JPS60218155A - electronic publications - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To publish without paper by retrieving optional character information or picture information recorded in a digital audio recording medium and outputting the retrieved result. CONSTITUTION:When an input means 12 actuates a control means 13 so as to output specific information in a storage means 11, the control means 13 detects the address of the information to be outputted in the storage device 11 on the basis of control information and applies the address to the storage means 11. Receiving the address, the storage means 11 outputs required information and the information is switched at its destination by a destination selecting means 14 and sent to a character information processing output means 15, a voice information processing output means 16 or a picture information processing output means 17.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an electronic publication that searches for specific information from a large amount of information and outputs the information in the form of characters, images, sounds, etc.

Conventional configuration and its problems 5 pe.

In recent years, as we call the information society, a variety of information exists around us in various forms.

One of the factors that created this situation is the remarkable development of computers. In addition to the development of computer central processing units, storage devices that store information have also developed dramatically. Furthermore, as external auxiliary recording media, conventional magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, floppy disks, and the like are becoming increasingly high in recording density, and optical disks are also beginning to be put into practical use. Under these circumstances, it has become technically possible to publish text data and still image data of publications, which are large volumes of information, using a method different from traditional publications, that is, without using paper. .

An example of an electronic publication constructed using a conventional recording medium will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic publication constructed using conventional recording media, in which 1 is a color monitor, 2 is a personal computer, 3 is a keyboard, 4 is a floppy disk for storing digital data, 5 is a video 67o 1 disk for storing still image data, and 6 is a speaker for audio output.

The operation of the electronic publication configured as described above will be explained below. The floppy disk 4 contains character information converted into character codes and its management information, still image information and audio information recorded on the video disk 5, and information indicating how to output and process each information. Programs (in the personal computer 2) used in
A control program (hereinafter referred to as a control program) is recorded on the video disc 5, and still image information and audio information are recorded on the video disc 5. By inputting the control program name from the keyboard, the control program in the floppy disk 4 is loaded into the personal computer 2, and from then on, arbitrary character information and still image information are viewed on the color monitor 1 according to this control program. You can also listen to audio information through the speaker 6. The above operation will be explained in more detail using a tourist guidebook as an example.

First, from keyboard 3, book base (control program name) “G”
By inputting UIDE-BOOK''', 71 shoes personal computer 2 can be downloaded from floppy disk 4.
Control program (program name “GUIDE-BO”)
OK”) All input is complete.Next, the Nihersonal computer follows this control program and writes the floppy disk 4.
The user inputs each management information and uses this information to display the 6-table of contents of the tourist guidebook on the color monitor.The user selects the tourist destination from this 1 table of contents by pressing 3 on the keyboard.
The personal computer 2 inputs the explanatory text (text information) of the selected tourist spot from the floppy disk 4 using the management information of the text information, and displays it on the color monitor 1. At the same time, audio information management information,
Photographs (still image information) and audio explanations (audio information) about selected tourist spots using still image information management information
The presence or absence of the image is determined and displayed on the color monitor 1. The user can read the explanatory text displayed on the color monitor 1, display the photograph on the color monitor 1 using the keyboard 3, and listen to the audio explanation.When displaying the photograph, the user can use the personal computer 2. specifies the playback position on the video disc 6 using the still image information management information, and converts the image signal from the video disc 5 into color.
When transmitting to the monitor 1 and outputting an audio explanation, the personal computer 2 specifies the playback start position and playback end position of the video disc 5 using the audio information management information, and then outputs the video disc 5. The audio output is outputted via the speaker 6.

However, in the above configuration, two types of disks are used: a floppy disk for recording character information, management information, and control information, and a video disk for recording large-capacity information such as still image information and audio information. There is a problem in that a recording medium is required. Even if a publication containing only text information, such as the Sanbun Saibon, is converted from one character to one word (16 bits) and recorded on a floppy disk, for example, the text information of the 350 pages of the original text alone will cost approximately 400 K/Z. If you want to record this text information along with management information on a floppy disk with a storage capacity of several hundred bytes, you will have to write multiple floppy disks as well as long novels with many pages, dictionaries, etc. I will be using it. In addition, 6 diagrams, which are often found in technical books, etc.
If you try to record one graph, one table, one illustration, etc. on a floppy disk, it will be a large amount of data, and even if you compress and record this data, you will need multiple 70 disks, and There is a problem in that it requires complicated processing within a personal computer.Furthermore, when a floppy disk is used, it is not appropriate from a copyright standpoint because it can be easily copied. Furthermore, floppy disks must be handled with care because they are susceptible to dust and dirt.

