a plural number of bits for searching for beginnings of groups of the slanting tracks; means for generating a preamble signal having a plural number of bits whose values are different from those of said index signal; and control means for supplying said preamble signal and said coded index data to the rotary head for recording thereof sequentially by the rotary head in said index area of a slanting track and for reducing the number of blocks of said coded index data and recording said index signal in place of said preamble signal as a marker of said beginnings of groups of the slanting tracks to establish compatibility. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information signals in successive slanting tracks on a recording tape, the apparatus comprising: information signal processing means for converting input information signals to a digitised form in which the information data for a predetermined length of time is grouped as a plurality of data blocks; rotary head means connected to the information signal processing means for recording and/or reproducing the grouped data blocks containing a digitised information signal for said predetermined length of time in a first part of a respective slanting track on the tape; means for generating coded index data formed of a plurality of blocks characterized by; means operative selectively for generating consecutive first logic values as a postamble signal and as a preamble signal for said coded index data, and for generating consecutive second logic values of at least a predetermined bit length as an index signal identifying the start of a respective group of the slanting tracks; means responsive to rotation of the rotary head means for providing an index area signal in correspondence to the scanning by the rotary head means of an index area of a respective slanting track which is spaced from said first part of the respective track by an intervening postamble area; and control means responsive to said index area signal and having a first state in which said consecutive first logic values are supplied to the rotary head means for recording as a postamble signal in said postamble area and in a contiguous portion of said index area as a preamble signal and then a plurality of said blocks of the coded index data is supplied to the rotary head means for recording in a remainder of said index area, the control means further having a second state in which said consecutive second logic values of at least said predetermined bit length are supplied to the rotary head means for recording in said index area as said index signal in place of said preamble signal and followed by a reduced number of at least one said block of the coded index data recorded in said remainder of the index area. An embodiment of the invention provides information recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a rotary head for recording an information signal of a predetermined period in only a part of a slanting track scanned by the head on a recording tape, means for generating coded index data formed of a plurality of data blocks and identifying a respective recorded information signal,means for generating an index signal having a predetermined number of bits representing consecutive logic values which are the same for identifying the beginning of an event or programme defined by the information signals recorded in a number of the slanting tracks, and control means for supplying said index signal and at least one of said blocks of the coded index data to the rotary head for recording by the head in an index area of a slanting track which is separated, by a postamble area, from the part of the slanting track in which the information signal is recorded. A preferred embodiment of the invention described in detail herein below provides an information recording and/or reproducing apparatus which can satisfactorily establish compatibility between "0" index and coded index systems. The preferred arrangement can be applied to an 8mm VTR and to a PCM audio signal recording and/or reproducing apparatus. The invention will now be further described, by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same references are used to designate like elements and parts throughout, and in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a previously proposed rotary head assembly of a recording and/or reproducing apparatus to which the invention advantageously may be applied; Figures 2 and 3 are schematic diagrams showing recording track patterns formed by the rotary head assembly of Figure 1 in different recording modes thereof; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a track format used in the recording mode of Figure 2; Figure 5A to 5F are schematic representations of formats used for recording a PCM audio signal and coded index data in respective parts of a slanting track; Figures 6A to 6E are schematic representations of formats used in embodiments of the invention for recording an index signal of a "0" index system type and coded index data in an index area on a slanting track apart from an area in which an information signal is recorded; and Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram showing an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing an information signal according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring to Figures 6A to 6E in detail, it will be seen that Figure 6A is similar to Figure 5B in that it particularly shows the postamble area 241 and the index area 242 (each of 1.5H) arranged in sequence between the PCM data recording area 23 and the guard band area 25. