JP2002304822A - Information recording method, information recorder, information recording management method and information recording management device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information recording method that can record in real time even contents of a large capacity to a plurality of recording media without the need for dividing the contents into a plurality of contents in advance. SOLUTION: When an idle capacity of a recording medium during recording gets smaller, write of contents information to the recording medium is stopped, the destination of the contents information is changed from the recording medium to a storage means capable of writing/reading at the same time that is built in the recorder of this invention and the contents information is written in the storage means. While the contents information are continuously written to the storage means, the contents information having been written in the storage means are sequentially read and then written to a new recording medium loaded next.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention uses a plurality of recording media such as a stationary storage device such as a hard disk device and a detachable recording medium such as an optical disk.
For example, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for recording and managing content information such as video information and audio information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art MPEG (Moving Picture)
e Experts Group) With the progress of encoding methods such as 2 video, systems for digitally recording a compressed video signal are increasing. Among them, the field of so-called home servers has been spotlighted.

At present, what is being discussed as a home server is to record compressed video content on a video deck or a recording device of the size of a personal computer. To function as a library,
The recording device is capable of recording hundreds of titles (in this specification, one title means one broadcast program, one movie program, etc.) or more. Things.

[0004] In this specification, the term "content" refers to recorded content such as video, audio, and character text recorded on a recording medium (hereinafter, referred to as a recording medium), and the information is referred to as content information.

[0005]

As the recording media used in the above-described home server system, there are considered a removable recording medium that can be attached to and detached from a recording apparatus, and a fixed recording medium that cannot be attached and detached. . As an example of the removable recording medium, for example, a DVD (Digita
For example, a hard disk device is used as an example of a fixed recording medium. A hard disk device is a recording medium that can be written and read at the same time.

In such a system, it is conceivable to copy the content information stored in the hard disk device to a removable recording medium such as an optical disk. However, since this is a new technical field, a sufficient study has been conventionally made. Had not come.

[0007] In particular, when the information capacity of one content is larger than the capacity of the removable recording medium, a favorable result cannot be obtained if the existing technology is used. For example, if one of the contents is always recorded in one of the removable recording media, when the information capacity of the content is large, when recording on an optical disc,
It was necessary to reduce the capacity by compressing data by re-encoding the content information. In this case, there is a problem that the quality of the content is not preserved when the data is written on the optical disc due to the data compression by the re-encoding.

One piece of content information having a large capacity is divided into a plurality of pieces in advance, and the capacity of each piece of the divided content information is set to be smaller than the capacity of the optical disc. A method of recording information on each of a plurality of optical disks is also conceivable. In this method, since data compression is unnecessary, the quality of the content can be maintained.

However, in the case of this method, there is a problem that usability is deteriorated because a process of dividing the content information into a plurality of pieces in advance is required. In addition, there is a problem that it is necessary to divide one piece of content information having a large capacity in advance, and this method cannot be applied to recording a broadcast program in real time.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus which can solve the above problems.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an information recording method according to the present invention records one piece of content information over a plurality of recording media which can be attached to and detached from an apparatus. The method, when the free space of the recording medium during recording becomes low, stops writing the content information to the recording medium, and writes the content information from the recording medium to the device from the recording medium. A step of writing the content information in the storage means, instead of a built-in, simultaneously writable and readable storage means, and writing of the content information to the storage means while continuing to write the content information in the storage means Reading the content information sequentially and writing the content information to the next recording medium.

According to the present invention having the above-described structure, the information capacity of the content being recorded is large, so that even if the recording cannot be completed with one of the detachable recording media, it is built into the recording apparatus. Is stored in a so-called FIFO
(First In First Out) It can be used as a memory and connected to the next removable recording medium for recording.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the information recording method according to the first aspect, when one piece of content information is recorded on a plurality of recording media, at least the identification information of the content, and The identification information of the plurality of recording media on which the content information is recorded is stored in the recording device.

In the information recording management method according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when one piece of content information is recorded on a plurality of removable recording media, the recording device stores the content identification information and the content information. Since the identification information of a plurality of recording media on which the content is recorded is stored, when the content is searched using the identification information of the content as a search element, the plurality of recording media on which the content is recorded can be easily detected. be able to.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an information record management method and an information record management device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below can receive and view broadcast programs, record the received broadcast programs on a plurality of recording media, build a library, and issue a user's instruction. In this case, the user can appropriately select and play the selected library from the library.

In this embodiment, the recording media include a recording medium that cannot be detached from the apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a fixed storage medium) and a recording medium that can be detached from the apparatus (hereinafter, detachable). Storage media). As an example of the fixed recording medium, a hard disk drive is used as an example of a built-in storage device built in the device, and as an example of a removable recording medium, a DVD-
An optical disk such as a RAM is used.

[Configuration of the embodiment of the information recording management device]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a video recording / reproducing device 1 as an embodiment of an information recording management device. The video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 records a video signal supplied from a television broadcast or the like in a compressed state, in this example, a bit stream of MPEG2, on a hard disk or an optical disk, and also records the signal. Information about content information is stored in a database memory as a library database.

The video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 displays the library data stored in the database memory on a television monitor screen so that the user can select the content to be reproduced and viewed, and Is read from an optical disk or a hard disk, decoded into a video signal by an MPEG2 decoder, and displayed on a television monitor screen. Hereinafter, FIG. 1 will be described in detail.

The video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 includes an antenna terminal 11 to which a broadcast (satellite broadcast, terrestrial broadcast, cable, etc.) signal is input, a tuner section 12 for converting the input broadcast signal into a video / audio signal, MPEG video and audio signals
MPEG2 encoding unit 13 for converting an MPEG2 bit stream into a video / audio signal, a video switcher 15, and an OSD (On Screen Disp) for generating a video signal for a user interface.
lay) section 16 and an output terminal 17.

The video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 includes a CPU 21 as a control unit 20 for controlling the entire system,
M22 and a RAM 23 are provided with a microcomputer connected to each other via a system bus 24.

A memory 30 for storing a database of contents and the like, a hard disk device 40 and an optical disk drive 50 for recording an MPEG2 bit stream, a remote control receiving unit 60, and a key operating unit 70 are connected to the system bus 24. Connected and provided.

The optical disk drive 50 is for performing recording and reproduction on the optical disk 3 as a removable recording medium. The remote control receiving unit 60 receives, for example, an infrared remote control transmission signal from the remote control transmitting unit 4.