Although it is possible to use a hard disk device instead of a floppy disk, there are problems in that it is not only larger in size than a floppy disk but also very expensive.

Purpose of the Invention The purpose of the present invention is to search for specific information from a large amount of information and output that information in the form of characters, images, sounds, etc.

The aim is to provide electronic publications that enable people to do the following.

Composition of the Invention The electronic publication of the present invention includes: an area for recording audio information of a digital audio recording medium that records audio information converted into a digital signal and reproduces the audio information in real time;
a storage means for recording management information of recorded information and at least character information or image information together with a synchronization pattern and subsequent addresses of each piece of information in the area; an input means for specifying information to be output; and an input means for specifying information to be output; control means for determining an address of the information to be outputted using the management information and outputting the information to be outputted from the storage means; and one or more processes for processing and outputting the information to be outputted. The device comprises an output means and a destination light selection means for distributing the destination of the output information from the storage means to the control means or the processing output means, whereby any character recorded on the digital audio recording medium Search for information and image information,
11,,+,).

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The general structure of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 2, and then a specific example of the embodiment will be described without reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the general configuration of an electronic publication in an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, 11 is a storage means using a digital audio recording medium; 12
13 is an input means, 13 is a control means, 14 is a destination selection means,
15 is a character information processing output means, 16 is an audio information processing output means, and 17 is an image information processing output means.

The operation of the electronic publication of this embodiment configured as described above will be described below. In the storage means 11, character information, audio information, 2 image information, and management information of each of these information are recorded together with a synchronization pattern and the address of each information within the digital audio recording medium.

First, the control means 13 indicates the address of the management information to the storage means 11 so that the management information in the storage means 11 is outputted. Upon receiving this address, the storage means 11 detects a synchronization pattern in a reproduction signal that is continuously reproduced from a digital audio recording medium, and uses the following address to output desired management information in real time. This management information is taken into the control means 13 via the forward light selection means 14. When the input means 12 acts on the control means 13 to output specific information in the storage means 11, the control means 3 uses the management information to detect the address in the storage means 11 of the information to be output, This address is indicated in the storage means 11. Upon receiving the address, the storage means 11 performs the same operation as described above and outputs the desired information. The destination of the output information from the storage means 11 is switched within the optical selection means 14, and 'text information is sent to the text information processing output means 15, audio information is sent to the audio information processing output means 16, and image information is sent to the audio information processing output means 16. If so, they are sent to the image information processing output means 17, respectively. The processing output means that receives the information outputs the processed information to the outside. For example, in the character information processing output means 15, the received character information is 13/.

Convert it to a character string and output it using a CRT display or the like. The operation of switching the switch in the destination light selection means 14 is performed by recording information indicating the destination of each piece of information in addition to the address of the information in the management information, and in the control means 13, as shown in claim 3. The destination of the information may be determined, and the control means 13 may control a changeover switch in the destination light selection means 13. Alternatively, as shown in claim 4, the information is displayed at the beginning of each piece of information. Information indicating the destination may be recorded, and the information indicating the destination may be determined in the destination light selection means 14 to directly record the information.According to this embodiment, as described above, the information is transferred to the digital audio recording medium. An electronic publication that makes it possible to search for any information from a large volume of information called a publication by recording its management information and sending each information directly to a processing output means in real time according to the type of information. It consists of

Next, a specific example of this embodiment will be shown below and explained in more detail. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of the electronic publication in this specific example. In FIG. 3, 14.

21 is a digital audio disk (hereinafter referred to as DAD).
It is called. ), 22 is a DAD player, 23 is a control circuit,
24 is a light selection circuit, 25 is a digital-to-analog converter (hereinafter referred to as DA converter), 26 is a personal computer, 27 is a light pen, 28 is a color monitor, 29 is an image processing circuit, and 3o is a speaker. .

The operation of the electronic publication of this specific example configured as described above will be described below. First, it will be shown to which part of the components in FIG. 3 each block of the general configuration shown in FIG. 2 corresponds. The storage means 11 is a DAD 21 and a DAD player 22, and the input means 12 is a personal computer 2.
Light pen 2 connected to 6 and color monitor 28
, the control means 13 is a DAD player 12, a control circuit 23 built in the DAD player 12, and a personal computer 16, the selection means 14 is a selection circuit 24 built in the DAD player 22, and the character information processing output means 15 is a personal computer. 26, color monitor 28, and audio information processing output means 16 are 15 pesos.

