Record/playback apparatus automatically skips unnecessary information during playback

Abstract

An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a digital signal on a recording medium having at least a program start signal and program information recorded thereon, further records an identifying code signal indicating the start of unnecessary information on the recording medium during a predetermined time period, and, in a playback mode, when such identifying code signal is detected, the recording medium is transported at high speed and, when a program start signal is next detected, the recording medium is again transported at a normal speed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a program information signal comprising: a recording medium on which at least a program information signal and a program start signal indicative of the start of said program information signal are recorded; transport means for controlling the transport of said recording medium; means for reproducing said program information signal recorded on said recording medium .Iadd.as said recording medium is transported by said transport means; skip identifying code recording switch means.Iaddend.; and .Iadd.means responsive to said switch means .Iaddend.for recording a skip identifying code signal indicative .[.only of a start portion.]. of an unnecessary program information on said recording medium .Iadd.as reproduced by said means for reproducing, said skip identifying code signal being short relative to the length of the unnecessary program information.Iaddend..   
     
     
       2. The apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a program information signal according to claim 1; wherein said program start signal .Iadd.together with a parity code for the program information signal .Iaddend.and said skip identifying code signal are recorded on said recording medium at a region on the latter spaced apart from a region in which said program information signal is recorded. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a program information signal according to claim 1; further comprising: first detecting means for detecting said skip identifying code signal when a program information signal is being reproduced from said recording medium; second detecting means for detecting said program start signal; .Iadd.skip identifying on/off switch means; .Iaddend.and control means .Iadd.responsive to said switch means .Iaddend.for controlling said transport means such that the latter is changed from a normal transport mode to a high speed transport mode in response to detection of said skip identifying code signal by said first detecting means and said transport means is returned from said high speed transport mode to the normal transport mode in response to detection of said program start signal by said second detecting means. .Iadd. 
     
     
       4.  An apparatus for reproducing a program information signal from a recording medium that also includes unnecessary information, at least one skip identifying code signal, and at least one program start signal comprising: first detecting means for detecting a skip identifying code signal indicative of unnecessary program information on said recording medium when a program information signal is being reproducing by the recording medium, said skip identifying code signal being short relative to the length of the undesired program information and being located at the start thereof;   second detecting means for detecting a program start signal indicative of the start of a program information signal on the recording medium;   transport means for controlling the transport of the recording medium in at least a normal recording medium transport mode and a high speed transport mode;   skip identifying code on/off switch means; and   control means responsive to said switch means for changing from a normal recording medium transport mode to a high speed transport mode in response to detection of the skip identifying code by said first detecting means, and for changing from the high speed transport mode to the normal transport mode in response to detection of the program start signal by said second detecting means. .Iaddend.