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention which is applied, by way of example, to the previously described 8mm VTR, the area 241 is retained as a postamble area following the area 23 in which PCM audio data is recorded, and the number of coded index data blocks BLK1 to BLK6 recorded in the index area 242 is varied between one block BLK1 (Figure 6B) and six blocks BLK1 to BLK6 (Figure 6E). By reason of such variable number of coded index data blocks recorded in the index area 242, which has a total length of 552 bits, that is 210 bits for the preamble area 242₁ and 342 bits for the index data area 242₂, as shown in Figure 5C, even if five coded index data blocks are recorded in the index area 242 the remaining length of the index area 242 corresponds to 261 bits. Such remaining length of 261 bits corresponds to the 210 bit length of the preamble area 242₁ and the 51 bit length of the single omitted coded index data block. This area having a length of 261 bits exceeds the threshold value of 256 consecutive "0"s needed to detect the "0" index. Thus, if the area having a length of 261 bits is utilised as the "0" index area, it becomes possible to establish compatibility between the "0" index and the coded index even though as many as five coded index data blocks are recorded in the index area 242. It is possible that the starting point of a recorded event or programme will not be reliably detected on the basis of the "0" index if the bit length of the area provided within the index area 242 to receive the "0" index is near to the threshold value of 256 bits. In order to avoid such possibility, the bit length of the area within the index area 242 provided to receive the "0" index may be extended further, for example to 465 bits, by recording the coded index data in the single block BLK1, as shown in Figure 6B. In such case, "1"s are normally written as a preamble signal in such "0" index area of 465 bits length and, in the slanting tracks corresponding to the starting point of a recorded event or programme, all of such "1"s are replaced by recorded consecutive "0"s to provide a reliably detected "0" index of 465 bits. When, as shown in Figure 6C to 6E, two or more blocks of coded index data are written in the index are 242, "1"s are written as a preamble signal in all of the index area 242 not occupied by the coded index data, and these "1"s are replaced by "0"s to form the "0" index at the starting point of each recorded event or programme. In the case where only a single block BLK1 is recorded as the coded index data in the index area 242, such block can contain a time code comprising hour, minute, second and frame number indications. Such time code may be contained or written only in the block BLK1 recorded in a track by the rotary head HA, while the block BLK1 recorded in a track by the rotary head HB contains other optional codes representing, for example, the date, programme number and the like. The data format within each of the blocks BLK1 to BLK6 is made the same as that of the ID (identifying) word contained in the PCM audio data. Figure 7 shows apparatus embodying the invention for recording and/or reproducing information signals, the apparatus being associated with an 8mm VTR and including recording and/or reproducing change-over switching circuits 31A and 31B to which a recording or reproducing switching signal SM is applied from a system controller 100 that incorporates a microcomputer. Each of the switching circuits 31A and 31B engages a movable contact M thereof with a recording contact R thereof upon recording and changes over to engage the movable contact M with a playback contact P upon reproducing. Rotary head change-over switching circuits 32 and 33 are operated by a head switching signal RFSW to be alternately disposed in the positions shown in full lines and in dotted lines, respectively, at every half revolution of the rotary recording/reproducing heads HA and HB. A pulse signal PG having a frequency of 30 Hz is generated by a pulse generator 41 so as to be indicative of the absolute rotary phase of the rotary heads HA and HB and is supplied to a switching signal generating circuit 42 from which the switching signal RFSW, which is a square wave signal having a duty ratio of 50%, is derived In a normal PCM recording mode of the apparatus shown in Figure 7, an input video signal V in applied to an input terminal 51 is supplied to a video signal processing circuit 50 in which it is suitably processed. An output video signal from the circuit 50 is then supplied to the switching circuit 32. The switching circuit 32 is alternately switched by the switching signal RFSW at every half revolution of the rotary heads HA and HB, which are controlled by a drum phase servo taking the pulse signal PG as a reference phase, so that, when the head HA scans the area AV of a track 4A, the video signal is supplied through a recording amplifier 34A and the switching circuit 31A to the head HA and is thereby recorded on this area AV of the respective track 4A. In like manner, when the head HB scans the area AV of a track 4B, the video signal is supplied through a recording amplifier 34B and the switching circuit 31B to the head HB and is thereby recorded on the area AV of the respective track 4B. Left and right channel audio signals applied to input terminals 61L and 61R are both supplied to a PCM audio signal processor 60 and are processed therein to form PCM data. The PCM data for one slanting track is generally formed so that