Digital signal recording method and apparatus and medium therefor

Abstract

A format for the recording of trick play signals is proposed in which trick play segments comprising sync blocks of information of a trick play signal are recorded in groups of p successive tracks. At least first and second trick play signals are recorded on the record carrier. The first trick play signal is meant for reproduction in a reproduction apparatus at a reproduction speed n1 times the recording speed with which the trick play signals are recorded on the record carrier. The second trick play signal is meant for reproduction in the said reproduction apparatus at a reproduction speed n2 times the recording speed. Both trick play signals are recorded such that upon reproduction at said speed n1 times the recording speed m1 sync blocks of information of the first trick play signal and m1 sync blocks of the second trick play signal are read from the record carrier during one revolution of the head drum in the reproduction apparatus.

1 . An apparatus for recording a first and a second digital information signal in slant tracks on a magnetic record carrier, the apparatus comprising 
 input means for receiving the first and second digital information signal,    signal processing means for processing the first and second digital signal into first and second trick play signals respectively, suitable for recording in the tracks,    writing means for writing at a recording speed of the record carrier, the first and second trick play signals so as to obtain trick play segments located at specific positions in said tracks, the writing means comprising at least a first and a second write head located on a rotatable head drum, the first head having a gap with a first azimuth angle and the second head having a gap with a second azimuth angle which is different from the first azimuth angle, the first digital information signal being meant for enabling a replay in a reproduction apparatus at a trick play reproduction speed which equals n1 times the recording speed, the second digital information signal being meant for enabling a replay in said reproduction apparatus at a trick play reproduction speed which equals n2 times the recording speed, where n1 and n2 are integers unequal to each other and unequal to 0 and 1,    characterized in that the first and second trick play signals comprise sync blocks of information of the first and second digital information signal, respectively, and that the writing means are adapted to write the sync blocks of the first trick play signal into first trick play segments and to write the sync blocks of the second trick play signal into second trick play segments, so as to enable, during reproduction at said trick play speed n1 times the recording speed in said reproduction apparatus, which is provided with reading means for reading the first and second trick play segments, said reading means comprising at least a first and a second read head located on a rotatable head drum, said first read head having a gap with an azimuth angle substantially equal to said first azimuth angle and the second read head having a gap with an azimuth angle substantially equal to said second azimuth angle, the reading of m1 sync blocks of the first trick play signal from first trick play segments during one revolution of the head drum and so as to enable, during reproduction at said trick play speed n2 times the recording speed, the reading of m1 sync blocks of the second trick play signal from second trick play segments during one revolution of the rotatable head drum, where m1 is an integer larger than 1 (v=+12× and v=−12×, or v=−4× and v=−24×, or v=−4× and v=+24×).    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as claimed in    claim 1   , characterized in that n2=−n1.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as claimed in    claim 2   , characterized in that n1=12 or 24.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as claimed in    claim 1   , characterized in that n1=−4 and n2=−24.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as claimed in    claim 1   , characterized in that n1=−4 and n2=+24.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as claimed in    claim 1   , characterized in that the input means are further adapted to receive a third digital information signal, the signal processing means further being adapted to process-the third digital signal into a third trick play signal, suitable for recording in the tracks, the writing means further being adapted to write, at said recording speed of the record carrier, the third trick play signal so as to obtain trick play segments located at specific positions in said tracks, the third digital information signal being meant for enabling a replay in the said reproduction apparatus at a trick play reproduction speed which equals n3 times the recording speed, where n3 is an integer unequal to n1 and n2 and unequal to 0 and 1, that the third trick play signal comprise sync blocks of information of the third digital information signal, and that the writing means are adapted to write the sync blocks of the third trick play signal into third trick play segments, so as to enable, during reproduction at said trick play speed n3 times the recording speed in said reproduction apparatus, the reading of m1 sync blocks of the third trick play signal from third trick play segments during one revolution of the head drum, where m2 is an integer larger than 1.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus as claimed in    claim 6   , characterized in that n1=−4, n2=+24 and n3= −24.  
     
     
         8 . Record carrier obtained with the apparatus as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims.  
     
     
         9 . Method of recording a first and a second digital information signal in slant tracks on a magnetic record carrier, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving the first and second digital information signal,    processing the first and second digital signal into first and second trick play signals respectively, suitable for recording in the tracks,    writing at a recording speed of the record carrier, the first and second trick play signals so as to obtain trick play segments located at specific positions in said tracks, the writing step being carried out using at least a first and a second write head located on a rotatable head drum, the first head having a gap with a first azimuth angle and the second head having a gap with a second azimuth angle which is different from the first azimuth angle, the first digital information signal being meant for enabling a replay in a reproduction apparatus at a trick play reproduction speed which equals n1 times the recording speed, the second digital information signal being meant for enabling a replay in said reproduction apparatus at a trick play reproduction speed which equals n2 times the recording speed, where n1 and n2 are integers unequal to each other and unequal to 0 and 1, characterized in that the first and second trick play signals comprise sync blocks of information of the first and second digital information signal, respectively, and that the writing step comprises the substeps of 
 writing the sync blocks of the first trick play signal into first trick play segments and  
 writing the sync blocks of the second trick play signal into second trick play segments, so as to enable, during reproduction at said trick play speed n1 times the recording speed in a reproduction apparatus, which is provided with reading means for reading the first and second trick play segments, said reading means comprising at least a first and a second read head located on a rotatable head drum, said first read head having a gap with an azimuth angle substantially equal to said first azimuth angle and the second read head having a gap with an azimuth angle substantially equal to said second azimuth angle, the reading of m1 sync blocks of the first trick play signal from first trick play segments during one revolution of the head drum and so as to enable, during reproduction at said trick play speed n2 times the recording speed, the reading of m1 sync blocks of the second trick play signal from second trick play segments during one revolution of the rotatable head drum, where m1 is an integer larger than 1 (v=+12× and v=−12×, or v=−4× and v=−24×, or v=−4× and v=+24×).