Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
DIGITAL VCR WITH ICON-STANDARD SPEED PLAYB~K
This application is a division of Canadian Serial No. 2,186,583 filed
April 3, 1995.
This invention relates to the field of digital video recording, and in
particular to reproduction of an high definition video signal at a non-
standard speed.
BAC,~KGROUN~OF TH~~, INyENTI01~
A digital video cassette recorder employing a helical scanning format
has been proposed by a standardization committee. The proposed standard
specifies
digital recording of either standard definition (SD) television signals, for
example
NTSC or PAL, and high definition television signals having an MPEG compatible
structure, such as a proposed Grand Alliance signal. The SD recorder utilizes
a
compressed component video signal format employing infra field/frame DCT with
adaptive quantization and variable length coding. The SD track format
comprises
~m tracks, azimuth recorded without guard bands, with 10 or 12 tracks per
NTSC or PAL frame respectively. The tape cassette employs 1/4" wide tape with
an evaporated metal recording medium. The SD digital VCR or DVCR, is intended
for consumer use and has sufficient data recording capability to record either
NTSC
(PAL) signals, or an advanced television signal.
An advanced television or ATV signal has been developed by the
Grand Alliance (GA) consortium. A specification document titled Grand Alliance
HDTV System Specification was published in the 1994 Proceeding of the 48th
Annual Broadcast Engineering Conference Proceedings. The GA signal employs
an MPEG compatible coding method which utilizes an infra-frame coded picture,
termed I frame, a forward predicted frame, termed a P frame and a
bidirectionally
predicted frame, termed a B frame. These three types of frames occur in a
group
known as a GOP or Group Of Pictures. The number of frames in a GOP is user
definable but may comprise, for example, 15 frames. Each GOP contains one I
frame, which is abutted by B frames, which are then interleaved with P frames.
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
2
In an analog consumer VCR, '°Trick: Play'° or TP features
such as picture in forward or reverse shuttle, :fast or slow motion,
are readily achievable, since each recorded track typically contains
one field. Hence reproduction at speeds other than standard, result
in the reproducing head, or heads, crossing multiple tracks, and
recovering recognizable horizontal picture segrraents. The GOP of
the ATV signal, employing I, P and B frames, may be recorded
occupying multiple tracks on tape, for example, 10 tracks per frame
and 150 tracks per GOP. Simply stated, when a DVCR is operated at
a non-standard reproduction speed, replay heads transduce
sections or segments from multiple tracks. Clnfortunately these
track segments no longer represent sections from discrete records
of consecutive image fields. Instead, the segnnents contain data
resulting mainly from predicted frames of the (iOP. During play
speed operation, I frame data is recovered which permits the
reconstruction of the predicted B and P frames. Clearly, during
"Trick Play" operation, the amount of I frame data recovered
progressively diminishes as TP speed increases. Hence, the
possibility of reconstructing B and P frames from the reproduced
pieces of I frame data is virtually zero. Thus, the provision of
"Trick Play" or non-standard speed replay features requires that
specific data be recorded, which when reproduced in a TP mode, is
capable of image reconstruction without the use of adjacent frame
information. Furthermore, since "Trick Play" specific data is
recorded, the physical track location must be =such to permit
recovery in a TP mode.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an inventive arrangement a method for
recording a digital video image representative signal on a magnetic
tape having a helically scanned track format comprises the steps of:
determining a common area on each track transduced during a
predetermined number of reproduction speeds in forward and reverse
directions; processing the digital video image representative signal to
have a data rate suitable for recorded placement at the common track
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
3
area; acrd, multiplexing the digital video image representative signal
and the processed digital video image representative signal for
recorded placement on the magnetic tape such that the processed
digital video image representative signal is located at the common
track area.
In accordance with another inventive arrangement, a
magnetic tape for use in a digital video cassette recorder, recorded
with a digital signal representing a digital image signal having an
MPEG compatible format, the digital signal being recorded on the
tape in successive tracks, the tape comprises: recorded portions of
a first data signal and of a secand data signal residing in each of
the tracks; the first data signal representative of the digital image
signal represented in the MPEG compatible format and providing a
first source for image reproduction; and, the second data signal
also representative of the digital image signal represented in the
MPEG compatible format but having less data than the first data
signal, the second data signal being derived from a signal decoded
from the digital image signal represented in the MPEG compatible
format and providing a second source for image reproduction.
