Image information recording method and apparatus, image information reproducing method and apparatus and editing method and system

A method of recording image information formed in recording units composed of a plurality of flames, comprising the steps of:

• coding by intraframe-coding at least one frame of said image information of one of said recording units and by interframe-coding the remaining flames of said image information of said recording unit;
• deciding whether said image information is to be divided;
• dividing said image information of one frame selectively coded by intraframe-coding or interframe-coding into first and second groups of image information or outputting undivided coded image information, based on said step of deciding;
• adding decoding information to said first and second groups of image information or said undivided coded image information;
• determining whether insertion start and end points are positioned at respective borders between two recording units and adjusting said insertion start and end points to correspond to such respective borders if it is determined that they are not so positioned;
• recording said undivided coded image information in first and second recording areas of a recording medium at said insertion start point and selectively recording said first or second group of image information from two sequential flames on said first and second recording areas at said insertion end point;
• and
• recording the other of said first and second groups of image information on said first and second recording areas between said insertion start and end points.

An apparatus for recording image information, formed in recording units composed of a plurality of frames, on a recording medium, comprising:

• coding means for intraframe-coding at least one frame of said image information of one of said recording units and interframe-coding the remaining frames of image information of said recording unit;
• dividing means for dividing said image information of one frame selectively coded by intraframe-coding or interframe-coding into at least first and second of image information groups;
• recording means for recording said first and second groups of image information on first and second recording areas of said recording medium;
• determining means for determining whether insertion start and end points are positioned at a border of two recording units and adjusting said insertion start and end points to correspond to respective borders if it is determined that they are not so positioned;
• and
• control means for controlling said recording means to selectively record said first or second group of image information represented by two sequential frames in respective first and second recording areas at said insertion start and end points and record the other of said first and second groups in said first and second recording areas between said insertion start and end points.

An apparatus for recording image information, formed in recording units composed of data of a plurality of frames on a recording medium, comprising:

• coding means for intraframe-coding at least one frame of image information of one of said recording units, and interframe-coding the remaining frames of image information of said recording unit;
• deciding means for deciding whether said image information is to be divided;
• dividing means for dividing said image information of one frame selectively coded by intraframe-coding or interframe-coding into first and second groups of image information or outputting undivided coded image information, based on an output of said deciding means;
• recording means for recording said first and second groups of image information and the undivided image information on first and second recording areas of said recording medium;
• determining means for determining whether insertion start and end points are positioned at respective borders of two recording units and adjusting said insertion start and end points to correspond to such respective borders if it is determined that they are not no positioned;
• and
• control means for controlling said recording means to record said undivided image information in first and second recording areas at said insertion start point, selectively record said first or second group of image information from two sequential frames on said first or second recording areas at said insertion end point, and record the other of said first and second groups on said first and second recording areas between said insertion start and end points.

A method of editing image information to record insert image information at a desired location on a recording medium containing previously recorded image information, said insert and previously recorded image information being formed of a plurality of recording units each composed of a plurality of frames, said plurality of frames being selectively intraframe or interframe-coded and being divided into first and second groups of image information to be recorded in first and second recording areas of said recording medium, comprising the steps of:

• indicating an insertion start point;
• determining whether said insertion start point is positioned at a border of two recording units of said previously recorded image information and adjusting said insertion start point to correspond to such a border if it is determined that it is not so positioned;
• selectively recording said first or second group of said insert image information from two sequential frames on said first and second recording areas at said insertion start point;
• and
• recording the other of said first and second groups of said insert image information on said first and second recording areas thereafter.

A method of editing image information to record insert image information at a desired location on a recording medium containing previously recorded image information, said insert and previously recorded image information being formed of a plurality of recording units each composed of a plurality of frames, said plurality of frames being selectively interframe or intraframe-coded and being divided into first or second groups of image information, or left undivided, to be recorded in first and second areas of said recording medium, comprising the steps of:

• indicating an insertion start point;
• determining whether said insertion start point is positioned at a border of two recording units of said previously recorded image information and adjusting said insertion start point to correspond to such a border if it is decided that it is not so positioned;
• recording said insert image information, being undivided, on said first and second recording areas at said insertion start point;
• and
• recording said first and second groups of said insert image information in said first and second recording areas thereafter.

An apparatus for editing image information to record insert image information at a desired location on a recording medium containing previously recorded image information, said insert and previously recorded insert image information being formed of a plurality of recording units each composed of a plurality of frames, said plurality of frames being selectively interframe or intraframe-coded and being divided into first and second groups of image information to be recorded in first and second recording areas of said recording means, comprising:

• indicating means for indicating an insertion start point;
• determining means for determining whether said insertion start point is positioned at a border of two recording units of said previously recorded image information and for adjusting said insertion start point to correspond to such a border if it is determined that it is not so positioned;
• recording means for recording said first and second groups of said insert image information;
• and
• control means for controlling said recording means to selectively record said first or second group of said insert image information from two sequential frames on said first and second recording areas at said insertion start point and record the other of said first and second groups of said insert image information on said first and second recording areas thereafter.

An apparatus for editing image information to record insert information at a desired location on a recording medium containing previously recorded image information, said insert and previously recorded image information being formed of a plurality of recording units each composed of a plurality of frames, said plurality of frames being selectively interframe or intraframe-coded and being divided into first and second groups of image information, or left undivided, to be recorded in first and second recording areas of said recording medium, comprising:

• indicating means for indicating an insertion start point;
• determining means for determining whether said insertion start point is positioned at a border of two recording units of said previously recorded image information and for adjusting said insertion start point to correspond to such a border if it is determined that it is not so positioned;
• recording means for selectively recording said first or second group of said insert image information or said insert image information which is undivided;
• control means for controlling said recording means to record said insert image information, being undivided, on said first and second recording areas at said insertion start point and record said first and second groups of said insert image information on said first and second recording areas thereafter.