The system bus 24 has an output terminal of an MPEG2 bit stream of the tuner unit 12 and an MPEG2 bit stream.
2 encoding unit 13 output terminal, MPEG2 decoding unit 1
4, the hard disk device 40 and the optical disk drive 50 are connected to each other.
Serves as a data bus for transmitting a video / audio bit stream.

The control unit 20 includes a remote control receiving unit 60
And a remote control signal and an operation signal from the key operation unit 70 via the system bus 24 to generate a channel selection control signal to the tuner unit 12. The control unit 20 also
The OSD unit 16 is controlled to generate a video signal for displaying the contents of the database stored in the memory 30 and a video signal for a user interface. Further, the control unit 20 supplies a control signal to the video switcher 15.

Although not shown, the tuner section 12 includes an analog broadcast channel selecting section and an analog broadcast demodulating section, and a digital broadcast channel selecting section and a digital broadcast demodulating section. The analog broadcast demodulator outputs a video / audio signal of the selected channel. The digital broadcast tuner has a function of extracting a video / audio MPEG2 bit stream of the selected channel from the received signal. The digital broadcast demodulation unit includes an MPEG2 decoder, and outputs a video / audio signal of a selected channel.

If the received signal to be tuned is an analog television broadcast signal, the tuner section 12 controls the control section 20.
And demodulates the broadcast signal of the channel specified by the channel selection control signal from the CPU, and outputs the demodulated video / audio signal to the video switcher 15. The tuner unit 12 also controls the control unit 2 when receiving an analog television broadcast signal.
If there is a recording instruction from 0, the demodulated video / audio signal
It has a function of outputting to the PEG2 encoding unit 13. M
The PEG2 encoding unit 13 converts the input video / audio signal into an MPEG2 bit stream and supplies it to the system bus 24.

When the received signal to be tuned is a digital broadcast, the tuner unit 12 extracts a video / audio signal of a channel specified by the channel selection control signal from the control unit 20 from the received signal. And decode,
Output to the video switcher 15. Tuner unit 1
2 is a control unit 20 for receiving a digital television broadcast signal.
When a recording instruction is received from the system bus 2, the video and audio MPEG2 bit stream of the selected channel is transmitted to the system bus 2.
4 has the function of outputting to

The tuner section 12 further includes an EPG (Electronic Program) included in the broadcast.
Guide: an electronic program guide) and a function of selecting a data broadcast. These information are stored in the system bus 24.
Is sent to the control unit 20 through The EPG includes breaks in the program such as breaks in chapters and commercial positions.

The video switcher 15 switches or mixes the video and audio signals from the three sections of the tuner section 12, the MPEG2 decoding section 14 and the OSD section 16 according to the control signal from the control section 20, Output terminal 17
Output to

In the configuration example of the video recording device shown in FIG. 1, a hard disk device as a fixed storage medium,
Although an optical disk is described as an example of the removable storage medium, the combination is not indispensable, and any combination including a semiconductor memory or the like is possible.

[Explanation of Database] Information such as the location information of the recorded content is recorded in a content database stored in the memory 30. FIG. 2 shows an example of the content database.

In the content database, first, the number of contents registered in the content database is recorded, and thereafter, information for each content is recorded by the number of contents. Here, a group of information corresponding to one piece of content is called a “record”. In this specification, one content refers to information recorded from the start of recording to the stop of recording, that is, one recording unit. Normally, one content corresponds to one broadcast program or the like.

Record information for each content in the content database is roughly classified into two parts, namely, location information and content attributes.

The content attribute includes a content name, a recording date and time, a channel, a comment, a classification, and the like. In the commentary field, a commentary on the contents of the content is recorded. In the category field, genres (movies, dramas, sports, etc.) are recorded. Information of these content attributes is information related to a broadcast program,
Since the information is transmitted while being included in the broadcast signal, the information is acquired and recorded in a database. The information of these content attributes is used when displaying a list of content databases and selecting them for sorting, classification, or operation.

In this embodiment, the location information of the content is information indicating the type and type of recording medium on which the content is recorded. In the location information, first, “recording medium type” and “recording medium number” are recorded, and thereafter, database information for each recording medium on which the corresponding content is recorded is recorded.

"Recording medium type" is a field indicating the type of recording medium. In this example, 1-bit information is assigned as the value of this field. For example, "0" indicates that the recording medium is a fixed recording medium, in this example, a built-in hard disk device.
“1” indicates that the recording medium is a removable recording medium, in this example, an optical disk.

In this embodiment, since one content is recorded on one "recording medium type", one content is not recorded over a plurality of types of recording media. FIG. 2
The database configuration is as shown in the example.

However, if this "recording medium type" field is included in database information for each recording medium such as "first medium" and "second medium" following "number of recording media", One content can be recorded over a plurality of types of recording media.

In the field of “number of recording media”,
An integer greater than or equal to 1 is recorded. If the content is recorded on only one recording medium, the value of the “number of recording media” field is “1”,
When the content is recorded over a plurality of recording media, the value of the “number of recording media” field is the value of the number of two or more recording media on which the content is recorded.

After the "number of recording media", the database information for each recording medium is recorded in the order of appearance by the number of "number of recording media". Database information for each recording medium includes “recording medium ID”, “content identifier”, “file size”, “start time”,
It consists of five fields of “end time”.

The “recording medium ID” is an identifier for specifying the recording medium on which the content is recorded, and describes an identifier assigned without duplication for each recording medium.
In the case of the optical disk 3, it is assumed that a unique identifier (ID) is given to each disk for the purpose of copyright protection, and the identifier is used.

If a unique ID for copyright protection cannot be used as the recording medium ID of the optical disk, the control unit 20 uses a dedicated
It is also possible to set a unique ID.

On the other hand, regarding the hard disk device 40, since the idea of specifying a recording medium is not general for a hard disk device, in this embodiment, the control unit 20 uses the database so that there is no duplication. The ID is set. That is, in this case, the control unit 20 is
Assigns an ID and writes it on the hard disk of the hard disk device 40 prior to recording. When creating the database data of each content, the written ID is read and used as the recording medium ID of the hard disk device.

Further, as the recording medium ID of the hard disk device, information unique to the device recorded in each hard disk device can be used. This unique information can be obtained by reading from the hard disk of the hard disk device, and is used as the recording medium ID for the database.

