JP2000207825A - Information recording/reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information recording/reproducing device capable of normally recording/reproducing even though a recording medium is used in common among plural devices having system memories of the different capacities. SOLUTION: In this information recording/reproducing device, the sum (3rd data size) of the size of control data (1st data size) required for the recording or reproducing operation of real time data and the size of file system data (2nd data size) for control-ling the arrangement of the real time data on the recording medium is compared, large or small, with the data size (4th data size) of the system memory mounted on the device, and when the 3rd data size is larger in this comparison, the device is provided with the function to rearrange the data for reducing the 2nd data size.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for recording and / or reproducing information on and from a rewritable information recording medium, and more particularly to an apparatus for recording or reproducing data which needs to be recorded or reproduced continuously in time. It relates to a suitable device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Large-capacity and rewritable optical disk recording media such as DVD-RAM and DVD-RW have appeared.
2. Description of the Related Art Technologies for recording data such as images and sounds have been actively developed. ISO / IEC111 as video data
Generally, data encoded by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) method described in the G.72 standard, the ISO / IEC13818 standard, or the like is used. As still image data, the intra-frame coded data (I picture) of the MPEG system or ISO / IEC10918-1
Generally, data encoded by the JPEG method described in the standard is used.

As devices for recording encoded moving images and still images together with audio, digital VTRs (DVC, etc.) using a magnetic tape, and electronic still cameras using a solid-state memory such as a flash memory have already been commercialized. Have been.

A recording apparatus using an optical disk recording medium such as a DVD-RAM is a conventional digital V
Compared to TRs and electronic still cameras, etc., it has features such as random access that is difficult to realize with magnetic tape, large capacity, and low bit cost that are difficult to realize with solid-state memory such as flash memory. It is expected to be widely used as a new AV recording medium. For example, a reproduction sequence different from the data sequence can be freely defined, and a large number of still images of tens of thousands can be handled.

[0005]

In an optical disk medium such as a DVD-RAM, unlike a sequential recording medium such as a digital VTR, free random access is possible. However, when compared to magnetic disks such as hard disks, the seek operation of the head and the number of rotations of the disk are slower, so when dealing with real-time data that needs to be recorded and played back in time, such as moving images and audio, seeks It is necessary to reduce the number of times as much as possible. For this reason, a method has been devised in which a system memory is mounted on the apparatus, and management data required for recording and reproduction of real-time data is read into the system memory in advance, and then a recording / reproduction operation is performed. (Eg, Japanese Patent Application No. 10-1694).
No. 91, Japanese Patent Application No. 10-22409, Japanese Patent Application No. 10-2
No. 33837).

On the other hand, in an optical disk medium such as a DVD-RAM, data is generally recorded in the form of a file. At this time, file system data for managing user data such as the real-time data and management data is recorded in a file system area prepared separately from a generally used user data area. The user data physically fragmented and recorded on the recording medium can be used in a logically continuous state through the file system data. At the time of recording, information indicating a free area of the recording medium is separately required.
Therefore, in order to reduce the number of seeks as much as possible, it is necessary to read the file system data and the free area information together with the system memory in advance.

However, since the capacity of the system memory is generally different for each device, there is a danger that even a device having a large capacity of the system memory can operate normally even if it is a recording medium which can be normally recorded and reproduced. There is. Further, the free area information recorded on the recording medium has a large data size, and if read as it is, a large-capacity system memory is required.

An object of the present invention is to provide an information recording apparatus and an information reproducing apparatus which can record / reproduce normally even when a recording medium is shared between a plurality of apparatuses having system memories of different capacities. It is in.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a management data size (first data size) required for real-time data recording / reproducing operation is determined. The sum (third data size) of the size (second data size) of the file system data for managing the arrangement is the data size (fourth data size) of the system memory mounted on the device.
There is provided a first inspection means for inspecting whether or not the value is larger.

[0010] Further, there is provided means for alerting the user by sound or display when the third data size is larger than the fourth data size according to the result of the first inspection means.

