Video and audio signal recording/reproducing apparatus

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus which divides a video signal into each period of N times (N = 1, 2, ...) a field of the video signal, divides an audio signal into each specific period synchronized with the video signal, and records the signals contained in each period in fully separated segments on a recording medium by forming, when recording them on the storage medium, unrecorded tracks on the borders where the segments in which the video and audio signals in each period are recorded adjoin one another in the crosswise and longitudinal directions of the track on the recording medium.

Description: The invention relates to recording/reproducing apparatus which records video and audio signals and is particularly suitable for high-quality editing of the records on narrow tracks. From US-A-4303950 a magnetic recording and reproducing system is known wherein a plurality of rotating magnetic heads record the video signal on a magnetic tape as tracks which are inclined at an angle relative to the direction of travel of the magnetic tape, and the audio signal is time compressed and recorded by the rotating magnetic heads on tracks contiguous with either or both ends of said video signal recording tracks, which means that the audio signal is recorded in a track extending in the longitudinal direction of the tape, so that the considerably low tape transport speed is taken into consideration by the time compression of the audio signal. It is a common practice for a video tape recorder (hereinafter abbreviated as VTR) to eliminate guard bands between the video tracks on a recording medium by means of an azimuth loss for more efficient use of a tape. Moreover, improved performances of a recording medium and a magnetic head have accelerated a trend toward a narrower recording track in width. Editing the records on these narrow tracks may, however, be accompanied by a tracking error including an error of the track linearity due to inexact mechanical fitting or adjustment error, and a pitch error due to inaccurate tape feeding at the time of editing, etc. This tracking error deteriorates the continuity of a tape pattern at the beginning and/or end of edited point, causing a reduction in recording track width or incomplete erasion of the signals intended to be edited. This deterioration of a tape pattern diminishes the reproduction signal amplitude at the edited point and/or invites disturbed signals, resulting in some problems including disturbance of a reproduced image at the beginning or end of edited point and an error rate increase in digital recording. A VTR used for editing in particular, in which a track pitch cannot be diminished to secure editing performances still fails to avail itself of the improved performances of a recording medium and a magnetic head which have realized narrower tracks. Some of the methods of securing editing performances for the records on these narrow tracks have already been disclosed in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Application JP-A-1106382 (1989) and JP-A-2214001 (1990). JP-A-1106382 describes a rotary-head magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus, wherein recording signals are divided into editing units, the signals in each editing unit are recorded using more than one tracks, and one or more unrecorded editing tracks are provided in each editing unit on a recording medium. In the above method, however, since N times (N is an integral number of 2 or over) the amount of recording signal information on a track is recorded as an editing unit and one or more unrecorded editing tracks are provided in each editing unit, in recording signals with a very small amount of information such as an audio signal, a time code signal, and other additional information, a tape is less efficiently used because of a greater portion of the unrecorded editing tracks in the whole area of the tape. On the other hand, JP-A-2214001 relates to a recording/reproducing apparatus, wherein a guard band is formed, when signals are recorded using a multi-channel head, in each scanning by a rotary-head cylinder by adjusting the height at which the head is mounted on the rotary cylinder, thereby allowing this guard band to absorb a tracking error at the time of editing. The above method is effective when video tracks are formed in an editing unit by single scanning. A problem is, however, that, even in forming video tracks of signals in an editing unit by multiple scanning, a guard band is formed in each scanning regardless of editing points, resulting in less efficient use of a tape. An object of this invention is to provide a video and audio signal recording/reproducing apparatus which secures the stability of images and voices at editing points and is suitable for narrow-track recording, and which secures the editing performances for narrow-track records by preventing any portion of the track from being left unrecorded without reducing the track width at an editing point even if edited after erasure with a head wider than the track width. This object is attained by the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are subject matter of the dependent claims. Fig. 1 shows a first recording track pattern in the first embodiment of this invention. Fig. 2 shows a signal processing block diagram of a recording/reproducing apparatus in the same embodiment. Fig. 3 shows a timing of a recording signal supplied to each recording channel in the same embodiment. Fig. 4 