In this embodiment, the recording medium ID is set on the assumption that a plurality of hard disk devices will be incorporated in the future.

The "content identification name" is information for specifying a content on the corresponding medium. The content is added when the content is stored in the hard disk device 40 or the optical disk 3. This is a unique identifier on the recording medium. As the content identification name, for example, a number assigned to each recorded content in each recording medium can be used.

The "file size" indicates the amount of data (file size) of the corresponding content information recorded on each recording medium, in this example, expressed by a numerical value in byte units.

In the “start time” and “end time” fields, the start time and end time of a part or all of the information of the content recorded on each recording medium are indicated by the start (0: 0) of the content. 0: 0: 0 = 0 hours 0 minutes 0 seconds 0 frames) is recorded.

The "recording medium ID" added without duplication for each recording medium and the "content identification name" added without duplication for each content in the recording medium are used in combination to be recorded in the content database. The file (corresponding to the recording medium) constituting the corresponding content can be specified. Further, it is possible to know which file (corresponding to the recording medium) the specific position of the content is included in from the “file size”, “start time”, and “end time”.

Next, the operation of the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 having the above configuration will be described step by step.

[Tuning operation (selection of channel)] When the user turns on the power of the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 by the power switch of the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70,
After receiving the operation signal from the remote control receiving unit 60 or the key operation unit 70, the control unit 20 initializes various parts of the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 and then sets the broadcast channel watched when the power was last turned off to the tuner unit. 12 and switches the input of the video switcher 15 to the output of the tuner unit 12.

The tuner section 12 selects a designated broadcast channel from the broadcast signal input from the antenna terminal 11, and demodulates the selected broadcast channel. The video output from the tuner unit 12
The audio signal is output to the output terminal 17 via the video switcher 15.
And the video and audio are reproduced by the television monitor 2 and provided to the user.

When the user operates the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70 to change the selected channel, the control unit 20 which has received the operation signal from the remote control receiving unit 60 changes the selected channel according to the user's instruction. Then, the tuner unit 12 is instructed to change the channel. The tuner unit 12 that has received the instruction changes the selected channel. The video / audio signal demodulated from the changed channel is supplied from the tuner unit 12 to the television monitor 2 via the video switcher 15 and the output terminal 17, and is provided to the user as video / audio.

At this time, depending on the setting, the control unit 20
Notifies the OSD section 16 of the channel number or identification name designated by the user and the video switcher 1
5 is instructed to mix the output from the OSD unit 16 with the output from the tuner unit 12 and output the mixed output. The OSD section 16 converts the input signal into a video signal and outputs the video signal to the video switcher 15. The video switcher 15 mixes the video signal input from the tuner unit 12 with the video signal from the OSD unit 16 and outputs it.

[Recording of Broadcast Signal] Next, the operation of recording the content information of the received broadcast program on a recording medium will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and the subsequent processing routine are started when the recording button is operated. The processing routines shown in FIGS. 3 to 7 show the flow of processing executed by the control unit 20.

In this embodiment, before operating the record button, the user selects the type of recording medium, whether to record on the hard disk of the hard disk device 40 or on the optical disk 3 loaded in the optical disk drive 50. Can be performed. This selection operation is performed by the OS
This is performed using a user interface using the D unit 16, but the details are omitted here.

In this embodiment, when the user operates the record button without selecting a recording medium, recording is performed assuming that the hard disk device 40 is selected as the recording medium by default. Like that.

As shown in FIG. 3, when it is determined that the record button of the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70 has been operated, first, the type of the recording medium is determined (step S101). When it is determined that the type of the recording medium is the fixed recording medium and the hard disk device 40 has been selected, step S102 in FIG.
The following processing is performed.

<Recording on Hard Disk Drive; FIG. 3> In step S102, it is determined whether the broadcast being received is an analog broadcast or a digital broadcast. If the broadcast is an analog broadcast, the control unit 20 receives a recording instruction from the remote control receiving unit 60 or the key operation unit 70.
Instructs the MPEG2 encoding unit 13 and the hard disk device 40 to record (step S103).

The MPEG2 encoding unit 13 receiving the instruction
Converts the video / audio signal input from the tuner unit 12 to M
Encoded into a PEG2 bit stream,
4 to the hard disk device 40. The hard disk device 40 records the input MPEG2 bit stream on the hard disk.

At this time, the control section 20 instructs the OSD section 16 to generate a video signal indicating "recording in progress" (step S104). The video signal for the user interface generated by the OSD unit 16 is transmitted to the video switcher 15.
, Is mixed with the video signal from the tuner unit 12 and output. The user can confirm that the recording operation is being performed by viewing the “recording” display on the screen of the television monitor 2.

If it is determined in step S 102 that the broadcast being received is a digital broadcast, the control unit 20, which has received the recording instruction from the remote control receiving unit 60 or the key operation unit 70, The recording is instructed to the hard disk device 40 (step S107).

Upon receiving the instruction, the tuner section 12 extracts the MPEG of the selected video / audio extracted from the input broadcast signal.
The two-bit stream is input to the hard disk device 40 via the bus 24. The hard disk device 40 records the input MPEG2 bit stream on the hard disk.

At this time, the control section 20 instructs the OSD section 16 to generate a signal indicating "recording in progress" (step S108). The video signal for the user interface generated in the OSD section 16 is mixed with the video signal from the tuner section 12 in the video switcher 15 and output. The user can confirm that the recording operation is being performed by viewing the “recording” display on the screen of the television monitor 2.

When the user presses the stop button of the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70 to end the recording, the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 performs the following stop operation.

That is, when the broadcast being received is an analog broadcast, the control unit 20 receives an operation signal for stopping recording from the remote control reception unit 60 or the key operation unit 70 and recognizes it (step S105). , MPEG2
It instructs the encoding unit 13 to stop encoding (step S106).

When the broadcast being received is a digital broadcast, when the control unit 20 recognizes that the recording has been stopped (step S109), it instructs the tuner unit 12 to stop outputting the bit stream (step S110). .

Then, along with the processing of step S106 or step S110, the control unit 20 instructs the hard disk device 40 to finish recording after all bit streams have been recorded (step S11).
1). Further, it instructs the OSD section 16 to stop generating a video signal indicating "recording in progress" (step S112).