In addition, there is provided means for rearranging the recording position of the real-time data on the information recording medium, and the third data size is larger than the fourth data size according to the result of the first inspection means. In this case, there is provided means for controlling the rearrangement means so that the second data size is reduced.

[0012] Further, the inspection means operates so that the inspection means operates when an information recording medium is inserted into the information recording apparatus and the information reproducing apparatus, or when the power is turned on with the information recording medium already inserted. Control means were provided.

Means for reading management data necessary for recording / reproducing operation of real-time data; means for reading file system data for managing the arrangement of real-time data on the recording medium; Means for reading information, the size of the management data (first data size), the size of the file system data (second data size), and the size of the free space information of the information recording medium (fifth data size) ) Is provided for checking whether or not the sum (sixth data size) is larger than the data size (fourth data size) of the system memory mounted in the apparatus.

The information processing apparatus further comprises compression means for compressing the data size of the free space information read from the information recording medium to obtain new free space information, wherein the size of the new free space information is set as a fifth data size. Of the inspection means.

[0015] The compression means inputs free area information corresponding one-to-one with the availability of each unit recording area on the information recording medium, and starts or ends the continuous address of the free area, or It is configured to output address and free area data size.

Also, the compression means inputs free area information corresponding to the free state of each unit recording area on the information recording medium on a one-to-one basis, and sets a start address of a free area that is longer than a predetermined threshold value. It is configured to output the end address or the start address and the free area data size.

When the free area information is read into the system memory, the result of the second checking means is determined. If the sixth data size is larger than the fourth data size, the reading of the free area information is performed. A means for controlling so as to stop.

In addition, a means is provided for alerting the user by sound or display when the sixth data size is larger than the fourth data size according to the result of the second inspection means.

[0019] The apparatus further comprises means for rearranging real-time data on the information recording medium, and when the sixth data size is larger than the fourth data size according to the result of the second inspection means. Means for controlling the rearrangement means so that the second data size is reduced.

Also, control is performed such that the second inspection means operates when an information recording medium is inserted into the information recording apparatus or when power is turned on with the information recording medium already inserted. The means to do it.

Means for recording on the information recording medium based on the free area information read on the system memory mounted on the apparatus; and information recording medium when the updated free area information runs out of free areas. Means for ending recording to the

Further, the apparatus is provided with a means for alerting the user by sound or display when the updated free space information runs out of free space.

[0023]

1 and 2 show the configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention. As described above, in order to record / reproduce time-continuous data (real-time data) such as moving images and audio, the system memory 1 mounted on the apparatus manages the real-time data. Management data 11 and file system data 1 for managing the arrangement of the real-time data on the recording medium.
2 is read (steps 101 and 102).

At this time, the size of the management data 11 (first
(Third data size) of the file system data 12 and the size of the file system data 12 (second data size)
Is the size of the system memory 1 (fourth data size)
In this case, the size of the file system data 12 (the second data size) is compressed so as to be within the size of the system memory 1 (the fourth data size) as described below. (Step 10
5).

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention for compressing file system data. In the figure, 2 indicates an information recording medium such as an optical disk, and 21 indicates a file in which data is physically fragmented and stored. On the other hand, reference numeral 22 denotes a file in which data is physically and continuously stored.

In a file system (subset of the ISO / IEC13346 standard) generally used for an optical disk or the like, a physically continuous data recording area (e
xtent), data indicating the start address and the data size is created, and the data is tabulated to be file system data. That is, as the data becomes fragmented, the size of the file system data increases.

Therefore, the sum of the size of the management data 11 and the size of the file system data 12
If the data size is larger than the
It is preferable that the recording positions of the fragmented data 21 be partially rearranged and continued until the data enters.

Since it is expected that the above-described data relocation takes a long time, the sum of the size of the management data 11 and the size of the file system data 12 is stored in the system memory 1 as shown in FIG. Alerts the user by sound or display when the size of the data exceeds
04). At this time, at the time of warning by sound or display (step 104), the data relocation of the information recording medium 2 may be performed after waiting for the confirmation of the user.