In accordance with a further inventive arrangement, a
method for determining a recorded placement of a digital video
image representative signal on a magnetic tape having a helically
scanned track format the method comprises the steps of: selecting
a predetermined number of reproduction speeds in a forward
direction; selecting a predetermined number of reproduction
speeds in a reverse direction; determining a common area of track
on eaeh -helically scanned track transduced during the
predetermined reproduction speeds in the forward and reverse
directions; determining a data capacity of the common track area;
processing the digital video image representative signal to have a
data rate suitable for recorded placement at the common track
area; and, multiplexing the digital video image representative
signal and the processed digital video image representative signal
for recorded placement on the magnetic tape such that the
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
4
processed digital video image signal is located at the common
track area.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
OF TI3E DRAWING
FIGURE 1 illustrates a recorded track pattern
showing
the locations of ous data sectors as specified for a standard
vari
definition DVCR.
FIGURE 2 illustrates the replay head path with
areas of
sync block recoveryat twice replay speed.'
FIGURE 3 illustrates the replay head path with
areas of
sync block recoveryat four times replay speed.
FIGURE 4 illustrates the replay head path with
areas of
sync block recoveryat eight times replay speed.
FIGURE 5 illustrates the replay head path with
areas of
sync block recoveryat sixteen times replay speed.
FIGURE 6 contains tables showing audio and video
sync-
blocks recovered various trick mode replay speeds.
at
FIGURE 7A illustrates sync-blocks recovered at
2, 4, $
and 16 times replay
speeds.
FIGURE 7B illustrates recovered sync-blocks common
to
2, 4, 8 and 16
times replay speeds.
FIGURE 8 illustrates a first embodiment of a recorded
track pattern showing
advantageous sync
block locations
for
placement of inventive "Trick Play" data.
FIGURE 9 illustrates the replay head path and
track
areas of sync blockrecovery at 3 times play speed.
FIGURE 10 illustrates the replay head path and
track
areas -ef sync recovery at 9 times play ;>peed.
block
FIGURE 11 illustrates the replay head path and
track
areas of sync blockrecovery at 19 times play speed.
FIGURE 12 illustrates the replay head path and
track
areas of sync blockrecovery at minus 1 times play speed.
FIGURE 13 illustrates the replay head path and
track
areas of sync blockrecovery at minus 7 times play speed.
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
FIGURE 14 illustrates the replay head path and track
areas of sync block recovery at minus 17 times play speed.
FIGURE 15 illustrates sync-blocks recovered at 3, 9 and
19 times forward play speeds and 1, 7 and 17 times play speed in
the reverse direction.
FIGURE 16 illustrates a second embodiment of a
recorded track pattern showing inventive sync block locations for
recording inventive "Trick Play" data.
FIGURE 17 illustrates a video dal:a sector recorded
with an ATV signal and an inventive "Trick Flay" signal.
FIGURE 18A illustrates the arrangement of data within
a SD sync block. FIGURE 18B illustrates a sync block
advantageously formatted for recording both ATV and inventive
"Trick Play" data signals.
FIGURE 19 is a system block diagram of an ATV digital
video cassette recorder employing an inventive "Trick Play"
recording and replay features.
FIGURE 20 is a system block diagram of an inventive
"Trick Play'° encoder and decoder.
FIGURE 21 is a system block diagram showing an SD
recorder and inventive control of "Trick Play°' and high definition
video playback.
DETAILED DESCRIP'T'IOII~11
FIGURE 1 shows a recorded track format for a
consumer use, standard definition (SD), helical scan, digital video
cassette recorder. The effective data area shown in FIGURE 1
comprises four sectors f n which specific types of data are
recorded. The ITI, or Insert and Track Information data sector is
used for tracking and editing, and is followed by an editing gap
G 1. An audio data sector occupies 14 sync blocks, numbered 0 -
13. A second editing gap G2, follows the audio data sector, which
is followed by a video data sector comprising 149 sync blocks,
numbered 0 - 148. A third editing gap G3 follows the video data
sector which is in turn followed by a sub code recording sector.
