Method and apparatus for reading information on information recording medium having track structure

A method of reading information, which is recorded in at least one spiral track of a recording medium at a normal velocity and is arranged in time series order, said method comprising the steps of:

• repeatedly reading one track of said recording medium a plurality of times at a reading velocity not lower than twice said normal velocity, and generating a plurality of pieces of information corresponding to each time said one track is read;
• comparing respective quantities of read errors contained in said pieces of information of said one track with each other;
• selecting one of said pieces of information having the minimum quantity of read errors among the compared pieces of information;
• and
• outputting said selected piece of information as digital information arranged in time series order.

An apparatus for reading digital information recorded on a spiral track of an information recording disk at a normal rotating speed, said digital information consisting of information blocks including error correction codes, said reading apparatus comprising:

• means for rotating said information recording disk at a reading rotating speed not lower than twice said normal rotating speed;
• means for reading one track of said recording disk a plurality of times at said reading rotating speed, and for generating a plurality of respective read information blocks;
• distribution circuit for respectively distributing said plurality of read information blocks into a plurality of demodulating means, said demodulating means including an error correcting circuit for subjecting each block of said read information to error detection and error correction based on said error correction codes;
• means for comparing respective amounts of error of said plurality of blocks;
• means for selecting a block having a minimum error relative to the remaining plurality of blocks;
• and
• compensation circuit for compensating said selected block.

An apparatus for correcting information read from a recording medium having said information recorded at a first velocity on at least one track, said recording medium being reproduced by a recording/reproducing player, said apparatus comprising:

• rotating device rotating said recording medium at a second velocity at least twice said first velocity;
• reading device reading said information recorded on said recording medium at least two times at said second velocity, and generating at least two reading information pieces respectively corresponding to said at least two times;
• at least two error detection/correction circuits, coupled to said reading device, respectively receiving said at least two information pieces, detecting errors within each information piece, and correcting such errors when possible;
• and
• compare/selection device, coupled to said error detection/correction circuits, comparing the number of errors for each of said at least two information pieces that could not be corrected by said error detection/correction circuits, selecting one of said at least two information pieces that has the lowest number or errors that could not be corrected.