an information signal, such as an audio signal and the like, having a constant time period, for example corresponding to one field, is divided into a plurality of blocks and a block synchronising signal and a block address signal are added to each of the divided blocks. In the PCM audio data of the 8mm VTR, the data of one track area AP or AP₁ to AP₆ is formed of 132 blocks and, as shown in Figure 5F, each block is formed of a block synchronising signal SYNC of 3 bits, a block address word ADRS of 8 bits, error correction parity words P and Q each of 8 bits, audio data words W0 to W7 each of 8 bits, and an error detection CRC (cyclic redundancy check) code of 16 bits. In other words, the audio signal is digitised, the resulting digital signal is divided into 132 blocks for each field period thereof, the parity words P and Q, each of which is an error correction code, are generated, and the CRC code is generated for each block. The switching signal RFSW is supplied from its generating circuit 42 to the PCM audio signal processor 60 which, on the basis of such switching signal, forms a PCM area signal corresponding to the scanning of the PCM data recording area 23 of a slanting track by the head HA or HB. In the recording mode, the PCM audio data for one field is written in a random access memory (RAM) - not shown - contained in the processor 60, and such PCM audio data is read from the RAM during the period of time specified by the PCM area signal. Thus, PCM audio data of one field period is time-base-compressed, as read out, to about one-fifth of the original duration. The thus read out PCM audio data is supplied to a first input of a switching circuit 35 which, in the state shown by full lines on Figure 7, passes the PCM audio data to a modulating circuit (modulator) 37 in which data of the logic value "1" is converted into a signal of 5.8 MHz and data of the logic value "0" is converted into a signal of 2.9 MHz. The resulting modulated signal is supplied to the switching circuit 32 in which, in response to changing-over of the switching circuit 32 by the switching signal RFSW, the modulated PCM audio signal is selectively supplied to the rotary heads HA and HB. Thus, the modulated PCM audio signals are recorded in the PCM data recording area 23 of the overscan area AP of each track 4A by the head 4A, and in the PCM data recording area 23 of the overscan area AP of each track 4B by the head HB. Following the recording of a modulated PCM audio signal in a respective recording area 23, at least one block BLK1 of coded index data is recorded in the subsequently scanned index area 242, with the remainder of such index area 242 having recorded therein data representing successive "1"s or "0"s as a preamble or as a "0" index, respectively, as shown in any one of Figures 6B to 6E. In order to provide the foregoing data for recording in the index area 242, index information, such as the recording date, absolute address, time information and the like, is supplied through an input terminal 71 to an index encoder 72. A "0" index specifying signal is also supplied through an input terminal 73 to the index encoder 72, for example in response to actuation of a programme search index switch (not shown). When the programme search index switch is actuated, the index encoder 72 responds to the reception of the "0" index specifying signal at its terminal 73 by producing data formed of consecutive "0"s only followed by, for example, one block BLK1 of coded index data (Figure 6B) corresponding to the index information received at the terminal 71, during an index interval corresponding to the scanning of a predetermined number of tracks after the search index switch is actuated. If, on the other hand, the programme index switch is not actuated or is in its off state, the index encoder 72 produces, during the index interval, as many as six coded index data blocks BLK1 to BLK6 corresponding to the index information supplied thereto from the input terminal 71 and being preceded by as many consecutive data "1"s as will fit in the index area 242 to serve as a preamble. The above-described output signal from the index encoder 72 is supplied to a second input of the switching circuit 35 to be passed through the latter to the modulating circuit 37 when the switching circuit 35 is changed-over to the state indicated by broken lines in Figure 7. In order to effect the controlled change-over of the switching circuit 35, the switching signal RFSW from the switching signal generating circuit 42 is supplied to a gating signal generating circuit 74 which also receives a respective control signal from the system controller 100. In response to the signal RFSW and the control signal from the controller 100, the circuit 74 provides a switching signal GS which normally has the value "0" and is changed over to the value "1" only during each period corresponding to the scanning of the postamble area 24 of a slanting track by the head HA or HB. The switching signal GS is supplied to the switching circuit 35 so that the latter is changed-over to the state shown by broken lines in response to the "1" value of the signal GS. Thus, in the first half 241 of the postamble area 24 of the overscan (PCM) area AP, consecutive "1"s are recorded to serve as the postamble signal, and, in the index area 242, the program search "0" index data followed by coded index data CDIX is recorded, or normal successive "1"s forming a postamble followed by only the coded index data CDIX are recorded, depending on whether or not the programme index switch has