The digital video cassette recorder or DVCR, is specified to have a
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6
digital video recording rate of 24.948 Mbps. 'This video bit rate
may be utilized for recording a component video signal decoded
from either an NTSC (PAL) signal, or a proce seed advanced
television signal, such as for example, the Grand Alliance (GA)
signal. FIGURE 21 shows, a simplified block diagram of a DVCR
350. DVCR 350 comprises a head drum 510 which includes a
plurality of recording and reproducing heads which are coupled to
a playback processor that generates four output signals, 351, 352,
353 and 354. Replay signal 354 represents an ATV data stream
and the data processing path is depicted by blocks 359, 120 and
130. '°Trick Play" image data is represented by replay signal 353
which is shown coupled to subsequent "Trick Play" image data
processing. The processing and selection between °"Trick Play" and
ATV images will be described later. A cassette 501, is shown
inserted into DVCR 350, with tape 504 threaded around the 'head
drum 510.
The SD track format may be recorded with various
head placements on the drum or cylinder, and with various drum
rotational speeds. The track patterns which follow illustrate
replay head paths or tracks for various "Trick Play" speeds. In
addition, two possible head drum configurations are illustrated,
i.e. a double azimuth head pair, and two single heads 180°
diametrically opposed on the drum.
FIGURES 2 - 5 illustrate replay head paths for a
selection of "Trick Play" reproduction speeds. The tape is
recorded according to the SD, digital video cassette recorder
format, ~-ith 10 um tracks, azimuth recorded without guard bands,
and is illustrated replayed by a replay head with pole face width
of 15 Vim.
FIGURE 2 illustrates the replay head path or footprint,
at twice speed reproduction. The footprint shown is for a single
pair of double azimuth replay heads. It is assumed that the
replay head will recover sync block data from the recorded track
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7
until half the recorded track width is scanned. The FIGURES
depict track areas of sync block data recovery by cross hatching.
FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 illustrates the replay footprints at
four, eight and sixteen times play speed respectively.
FIGURE 6A is a table showing track numbers and the
numbered sync blocks recovered from the audio data sector at the
TP speeds illustrated in FIGURES 2 - 5. FIGURE 6B shows the
tracks, and numbered sync blocks, recovered from the video data
sector at the Trick Play speeds illustrated.
The recovered video sync block data depicted by cross
hatching in FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5, and the numbered sync blocks,
of table FIGURE 6B, are combined and illustrated in FIGURE 7A for
TP speeds of 2, 4, 8 and 16 times. FIGURE 7B illustrates track
areas and numbered sync blocks recovered, which are common to
all four speeds. Thus FIGURE 7B indicates track locations,
identified by sync block number, where data may be recorded and
recovered at play speed and at 2, 4, 8 and 16 times play speed.
FIGURE 8 shows one recorded track comprising an ITI,
or Insert and Track Information recording area., editing gap Gl, an
audio data recording area occupying 14 sync blocks, numbers 0 -
13. During ATV operation audio and video data are conveyed
within the ATV data transport stream thus the audio data sector is
not required for audio data use and may be utilized for ATV and
"Trick Play" data recording. A second editing gap G2, follows the
audio data sector and it is followed by a video data recording
sector comprising 149 sync blacks, numbered ll - 149. A third
editing- gap G3 follows the video data sector which is in tum
followed by a sub code recording area. The recorded track of
FIGURE 8 shows an advantageous first embodiment of sync block
allocation for inventive TP data recording, where 5 sync blocks are
used in the audio sector, and 40 sync blocks a.re utilized in the
video sector. Thus 45 sync blocks may be utilized in each scan to
record TP video data for recovery at both standard and non-
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
standard play speeds. These 45 TP sync blocks provide an
effective replay data rate of about 1.06 Mbit/sec at nominal speed.
FIGURES 9 - 11 illustrate replay head paths for "Trick
Play" speeds of 3 times, 9 times and 19 times, with head footprints
for both double azimuth and 180° diametrically opposed heads.