shows a track pattern of an audio signal edited by insertion in the same embodiment. Fig. 5 shows a conceptual construction of a rotary cylinder in the same embodiment. Fig. 6 shows a block diagram of the first signal processing circuit in the same embodiment. Fig. 7 shows a block diagram of the second signal processing circuit in the same embodiment. Fig. 8 shows a block diagram of the fourth signal processing circuit in the same embodiment. Fig. 9 shows a second recording track pattern that can produce similar effects to those in the same embodiment. Fig. 10 shows a third recording track pattern that can produce similar effects to those in the same embodiment. Fig. 11 shows a fourth recording track pattern in the second embodiment of this invention. Fig. 12 shows a recording signal processing block diagram of a recording/reproducing apparatus in the same embodiment. Fig. 13 shows a timing of a recording signal supplied to each recording channel in the same embodiment. Fig. 14 shows a fifth recording track pattern that can produce similar effects to those in the same embodiment. Fig. 1 shows a first recording track pattern in the first embodiment, Fig. 2, a recording signal processing block diagram of a recording/reproducing apparatus in the same embodiment, and Fig. 3, a timing of a recording signal supplied to each recording channel in the same embodiment. In this embodiment, a unit for editing a video signal or a unit period is defined as one frame, the number (P) of tracks formed on a recording medium in each of the unit periods as 40, the number (L) of tracks left unrecorded as 1, the number (Q) of tracks which the video signal contained in the above each period as 37, the number (M) of channels of the audio signal recorded as 4, and a unit for editing an audio signal of a specific period as a field of video signal equivalent to 1/2 the unit period. Therefore, the audio signal contained in each unit period is recorded on 8 independent segments. A rotary cylinder so constructed, as shown in Fig. 5, that two 4-channel recording head blocks 83 and 86 are disposed to be apart by 180°C from each other is rotated at a speed five times the frame frequency for recording. In Fig. 5, 81 is a rotary cylinder, 83 and 86 are two 4-channel recording head blocks, 82 and 85 are two erase head blocks with a width twice that of the recording head, and 84 and 87 are two 4-channel reproducing head blocks. In Fig. 1, 18 to 23 are 37 video recording tracks on which the video signal contained in one frame is recorded and 2 to 9 are 8 audio recording areas, in the following called "segments" of a track on which the 4-channel audio signal is recorded. These tracks are separated by unrecorded areas, in the following called unrecorded tracks 1 and 17 and unrecorded track segments 10 to 16 of specific length, respectively. 24 corresponds to a scanning period of 180°. In the meantime, in Fig. 2, 25, 26, and 27 correspond to three terminals through which a luminance signal (Y) and two color difference signals (C1 and C2) are input respectively, 28, 29, 30, and 31 to four terminals through which a 4-channel audio signal is input, 32 to a terminal through which a synchronizing signal is input, 33, 34, and 35 to three A/D converters which convert the above Y, C1, and C2 signals respectively from an analogue to a digital form, 36, 37, 38, and 39 to four A/D converters which convert the above 4-channel audio signal from an analogue to a digital form, 40 to the first signal processing circuit (with its detailed construction shown in Fig. 6) which divides the above Y, C1, and C2 signals converted into a digital form into each unit period of video signal, distributes them to 4 recording channels, add outer error correcting codes, and otherwise processes them, 41 to the second signal processing circuit (with its detailed circuit construction shown in Fig. 7) which divides each of the above 4 channel signals converted into a digital form into each specific period, equivalent to 1/2 the unit period, add outer error correcting codes and other processings to each of them, 42 to a timing signal generating circuit which generates a clock signal, various timing signals, and a memory address signal out of a horizontal and a vertical synchronizing signal detected from the above synchronizing signal input, 43 to the third signal processing circuit which provides the above video signal distributed to the first channel with various processings such as addition of inner error correcting codes, a SYNC (synchronizing signal) and ID (identification data) and modulation and supplies a recording signal to the recording head 47 of the first channel while switching between the states of unrecorded and recorded video data, 44 to the fourth signal processing circuit (with its detailed construction shown in Fig. 8) which provides the video signal distributed to the second recording channel and the audio signal output from the above second signal processing circuit 4 with various processings such as addition of inner error correcting codes, a SYNC, and ID and modulation and supplies a recording signal to the recording head of the second channel while switching among the states of unrecorded, recorded video data, and recorded audio data, 45 to the fifth signal processing circuit which provides the video signal distributed to the above third channel with various processings such as addition of inner error correcting codes, a SYNC, and ID and modulation and supplies a recording signal to the recording head 49 of the third channel while