The control unit 20 stores information such as the attribute of the recorded content in a logical format (for example, FAT (File)
Allocation Table) 32) and record it in the hard disk device 40 (step S).
113). At this time, a content identification name is added to the content. Later, when accessing the recorded content to read and reproduce the content, the content identification name is used.

The information such as the attribute of the content is input to the tuner unit 12 in the form of an EPG or a data broadcast while listening to the broadcast, so the control unit 20 acquires the attribute of the content from the tuner unit 12 and The data is stored in the RAM 23 as needed. The control unit 20 reads information such as the attribute of the content taken into the RAM 23 and records the information in the hard disk device 40.

In this embodiment, the attributes of the content include the title (content name), the broadcast channel of the content, the length (time and data amount) of the content data, and the encoding state (bit rate or 1 bit). And the genre (movie, drama, sports, etc.).

Finally, the location information of the recorded content and the information of the content attribute are stored as a content record in the database memory 30 (step S114).

[Example 1 of Content Record of Database] When the content information is recorded on the hard disk device 40 as described above, step S114 is performed.
An example of a content record written in the content database of the memory 30 will be described below.

In this case, one content A is recorded on the hard disk device 40 without being divided. At this time, the file of the information body of the content A is not divided as shown in FIG. In this example, the content A is 12,025,908,429 bytes (approximately 11.2 gigabytes), the beginning of the content is 0 hour: 0 minute: 0 second: 0 frame, and the last frame is 2 hours: 30 minutes: 0 seconds: 0 frames, which are recorded on the hard disk device 40 with a content identification name of “File 0”.

The record of the corresponding content in the content database in this case is as shown in FIG.

"Content name" in the content attribute part
Is recorded with "content A". Actually, a more easily understandable name such as a program name is recorded. The recording date and time, the channel, the description, the classification, and the like are recorded based on the information provided from the tuner unit 12 to the control unit 20 as described above.

In the “recording medium type”, a value “0” indicating the hard disk device is recorded. In the “number of recording media”, the number of divisions of the corresponding content, here, 1 is recorded. Therefore, in this case, there is only one record for the subsequent recording medium.

Then, as the record for the first medium, the recording medium ID of the hard disk device 40 is recorded in the “recording medium ID”, and “File 0” is recorded in the “content identification name”. “File size”, “start time” and “end time” are “12,025,908,429” and “0:
0: 0: 0 "and" 2: 30: 0: 0 "are recorded.

<Recording on Optical Disk; FIGS. 4 to 6> When it is determined in step S101 that the recording medium is a detachable optical disk, the processes from step S121 in FIG. 4 are performed.

In step S121, it is determined whether the broadcast being received is an analog broadcast or a digital broadcast. If the broadcast is an analog broadcast, the control unit 20, which has received the recording instruction from the remote control receiving unit 60 or the key operation unit 70, instructs the MPEG2 encoding unit 13 and the optical disk drive 50 to perform recording (step S12).
2).

The MPEG2 encoding unit 13 receiving the instruction
Converts the video / audio signal input from the tuner unit 12 to M
Encoded into a PEG2 bit stream,
4 to the optical disk drive 50. The optical disk drive 50 records the input MPEG2 bit stream on the optical disk 3.

At this time, the control section 20 instructs the OSD section 16 to generate a video signal indicating "recording in progress" (step S123). The video signal for the user interface generated by the OSD unit 16 is transmitted to the video switcher 15.
, Is mixed with the video signal from the tuner unit 12 and output. The user can confirm that the recording operation is being performed by viewing the “recording” display on the screen of the television monitor 2.

If it is determined in step S 121 that the broadcast being received is a digital broadcast, the control unit 20, which has received the recording instruction from the remote control receiving unit 60 or the key operation unit 70, The recording is instructed to the optical disk drive 50 (step S130).

Upon receiving the instruction, the tuner unit 12 outputs the MPEG of the selected video / audio extracted from the input broadcast signal.
The two-bit stream is input to the optical disk drive 50 via the data bus 24. Optical disk drive 5
0 records the input MPEG2 bit stream.

At this time, the control section 20 instructs the OSD section 16 to generate a signal indicating "recording in progress" (step S131). The video signal for the user interface generated in the OSD section 16 is mixed with the video signal from the tuner section 12 in the video switcher 15 and output. The user can confirm that the recording operation is being performed by viewing the “recording” display on the screen of the television monitor 2.

The control unit 20 controls the data writing status of the optical disk drive 50, that is, whether the signal being received is an analog broadcast or a digital broadcast,
The free space of the optical disk is monitored (step S12).
4 or Step S132), when the free space of the optical disk is sufficient, it is determined whether or not a stop instruction has been given by the user (Step S141 or Step S147 in FIG. 5). Step S141, step S147
If it is determined that the user has not issued a stop instruction, the process returns to step S124 and step S132 in FIG.

When the user presses the stop button of the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70 to end the recording, the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 performs the following stop operation.

That is, when the broadcast being received is an analog broadcast, the control unit 20 receives an operation signal for stopping recording from the remote control receiving unit 60 or the key operation unit 70 and recognizes it (step S141). , MPEG2
The encoding unit 13 is instructed to stop encoding (step S142).

If the broadcast being received is a digital broadcast, control unit 20 recognizes that the recording has been stopped (step S147), and instructs tuner unit 12 to stop outputting the bit stream (step S148). .

Then, along with the processing in steps S142 and S148, the control unit 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to end recording after all bit streams have been recorded (step S14).
3). Further, it instructs the OSD section 16 to stop generating a video signal indicating "recording in progress" (step S144).

Then, the control unit 20 converts the information such as the attribute of the recorded content according to the logical format (for example, UDF + RTR) adopted by the optical disc 3 and records it on the optical disc 3 (step S145).
At this time, a content identification name is added to the content. Later, when the recorded content is accessed to be read and reproduced, the content identification name is used.

As described above, the information such as the attribute of the content is input to the tuner unit 12 in the form of an EPG or a data broadcast while listening to the broadcast.
, The attributes of the contents are acquired from the RAM 23, and loaded into the RAM 23 as necessary. The control unit 20 reads information such as the attribute of the content taken into the RAM 23 and records the information on the optical disc 3.

Finally, the control unit 20 stores the location information of the recorded content and the information of the content attribute in the database memory 30 as a content record (step S146).

