Information recording medium for recording multimedia information as optical readable code data thereon and information recording/reproducing system using the same

Claim 2

An information recording medium on which multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data is recorded as an optical readable code, wherein: the code is constituted by arranging a plurality of blocks, each comprising: (i) a data dot pattern including a plurality of dots arranged in correspondence with data contents related to the multimedia information, (ii) a marker which is arranged to have a first predetermined positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, said marker determining a reference position required for reading the data dot pattern and having a size which is different from a size of the dots of the data dot pattern, and (iii) a block address dot representing an address of a block which is arranged to have a second positional relationship with is respect to the data dot pattern, the dots of the data dot pattern, the markers and the information recording medium have at least one of different predetermined reflectances and transmittances, the data dot pattern comprises a non-modulated code capable of including a data row corresponding to a data row of the marker, and has a predetermined data value and represents consecutive numbers.

Claim 3

A medium according to claim 1, wherein error correction codes in units of predetermined numbers of bits are added to the data dot pattern.

Claim 4

A medium according to claim 1, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern and the marker are different in color.

Claim 5

A medium according to claim 3, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern and the marker have different luminance levels.

Claim 6

A medium according to claim 4, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern are gray and the marker is black.

Claim 7

A medium according to claim 5, wherein the code further comprises, in addition to the marker, a pattern matching having a plurality of dots for determining a reference position required for reading the data dot pattern together with the marker, and wherein the pattern matching code is also black.

Claim 8

A medium according to claim 4, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern are black, and the marker is gray.

Claim 9

A medium according to claim 4, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern are black, and the marker is white.

Claim 10

A medium according to claim 8, wherein said information recording medium is gray.

Claim 11

A medium according to claim 3, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern are black, the marker is white, and the information recording medium is a color different from black and white.

Claim 12

A medium according to claim 1, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern include first dots indicating a "0" state and second dots indicating a "1" state, and the first and second dots have at least one of different reflectances and transmittances.

Claim 13

An information reproducing system comprising: reading means for optically reading a code recorded on an information recording medium which represents multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data; processing means for restoring the multimedia information by processing the code read by said reading means; and output means for reproducing and outputting the information based on an output signal from said processing means, wherein the code recorded on the information recording medium comprises a plurality of blocks, each comprising: (i) a data dot pattern including a plurality of dots arranged in correspondence with data contents related to the multimedia information, (ii) a marker which is arranged to have a first predetermined positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, said marker determining a reference position required for reading the data dot pattern and having a size which is different from a size of the dots of the data dot pattern, and (iii) a block address dot representing an address of a block which is arranged to have a second positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern, the markers and the information recording medium have at least one of different predetermined reflectances and transmittances, wherein the data dot pattern comprises a non-modulated code capable of including a data row corresponding to a data row of the marker, and has a predetermined data value and represents consecutive numbers, and wherein said processing means comprises separation means for separating the marker from the code read by the reading means by use of first and second threshold values, so as to discriminate the dots of the data dot pattern, the marker, and the information recording medium from each other.

Claim 14

An information reproducing system comprising: reading means for optically reading a code recorded on an information recording medium which represents multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data; processing means for restoring the multimedia information by processing the code read by said reading means; and output means for reproducing and outputting the information based on an output signal from said processing means, wherein the code recorded on the information recording medium comprises a plurality of blocks, each comprising: (i) a data dot pattern including a plurality of dots arranged in correspondence with data contents related to the multimedia information, (ii) a marker which is arranged to have a first predetermined positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, said marker determining a reference position required for reading the data dot pattern and having a size which is different from a size of the dots of the data dot pattern, and (iii) a block address dot representing an address of a block which is arranged to have a second positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern, the markers and the information recording medium have at least one of different predetermined reflectances and transmittances, wherein the data dot pattern comprises a non-modulated code capable of including a data row corresponding to a data row of the marker, and has a predetermined data value and represents consecutive numbers, and wherein said processing means comprises separation means for separating the marker from the code read by the reading means by use of first and second threshold values, so as to discriminate the dots of the data dot pattern, the marker, and the information recording medium from each other.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 12, wherein the the dots of the data dot pattern are black, the marker is white, and the information recording medium is a color different from black and white, and said reading means optically reads the code on the information recording medium using a light source having at least one type of wavelength characteristic determined by one of a reflection characteristic and a transmission characteristic of the dots of the data dot pattern and the marker.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 12, wherein said separation means further comprises code type recognition means for recognizing at least one of reflectances and transmittances of the dots of the data dot pattern, the marker, and the information recording medium by discriminating the dots of the data dot pattern, the marker, and the information recording medium from each other.

Claim 17

A system according to claim 12, wherein the the dots of the data dot pattern are black, the marker is white, and the information recording medium is a color different from black and white, and said reading means optically reads the code on the information recording medium using a light source having wavelength characteristics which provide different amounts of reflected light and transmitted light for black, white and the color different from black and white, respectively.

Claim 18

A system according to claim 12, wherein said processing means performs error correction processing in units of predetermined numbers of bits.