The DA converter 25, the speaker 3o, and the image information processing output means 17 are realized by an image processing circuit 29 and a color monitor 28. Next, using a tourist guidebook as an example of an electronic publication, its operation will be specifically explained. DAD21
Recorded therein are text information, two image information, audio information, management information for these, and control information as shown in claim 5 for composing a tourist guidebook. Since DAD21 is originally a medium that continuously records digitized Otoso information, in order to record each of the above information, it is necessary to use DAD21.
It is necessary to divide the area D for recording acoustic information into blocks and structure the blocks for recording. That is, each piece of information is recorded together with a synchronization pattern for synchronization and a signal indicating an address within the DAD. At this time, it is possible to independently set this structuring according to the type of information.

For example, for text information, 1 kilobyte of information is recorded between two consecutive synchronization patterns, for image information, 2 kilobytes of information is recorded, and for audio information, for example, text information and image information are recorded. Instead of using fixed-length blocks, the amount of information is recorded at the beginning of the information using the number of bytes or time, or the number of bytes is recorded until the next synchronization pattern arrives.
It is possible to create two blocks. This amount of information (block) is the minimum unit that can be accessed for each piece of information. Now, the DAD2 mentioned above
1 is set in the DAD player 12, the personal
The computer 26 sends the control information to the control circuit 23 in the DAD player 22 so as to output all the control information.
Indicates the address within 21. It is assumed that this address is known in advance. In other words, even if the DAD 21 is a disk other than a tourist guide, the address of the control information may be left unchanged. According to this address, the DAD player 22
reproduces the DAD 21, detects a synchronization pattern from the reproduced signal, detects that the addresses indicated by the personal computer 26 are the same, and transmits subsequent information to the personal computer through the optical selection circuit 24. - Send to computer 26. In the personal computer 17, Kazuya then performs various operations using this control information as a control program. First, management information is taken in according to the control program in the same manner as described above, and the table of contents of the sightseeing guidebook is created using this information and displayed on the color monitor 28, waiting for input from the user. When the user looks at the table of contents (sightseeing spots) displayed on the color monitor 28 and points out the tourist spot he/she wants to see with the light pen 27, the personal computer 26 displays the sightseeing spot that the user wants to see from the position of the light pen. The address on the DAD 21 of the explanatory text of the tourist spot is detected from the management information, character information is input from the DAD 21, and displayed on the color monitor 28 according to the control program. In addition, if a photograph or an audio explanation of the tourist spot indicated by the user is recorded in the DAD 21, the personal computer 26 uses the management information to determine whether there is a photograph or an audio explanation, and displays the information on the color monitor. to be displayed. The user reads the displayed explanation and at the same time knows whether there is a photo or an audio explanation.
If you want to see a photo, enter it using the light pen 2718, and the personal computer 26 uses management information to show the DAD player 22 the address in the DAD 21 where the photo (image information) is stored. The desired image information is sent to the image processing circuit via the forward light selection circuit 24. The image processing circuit 29 displays the desired photograph on the color monitor 28 by writing the sent image data into a frame memory device. Similarly, if the user wants to hear an audio explanation, the same operation is performed by inputting it using the light pen 27, and the audio information is sent to the DA converter 25 via the optical selection circuit 24. It is output as sound from the heavy car 30. In the above specific example, text information and image information are displayed separately on the color monitor 28, but the video signal from the personal computer 26 and the image processing circuit are It is also possible to superimpose video signals and display them simultaneously (superimpose function).
By using this, it is of course possible to simultaneously display text, maps, photographs, pictures, etc. on a color monitor like a normal tourist guide. In the above specific example, the control program was recorded on the DAD 21, but since the amount of information on the control program is relatively small compared to other information, it is recommended to record it on another recording medium, such as a floppy disk. is also possible. In addition, in the above specific example, DAD and DAD player were selected as the storage means, but the storage means are not limited to these.Digital devices that can record audio information converted into digital signals and play back the recorded audio information in real time can also be used.・Any audio recording medium and player is fine. For example, digital audio tape (hereinafter referred to as DAT) and DA
It is also possible to use a T player. In addition, although the above specific example was explained using a tourist guidebook as an example, the publications recorded in the DAD are of course not limited to this, but publications that can be expressed using textual information and 2 image information (2 photographs, illustrations, etc.) Obviously, anything is fine.

Note that it is clear from the above embodiments that audio information can be added to publications made of such information. Also, publications with only text, such as paperbacks, and photographs, such as photo albums (
Of course, it is also possible to publish only images (images).