FIG. 4 shows the appearance (a) and the functional configuration (b) of the information recording apparatus and the information reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1A, reference numeral 2 denotes an information recording medium such as an optical disk, and reference numeral 3 denotes an information recording device or an information reproducing device.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the information recording device 3 first receives an operation instruction from the user via the operation unit 31, and then controls the operation of each unit described later from the control unit 32. At the time of recording, a signal such as an image and a sound is input from the input unit 33, and the encoder 34 performs encoding such as the MPEG method. Encoded data such as moving images, still images, and audio are input to a drive 36 via a track buffer 35 and recorded on a recording medium 37. At the time of reproduction, the management data is transmitted from the recording medium 37 by the drive 36 to the control unit 32.
After that, the encoded data is read out based on the information and input to the track buffer 35. The encoded data from the track buffer 35 is decoded by the decoder 38 and output from the output unit 39.

The detailed operation of each of the above components is described in Japanese Patent Application No.
As described in, for example, US Pat. No. 169,491 and the like, the detailed configuration can be realized by a known technique, so that it is not particularly illustrated here.

In the information reproducing apparatus 3 dedicated to the reproducing operation, the input section 33 and the encoder 34 are unnecessary.
Also, the data reading shown in FIG.
102), data size comparison inspection (step 10)
Processes such as 3), warning to the user (Step 104), and data size compression (Step 105) may be performed by the control unit 32 using software control or the like. If these processes are performed frequently, it takes a long time and the user's usability deteriorates. For example, the information recording device such as an optical disc and the information reproducing device 3 may be provided with an information recording medium 2 such as an optical disc.
May be controlled by the control unit 32 so as to perform the operation when the power is turned on when the information recording medium 2 is already inserted in the information recording apparatus and the information reproducing apparatus 3.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, management data 11, file system data 12, and data 13 of free space information of an information recording medium are read into a system memory 1 mounted on the apparatus (steps 401, 402, 403). At this time, the sum of the data sizes (sixth data size) is obtained, and the size of the system memory 1 (fourth data size)
When the sum of the data sizes (sixth data size) becomes larger than the size of the system memory 1 (fourth data size), the reading is terminated. If reading is performed in the order of steps 401, 402, and 403, even if the reading process is completed in the middle of step 403, the data reproducing operation is not adversely affected, and the free space recognized by the system is reduced and data recording is performed. It is possible to suppress the influence of merely shortening the recording time.

FIG. 7 shows an example of free area information (space bitmap descriptor) used in the file system of the ISO / IEC13346 standard.
In the figure, 51 indicates TAG information, 52 indicates bitmap information, and 53 indicates the first empty position.

In the TAG information 51 at the head, information indicating that this information is free area information (space bitmap descriptor), and the number of bits and bytes of bitmap information indicating free area are written. ing.
In the next bitmap information 52, the state of whether or not one sector is an empty area corresponding to one bit is written, and the place where 1 bit is set indicates that the area is an empty area.
Indicates that data has already been written.

In the case where the free space is represented by this method, for example, about 294 kB for a 4.7 GB disk capacity
(= 4.7 GB / 2 kB (1 Sector) / 8 bi
The data size of t) is required. At this time,
The system memory 1 is better when the free space data is compressed.
It is clear that can be used efficiently.

FIG. 8 shows an example of the flow of the operation of reading and compressing bitmap information indicating the recording status of the information recording medium according to the present invention.

First, the bit map information 52 shown in FIG. 7 is read (step 601), and it is determined whether or not one bit indicating empty is set (step 602). If one bit is set, the start sector position is calculated from the bit position (step 603). Next, in order to calculate the size of the free area, bitmap information is subsequently read out (step 604), and a bit of 0 indicating that writing has been completed is determined (step 605). When the bit of 0 is determined, the number of sectors is calculated from the continuous number of bits 1 (step 606). The combination of the start sector position and the number of sectors is written in the system memory 1 (step 60).
7) It is determined whether the bitmap information has been read to the end (step 608). Here, the combination of the start sector position and the end sector position may be written in the system memory 1 without calculating the number of sectors.

