Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Akira Matsueda

Takeshi Mori

Takao Rokutan

Yuichiro Akatsuka

Tatsuo Nagasaki

Akira Matsui

Shinichi Imade

Masahide Kanno

Hiroki Hibino

Hiroyoshi Fujimori

Nagahiro Gocho

Hisayuki Harada

Kowji Tanikawa

Takefumi Sakurada

Tadashi Kato

Yasuo Nakajoh

Mutsumi Kikuchi

Hiroyuki Yashima

Isamu Misawa

Takayuki Abe

Isao Hirosawa

Yoshikazu Ohnami

There is disclosed a printed material in which a railway route chart including station indications indicated by a predetermined symbol or pattern and a railway route indication disposed between the station indications and indicated by a predetermined symbol or pattern is printed, and in which a dot code as an optically readable coded image obtained by coding/processing a sound about railway is printed as the railway route indication.

Printed material with railway route chart printed thereon, information presenting method, information presentation system, information resource, and ticket issuing method

Dot codes (i.e., code images) are printed on a paper sheet. Each dot code has a variable part and a fixed part. The variable part is specific to the dot code, whereas the fixed part is common to the dot codes. The fixed part represents an audio mark that informs a user when the user should move a dot code reader (i.e., a code image reading apparatus) to read the next dot code. As the user moves the dot code reader over any dot code, the reader reproduces an audio message from the variable part and then an audio mark from the fixed part. The user hears the audio message and the audio mark through an earphone. Upon hearing the audio mark indicating that the audio message has been completely reproduced, the user may move the reader to the next dot code.

Code Image reading apparatus

To minimize shifting of the line of sight of an operator and accomplish proper association of a medium surface and a display screen with each other to ensure data presentation with standardized media, an information reproducing system includes a code book in which code information with respect to multimedia information including at least voices and images is recorded, a reading section for reading codes recorded in the code book. A processing section is provided for processing and outputting data read by the reading section is provided and a face mounted display is provided for outputting at least voices and images based on the processed data output by the processing section. The face mounted display forms at least a real image or an imaginary image of the output image at a position of a predetermined distance on the same line of sight.

Optical reproducing system for multimedia information

An illumination section illuminates a code on a recording medium, on which data about audio information is recorded as an optically readable code, by repeatedly emitting light at predetermined intervals. An image sensing section receives each of light beams reflected by the recording medium including the code illuminated by the illumination section in a read/scan operation for the code, and outputs a corresponding image sensing signal. A signal processing section decodes the data about the audio information by processing the image sensing signal output from the image sensing section. A reproduction output section reproduces the audio information on the basis of the data decoded by the signal processing section and outputs the information. A supply voltage detection section detects a supply voltage to a power supply circuit system including a battery used as a power supply of the apparatus. A detection timing control section controls the supply voltage detection section to detect the supply voltage at a predetermined timing in image sensing operation performed by the image sensing section at the time of light emission after the supply voltage to the power supply circuit system is turned on by a power switch and first light emission is performed by the illumination section.

Code reading apparatus having optimal battery voltage detection function

A code read apparatus optically reads, by manual scanning, a two-dimensional code recorded on a recording medium. The code comprises a plurality of blocks having dot patterns arranged in accordance with multimedia information. An area sensor of an imaging section of the code read apparatus outputs an image signal in accordance with a clock signal generated by a clock generator. The area sensor is constructed and the clock signal is determined such that a maximum scan speed V of 160 mm/s to 200 mm/s, at which the code can be read at the time of manual scanning, is achieved, the maximum scan speed being given by ##EQU1## where m=the number of blocks in one imaging screen in the scan direction, lm=the length of one block in the scan direction, and t=the imaging cycle.

Manual scanning apparatus for reading an optical code representing

An IC having an image pickup element for optically picking up a code to output an image signal, and an optical system for optically inputting the code to the image pickup element are provided to a reading section for optically reading a code from an information recording medium having a portion at which multimedia information is recorded as an optically readable code. The image pickup element and the optical system are integrally arranged. Further, an IC having an image memory for storing the image signal output from the image pickup element, and an IC for reconstituting the multimedia information from the image signal are provided. A defective element due to a semiconductor manufacturing method is used for at least one of these ICs.

Information reproduction system for reproducing multimedia information

A clock detection device, for an information recording/reproducing apparatus, which detects whether or not data is present on a recording medium with the edge of a data reproduction clock, which is obtained by reproducing clock information for use in synchronizing with the data recorded on the recording medium to reproduce data on the medium. A plurality of read-clock generating cell groups for generating reading clocks and write-clock generating cell groups for generating writing clocks are disposed in such a manner that the reading clocks and writing clocks have a phase difference of 90 degrees. Among the write-clock generating cell group, reproduction signals having phases which are different from each other by 180 degrees can be obtained from even-numbered cells and odd-numbered cells. By obtaining the sum of the reproduction signals from the odd-numbered cells and that of the reproduction signals from the even-numbered cell, and by subtracting the two sum signals, a writing clock is obtained.