As a recording medium ID for identifying the optical disk 3, unique identification information for each optical disk recorded as data on the optical disk 3 is used. This identification information is usually recorded not only as data on the optical disk 3 but also on the surface of the optical disk 3 by printing or the like in a form that can be recognized by the user, and can be recognized by the user.

Note that the ID assigned by the control unit 20 may be used as the recording medium ID of the optical disc 3. That is, in that case, the control unit 20 assigns an ID to the optical disc 3 prior to recording.
It is written on the optical disk 3. When creating the database data of each content, the written ID is written to the recording medium I of the optical disk.
D is to be used.

In this case, when the optical disk is loaded into the optical disk drive 50 for the first time, the control unit 20 records the generated recording medium ID on the optical disk. At that time, when the recording is performed, the location information of the database is generated using the recorded recording medium ID. When the optical disk is once taken out of the optical disk drive 50 and then loaded again, the control unit 20 reads the written recording medium ID from the loaded optical disk and uses it for the location information of the database.

The above is the processing flow when one content can be recorded on one optical disc.
The location information and the content attribute similar to those described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 are recorded in the database. However, the recording medium type is “1” representing the optical disk, and the recording medium ID is the recording medium ID of the optical disk.

Next, the flow of processing when one piece of content information cannot be recorded on one optical disc will be described.

That is, in this case, step S12
In step 4 or step S132, the control unit 20 detects that the free space of the optical disk has become small. Then, the control unit 20 immediately before the free space of the optical disc becomes almost zero and where the content has a good break,
The writing destination of the MPEG2 bit stream is temporarily changed to the hard disk device 40.

More specifically, if the recorded broadcast is an analog broadcast, it instructs the MPEG2 encoding unit 13 to output the bit stream to the hard disk drive 4.
0 (step S125). If the recorded broadcast is a digital broadcast, the tuner unit 12 is instructed to input a bit stream to be output to the hard disk device (step S133).

[0101] In this case, a good point of the break of the contents is, specifically, a break of a commercial or a chapter in the program notified by the EPG, or more specifically, an MPE.
In G2, the start of an intra picture (so-called I picture) in which compression is performed only with data in its own field without using motion information between information of the preceding and following fields.

At the same time as the instruction to change the write destination of the bit stream, the control unit 20 instructs the hard disk device 40 to record the input bit stream (steps S126 and S134).

The MP receiving the command from the control unit 20
The EG2 encoding unit 13 or the tuner unit 12 inputs the output bit stream to the hard disk device 40 via the data bus 24. Then, the hard disk device 40 records the input bit stream.

At the same time, the control unit 20 instructs the optical disc drive 50 to end the recording after all the input bit streams have been recorded (steps S127 and S135).

Then, the control unit 20 converts the information such as the attribute of the recorded content according to the logical format (for example, UDF + RTR) adopted by the optical disc, and records the information on the optical disc (steps S128 and S136). At this time, the content has an identification name (here, it is the first one, so for example, “File 1”
Is added. When accessing the corresponding content later, this identification name is used.

Next, the controller 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to eject the optical disk (step S1).
29 and step S137), and simultaneously the OSD unit 16
Is instructed to generate a message requesting the loading of a new optical disk (steps S151 and S157 in FIG. 6). The video output of the OSD unit 16 is supplied to the television monitor 2 through the video switcher 15, displayed on the screen, and provided to the user.

The user loads a new optical disk into the optical disk drive 50 according to the message displayed on the television monitor 2. When an optical disk is loaded, the optical disk drive 50 notifies the control unit 20 that a new disk has been loaded. Therefore, the control unit 20
Monitors the notification from the optical disk drive 50 and determines whether a new optical disk has been loaded (steps S152 and S158).

Then, the control section 20 determines in step S152
Alternatively, in step S158, when it is detected that a new optical disk has been loaded, a command is sent to the hard disk device 40 to send the temporarily recorded bit stream from the beginning to the optical disk drive 50, Is instructed to delete (step S15
3. Step S159). At this time, writing of the bit stream of the content information from the MPEG2 encoding unit 13 or from the tuner unit 12 to the hard disk device 40 continues.

At the same time, the control unit 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to record the bit stream input from the hard disk device 40 (steps S154 and S160).

Step S153 or step S159
The hard disk device 40 receiving the instruction in
2 While continuing to write the bit stream of the content information from the encoding unit 13 or the tuner unit 12, the bit stream that has been temporarily recorded is read out from the beginning, and the optical disk drive is connected via the bus 24. The bit stream input to the optical disk drive 50 and sent to the optical disk drive 50 is deleted.

Step S154 or S160
The optical disk drive 50 that has received the instruction in the above records the input bit stream on the second new optical disk.

In this case, it is possible to make the reading speed of the already written bit stream faster than the writing speed of the content information to the hard disk device 40. Of course, in that case, it is a condition that the optical disk drive 50 can also perform variable-speed writing and reading. When such a write and read speed control is performed, the bit stream that must be transferred from the hard disk device 40 to the optical disk, the bit stream temporarily stored in the hard disk device 40 is lost, and the bit to be recorded on the optical disk is lost. The time point of the stream is the output from the tuner unit 12 or the MP
It becomes coincident with the time point of the output from the EG2 encoding unit 13.

Therefore, when there is no more bit stream to be temporarily stored in the hard disk device 40 and transferred to the optical disc, the control unit 20 instructs the tuner unit 12 or the MPEG2 encoding unit 13 to convert the bit stream. Output destination is optical disk drive 5
There is also a method of changing to 0.

However, in this embodiment, the recording of the bit stream on the second and subsequent optical discs is performed once through the hard disk device 40 without fail.

The control unit 20 monitors the data writing status of the optical disk drive 50 loaded with the second optical disk to the optical disk (step S1).
55 or step S161), when the free space of the optical disk is sufficient, it is determined whether or not a stop instruction is given by the user (step S171 or step S177 in FIG. 7). Step S171 or step S1
If it is determined in step 77 that the user has not issued a stop instruction, the process proceeds to step S155 or step S161 in FIG.
Return to

When the user presses the remote control transmitter 4 or the stop button of the key operation unit 70 to end the recording, the control unit 20 returns to the remote control if the broadcast being received is an analog broadcast. When an operation signal for stopping recording is received from the receiving unit 60 or the key operation unit 70 and recognized (step S171), the MPEG2 encoding unit 13 is instructed to stop encoding (step S17).
2).