switching between the states of unrecorded and recorded video data, 46 to the sixth signal processing circuit which provides the video signal distributed to the above fourth channel with various processings such as addition of inner error correcting codes, a SYNC, and ID and modulation and supplies a recording signal to the recording head 50 of the fourth channel, 51 to a recording medium. The recording heads 47, 48, 49, and 50 of the above four channels correspond to the two 4-channel heads of the head blocks 83 and 86 diametrically opposed to each other on the rotary cylinder. In Fig. 3, 52, 53, 54, and 55 are recording signals of the first to the fourth channel supplied to the above 4 recording heads. In the same figure, an unrecorded state 56 of the first channel recording signal 52 corresponds to an unrecorded track 1, a recording signal 74 to a video recording track 19, and recording signals 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, and 64 of the second channel recording signal 53 correspond to audio track segments 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 respectively, unrecorded states 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, and 71 to unrecorded track segments 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, and 10 of specific length respectively, and a recording signal 75 to a video recording track 20. Meanwhile, an unrecorded state 72 of the third channel recording signal 53 and a recording signal 76 correspond to an unrecorded track 17 and a video recording track 21 respectively, and recording signals 73 and 77 of the fourth channel recording signal 55 to video recording tracks 18 and 23 respectively. The operation of an above-constructed recording/ reproducing apparatus in the first embodiment of this invention is described below. Each of the Y, C1, and C2 signals input from terminals is converted into a digital form and input into the first signal processing circuit 40. The first signal processing circuit 40 is constructed as shown in Fig. 6 and, through input terminals 88, 89, and 90 in the same figure, video data (Y, C1, and C2 signals) are distributed to four recording channels in each frame and written into the first, second, third, and fourth memories 91, 92, 93, and 94. In this case, the above video data distributed to the first channel are written into the first memory 91, the above video data distributed to the second channel into the second memory 92, the above video data distributed to the third channel into the third memory 93, and the above video data distributed to the fourth channel into the fourth memory 94, and all these data are read out of each memory in order. The above memories are controlled by a timing and a memory address signal output from a timing generation circuit 42 and input through an input terminal 103. To the video data output from each of the above memories, outer error correcting codes are added using an outer coder 95, 96, 97, or 98 appropriate for a each recording channel. Fig. 3 shows a timing of a recording signal supplied to a recording head, and the above video data are output through output terminals 99, 100, 101, and 102 to the section 2 to 10 of the first to third channel recording signals and the sections 1 to 10 of the fourth channel recording signal. The 4-channel audio signals are converted into a digital form by A/D converters 36, 37, 38, and 39 respectively, processed by the second signal processing circuit. Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing a circuit construction of the above second signal processing circuit and, using the same figure, the above second signal processing circuit is described below. The above audio data converted into a digital form are input to terminals 104, 105, 106, and 107 respectively and written into the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth memories 108, 109, 110, and 111 respectively. The audio data per field of each channel are subject to time base compression to be read out of memories at a specific timing by a timing and an address signal output from a timing signal generation circuit 42 and input through an input terminal 115 and undergoes time domain multiplex at a switch circuit 112. Outer error correcting codes are added by the fifth outer coder 113. Eight pieces of audio data in the section 1 of the second channel recording signal shown in Fig. 3 are 4-channel audio data in each field period, and audio data 57 and 61, 58 and 62, 59 and 63, and 60 and 64 are those data from the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth memories 108, 109, 110, and 111 respectively. They have already undergone time domain multiplex by a control signal (2-bit binary code of a switch circuit 112). Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing a circuit construction of the above fourth signal processing circuit 44. The fourth signal processing 44 provides the video data input through an input terminal-116 and distributed to the second recording channel and the audio data output from the above second signal processing circuit 41 and input through an input terminal 117 with time domain multiplex at a switch circuit 118 and other processings including addition of inner error correcting codes, a SYNC, and ID and modulation, and supplies a recording signal to the second recording head through an input terminal 123 while switching among the states of unrecorded, recorded video data, and recorded audio data with a switch circuit 122. Each of these signal processing circuits is controlled by a control signal output from the above timing signal generation circuit 42 and input through an input terminal 124. The control signals of the above switch circuits 118 and 122 are shown in Fig. 3. The third, fifth, and sixth signal processing circuits 43, 45, and 46 have a construction of the above fourth signal processing circuit 44 from which the above switch circuit 118 is omitted and provide the video data divided into each of the above channels with various processings such as addition of error correcting codes, a SYNC, and ID and modulation and supply a recording signal to the recording heads 47, 49, and 50 of the first, third, and fourth channels. In this way, the above video and audio data are formed via each of recording heads 47, 48, 49, and 50 into a recording pattern shown in Fig. 1 and recorded on a recording medium 51. Next, using Fig. 4, editing of an audio recording track 3 by insertion is described below. The audio data recorded on this audio recording track is the audio data in a 1-field period of the third channel. (a) of the same figure shows insertion editing with no tracking or timing error, and a segment enclosed by a dotted line is the segment erased using an erase head of width twice that of a recording head and a segment shadowed with slashes is the audio recording track segment recorded by insertion. (b) of the same figure shows a track pattern edited by insertion with a tracking error of Ta and a timing error of Tb. A segment erased and an audio recording track segment edited by insertion are shown in the same manner as in (a). If a tracking error Ta at the time of editing is ± 1/2 or less the specific unrecorded track length, editing is not accompanied by reduction in recording track width or generation of any recording track portion left unrecorded. Moreover, an audio recording track decentered by insertion editing can be safely reproduced if a reproducing head (head blocks 84 and 85 in Fig. 5) is widened. The description of insertion editing of an audio signal in Fig. 4 holds true of that of a video signal. According to this embodiment described above, since a video signal and a 4-channel audio signal are recorded on a recording medium by forming unrecorded track segments between the recording segments in which the video signal in each frame as an editing unit and the audio signal in each channel equivalent to the video signal field period are recorded in the crosswise and longitudinal directions of the track on a recording medium, insertion or assembly editing is not accompanied by reduction in recording track width or generation of any recording track portion left unerased even if an erase head wider than the track width at the time of editing. For this reason, even less exact mechanical fitting and adjustment and less accurate tape feeding at the time of editing can secure editing performances so that narrow-track recording may be particularly effective. This, therefore, enhances more efficient use of a tape as no widening of track width is required to secure editing performances and a recording trackwidth can be set to the minimum to secure the reproduction of desired SNR (signal-to-noise ratio). Moreover, since no data are recorded in the segment adjoining an audio recording track, a reproduced audio signal is subject to no deterioration of SNR due to jamming of a neighboring cross-talk, enabling a high-performance audio signal to be reproduced. Although this embodiment relates to a case where a video signal is recorded in a digital form, it is clear that similar effects can be obtained in case of analogue recording. It is also clear that the number of audio recording track segments per frame defined as 8 in this embodiment may be increased by further reducing the editing unit and that the audio signal recorded on the above 8 track segments may not correspond to the same frame as that of a video signal. Moreover, the width of the unrecorded area defined by the number of unrecorded tracks defined in this embodiment as 1 with a width of one track to be formed in the crosswise direction of the track on a recording medium may be increased to secure editing performances for further narrower tracks realized. The effects of this invention may also be obtained even with a recording track pattern shown in Fig. 9 or 10. Fig. 9 relates to a case where, with the same cylinder construction as in this embodiment, a unit for editing a video signal or a unit period is defined as 1 frame, the number (P) of tracks of R1 in length formed on a recording medium in each unit as 40, the number (L) of unrecorded tracks of R2 in length among the above track segments as 1, the number (P - L) of tracks of the above R2 in length on which the video signal in the above each unit period is recorded as 39, the number (M) of channels of the audio signal recorded as 8, and a unit for editing an audio signal as a 1/5-frame period equivalent to 1/5 the unit period and the above audio signal in each frame is recorded on the segment consisting of 40 tracks of R4 in length as 40 spaced audio recording track segments. In the same figure, 125, 126, etc. are audio recording track segments on which an audio signal in each 1/5-frame period is recorded, 127 is 39 video recording track segment of R2 in length on which a video signal in each frame is recorded, 128 is an unrecorded track segment of R2 in length which separates the recording segment for the video signal in the above each basic unit, 129 and 130 are unrecorded track segments which separate the recording segments for the audio signal