In order to record data continuously in time, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application No. 10-188522, only physically continuous free areas are selectively used. It is known that data needs to be recorded. In other words, since the free space less than the continuous length cannot be used, if the continuous length is used as a threshold and only the continuous free space equal to or more than the threshold is selectively read into the system memory 1, the free space data size is further reduced. Can be compressed.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a flow in the case where data is recorded by selectively using only physically continuous free areas. 8, the start sector position is calculated (steps 601, 602, and 603), the number of sectors is calculated (steps 604, 605, and 606), and it is determined whether the threshold value is exceeded (step 701). If the combination exceeds the threshold, the combination is written to the system memory 1 (step 607). If the combination is not written in the system memory 1, the data size of the free area is further reduced. Can be.

FIG. 10 shows that when the sum of the size of the management data, the size of the file system data, and the size of the free space information data is larger than the data size of the system memory when the free space information is read into the system memory, 5 shows an example of an operation flow in the case of compressing the size of.

Referring to FIG. 3, while reading management data 11, file system data 12, and data 13 of free space information of an information recording medium into a system memory 1 mounted on the apparatus (steps 401, 402, 403),
The sum (sixth data size) of each data size is determined, and it is determined whether the sum (sixth data size) of each data size is larger than the size (fourth data size) of the system memory 1. (Step 801). If the sum of the data sizes (sixth data size) becomes larger than the size of the system memory 1 (fourth data size), the fragmented data 2 shown in FIG.
The data size of the file system data is compressed by partially rearranging the recording positions of No. 1 and continuing them (step 8).
03), the data 13 of the free space information is read again (step 804).

Since it is expected that the above-described data rearrangement requires a long time, the sum of the data sizes (6th
When the data size exceeds the data size of the system memory (the fourth data size), the user may be warned by sound or display (step 802). At this time, at the time of a warning by sound or display (step 802), data rearrangement of the information recording medium 2 may be performed after waiting for confirmation by the user.

FIG. 11 shows an example of a flow when real-time data is recorded on the information recording medium of the present invention. In the figure, first, as described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 10, the free space information is read into the system memory 1 (step 901), and is recorded on the information recording medium 2 based on the free space information data 13. (Step 902), and the corresponding management data 11, file system data 12, and free area information data 13 on the system memory 1 are updated (step 903).

Next, the user determines whether the recording end button or the like has been pressed (step 9).
04), it is determined whether or not there is a free area in the updated free area information (step 905), and the processing is repeated until the recording is completed. When there is no free space in the free space information updated during the recording, the recording on the information recording medium is ended (step 907). At this time, when the free space information updated in the middle of the recording runs out of free space, a warning is given by sound or display (step 906), so that the user is finished recording on the information recording medium 2 such as an optical disk. May be indicated.

In the above embodiment, the DVD-RAM and the file system of the ISO / IEC13346 standard have been described as examples. However, the present invention is not limited to this. And other file systems can be similarly used.

[0047]

According to the present invention, even if a recording medium is shared between a plurality of apparatuses having system memories of different capacities, recording and reproduction can be normally performed, and the information recording apparatus and information reproduction can be performed with less system memory. The device can be configured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a first example of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a processing flowchart of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of file system data compression in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an external view and a functional block diagram illustrating an example of an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a second example of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a processing flowchart of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of free area information.

FIG. 8 is a processing flowchart showing an example of compression of free area information according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a processing flowchart of an embodiment for selectively recording data in a physically continuous free area.

FIG. 10 is a processing flowchart of an embodiment for compressing the size of file system data.