When the broadcast being received is a digital broadcast, when the control unit 20 recognizes that the recording has been stopped (step S177), it instructs the tuner unit 12 to stop outputting the bit stream (step S178). .

At the same time as the processing in step S172 or S178, the control unit 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to end recording after all bit streams have been recorded (step S17).
3). Further, it instructs the OSD section 16 to stop generating a video signal indicating "recording in progress" (step S174).

Then, the control unit 20 converts the information such as the attribute of the recorded content according to the logical format (for example, UDF + RTR) adopted by the optical disc 3, and records the information on the second optical disc 3 (step). S1
75). At this time, a content identification name is added to the content. In this example, the content identification name is “File2” because it is the second piece. Later, when the recorded content is accessed to be read and reproduced, the content identification name is used.

As described above, the information such as the attribute of the content is input to the tuner unit 12 in the form of an EPG or a data broadcast while listening to the broadcast.
, The attributes of the contents are acquired from the RAM 23, and loaded into the RAM 23 as necessary. The control unit 20 reads information such as the attribute of the content taken into the RAM 23 and records the information on the second optical disc 3.

Finally, the control unit 20 stores the location information of the content recorded on the first and second optical discs and the information of the content attribute in the database memory 30 as a content record. (Step S176).

Next, when it is not possible to record all the content information even with two optical discs, the control unit 20
Detects in step S155 or step S161 that the free space on the optical disk has become small. Then, the control unit 20 immediately before the free space of the optical disc becomes almost zero and where the content has a good break,
The hard disk device 40 is instructed to stop outputting the MPEG2 bit stream to the optical disk drive 50 (step S156 or step S1).
62).

At this time, the tuner unit 12 to the hard disk device 40 or the MPEG2 encoding unit 1
The writing of the bit stream from 3 continues.

Then, the process returns to step S127 or step S135, where the control unit 20
0 is instructed to end recording after all input bit streams have been recorded.

Then, the control unit 20 converts the information such as the attribute of the recorded content according to the logical format (for example, UDF + RTR) adopted by the optical disc and records it on the optical disc (Step S128 or Step S136). At this time, the content has an identification name (here, "File2" because it is the second copy).
Is added. When accessing the corresponding content later, this identification name is used.

Next, the control unit 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to eject the second optical disk (step S129 or step S137), and at the same time, causes the OSD unit 16 to output a new third optical disk. Instruct generation of a message requesting loading (step S in FIG. 6)
151 or step S157). The video output of the OSD unit 16 is supplied to the television monitor 2 through the video switcher 15, displayed on the screen, and provided to the user.

The user loads a new third optical disk into the optical disk drive 50 according to the message displayed on the television monitor 2. When an optical disk is loaded, the optical disk drive 50 notifies the control unit 20 that a new disk has been loaded. Therefore, the control unit 20 monitors the notification from the optical disk drive 50 and determines whether a new optical disk (here, the third optical disk) is loaded (step S152 or step S158).

Then, the control section 20 proceeds to step S152.
Alternatively, in step S158, when it is detected that a new third optical disk has been loaded, the hard disk drive 4
0, and temporarily recording at step S1
The bit stream from the point at which the transfer to the optical disk drive was stopped in step 56 or step S162 is sent to the optical disk drive 50 from the beginning, and at the same time, the transmitted portion is deleted (step S153 or step S159). At this time, writing of the bit stream of the content information from the MPEG2 encoding unit 13 or from the tuner unit 12 to the hard disk device 40 continues.

At the same time, the control unit 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to record the bit stream input from the hard disk device 40 (Step S154 or Step S160).

Step S153 or step S159
The hard disk device 40 receiving the instruction in
2 while continuing to write the bit stream of the content information from the encoding unit 13 or from the tuner unit 12, the bit stream temporarily recorded is read from its head, in this case, step S156 or step S162. When the transfer to the optical disk drive is stopped, the bit stream is read, input to the optical disk drive 50 via the bus 24, and the bit stream sent to the optical disk drive 50 is deleted.

Step S154 or step S160
The optical disk drive 50 that has received the instruction in the above records the input bit stream on the third new optical disk.

Then, the control section 20 monitors the status of data writing on the optical disc by the optical disc drive 50 loaded with the third optical disc (step S).
155 or step S161), when the free space of the optical disk is sufficient, it is determined whether or not a stop instruction is given by the user (step S171 or step S177 in FIG. 7). Step S171 or step S
If it is determined in 177 that the user has not issued a stop instruction, the process proceeds to step S155 or step S16 in FIG.
Return to 1.

When the user presses the stop button of the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70 to end the recording, the control unit 20 sets the time when the recording on the second optical disk is ended. A similar processing operation is performed in step S1.
71 to step S176, or step S177,
178, Steps S173 to S176.

However, in this case, step S175
In this example, "File3" is recorded on the optical disc as the content identification name in this example. Also, in step S176, as a record of one content, 3
A record for one optical disc is written in the content database of the memory 30.

If the recording of one content is not completed even with three optical discs, step S15
In step 5 or step S161, it is detected again that the free space has become low, and the process returns from step S156 or step S162 to step S127 or step S35, and repeats the processing after those steps. .

[Example 2 of Content Record of Database] In the case where the content information is recorded on the optical disc as described above, in step S176, the example of the content record written in the content database of the memory 30 is set to 3 Optical discs D1, D2, D
The following describes a case where one content B is recorded in No.3.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a content record in the content database in a case where the content B is divided into three and recorded on three optical discs D1, D2, and D3.

In this case, the content B is divided into three parts as shown in FIG. That is, the first division is 4,509,71 from the beginning of the content B.
5,661 bytes (approximately 4.2 GB), corresponding to 1 hour: 10 minutes: 12 seconds: 10 frames from the beginning of content B (0 hour: 0 minute: 0 second: 0 frame) Is recorded on the optical disc D1 with a content identification name of “File1”.

The second division is a portion of 4,294,967,296 bytes (about 4.0 gigabytes) immediately after the first division, and immediately after the first division (1 hour: 10 hours).
Minutes: 12 seconds: 11 frames) to 2 hours: 0 minutes: 30
Seconds: 5 frames, and "F" is recorded on the optical disc D2.
ile2 ".