FIGURE 9 illustrates track areas of sync block
recovery at 3 times play speed. Tracks T1 and T2 represent
reproduction with double azimuth head pair, tracks T1 and T4
represent reproduction by 180° opposed heads. FIGURE 9 shows
that for either type of replay head configuration there are areas of
the track, and consequently sync blocks, which are never
recovered.
FIGURE 10 illustrates track areas of sync block
recovery at 9 times play speed. Tracks T1 and T2 represent
reproduction with double azimuth head pair, tracks T1 and T10
represent reproduction by 180° opposed heads.
FIGURE 11 illustrates track areas of sync block
recovery at 19 times play speed. Tracks T1 and T2 represent
reproduction with double azimuth head pair, tracks T1 and T20
represent reproduction by 180° opposed heads.
FIGURE 12 illustrates track areas of sync block
recovery at minus 1 times play speed. Tracks T3 and T4
represent reproduction with double azimuth head pair, tracks T3
and T2 represent reproduction by 180° opposed heads.
FIGURE 13 illustrates track areas of sync block
recovery at minus 7 times play speed. Tracks T17 and T18
represent--reproduction with double azimuth head pair, tracks T17
and T10 represent reproduction by 180° opposed heads.
FIGURE 14 illustrates track areas of sync block
recovery at minus 17 times play speed. Tracks T21 and T22
represent reproduction with double azimuth head pair, tracks T21
and T4 represent reproduction by 180° opposed heads.
The sync blocks recovered at the various forward and
reverse speeds shown ~,n FIGURES 9 - 14, are combined and
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
9
illustrated as single tracks. FIGURE 15A, illustrates numbered sync
blocks at 3 times speed, FIGURE 158, shows SBs recovered at 9
times speed, FIGURE 15C, for 19 times speed, FIGURE 15D, for
minus 1 times speed, FIGURE 15E, for minus 7 times speed, and
FIGURE 15F, for minus 17 times speed. FIGURE 15G represents
analysis of the recovered sync blocks for commonalty. Thus
FIGURE 15G shows numbered sync blocks which are recovered at
3, 9 and 19 times in the forward direction and 1, 7 and 19 in
reverse directions.
FIGURE 16 illustrates a second embodiment having
advantageous track locations, identified by sync block number,
where 45 sync blocks of inventive "Trick play" video data may be
recorded and recovered at play speed and at play speeds of 3, 9
and 19 times in the forward direction and 1, 7 and 17 times in the
reverse direction.
An ATV bit stream may be recorded in the data
capacity of 105 sync blocks, which are composed of 14 sync blocks
from the audio data sector and 91 SB from the video data sector.
The inventive "Trick Play" video data may be recorded using 45 SB
within the video data sector. In FIGURE 17, a video data sector is
illustrated showing sync block (SB) structure for an ATV data
recording.
FIGURES 18 A and B illustrate the data structure of a
sync block, SB, within the video data sector. FIGURE 18A
illustrates a standard definition or SD formatted sync block. The
SD sync block comprises 90 bytes, with 77 bytes containing 6
groups o~:discrete cosine transformed or DCT coefficient data. Each
DCT group comprises a DC coefficient value followed by AC
coefficient values in descending order of significance. FIGURE 18B
illustrates a sync block formatted with inventive "Trick Play" data.
"Trick Play" data is compressed, discrete cosine transformed and
variable length coded, as will be described for FIGURE 20. Two
compressed TP macro blocks may be recorded. in one sync block,
formatted as shown in FIGURE 18B.
f
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
Having identified sync block locations advantageous to
"Trick Play" reproduction in both forward and reverse directions at
various speeds, "Trick Play'° video data must be derived from the
ATV data stream. As described earlier, TP sync blocks recovered
during "Trick Play" mode replay, must be capable of decoding to
produce images without reference to, or prediction from, adjacent
image frames. Clearly "Trick Play" video data may be derived
from intraframe or I frame coded video. However, derivation of
"Trick Play" video exclusively from I frames may, as a
consequence of the low repetition rate of I frames within each GOP,
result in stroboscopic or jerky rendition of motion in '°Trick Play"
modes. Thus, to avoid jerky "Trick Play" motion, video for "Trick
Play" record processing is advantageously derived from video,
decoded from the ATV or MPEG like data stream. Hence every
decoded picture, derived from I, P or B frames, is processed to
generate corresponding "Trick Play" frames for recording. Thus
each recorded frame in a GOP contains a corresponding "Trick Play"
processed image which, during "Trick Play" reproduction, may be
decoded to provide images in which motion is smoothly portrayed.