FIG. 11 is a processing flowchart showing an embodiment at the time of data recording according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... System memory mounted in apparatus, 11 ... Management data, 12 ... File system data, 13 ... Data of free space information, 2 ... Information recording medium such as optical disk, 21 ...
A file in a physically fragmented state, 22 a file in a physically continuous state, 3 an information recording device or an information reproducing device, 31 an operation unit, 32 a control unit, 33 an input unit, 34 an encoder, 35 ... track buffer, 36
... Drive, 37 ... Recording medium, 38 ... Decoder, 39 ...
Output section.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Tetsu Date 1-280 Higashi Koikebo, Kokubunji-shi, Tokyo Inside the Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Tamotsu Ito 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Pref. F-term in Hitachi Multimedia Systems Development Division (reference) 5D044 AB01 BC04 CC04 DE03 DE72 DE76 GK07

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A method according to claim 1, wherein data required to be recorded / reproduced continuously in time (real-time data) and data required for recording / reproducing operation of said real-time data (management data) are stored in a file system. In the information recording / reproducing apparatus for recording on the recording medium or reproducing from the information recording medium, the size of the management data (first data size)
And the sum (third data size) of the size (second data size) of the file system data for managing the arrangement of the real-time data on the recording medium is determined by the data size (second data size) of the system memory mounted on the device. 4. An information recording / reproducing apparatus, comprising: a first inspection means for inspecting whether the data size is larger than (4 data size). 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for sounding or displaying a warning to the user when the third data size is larger than the fourth data size in accordance with a result of the first inspection means. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein And means for rearranging the recording position of the real-time data on the information recording medium, wherein the third data size is larger than the fourth data size according to a result of the first inspection means. 3. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling said rearrangement means so as to reduce said second data size. 4. The first inspection means operates when the information recording medium is inserted into the information recording / reproducing apparatus, or when the power is turned on with the information recording medium already inserted. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising means for performing control as described above. 5. An information recording apparatus for recording real-time data on an information recording medium via a file system,
Means for reading management data necessary for real-time data recording / reproducing operations, means for reading file system data for managing the arrangement of real-time data on the recording medium, and means for reading free space information on the information recording medium. And the sum (the fifth data size) of the size of the management data (first data size), the size of the file system data (second data size), and the size of the free area information of the information recording medium (fifth data size). An information recording apparatus, comprising: a second inspection unit that inspects whether the data size (data size of No. 6) is larger than the data size (fourth data size) of a system memory mounted in the apparatus. 6. A compression means for compressing the data size of the free space information read from the information recording medium to obtain new free space information, wherein the size of the new free space information is set to a fifth value.
6. The information recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the data size is input to the second inspection means. 7. The compression means inputs vacant area information corresponding one-to-one with the vacancy status of each unit recording area on the information recording medium, and inputs a start address and an end address of a vacant area having continuous addresses, or a start address. 7. The information recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the address and the free area data size are output. 8. The compression means inputs free area information corresponding one-to-one with the availability of each unit recording area on the information recording medium, and stores the start address of a continuous free area longer than a predetermined threshold value. 8. The information recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein an end address or a start address and a free area data size are output. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the result of said second check means is determined when the free area information is read into the system memory, and when the sixth data size is larger than the fourth data size,
9. The information recording apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising means for controlling so as to stop reading the free area information. 10. A device according to claim 6, further comprising a means for sounding or displaying a warning to a user when the sixth data size is larger than the fourth data size in accordance with a result of the second inspection means. 10. The information recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein And means for rearranging real-time data on an information recording medium, wherein the sixth data size is larger than the fourth data size according to a result of the second inspection means. 11. The information recording apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: means for controlling the rearrangement means so that the second data size is reduced. 12. Control so that said second inspection means operates when an information recording medium is inserted into said information recording apparatus, or when power is turned on with said information recording medium already inserted. The information recording apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 11, further comprising means for performing. 13. A means for recording on an information recording medium based on free area information read on a system memory mounted on an apparatus, and an information recording medium when the updated free area information runs out of free areas. 13. The information recording apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising means for terminating recording on the information recording apparatus. 14. An information recording apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising means for alerting a user by sound or display when the updated free space information has no free space.