The third division is a portion of 3,221,225,472 bytes (approximately 3.0 gigabytes) immediately after the second division, and immediately after the second division (2 hours: 0 hours).
Minutes: 30 seconds: 6 frames) to 2 hours: 30 minutes: 0 seconds:
0 frame, and “Fil
e3 ".

In this case, as the location information in the record of the corresponding content B, as shown in FIG. 10, first, a value “1” indicating the optical disk is recorded in “recording medium type”. In the “number of recording media”, the number of divisions of the content, in this example, “3” is recorded.

The first medium (first optical disc D)
In the record for 1), the recording medium ID of the optical disc D1 is recorded in the “recording medium ID”, and “File1” is recorded in the “content identification name”. Then, "file size", "start time",
The “end time” is “4,509,715,
661 "," 0: 0: 0: 0 "," 1: 10: 12: 1 "
0 "is recorded.

In the record for the second medium,
The “recording medium ID” indicates the recording medium ID of the optical disc D2, and the “content identification name” indicates “File”.
2 ”is recorded, and“ file size ”,“ start time ”, and“ end time ”are respectively
“4,294,967,296”, “1:10:12:
11 "and" 2: 0: 30: 5 "are recorded.

In the record for the third medium,
The “recording medium ID” indicates the recording medium ID of the optical disc D3, and the “content identification name” indicates “File”.
3 ”is recorded respectively. In“ file size ”,“ start time ”, and“ end time ”,
“3,221,225,472”, “2: 0: 30:
6 "and" 2: 30: 0: 0 "are recorded.

The recording medium ID for identifying the optical discs D1, D2, D3 is recorded as data on the optical disc and is recorded on the surface of the optical disc by printing or the like so that the user can visually recognize it. ing.

[Another Example of Processing of a Break at the Time of Recording on a Plurality of Optical Discs] For example, after the free space of the optical disc during the recording operation becomes almost zero, an appropriate break of the content information is determined. When you start searching,
Until the free space becomes zero, an appropriate break cannot be detected, and there is a possibility that a defect may occur at a joint of contents.

[0147] Therefore, from a place where the free space of the optical disk has some allowance, an appropriate break in the content information is started to be searched, and the input destination of the content is determined from the first appropriate break detected.
May be changed to the hard disk drive 40.

However, in this case, if there is an appropriate break after the detected first appropriate break before the free space of the optical disk becomes zero, the free space of the optical disk becomes excessive. There is a problem that it will remain.

In the example described below, the content to be recorded on the optical disc can be divided at appropriate breaks without leaving extra free space as much as possible.

That is, first, in this example, from the place where the free space of the optical disk is relatively large, for example, at least one appropriate break can be detected,
In parallel with the writing to the optical disk, the writing of the content information to the hard disk device 40 is started.

Then, always monitor for appropriate breaks,
As shown in FIG. 12, every time the next appropriate break Ct is detected, the content information before the break Ct is erased from the hard disk, so that the contents after the break Ct are always held on the hard disk. Thereafter, when the free space of the optical disk becomes zero, the recording of the optical disk is stopped at that point. However, the TOC (Ta
As file management information such as ble Of Contents, the physical recording stop point of the optical disk is not set as the recording end point, but the appropriate break point immediately before that point is set as the logical recording end point. The control unit 20
An instruction is given to the optical disk drive 50.

Then, when the next optical disk is loaded,
The bit stream from the immediately preceding appropriate break point (logical recording end point) temporarily stored in the hard disk device 40 is supplied to the new optical disk, not from the previous physical optical disk recording stop point. To do it.

Thus, when one content is recorded on a plurality of optical discs, the seam between the optical discs can always be set to an appropriate break position of the content.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are flowcharts for explaining the joint processing of this example. This FIG.
The processing in FIG. 14 corresponds to the processing in and after step S121 in FIG. 4 (including steps S151 to S156 and steps S157 to S162 in FIG. 6). In FIG. 13, step S
121 to S124 and S130 to
Steps up to step S132 are the same as those in FIG. 4, and thus the same step numbers are assigned.

In this example, as shown in FIG. 13, the control unit 20 executes the step S124 or the step S132.
When the tuner unit 1 detects that the free space of the optical disk has become smaller than a predetermined relatively large value,
2 or the MPEG2 encoding unit 13 to input the bit stream not only to the optical disk drive 50 but also to the hard disk device 40 (step S).
181 or step S187). Then, it instructs the hard disk device 40 to record the input data (step S182 or step S188).

Then, the control unit 20 monitors an appropriate break of the content (step S183 or step S183).
189) When the appropriate break is detected, the information of the position is retained, and the hard disk device 40 is instructed to delete the bit stream before the break (step S184 or step S190). Then, the process returns to step S183 or step S189, and the appropriate break of the content is monitored.

Step S183 or S189
Then, as a result of monitoring the content, when it is determined that the area is not an appropriate break, it is determined whether the free space of the optical disk is not zero (step S185 or step S191). Then, if the free space of the optical disk is not zero, the process returns to step S183 or step S189, and the appropriate break of the content is monitored.

The above is repeated until the free space of the optical disk becomes zero, and when it is detected that the free space of the optical disk has become zero (step S185 or step S1).
91), the control unit 20 instructs the optical disc drive 50 to end recording (step S186 or step S1).
92).

Further, the control unit 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to set the logical recording end point to an appropriate break immediately before the free space becomes zero (step S201 or step S201 in FIG. 14). S211).

Then, the control unit 20 converts the information such as the attribute of the recorded content according to the logical format (for example, UDF + RTR) adopted by the optical disc and records it on the optical disc (step S202 or step S212). At this time, the content has an identification name (here, since it is the second copy, for example, “File2”
Is added. When accessing the corresponding content later, this identification name is used.

Next, the controller 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to eject the optical disk (step S2).
03 or step S213), and simultaneously the OSD unit 16
To generate a message requesting the loading of a new optical disc (step S204 or step S21).
4). The video output of the OSD unit 16 is supplied to the television monitor 2 through the video switcher 15, displayed on the screen, and provided to the user.

The user loads a new optical disk into the optical disk drive 50 according to the message displayed on the television monitor 2. When an optical disk is loaded, the optical disk drive 50 notifies the control unit 20 that a new disk has been loaded. Therefore, the control unit 20
Monitors the notification from the optical disk drive 50 and determines whether a new optical disk is loaded (Step S205 or Step S215).