The DVCR format allocates ten recorded tracks to one
ATV frame, thus the same number of recorded tracks is selected for
the "Trick Play" video data. The ATV data may be allocated 105 SB
per track, thus a recorded ATV frame corresponds to 1050 SBs.
Since "Trick Play" video data may be allocated 45 sync blocks per
video sector, a total of 450 SBs are utilizable for "Trick Play" data
recording. Hence each "Trick Play" video frame must be
compressed to occupy the data capacity provided by the 450 sync
blocks. The required degree of the "Trick Play°' video data
compression may be represented by 450:1050 or approximately 2.3
to 1.
FIGURE 19 is a block diagram of an advanced television
receiver employing an inventive method of Trick Play mode
processing for recording an MPEG like data stream on a standard
definition or SD, digital video cassette recorder. The block diagram
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
11
comprises an ATV decoder 100, a Trick Play processor 200, and an
SD DVCR 300. An exemplary RF modulated advanced television
signal is received by an antenna 101, and is coupled to an input of
an ATV decoder 100. The RF modulated signal may also be
delivered to decoder 100 via a cable distribution system. Decoder
100 comprises a channel demodulator 110, which extracts the
modulated, MPEG like, ATV bit stream signal from the RF carrier.
The bit stream has a data rate of 19.3 Mbs, and is coupled as output
signals 111 and 112. Bit stream 111 is couplled to a transport
packetization decoder 120, which in simple l:erms, separates video
data packets 121, from audio data packets 122. The video data
packets 121 are coupled eo a video compression decoder 130 which
reconstructs HD video image signals. The video signals 131, are
coupled to a video processor and sync generator 150, which
generates at output 151, the original 16:9 aspect ratio high
definition video signals, for example, luminance and color
difference signals Cr and Cb. The video processor and sync
generator 150, also receives a second input signal 132 from pixel
converter 280, of the Trick Play processor 200. The audio data
packets 122 are coupled to an audio compression decoder 140
which extracts and regenerates the original audio signals which
form audio output signals 141.
The MPEG like bit stream signal 1I2, is coupled to a bit
stream rate converter 310, which converts the 19.3 Mbs bit
stream to a data rate of 24.945 Mbs, as required for processing
and recording by the SD recorder. The output from rate converter
310 is~ coupled to an inner and outer parity generator 320 which
generates Reed Solomon error correction codes which are included
in the video data recorded in the video sector, as depicted in
FIGURE 1. Following the insertion of RS error correction codes the
data stream is coupled to an SD video data sync block structurer
330, which constructs video data-sync block structure required by
the SD recorder format.
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
12
Block 340 of FIGURE 19, constructs audio and video
sectors according to the SD format, where video data sector
includes processed ATV data from block 330, plus inventive
"Trick Play" video data 251, from block 250 of "Trick Play" video
processor 200.
The SD video sector format or structure, is illustrated
in FIGURES 17, 18A and 18B. FIGURES 18A and 18B show the
sector comprises a video preamble, 149 sync blocks of video data
and error correction code, and a video post-amble. The sync
blocks are numbered 1 through 149. FIGURE 18A depicts an SD
format employed during the recording of an N~TSC image source.
FIGURE 18B shows ATV video data advantageously recorded
occupying, for example, 105 sync blocks. Inventive "Trick Play'°
video data may be recorded occupying, for example, 45 sync
blocks and video auxiliary data may be recorded with 2 sync
blocks. Outer parity error correction data is recorded using 11
sync blocks.
The ATV video sector data, including "Trick Play" data
and audio sector signals are coupled from block 340 to a standard
definition or SD digital video cassette recorder 350. The SD
recorder may also receive an analog NTSC (PAL) input signal for
recording. The analog signal is decoded into luminance and color
difference components and, for NTSC input signals, the
components are 4:1:1 sampled at 13.5 MHz and digitized to 8 bits.