in each editing unit, and 131 is an unrecorded track segment of R3 in length which separates the recording segments for the above video and audio signals from one another. Fig. 10 shows a case where, with the same cylinder construction as in this embodiment, a unit for editing a video signal or a unit period is defined as 1 frame, the number (P) of tracks of R1 in length formed on a recording medium in each unit as 40, among whose segment the video signal in the above each unit period is recorded on 37 tracks of R1 in length and 2 track segments of R5 in length, the number (M) of channels of the audio signal recorded as 2, and a unit for editing an audio signal as 1/2 the above unit period or a 1-field period and the audio signal in the above each unit period is recorded on the area consisting of a track portion of R7 in length as 4 separated audio recording track segments. In the same figure, 134 is an audio recording track on which a channel of audio signal in a 1-field unit is recorded, 132 is a video recording track on which a frame of video signal is recorded, 136 is an unrecorded track which separates the recording segments for the audio signal in each editing unit, 138 is an unrecorded track which separates the recording segments for the video signal in the above each basic unit, and 133, 135, and 137 are unrecorded tracks which separate the recording segments for the above video and audio signals. In a case of the same figure, the segment of an audio recording track is changed from one frame to another. In this way, it is clear that this invention allows various recording track patterns to be used in accordance with the amount of information in each editing unit, not restricting its use to the above embodiments. Next, the second embodiment of this invention is described below. Fig. 11 shows a recording track pattern in the second embodiment of this invention, Fig. 12 is a recording signal processing block diagram in this embodiment, and Fig. 13 shows a timing of a recording signal supplied to each recording channel in this embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the width of a recording track for a video signal is W1 and W2, the width of an audio recording track on which an audio signal is recorded, is 1.5 times the above video recording track width W1. In Fig. 11, 139 is an audio recording track of W2 in width. In Fig. 12, 140 is the seventh signal processing circuit which provides the audio signal output from the second signal processing circuit 41 with various processings such as addition of inner error correcting codes, a SYNC, and ID and modulation and supplies a recording signal while switching between the states of unrecorded and recorded audio data and 141 is the fifth channel recording head (audio recording-dedicated head) with the same azimuth angle as the second channel recording head 48 and width of W2 equivalent to a track width, mounted on a rotary-cylinder at an angle of -45 o with recording heads 47, 48, 49, and 50 (corresponding to head blocks 83 and 86) in the rotary direction of the cylinder. The operation of an above-constructed recording /reproducing apparatus in this embodiment is described below. Description of video signal processing is omitted as it is the same as in the first embodiment. An audio signal is converted into a digital form by an A/D converter 28, 29, 30, or 31 appropriate for each channel. The 4-channel audio data are divided into each field unit by the second signal processing circuit 41, undergo time domain multiplex after outer error correcting codes are added, and are output. The seventh signal processing circuit 140 provides the audio data output from the above second signal processing circuit 41 with various processings such as addition of inner error correcting codes, a SYNC, and ID and modulation and supplies a recording signal to the fifth channel recording head 141 while switching between the states of unrecorded and recorded audio data. The video data are recorded on a recording medium 51 as video recording tracks of W1 in width via recording heads 47, 48, 49, and 50. The audio signal is recorded in the center of an unrecorded area for the above first to third channels as audio recording track segments of W2 in width. Fig. 9 shows recording timings of these recording signals. As in the first embodiment, the video signal is recorded in accordance with a predetermined data format. The audio signal is supplied to the fifth channel recording head 141 as a signal delayed by the time equivalent to a difference in fitting angle (45°) between the fifth channel recording head 141 and recording heads 47, 48, 49, and 50. According to this embodiment described above, since a video and an audio signal each in the editing unit is recorded in regions spaced from one another on a recording medium using a recording head of W1 in width for the video signal and of W2 (W1 < W2 < 3 * W1) in width for the audio signal, any discontinuity in audio recording track center that may occur at the time of insertion editing of an audio signal is not only reduced but the performances of an audio signal may also by improved as the reproduction of better SNR is possible with a wider audio signal recording track. It is needless to say that even narrow-track recording may secure editing performances in this embodiment as in the first one. Meanwhile, Fig. 14 relates to a case where the width of an audio recording track 143 is twice that of a video recording track. In this case, a video signal is recorded on 36 video recording tracks 142.