been actuated. In a reproducing or playback mode of the apparatus shown in Figure 7, the rotary phase of the rotary drum is again servo-controlled on the basis of the pulse signal PG generated from the pulse generator 41. As is well known, in the case of the 8mm VTR, tracking pilot signals (not shown) of a so-called 4-frequency system are periodically recorded on each of the tracks 4A and 4B so that, during reproducing, tracking servo is effected with reference to the 4-frequency system tracking pilot signals. In the playback mode, reproduced signal outputs from the rotary heads HA and HB are supplied through playback amplifiers 36A and 36B, respectively, to the switching circuit 33. The switching circuit 33 is changed-over in response to the switching signal RFSW so that the video signal from the area AV of each track is supplied to the video signal processing circuit 50, while the signal from the area AP of each track is supplied to a demodulating circuit 38, in which the bi-phase signal is reconverted into PCM data of "0" or "1". This PCM data is supplied to the PCM audio signal processor 60. In the video signal processing circuit 50, the video signal is demodulated and then delivered to an output terminal 52. In the PCM audio signal processor 60, the reproduced PCM signal is error-detected and error-corrected or the like and then is reconverted into left- and right-channel analog audio signals which are supplied to output terminals 62L and 62R. The output signal from the demodulating circuit 38 is also supplied to a gate circuit 75. A gating signal is supplied from the gating signal generating circuit 74 to the gate circuit 75 which is thereby opened to derive the index data reproduced from the index area 242. This index data is supplied from the gate circuit 75 to an index decoder 76. The index decoder 76 decodes the coded index data block or blocks and supplies the respective decoded output to the system controller 100. The system controller 100 produces a predetermined control command in response to the received coded index data. A consecutive "0" judging circuit or detector 77 is provided to receive the data passed by the gate circuit 75 other than the coded index data from the index decoder 76 and to detect consecutive "0"s disposed in advance of the coded index data CDIX in the index area 242. The judging circuit 77 provides a detected output at every bit of the consecutive "0"s data, and such detected output is supplied to a clock terminal of a counter 78. The counter 78 counts the bit number of the data constituting consecutive "0"s. The count output from the counter 78 is supplied to a comparing circuit 79 in which it is compared with a threshold value, for example "256", established by a threshold value generating circuit 80. The comparing circuit 79 provides a compared output to a programme search judging circuit 81 when the count output from the counter 78 exceeds "256" or any other threshold value established by the circuit 80. In response to such compared output from the circuit 79, the programme search judging circuit 81 detects that the tape being played back in the search mode is at the starting point of a recorded programme or event and provides a corresponding output to the system controller 100. The system controller 100 responds to the judged output to produce a control signal by which movement of the tape is halted. In the manner indicated above, control operations can be effected using the coded index and the "0" index. Further, the described arrangements of the coded index data and the "0" index in the index area 242 of a slanting track ensure that a record tape thus recorded with both types of index signals will be compatible with a playback apparatus in which only the "0" index is decoded. Moreover, the postamble area 241 is retained between the area 23 in which the PCM data is recorded and the index area 242 in which the coded index data having a similar format is recorded so as to ensure the reliable discrimination of both types of data. Further, the area provided within the index area 242 to receive the "0" index data is of sufficient bit length to ensure that the bit length of the recorded "0" index data well exceeds the threshold value established for the reliable detection thereof. A tracking pilot signal may or may not be recorded in the index signal recording area 242. In general, since the pilot signal is also recorded in the overscan (PCM) area AP, and since the index signal recording area 242 is as short as 1.5H, the omission of the tracking pilot signal from the area 242 will hardly affect the tracking servo operation. The present invention can also be applied in the so-called "multi-PCM" or "audio-use" mode of the 8mm VTR described above with reference to Figure 3. In that case, each of the track areas AP1 to AP6 includes a PCM recording area 23 and an index area 242 forming part of a postamble area 24, and, as described above, "0" index data and coded index data are both recorded in such index area 242. It will be appreciated that, in accordance with the embodiment of the invention described above, a recording format is provided in which it is sufficient that the coded index data is recorded at least in one block in the area 242 and the remainder of such index area 242 is utilised as the "0" index data area. Thus, compatibility between the "0" index and the coded index is established, that is a recording tape recorded with both coded index data and "0" index data can be played back in a conventional apparatus employing only the "0" index system.