The digitized NTSC signal is compressed according to the SD
recording format which employs intra-field/frame DCT applied to
8 X & image blocks, followed by adaptive quantization and
modified two dimensional Huffman encoding. The image blocks
are shuffled, or redistributed, throughout each frame to prevent
recording media damage producing uncorrect;able data errors.
Since the image blocks are shuffled prior to recording, any large
media related reproduction errors will be distributed throughout
the decoded frame as a result of complementary deshuffling
employed during reproduction. Thus large potentially
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
13
uncorreGtable, and therefor visible errors, are distributed and
may be correctable by the inner and outer Reed Solomon error
correction codes. Following compression, the data is coded for
recording using a 24:25 transformation which allows frequency
response shaping to provide auto tracking capabilities on replay.
The SD recorder 350 reproduces four output signals, ,
351, 352, 353 and 354. Output signals, 351 and 352 are base
band analog signals comprising, video components Y, Cr and Cb,
and audio signals respectively. Signal 351 comprises video
components which are coupled to an NTSC sync generator and
encoder 360, which provides blanking and sync pulse addition for
video monitor viewing. The components may be encoded to
produce an NTSC signal for viewing on a standard definition TV
receiver.
SD recorder 350 generates an ATV' data bit stream
output signal 354, and a "Trick Play " data bit stream output
signal 353. Signal 353 is coupled via error correcting block 259 to
block 260 of the ATV and "Trick Play " processor 200 for
decompression and subsequent up conversion to an ATV signal
format. The operation of "Trick Play" processor 200 will be
described with reference to FIGURE 20.
Data bit stream 354, is coupled via error correcting
block 359 to block 120 of ATV decoder 100, where the replayed
transport packets are decoded. A decoded ATV signal 131, is
coupled from the video compression decoder 130, to line rate
converter 210, of the ATV and "Trick Play " processor 200. The
ATV sigAal comprises luminance and color difference signals, Cr
and Cb, and may for example, comprise 1080 active horizontal
scan lines each having 1920 pixels or samples. Line rate
converter 210, reduces the number of active scan lines to one
third, or 360 lines. Thus the luminance and color difference
signals which are processed to form a "Trick Play" video signal
having one third of the vertical resolution of the original ATV
signal. The line number conversion is performed by a vertical low
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
14
pass filter function. The line rate reduced signal from converter
210 is coupled to a pixel converter 220 which reduces the number
of pixels to one third by low pass filtering. ~ Thus, signal 221
comprises 360 horizontal lines each containing 640 pixels, and
ATV signal 131, has been transformed, or down converted, into a
signal having "NTSC" like parameters. Since the ATV signal had an
aspect ratio of 16:9, so to will signal 131. However, the down
converted signal 221 will display the 16:9 image in a letter box
format.
The down converted signal 221 is also coupled to NTSC
encoder 360 for sync and blanking addition and encoding for
standard definition viewing on a receiver or video monitor. Signal
221 is also coupled to a signal compression processor represented
by block 230, the details of which will be described with respect
to FIGURE 20. However, in simple terms, the purpose of signal
compression processor 230 is to generate a compressed form of
the down converted ATV signal. For example, signal compression
processor 230, may compress signal 221 by approximately 2.3
times.
The compressed, down converted signal is utilized to
provide "Trick Play" video data for recording at specific sync
blocks within each track, for example, as shown in FIGURES 8 and
16. Data for each TP video frame is recorded within the ten tracks
which comprise each ATV SD recorded frame. Thus TP video data
may be considered to be redundantly recorded within the video
data sectors of the tracks comprising an ATV SD frame. During
normal speed playback, TP video data is reproduced together with
the ATV data but may not be used in the formation of an ATV
image. However, since a "Trick Play" data frame occurs in every
ten recorded tracks, these TP frames may be recovered during
normal playback and may be stored and utilized use during a
replay mode transition. For example, a transition from normal
speed forward playback to high speed "Trick Play'° or picture in
shuttle. In a worst case situation, when a normal speed replay is
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
1S
initiated., approximately 140 recorded tracks may be reproduced
before an I frame is recovered. However, since TP data frames
are advantageously recorded in I; P and B frames, "Trick Play"
processed images may be produced immediately following the
reproduction of any frame type. Thus a "Trick Play" processed
image may be output during the initiation of a normal speed
replay prior to I frame decoding. Upon I frame acquisition the
output may be switched from "Trick Play" to ATV images.