Claims: A video and audio signal recording apparatus for recording video and audio signals on a recording medium in parallel sequential discontinuous tracks, comprising: a means (40) for dividing a video signal with respect to time into video signal editing units, each of the video signal editing units occurring within a unit period of time which is N times as long as the amount of time required for one field period of the video signal, where N is a predetermined integer greater than zero; a means (41) for dividing an audio signal into audio signal editing units, each of the audio signal editing units occurring within a specific period of time, the audio signal editing units being synchronised with the video signal editing units occurring within the unit periods of time; a recording means for recording each single one of the video signal editing units and the audio signal editing units on the recording medium (51) in parallel tracks, and including a recording head (83,86) for receiving a recording signal, scanning the recording medium along said parallel tracks, and recording the recording signal in said parallel tracks; and a supply means (112) for supplying said video signal and audio signal editing units as recording signal to said recording head, wherein, said recording means records each single one of the video signal editing units and the audio signal editing units on the recording medium (51) in a track or a number of parallel tracks (2-9; 18-23) forming a recorded area separated from adjacent recorded areas by an unrecorded area (1, 17, 10-16) such that any two recorded areas adjacent to one another in a track length direction have a first specific distance from one another in the track length direction and any two adjacent recorded areas adjacent to one another in a track width direction have a second specific distance from one another in the track width direction, said second specific distance being L times the track width, where L is a predetermined integer greater than zero, and that said supply means (112) supplies said video and audio signal editing units as recording signal to said recording head (83,86) while periodically inserting in a time domain multiplex manner an unrecorded period of time within which said video and audio signal editing units do not occur so that the unrecorded areas separating the adjacent recorded areas are formed. A video and audio signal recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means comprises: a video signal recording means for recording a video signal contained in each of said video signal editing units on Q consecutive tracks (18-23) on the recording medium, where Q is a predetermined integer greater than zero, to form a video recorded area composed of the Q consecutive tracks while leaving two said unrecorded areas (1, 17) which are respectively adjacent to opposite sides of said video recorded area, wherein said video signal recording means includes said recording head, and a means for supplying said video signal editing units to said recording head while inserting in a time domain multiplex manner an unrecorded period of time within which said video signal editing units do not occur before and after occurrence of each of said video signal editing units so that said recording head forms said two unrecorded areas during said unrecorded period of time; and an audio signal recording means for recording an audio signal contained in each of said audio signal editing units on a single track which is adjacent to one of said two unrecorded areas (1, 17) on the recording medium to form audio recorded areas (2-9, 139) on said single track such that any two of the audio recorded areas adjacent to each other in a track length direction are separated from each other by an unrecorded area (10-16) having a specific length in the track length direction. A video and audio signal recording apparatus according to claim 2, and wherein said means for dividing an audio signal includes a means for dividing each of M channel audio signals occurring within a specific period of time, where M is a predetermined integer greater than zero, into audio signal editing units each occurring within a period of time equal to 1/R of the unit period of time, where R is a predetermined integer greater than zero, and wherein said audio signal recording means includes a means for recording M channel audio signals of M x R audio signal editing units in each of said specific periods of time on said single track to form M x R audio recorded areas on said single track such that any two of the audio recorded areas adjacent to each other in the track length direction are separated from each other by an area having the specific length in the track length direction. A video and audio signal recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means comprises: a video signal recording means for recording a video signal contained in each of said video signal editing units on Q consecutive tracks each having a track length R2 on the recording medium, where Q is a predetermined integer greater than zero, to form a video recorded area composed of the Q consecutive tracks while leaving a first unrecorded area composed of L unrecorded tracks between each two adjacent video recorded areas and a second unrecorded area extended in the track length direction from the video recorded area by a specified length R3, wherein said video signal recording means includes said recording head, and a means for supplying said video signal editing units to said recording head while inserting in a time domain multiplex manner an unrecorded period of time within which said video signal editing units do not occur between occurrences of each adjacent two of said video signal editing units so that said recording head forms said first unrecorded area during said unrecorded period of time; and an audio signal recording means for recording an audio signal contained in each of said audio signal editing units in an