Method and apparatus for recording digitized information on a record medium

A method of recording n channels of analog signals as digital signals in m data tracks on a record medium, wherein each channel is recorded in m/n data tracks (m.gtoreq.n and m and n are integers) comprising the steps of:

• providing a format control signal;
• encoding each channel of analog signals into a channel of corresponding digital signals by sampling each channel of analog signals at a samplilng rate and converting each sample into an encoded digital signal in accordance with a pre-selected encoding scheme;
• modulating the encoded digital signals in accordance with a pre-selected type of modulation;
• recording each channel of encoded, modulated digital signals in successive data blocks in m/n data tracks, each data block being comprised of plural information words derived from plural samples of said analog signal and at least one error correcting word, and a predetermined number of data blocks being recorded in a respective track within a sector interval;
• at least one of said steps of encoding, modulating and recording being pre-selected in accordance with said format control signal;
• generating a control signal including control data responsive to said format control signal representing at least one of the following:
• (a) the number of data tracks per channel in which said encoded digital signals are recorded, (b) the pre-selected encoding scheme used for encoding each channel, and (c) the pre-selected type of modulation used for modulating each channel;
• and
• recording said control signals in a separate control track within said sector interval.

A method of recovering at least one channel of digitized information that has been encoded, modulated and recorded in at least one data track on a record medium in accordance with a selected one of plural formats;

• and wherein a control track also has been recorded on said record medium containing a control signal which includes format data representing at least one of the following:
• (a) the number of data tracks in which said at least one channel of digitized information has been recorded, (b) the encoding scheme in which said digitized information has been encoded, and (c) the type of modulation with which said digitized information has been modulated, said method comprising the steps of reproducing said at least one channel of digitized information from said at least one data track;
• reproducing said control signal from said control track;
• recovering said format data from the reproduced control signal;
• and utilizing the recovered format data to recover the original digitized information regardless of the particular format in which the digitized information had been recorded.

Apparatus for recording at least one channel of digitized information in a selected number of data tracks on a movable record medium, comprising:

• format means for establishing a selected one of plural formats for said digitized information, said format including a particular encoding scheme, type of modulation, speed of movement of said record medium and number of data tracks per channel for said digitized information;
• control signal generating means for generating a control signal including control data representing the format established for said digitized information;
• data recording means for recording said at least one channel of digitized information in said selected number of data tracks on said record medium;
• and
• control recording means for recording said control signal in a separate control track on said record medium.

Apparatus for recording n channels of digitized information on a record medium and for reproducing said n channels of digitized information therefrom, comprising:

• data encoding means for encoding said digitized information in a predetermined encoding scheme;
• demultiplexing means having n inputs and m outputs for distributing each channel of encoded digitized information to m/n respective outputs (m.gtoreq.n and m and n are integers);
• data recording means coupled to said demultiplexing means for recording each channel of encoded digitized information in m/n respective data tracks on said record medium;
• control signal generating means for generating a control signal including a control code representing at least the number of data tracks in which each channel of digitized information is recorded;
• control recording means coupled to said control signal generating means for recording said control signal in a separate control track on said record medium;
• data reproducing means for reproducing each channel of digitized information recorded in said respective m/n data tracks;
• control reproducing means for reproducing said control signal from said control track;
• multiplexing means having m inputs for receiving the digitized information reproduced from the respective data tracks, n outputs for providing n channels of digitized information, and switching means responsive to said control data for selectively coupling a respective one of sid n outputs to successive predetermined ones of said inputs, thereby recovering said n channels of digitized information;
• and
• data decoding means for decoding the respective channels of the encoded digitized information.