Claims: Apparatus for recording an information signal in limited parts (23) of successive slanting tracks (4A, 4B) on a recording medium (2) by means of a rotary head (HA, HB), each track (4A, 4B) having an index area (242) apart from said limited part (23) for recording of the information signal, the apparatus comprising: means (60) for processing an information signal in a digital form; means (37, 32) for supplying the processed information signal to the rotary head (HA, HB) for recording in said limited parts (23) of the slanting tracks (4A, 4B); means (72) for generating coded index data which is formed of a plurality of blocks (BLK1 to BLK6); characterized by: means (72) for generating an index signal having a plural number of bits for searching for beginnings of groups of the slanting tracks; means (72) for generating a preamble signal having a plural number of bits whose values are different from those of said index signal; and control means (41, 42, 100, 74, 35, 37, 32) for supplying said preamble signal and said coded index data to the rotary head (HA, HB) for recording thereof sequentially by the rotary head in said index area (242) of a slanting track (4A, 4B) and for reducing the number of blocks of said coded index data and recording said index signal in place of said preamble signal as a marker of said beginnings of groups of the slanting tracks to establish compatibility. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information signal is an audio signal. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the number of blocks (BLK1 to BLK6) of said coded index data is variable. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said index signal comprises consecutive "0"s and said preamble portion comprises consecutive "1"s. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising means for recording a second information signal in each slanting track (4A, 4B) in a portion (26) of the track which is different from said limited part (23) where the first-mentioned information signal is recorded. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second information signal is a video signal. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second information signal comprises a plurality of channels of audio signals. Apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information signals in successive slanting tracks (4A, 4B) on a recording tape (2), the apparatus comprising: information signal processing means (60) for converting input information signals to a digitised form in which the information data for a predetermined length of time is grouped as a plurality of data blocks; rotary head means (HA, HB) connected to the information signal processing means (6) for recording and/or reproducing the grouped data blocks containing a digitised information signal for said predetermined length of time in a first part (23) of a respective slanting track (4A, 4B) on the tape (2); means (72) for generating coded index data formed of a plurality of blocks (BLK1 to BLK6) characterized by; means (72) operative selectively for generating consecutive first logic values as a postamble signal and as a preamble signal for said coded index data, and for generating consecutive second logic values of at least a predetermined bit length as an index signal identifying the start of a respective group of the slanting tracks (4A, 4B); means (41, 42, 100, 74) responsive to rotation of the rotary head means (HA, HB) for providing an index area signal (GS) in correspondence to the scanning by the rotary head means (HA, HB) of an index area (242) of a respective slanting track (4A, 4B) which is spaced from said first part (23) of the respective track by an intervening postamble area (241); and control means (35) responsive to said index area signal (GS) and having a first state in which said consecutive first logic values are supplied to the rotary head means (HA, HB) for recording as a postamble signal in said postamble area (241) and in a contiguous portion of said index area (242) as a preamble signal and then a plurality of said blocks (BLK1 to BLK6) of the coded index data is supplied to the rotary head means for recording in a remainder of said index area (242), the control means (35) further having a second state in which said consecutive second logic values of at least said predetermined bit length are supplied to the rotary head means for recording in said index area (242) as said index signal in place of said preamble signal and followed by a reduced number of at least one said block of the coded index data recorded in said remainder of the index area (242). Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the input information signals are audio signals. Apparatus according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the number of said blocks (BLK1 to BLK6) forming said coded index data is variable. Apparatus according to claim 8, claim 9 or claim 10, wherein said first logic values are "1"s and said second logic values are "0"s so that said index signal is a "0" index signal of sufficient bit length to be reliably detected. Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 11, comprising means for supplying to the rotary head means (HA, HB) second information signals for recording in second parts (26) of the slanting tracks (4A, 4B) which are each apart from said first part (23), postamble area (241) and index area (242) of the respective slanting track. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second information signals are video signals. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the second information signals are channels of audio signals.

Inventors: NAKANO, KENJI C/O PATENTS DIVISION, OGAWA, KAZUYUKI C/O PATENTS DIVISION
Applicants: SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1988
Main classification: G11B27
IPC codes: H04N5, G11B15, G11B5, G11B20, G11B27