area extended in the track length direction from said second unrecorded area by a specified length R4 on the recording medium to form audio recorded areas such that any two of the audio recorded areas adjacent to each other are separated from each other by an unrecorded area. A video and audio signal recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for dividing an audio signal includes a means for dividing each of M channel audio signals occurring within a specific period of time, where M is a predetermined integer greater than zero, into audio signal editing units each occurring within a period of time equal to 1/R of the unit period of time, where R is a predetermined integer greater than zero, and wherein said audio signal recording means includes a means for recording M channel audio signals of M x R audio signal editing units in each of said specific periods of time to form M x R audio recorded areas on said area having the specific length R4 such that any two of the independent audio recording areas adjacent to each other are separated from each other by an unrecorded area. A video and audio signal recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means comprises: a video signal recording means for recording a video signal contained in each of said video signal editing units on Q consecutive tracks each having a track length R1, where Q is a predetermined integer greater than zero, and L +1 consecutive tracks which are consecutive in the track width direction from the Q consecutive tracks and each of which has a track length R7 on the recording medium to form a video recorded area composed of a first video recorded area which is composed of the Q consecutive tracks and a second video recorded area which is composed of the L +1 consecutive tracks while leaving a first unrecorded area composed of L unrecorded tracks between each two adjacent independent video recording areas and a second unrecorded area extended in a track length direction from said second video recording area by a specified length R6 + R5, where R1 = R7 + R6 + R5, wherein said video signal recording means includes said recording head, and a means for supplying said video signal editing units to said recording head while inserting in a time domain multiplex manner an unrecorded period of time within which said video signal editing units do not occur between occurrences of each adjacent two of said video signal editing units so that said recording head forms said first unrecorded areas during said unrecorded period of time; and an audio signal recording means for recording an audio signal contained in each of said audio signal editing units in an area extended in the track length direction from an outermost track of the L +1 consecutive tracks in said second video recording area by the specified length R6 + R5 on the recording medium to form audio recorded areas such that any two of the audio recorded areas adjacent to each other are separated from each other in the track length direction by an unrecorded area having a specified length in the track length direction and that an area extended in the track length direction from said outermost track by a length R6 is left unrecorded. A video and audio signal recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said means for dividing an audio signal includes a means for dividing each of M channel audio signals occurring within a specific period of time, where M is a predetermined integer greater than zero, into audio signal editing units each occurring within a period of time equal to 1/R of the unit period of time, where R is a predetermined integer greater than zero, and wherein said audio signal recording means includes a means for recording M channel audio signals of M x R audio signal editing units in each of said specific periods of time to form M x R audio recorded areas on said area extended in the track length direction from said outermost track such that any two of the audio recorded areas adjacent to each other are separated from each other in the track length direction by an unrecorded area having a specified length in the track length direction. A video and audio signal recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means comprises: a video signal recording means for recording a video signal contained in each of said video signal editing units on Q consecutive tracks each having a track width W1 on the recording medium, where Q is a predetermined integer greater than zero, to form a video recorded area composed of the Q consecutive tracks while leaving an unrecorded area having a width of K x W1 (K = 2, 3, . . . ) in the track width direction between each adjacent two video recorded areas, wherein said video signal recording means includes said recording head, and a means for supplying said video signal editing units to said recording head while inserting in a time domain multiplex manner an unrecorded period of time within which said video signal editing units do not occur between occurrences of each adjacent two of said video signal editing units so that said recording head forms said unrecorded area during said unrecorded period of time; and an audio signal recording means for recording an audio signal contained in each of said audio signal editing units on a single track which is located at the middle of said unrecorded area between each two adjacent independent video recording areas and has a track width W2 satisfying a condition of W1 < W2 < K x W1 to form audio recorded areas on said single track such that any two of the independent audio recording areas adjacent to each other in a track length direction are separated from each other by an unrecorded area having a specific length in the track length direction.

Inventors: BANNAI TATSUSHI, OHTSU MASAMITSU, OKAMOTO HIROSHI, SHIBATA HIDEAKI, BANNAI, TATSUSHI, OHTSU, MASAMITSU, OKAMOTO, HIROSHI, SHIBATA, HIDEAKI
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: G11B20, G11B27, H04N5, H04N9