The compressed TP signal from block 230 is coupled to
an inner parity generator 240, which adds Reed Soloman error
correcting data to the TP data stream. The TP video data, with RS
inner parity added, is coupled to a TP video data sync block
formatter 250, which generates only the specific numbered sync
blocks required for "Trick Play" reproduction at specific speeds.
For example, "Trick Play" reproduction at various speeds ~ is
possible with sync blocks allocated as shown in the embodiments
of FIGURES 8 or 16. These TP video data sync blocks are output as
signal 251 which is coupled to the video and audio sector
constructor 340 of SD DVCR 300.
During playback SD recorder 350 reproduces "Trick
Play" data signal 353, which coupled to an error correcting
processor 259. Following error correction the TP data stream is
coupled for signal decompression in processing block 260 of the
ATV and "Trick Play " processor 200. The details operation of
block 260 will be described with respect to FIGURE 20. However,
in simple terms, decompressor 260 is utilized to regenerate down
converged. _ATV images from the compressed TP data recovered
from the recording medium.
An inventive "Trick Play" signal compression
processor, for generating data signal 2S 1, is shown in blocks 234 -
238 of FIGURE 20. Replayed TP data may be decompressed by
blocks 262 - 266 of FIGURE 20. Rate reduced ATV signal 221, is
coupled to formatter 234, which converts the scan line format of
signal 221 into a two dimensional macro block or MB, structure
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
16
comprising 4 DCT blocks. Thus a macro block has the dimensions
of 32 pixels by 8 lines. The macro block formatted, rate reduced
signal, is coupled to block 235 for discrete cosine transformation.
The principals of the discrete cosine transform are well known,
with a data rate reduction ensuing from the control of coefficient
quantization. DCT block 235, produces two output signals which
represent the amplitude value of the frequency coefficients that
comprise each macro block. One output signal is coupled to block
236 which pre-analyzes the amplitudes of the coefficients and
controls the coarseness or fineness of quantization by quantizer
block 237. The second output from DCT block 235 is coupled to
quantizer block 237 for quantization, where the number of
quantizing steps is dynamically controlled responsive to block
236. The quantized DCT coefficients are coupled to block 238 for
variable Length encoding. Various methods of variable length
coding or VLC are known. However, in simplistic terms, the most
frequently occurring quantized coefficient values are assigned
correspondingly short code words with less frequent coefficient
values being encoded with code words of progressively increasing
length. Thus the overall data rate of TP video data is further
reduced such that a "Trick Play" frame of data may be recorded in
450 sync blocks provided in 10 recorded tracks.
The variably length coded TP data is coupled to block
240 for generation and addition of a Reed-Soloman inner parity
error correction code. The TP data with RS inner parity error
correction is coupled to block 250 for formatting to have a specific
SD sync block structure, for example, as identified in FIGURES 8
and 16. The TP data having the required sync block structure is
coupled to the SD recorder as already described for "Trick Play"
processor block 200.
During replay modes, the reproduced TP data stream
signal 353, is coupled via error correction in block 259, to
decompression block 260 which reverses the signal processing
performed by block 230. The VLC TP data signal 353 is ~ input to
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
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block 2H6 which performs variable length decoding. Various
methods of decoding are well known, for example, a look up table
could be used to convert VLC data words back into quantized DCT
coefficients of constant length: From block 266 the TP DCT
coefficients are coupled to an inverse quantizer 262, which may
be considered to perform digital to analog conversion of the TP
DCT coefficients. The TP DCT coefficients are coupled to block 263
which applies an inverse discrete cosine transformation which
produces a macro block formatted output signal representing the
TP image. The macro block sampled TP signal is reformatted in
block 264 to produce a conventional Line structured image. The
output signal from the reformatter 264 is processed in block 265
which, For example, may provide blanking insertion and sync
pulse addition. Signal 261 is output from block 265 and may be
coupled for viewing on a component video monitor, or may be
encoded for TV viewing. A second output signal 271, from block
264 is coupled to blocks 270 and 280 which provide up
conversion from the nominally "NTSC" like line arid pixel formats
to line rates and horizontal pixel counts required for high
definition display viewing.
