Method and apparatus for reproducing audio and video data from a disk

Claim 1

A disk reproducing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting numbers of a plurality of audio data to be reproduced in accordance with a desired sequence of reproduction; a first memory for storing the numbers designated by said input means; pickup means for reproducing data recorded on a disk and providing an output accordingly; an audio circuit for separating and demodulating said audio data from the output of said pickup means; a second memory for storing video data which is separated and demodulated from the output of said pickup means; and a control circuit for controlling said pickup means, said second memory and said audio circuit in accordance with the data stored in said first memory; wherein said control circuit instructs said pickup means to search for and retrieve video data corresponding to one of said plurality of audio data assigned to a first number among the plurality of numbers stored in said first memory, and to store the retrieved video data in said second memory; said control circuit then instructing a search of audio data corresponding to said first number, wherein, when the searched audio data is reproduced, the video data stored in said second memory is reproduced as a still picture image; and wherein the foregoing operations are carried out in sequence for each of said numbers stored in said first memory.

Claim 3

A method of reproducing information from a disk on which both audio and corresponding video information are recorded, said method comprising: determining a piece of audio data to be reproduced from said disk, and identifying a number corresponding to said piece of audio data; retrieving a piece of video data corresponding to said piece of audio data, in still picture form, and storing said piece of video data in a first memory; during reproduction of said piece of audio data, reproducing said piece of video data in still picture form; and repeating all of the above steps in sequence for each piece of audio data to be reproduced; wherein, for each said piece of audio data being reproduced, each said piece of video data is reproduced until a subsequent piece of audio data is to be reproduced, at which time the stored video data corresponding to that subsequent piece of audio data is reproduced.

Claim 4

A method of reproducing information from a disk on which both audio and corresponding video information are recorded, said method comprising: determining a piece of audio data to be reproduced from said disk, and identifying a number corresponding to said piece of audio data; retrieving a piece of video data corresponding to said piece of audio data, in still picture form, and storing said piece of video data in a first memory; during reproduction of said piece of audio data, reproducing said piece of video data in still picture form; and repeating all of the above steps in sequence for each piece of audio data to be reproduced; wherein, for each said piece of audio data being reproduced, each said piece of video data is reproduced until a subsequent piece of audio data is to be reproduced, at which time the stored video data corresponding to that subsequent piece of audio data is reproduced.