Digital signal recording method and apparatus and recording 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 −n1 times the recording speed. The first trick play signal is recorded using a first head having a first azimuth angle and the second trick play signal is recorded using a second write head having a second azimuth angle different from the first azimuth angle.

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 −n1 times the recording speed, where n1 is a positive integer 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 sync blocks of the first trick play signal into first trick play segments in tracks on the record carrier using said first write head, without using said second write head, and to write sync blocks of the second trick play signal into second trick play segments in tracks on the record carrier using said second write head, without using said first write head. (v=+4× and v=−4×, or v=+12× and v=−12×, or v=−24× and v=+24×)  
   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as claimed in    claim 1   , characterized in that the writing means are adapted to write the sync blocks of the first trick play signal and the sync blocks of the second trick play signal on the record carrier, 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 the first trick play signal from first trick play segments using said first read head, without using said second read head, and to enable, during reproduction at said trick play speed −n1 times the recording speed, the reading of the second trick play signal from second trick play segments using said second read head, without using said first read head.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as claimed in    claim 1    or    2   , characterized in that n1=4, 12 or 24.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as claimed in    claim 1   , characterized in that the input means are further adapted to receive a third and a fourth digital information signal, the signal processing means further being adapted to process the third and fourth digital signals into a third and a fourth trick play signal, respectively, 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 third trick play segments located at specific positions in said tracks and to write the fourth trick play signal so as to obtain fourth 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 n2 times the recording speed, the fourth digital information signal being meant for enabling a replay in the said reproduction apparatus at a trick play reproduction speed which equals −n2 times the recording speed, where n2 is a positive integer unequal to n1 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 sync blocks of the third trick play signal into third trick play segments using the first write head, without using said second write head, and that the fourth trick play signal comprise sync blocks of information of the fourth digital information signal, and that the writing means are adapted to write sync blocks of the fourth trick play signal into fourth trick play segments using the second write head, without using said first write head.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as claimed in    claim 4   , characterized in that the writing means are adapted to write the sync blocks of the third trick play signal and the sync blocks of the fourth trick play signal on the record carrier, so as to enable, during reproduction at said trick play speed n2 times the recording speed in said reproduction apparatus, the reading of the third trick play signal from third trick play segments using said first read head, without using said second read head, and to enable, during reproduction at said trick play speed −n2 times the recording speed, the reading of the fourth trick play signal from fourth trick play segments using said second read head, without using said first read head.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as claimed in    claim 4   , characterized in that the writing means are adapted to write trick play signals for all possible trick play speeds in one direction using said first write head, without using said second write head, and to write trick play signals for all possible trick play speeds in the direction reverse to said one direction using said second write head, without using said first write head.  
     
     
         7 . Record carrier obtained with the apparatus as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims.  
     
     
         8 . 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 using writing means, 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 −n1 times the recording speed, where n1 is a positive integer 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 writing the sync blocks of the first trick play signal into first trick play segments in tracks on the record carrier using said first write head, without using said second write head, and writing the sync blocks of the second trick play signal into second trick play segments in tracks on the record carrier using said write head, without using said first write head. (v=+4× and v=−4×, or v=+12× and v=−12×, or v=−24× and v=+24×)