Clock detection device of information recording/reproducing apparatus

An optical data reproducing apparatus detects a moving speed of an optical card and correct reproduced data in accordance with the detected speed in order to compensate for a speed variation of the optical card, Two read beams which are separated by a given distance in a track direction are irradiated to the card and are detected by two detectors, The moving speed is detected based on a difference between detection timings of the two detectors with regard to a given pit. In order to make pit-to-pit correspondence between the detection timings of the two detectors, a sync portion is first detected and the last pit in the sync portion is numbered the first pit and the difference between the detection timings of the same ordered pits is calculated to obtain the moving speed, The sync portion is recorded as a plurality of pits arranged at regular intervals, Intervals of the pits are detected and a ratio of the intervals detected is compared with a predetermined ratio for representing a sync pattern.

Apparatus for reproducing data from optical data recording medium

A focus control device for an optical head in an optical recording and reproducing apparatus for optically performing recording/reproducing. The focus control device includes an optical detector having a plurality of optical detecting sections for detecting reflected light of an optical beam irradiated to an optical recording medium, an error-signal generating circuit for generating a focus error signal on the basis of an output from the optical detector, and a focus regulating mechanism for regulating a focusing state on a surface of an optical recording medium of the optical beam on the basis of a focus error signal. The focus control device further includes a pseudo-focus-error-signal generating circuit which generates a pseudo focus error signal of a predetermined level for bringing back the focusing point of the optical beam to the control target position. The focus control device further includes an error signal selecting circuit for selectively switching an error signal supplied to the focus regulating mechanism such that a pseudo focus error signal is outputted in place of the focus error signal of an output from the error-signal generating circuit when the focusing point of the optical beam is shifted by a predetermined quantity from the control target position.

Focus control device in optical recording and reproducing apparatus

A regenerating device for an optical recording medium which includes a detector preferably consisting of a charge modulation device and cell groups disposed in a matrix configuration, readout switches, a column selecting device for selecting the readout switches provided at every column on the basis of inputted column-address information, and a row selecting device for selecting cells in a specific row on the basis of inputted row-address information. The regenerating device further includes a readout device for defining, by time sharing, a cell region in a predetermined position of all of the cells disposed in the detector so as to read out detecting signals by time-sharing from these cells. The regenerating device controls a servo-control device controlling an optical head by using the detected signal in the detector, and furthermore, reads information recorded in a medium by using a reading device.

Regenerating device for optical recording medium in which overlapping

This optical record reproducing apparatus automatically controls the light amount of a reproducing light source and comprises a switching device switching on/off the control of a reproducing light source driving electric current by an automatic light amount controlling device to prevent the fluctuation of the emitted light amount of the reproducing light source during the operation of reading the data out of an optical recording medium and switching off the control of the reproducing light source driving electric current at least during an operation of reading out the information recorded in the optical recording medium and a holding device holding the light source driving electric current just before switching off the control of the reproducing light source driving electric current by the automatic light amount controlling device by this switching device.

Optical record reproducing apparatus including automatic light amount

An erase mark detecting circuit and an optical information recording/reproducing apparatus in which the erase mark detecting circuit is applied in a suitable manner, in which an erase mark is superimposed on a predetermined portion of an information unit, such as information track and information sector, the erase mark is detected in accordance with a mean level of a data reproducing signal of the erase mark superimposed region and an existence of information data recorded on said predetermined portion. Therefore, according to the invention, the erase mark can be detected in a correct and stable manner without being influenced by the content of the information data recorded on the information unit or the recording method of the information data.

Erase mark detecting circuit for detecting an erase mark superimposed on

In this invention, a reading signal detected by a photodetector is input into two differentiating circuits of different differential constants. The first differentiating circuit differentiates the reading signal with the differential constant larger than that of, for example, the second differentiating circuit and lowers the level of the noise component present as mixed in the reading signal. The first comparing circuit removes the noise component, for example, below the threshold value. The second differentiating circuit differentiates the reading signal with the differential constant converting the peak point of the reading signal, for example, of the above mentioned photodetector to a zero crossing point. The second comparing circuit compares the differential signal of the above mentioned differentiating circuit with the threshold value set, for example, on the zero level and makes the output signal rise, for example, in the center position of an information pit. A bivalued signal logical circuit obtains a bivalued signal made by bivaluing the reading signal from the respective output signals of the first and second comparing circuits.

Reading signal processing circuit in optical information reproducing

In an apparatus for reproducing digital information recorded on a track in an optical record medium as discrete record portions representing bit '1' signals in the digital information, main and sub-reading light beams are projected on the optical record medium such that the sub-reading light beam is situated on the same track as that on which the main reading light beam is situated, but is shifted forwardly with respect to the main reading light beam relative to the scanning direction. The main and sub-reading light beams reflected by the optical record medium are photo-electrically converted into main and sub-reproduced signals, respectively. Peaks of the sub-reproduced signal are detected to derive a peak signal, and then the amplitude and offset of the peak signal are adjusted to produce a threshold signal. Alternatively, an average of the sub-reproduced signal is detected to derive an average value signal and the amplitude and offset of the average signal are adjusted to produce a threshold signal. The main and sub-reproduced signals are supplied to a voltage comparator to derive a bivalent signal which represents the recorded digital information.

Apparatus for reproducing information out of optical record medium

An optical record medium in the form of a wallet-size optical card including a data region in which a number of data tracks are provided in parallel with each other, an identification region provided on one side of the data region, and a mark region provided on a side of the identification regions. Data signals are recorded in the data tracks and addresses of the data tracks are recorded in the identification region. Every time a data signal has been recorded in a data track, a mark is recorded in the mark region at such a position that the mark is aligned with the relevant data track viewed in a track direction.

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Hachioji, Japan

Akira Matsueda