The up converted TP video signal 131 is coupled as a
second input to video processor and sync generator 150, which
generates a high definition output signal 151. Video processor
and sync generator 150 provides video blanking and the addition
of HDTV sync waveforms. However, in addition video processor
150 provides a selecting function for switching between ATV and
"Tricl~ Pla3r" video images. FIGURE 21 shows, in block diagram
form, the replay data paths for ATV data stream 354 and "Trick
Play" data stream 353, and their coupling for output selection in
video processor and sync generator 150. The selection of output
image source is ultimately responsive to user initiated control
command communicated via a control system. For example, a
Play command will start the VCR mechanism and switch the
electronic system from an EE mode, (electronics to electronics) to a
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
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replay cro~dition. However, the actual instant of output signal
switching may be determined by various other controlling factors.
For example, the most significant controlling event may be the
acquisition and decoding of an I frame from a recorded GOP. This
occurrence may be signaled by decoder 13~ and coupled to
control the video output selector switch within the video
processor and sync generator 150.
As described earlier, a 15 frame GOP will occupy 150
recorded tracks, thus when initiating play mode, a replayed video
image may be delayed until an I frame has been reproduced and
decoded, i.e. up to 140 tracks may need to be reproduced until an
I frame is encountered. However, since TP data is advantageously
recorded within each frame of a GOP, and is reproduced in a
normal play mode, TP data may be utilized to generate an output
video signal without waiting for an I frame occurrence. Thus the
redundant nature of TP data recording may advantageously
provide normal speed images, derived from TP data, at the
initiation of normal playback, with ATV images being selected
when available, following I frame acquisition.
When a user initiates a command starting or
terminating a "Trick Play" mode, the control system, and in
particular the video processor and sync generator 15U, may be
advantageously controlled to present the user with a more
aesthetically pleasing image transition. For example, as already
described, at the initiation of normal speed playback "Trick Play"
images may be output, prior to the acquisition and decoding of an
I frame. A further use of TP video data may be during the
transition to a "Trick Play" reproducing speed, where TP video
data which was recovered and stored during normal playback
may used together with TP data transduced during a replay speed
transition. Such a use of TP data provides an alternative to
sustaining the last ATV frame until TP video data is available at
the selected TP speed.
CA 02473171 2004-07-29
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When transitioning from a "Trick flay" mode to
normal play, the ATV signal 131 will become available for display
processing only after the occurrence an I frame in the replayed
ATV signal GOP. This I frame occurrence depends on the re-
synchronization rate of the SD recorder capstan servo, and more
significantly, where in the recorded GOP sequence normal play
speed was re-acquired. Thus various options may be
advantageously provided to produce a pleasing image transition
between "Trick Play" and normal playback. For example, upon the
command termmatmg "~t-rtclc clay" the Last ~1-r trame may t?e
frozen and repeated from a memory until ATV signals are
reproduced. This method may indicate to the user that the control
command has been received and executed. However, a frozen or
still image juxtaposed with the fast moving images produced in
TP, may appear incongruous to the user. A further option for
transition from "Trick Play" may be provided by continuing to
reproduce TP data and display TP images for the duration of servo
resynchronization and ATV signal I frame acquisition. With this
option, the redundant nature of the TP data may be exploited
during the tape speed change, resulting from the servo
resynchronization, and during the wait for an ATV I frame.
During the tape speed change, despite the redundant nature of the
TP data, some TP data may not be recovered, however such errors
may be concealed by TP image frames repeated from a memory.
This advantageous method provides the user with a visual
indication that the VCR is responding to the command since the
speed of the TP image will visibly change as the capstan slows to
re-synchronize at play speed. This feature may also permit
slower tape speed transitions to be used thus providing smoother
and less potentially damaging tape handling since tape
acceleration or deceleration will be accompanied by accelerating
or decelerating "Trick Play" images.