In the above specific example, the operation of switching the changeover switch of the forward light selection circuit 24 is performed by the personal computer 2 as shown in the description of the general configuration of the present invention.
It is also possible to record information indicating the destination of the information at the beginning of the information and use this information in the destination light selection circuit 24. DAD is originally intended to record audio information converted into a digital signal, and uses error detection and correction codes for audio information. Normal DAD uses this code to perform error detection and correction operations and reproduces error-free acoustic information, but DAD
If there is a large scratch on D or the disk is very dirty, erroneous data can be detected but cannot be corrected, and interpolation is performed for the erroneous data. Although this method is very effective for acoustic information, it is fatal for non-acoustic information. That is, for example, if an error occurs in character information, it will be converted into an incorrect character within the personal computer. If an error occurs in the control information, there is a possibility that the search operation itself will not be performed. In order to avoid such a problem, when non-acoustic information is recorded in the audio information recording area of a digital audio recording medium as shown in claim 6, non-acoustic information is recorded along with the non-acoustic information. It is possible to add and record a code for error detection or error correction of acoustic information, and use this to improve the error detection and correction ability for non-acoustic information. For example, in the case of continuous data for the same channel in DAD, the same data is recorded twice in 1 word units, and when played back, it is checked whether the same data appears twice in the same channel or not. Error detection is performed, and if the word data for 2, which should be the same, is different, it is determined that interpolation has been performed on either data, and a signal indicating whether or not interpolation has been performed. 22, <-, by determining which word data is correct using .

It is possible to improve the output correction ability. Note that the addition of the code is not limited to this method, and it is clear that any code may be used as long as it enables error detection or correction operations. It is also possible to change the type of code depending on the type of non-acoustic information, or to change the way the code is used for important parts of the same non-acoustic information, further increasing the error detection and correction ability. It is. In the above specific example, no distinction was made between the right channel and the left channel of the DAD, but it is also possible to record different data for each channel, as shown in claim 10. , At this time, the forward light selection circuit operates for each channel. For example, audio information is recorded on the right channel, image information is recorded on the left channel, the image information is sent to the image processing circuit 28, and the audio information is sent to the DA converter 25, and the optical selection circuit is operated for each channel. By doing so, it is also possible to create photo books, picture books, manga books, etc. in which the pictures displayed on the color monitor 28 change one after another while continuously listening to audio explanations or music. . Further, in the specific example, the input means is composed of a light ben and a color monitor, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any input device such as a keyboard, touch panel, joystick, tablet, etc. can be used. Furthermore, although the built-in ODA converter of the DAD player is used as the audio information processing means, it is also possible to connect it to the outside of the DAD player, and the number of quantization bits and sampling frequency of the audio information can be freely set. Of course, if a publication that is not printed in color is used as an electronic publication, the monitor does not need to be a color monitor. Graphic screen information, which is a type of image information, may be sent to an image processing circuit with a frame memory device and displayed on a color monitor, or it may be displayed on a color monitor by incorporating the graphic function of a personal computer. . Further, in the above specific example, the character information was recorded using a character code, but of course it is also possible to capture the character string as an image and record it as image information. In this case, the character information recorded in the form of image information is of course outputted to the color monitor through the image processing circuit. Furthermore, in the specific example described above, a part of the control means and a part of the character information processing output means are realized by a personal computer, but if a personal computer has the functions shown in the specific example of the present invention, a personal computer can be used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to use dedicated hardware. Further, in the specific example described above, a color monitor was used as an output device for character information and image information, but the output device is not limited to this, and it is also possible to use an output device such as a kanji printer or a color printer.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, the present invention is capable of synchronizing management information with at least one of character information or image information obtained from ordinary publications onto a digital audio recording medium, which is a large-capacity storage medium. Therefore, when information to be output is indicated by the input means, the address of the information is detected using the management information, and the desired information is sent to the information processing and output means. By performing feeding processing and outputting, one recording medium 25, .

Using this method, an excellent effect can be obtained in that it is possible to construct an electronic publication that can search for any information in the publication, which is a large amount of information. Also, because we use large-capacity recording media called digital audio recording media,...
When recording on conventional floppy disks such as "Table 9", the amount of data is large, so it is compressed and recorded, and complex processing is performed on the processing output side. It becomes possible to record without compression.