Claim 19

An information recording system comprising: input means for inputting multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data; conversion means for converting the multimedia information input by said input means into an optical readable code; and recording means for recording the code converted by said conversion means on an information recording medium so as to be optically readable, wherein the code recorded on the information recording medium comprises a plurality of blocks, each comprising (i) a data dot pattern including a plurality of dots arranged in correspondence with data contents related to the multimedia information, (ii) a marker which is arranged to have a first predetermined positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, said marker determining a reference position required for reading the data dot pattern and having a size which is different from a size of the dots of the data dot pattern, and (iii) a block address dot representing an address of a block which is arranged to have a second positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern, the markers and the information recording medium have at least one of different predetermined reflectances and transmittances, wherein the data dot pattern comprises a non-modulated code capable of including a data row corresponding to a data row of the marker, and has a predetermined data value and represents consecutive numbers, wherein said conversion means comprises means for adding error correction codes to data associated with the multimedia information when the multimedia information is converted into the optical readable code to thereby perform error correction in units of a predetermined number of bits, and wherein the data to which the error correction codes are added includes a data row corresponding to a data row of the marker, and has a predetermined data value and represents consecutive numbers.

Claim 20

An information recording system comprising: input means for inputting multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data; conversion means for converting the multimedia information input by said input means into an optical readable code; and recording means for recording the code converted by said conversion means on an information recording medium so as to be optically readable, wherein the code recorded on the information recording medium comprises a plurality of blocks, each comprising (i) a data dot pattern including a plurality of dots arranged in correspondence with data contents related to the multimedia information, (ii) a marker which is arranged to have a first predetermined positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, said marker determining a reference position required for reading the data dot pattern and having a size which is different from a size of the dots of the data dot pattern, and (iii) a block address dot representing an address of a block which is arranged to have a second positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern, the markers and the information recording medium have at least one of different predetermined reflectances and transmittances, wherein the data dot pattern comprises a non-modulated code capable of including a data row corresponding to a data row of the marker, and has a predetermined data value and represents consecutive numbers, wherein said conversion means comprises means for adding error correction codes to data associated with the multimedia information when the multimedia information is converted into the optical readable code to thereby perform error correction in units of a predetermined number of bits, and wherein the data to which the error correction codes are added includes a data row corresponding to a data row of the marker, and has a predetermined data value and represents consecutive numbers.

Claim 21

An information recording system comprising: input means for inputting multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data; conversion means for converting the multimedia information input by said input means into an optical readable code; and recording means for recording the code converted by said conversion means on an information recording medium so as to be optically readable, wherein the code recorded on the information recording medium comprises a plurality of blocks, each comprising (i) a data dot pattern including a plurality of dots arranged in correspondence with data contents related to the multimedia information, (ii) a marker which is arranged to have a first predetermined positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, said marker determining a reference position required for reading the data dot pattern and having a size which is different from a size of the dots of the data dot pattern, and (iii) a block address dot representing an address of a block which is arranged to have a second positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern, the markers and the information recording medium have at least one of different predetermined reflectances and transmittances, wherein the data dot pattern comprises a non-modulated code capable of including a data row corresponding to a data row of the marker, and has a predetermined data value and represents consecutive numbers, and wherein said recording means comprises means for selecting one of colors and densities of the dots of the data dot pattern and the marker that are to be recorded on the information recording medium in correspondence with type information of the code and information associated with the information recording medium.

Claim 22

An information recording system comprising: input means for inputting multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data; conversion means for converting the multimedia information input by said input means into an optical readable code; and recording means for recording the code converted by said conversion means on an information recording medium so as to be optically readable, wherein the code recorded on the information recording medium comprises a plurality of blocks, each comprising (i) a data dot pattern including a plurality of dots arranged in correspondence with data contents related to the multimedia information, (ii) a marker which is arranged to have a first predetermined positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, said marker determining a reference position required for reading the data dot pattern and having a size which is different from a size of the dots of the data dot pattern, and (iii) a block address dot representing an address of a block which is arranged to have a second positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern, the markers and the information recording medium have at least one of different predetermined reflectances and transmittances, wherein the data dot pattern comprises a non-modulated code capable of including a data row corresponding to a data row of the marker, and has a predetermined data value and represents consecutive numbers, and wherein said recording means comprises means for selecting one of colors and densities of the dots of the data dot pattern and the marker that are to be recorded on the information recording medium in correspondence with type information of the code and information associated with the information recording medium.

Claim 23

An information recording medium on which multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data is recorded as an optical readable code, wherein the code recorded on the information recording medium comprises a plurality of blocks, each comprising (i) a data dot pattern including a plurality of dots arranged in correspondence with data contents related to the multimedia information, (ii) a marker which is arranged to have a first predetermined positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, said marker determining a reference position required for reading the data dot pattern and having a size which is different from a size of the dots of the data dot pattern, and (iii) a block address dot representing an address of a block which is arranged to have a second positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern, the markers and the information recording medium have at least one of different predetermined reflectances and transmittances, and wherein each of the dots of the data dot pattern and the marker are equal in size and shape.

Claim 24

An information recording medium on which multimedia information including at least one of audio information, image information, and text data is recorded as an optical readable code, wherein the code recorded on the information recording medium comprises a plurality of blocks, each comprising (i) a data dot pattern including a plurality of dots arranged in correspondence with data contents related to the multimedia information, (ii) a marker which is arranged to have a first predetermined positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, said marker determining a reference position required for reading the data dot pattern and having a size which is different from a size of the dots of the data dot pattern, and (iii) a block address dot representing an address of a block which is arranged to have a second positional relationship with respect to the data dot pattern, wherein the dots of the data dot pattern, the markers and the information recording medium have at least one of different predetermined reflectances and transmittances, and wherein each of the dots of the data dot pattern and the marker are equal in size and shape.