For example, for a 320 x 200 dot 16 color graph ink screen, the amount of information per screen is approximately 32 bytes, and this is recorded on a D screen with a sampling frequency of 44.1 KHz, a quantization bit rate of 16 bits, channel 2, and a playback time of 1 hour.
If it is stored in the AD, approximately 10,000 graphic screens can be recorded even if double writing is performed. Also, DAD is used as a digital audio recording medium.
When using a floppy disk, it is easier to handle than a floppy disk, and since it is a read-only recording medium, users can easily copy it and protect it from copyright. It is also very effective from this standpoint. It is also clear that it is very compact in terms of size compared to traditional paper publications.

Furthermore, by arbitrarily determining the structuring of the recording area according to the type of information, it is possible to obtain the effect that, for example, acoustic information can be output for a long time without requiring a storage circuit for time axis correction for output.

Furthermore, by recording the control information for each means of electronic publications in the recording means, it is possible to achieve the effect that various electronic publications can be realized by replacing only the recording medium serving as the recording means.

Furthermore, by recording different types of information for each channel in a plurality of channels, it is possible to produce an electronic publication that simultaneously outputs text or image information while outputting audio information.

Furthermore, by arbitrarily setting the number of quantization bits and the sampling frequency of the audio signal, it is possible to slightly lower the quality of the output audio 27 , / and to record audio information, thereby increasing the recording time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electronic publication configured using a conventional recording medium, Figure 2 is a diagram showing the general configuration of an electronic publication in an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a block diagram of an electronic publication constructed using a conventional recording medium. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a specific example of an electronic publication in an embodiment of the present invention. 1.28...Color monitor, 2.26...
...personal computer, 3...keyboard, 4...floppy disk, 5...
...video disc, 6.30 ... speaker, 11 ... storage means, 12 ... input means, 13 ... control means, 14 ... . . . Directional light selection means, 15 . . . Text information processing output means, 16 . . . Audio information processing output means, 17 . . .
...Image information processing output means, 21...DAD
, 22... DAD player, 23... control circuit, 24... going light selection circuit, 25...
...DA converter, 27...Light pen, 29.
...Image processing circuit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) Management information of the recorded information and storage means for recording at least character information or image information together with a synchronization pattern and the subsequent address of each piece of information in the area; input means for specifying information to be output; and said information to be output indicated by said input means. using the management information and outputting the information to be output from the storage means; one or more processing output means for processing and outputting the information to be output; and the storage means. An electronic publication comprising a destination selection means for distributing output information from the output information to the control means or the processing output means. (2) When recording non-acoustic information in the acoustic information recording area of the digital audio recording medium 2, the area is divided into blocks of a certain length for each type of information, and each block has a synchronization pattern starting from the beginning. , the address of the block, the non-acoustic information is recorded, and when audio information is recorded in the area, the block has a variable length and the synchronization pattern and audio information are recorded in each block. Electronic publications listed in section. (3) Information indicating the destination of information other than the management information is also recorded as management information, the information indicating the destination is used within the control means to determine a processing output means for the information other than the management information, and the control means The electronic publication according to claim 1, characterized in that the destination selection means is controlled. (4) Information indicating the destination of the information is recorded at the beginning of the information, and the destination is directly selected using the information indicating the destination within the destination light selection means. Electronic publications listed. (6) Control information necessary to operate at least one of the control means and the processing output means is stored in the
The electronic publication according to claim 1, characterized in that an area for recording acoustic information of a physcial audio recording medium is recorded. (6) When non-acoustic information is recorded in an audio information recording area of a digital audio recording medium, at least one of the codes for error detection or error correction of the non-acoustic information is selected according to the type of the non-acoustic information. 2. The electronic publication according to claim 1, further comprising means for recording said code together with said non-acoustic information and performing at least an error detection operation or an error correction operation using said code. (7) The electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that character information is recorded in a storage means using a character code, and a conversion means for converting at least the character code into character information is used as the processing output means. (8) The electronic publication according to claim 1, characterized in that image information is recorded in a storage means, and at least a frame memory device is used as a processing output means. (9) A patent claim characterized in that a plurality of pieces of information including audio information among text information, image information, and audio information are recorded in a storage means, and at least digital-to-analog conversion means is used as means for processing and outputting the audio information. Electronic publications listed in item 1 of the scope. (1o) In the audio information recording area of a digital audio recording medium that records audio information on multiple channels,
Claim 1, characterized in that management information and at least character information or image information recorded on a J-vertical basis for each channel are recorded together with a synchronization pattern and subsequent addresses of each piece of information in the area. electronic publications. (11) The electronic publication according to claim 9, characterized in that the number of quantization bits and sampling frequency of the audio signal to be recorded can be arbitrarily set.