Then, the control section 20 determines in step S205
Alternatively, in step S215, when it is detected that a new optical disk is loaded, the hard disk device 40 is instructed to temporarily stop the bit stream from the last appropriate break set as a seam in the bit stream. Is sent to the optical disc drive 50, and at the same time, an instruction is made to delete the sent portion (step S206 or step S216). At this time, the hard disk drive 4
Writing of the bit stream of the content information from the MPEG2 encoding unit 13 or from the tuner unit 12 to 0 continues.

At the same time, the control unit 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to record the bit stream input from the hard disk device 40 (Step S207 or Step S217).

Step S206 or step S216
The hard disk device 40 receiving the instruction in
2 While continuing to write the bit stream of the content information from the encoding unit 13 or the tuner unit 12, the temporarily recorded bit stream is changed to the logical recording end point of the previous optical disc. The bit stream of the portion read out from the gap and input to the optical disk drive 50 via the bus 24 and sent to the optical disk drive 50 is deleted.

Step S207 or step S217
The optical disk drive 50 that has received the instruction in the above records the input bit stream on a new optical disk.

The control unit 20 also monitors the status of writing data to the new optical disk in the optical disk drive 50 loaded with the new optical disk (step S208 or step S218), and the free space of the optical disk is sufficient. , It is determined whether or not a stop instruction has been issued by the user (step S1 in FIG. 7).
71 or step S177). If it is determined in step S171 or S177 that the user has not issued a stop instruction, the process returns to step S208 or S218 in FIG.

When the user presses the stop button of the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70 to end the recording, the control unit 20 proceeds to step S171 or steps S177 and subsequent steps as described above. Execute

Further, step S208 or step S208
If it is detected at 218 that the free space of the optical disk has become small, an appropriate break in the content is detected, and at least the content information after the break is stored in the hard disk device 40. To control the reading and writing of the hard disk drive (step S
209 or step S219).

Then, appropriate break detection is repeated until the free space of the optical disk becomes zero, and when it is detected that the free space of the optical disk has become zero (step S2).
10 or step S220), the control unit 20 instructs the optical disc drive 50 to end recording (step S186 or step S192 in FIG. 13).

Then, the control unit 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to set the logical recording end point to an appropriate break immediately before the free space becomes zero (step S201 or step S201 in FIG. 14). S211). After that, in the same manner as described above, the processing from step S202 or step S212 is repeated.

As described above, according to this example, a content having a large capacity is divided at an appropriate break and recorded on a plurality of optical disks.

[Selection / Playback] As described above, each of a large number of contents is recorded on the hard disk device 40 or one or a plurality of optical disks 3.
The operation of selecting and reproducing desired content by using the content database of the memory 30 when the database is generated will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

The user operates the remote control transmitter 4 and the key operation unit 7
The flowcharts of FIG. 15 to FIG. 17 are started when an instruction to display the content list of the database is issued using 0. As shown in FIG. 15, the control unit 20 that has received the instruction to display the content list reads the content database from the memory 30 (step S231), and the content attribute information (content name, recording date and time, channel, commentary, classification (genre)). ) Or sort and extract using the type of the recording medium in which the information is recorded, and input the result to the OSD unit 16 (step S232).

The OSD section 16 converts the input information into a video signal and inputs the video signal to the video switcher 15. In the video switcher 15, the video signal from the OSD section 16 is transmitted to the tuner section 12 or the MPEG2 decoding section 1.
4 and output from the output terminal 17. As a result, a list of contents stored in the content database is displayed on the screen of the television monitor 2, and the user can check the contents of the database from the list. And the user
By using the content list display to select and specify the content to be reproduced, the reproduction of the content can be executed.

The control section 20 monitors the user's operation information from the remote control receiving section 60 and the key operation section 70, and determines whether or not the user has performed a selection operation of a predetermined content to be reproduced (step S233). , When it is determined that the content selection operation has not been performed,
It is determined whether the display condition has been changed (step S234). If it is determined that the display condition has not been changed, it is determined whether or not an instruction to end the content list display has been issued (step S235).

When it is determined that there is an instruction to end the content list display, supply of display data for displaying the content list to the OSD unit 16 to the OSD unit is stopped, and the display of the content list from the OSD unit 16 is stopped. Output of the video signal is stopped (step S236). Then, the content list processing routine ends. If it is determined that there is no instruction to end the content list display, the process returns to step S233 to determine whether or not there has been a content selection operation.

When the user performs an operation to change the display condition through the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70, the control unit 20 determines the change instruction in step S234, returns to step S232, and follows the change instruction in accordance with the change instruction. Change the sort, extract. The result of the change is converted into a video signal by the OSD unit 16 and finally provided to the user by the television monitor 2. The display conditions referred to here include sorting by content name, recording date and time, channel, extraction of a content name including a specific keyword, and the like. This operation is performed by, for example, a predetermined OS (Operating System) of the personal computer.
This is the same as the sort condition change in the list display of the file operation program in em).

The user can use the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70 while viewing the content list displayed on the screen of the television monitor 2 to select a content, for example, by moving a cursor on the content list. Then, the control unit 20 determines that the selection operation has been performed in step S233, and displays one selected content, for example, in a reverse display or a highlight display, so that it is being selected. The presence is identified and displayed (step S237).

Thereafter, if the user presses the play button on remote controller transmitter 4 or key operation unit 70, it is determined in step S238. If the play button has not been pressed, the process returns to step S233 and returns to the content selection screen.

Remote control receiving section 60 or key operation section 70
The control unit 20, which has received the reproduction instruction from, starts preparations for reproducing the content designated and specified.

That is, the control unit 20 first searches the content database in the memory 30 for a record for the selected content (step S239).
Next, the “recording medium type” field of the location information of the record of the found content is referred to, and whether it is “0” (internal hard disk device) or “1”
(Optical disc) (step S24)
0).

When the “recording medium type” of the content selected for reproduction is “0”, that is, when the selected content is recorded on the internal hard disk device, the reproduction operation as shown in the flowchart of FIG. I do.

The control unit 20 first sets “Recording medium I
The internal hard disk device is specified from "D" (step S251). If there is only one internal hard disk device, this step S251 is performed as a simple check operation. When there are a plurality of internal hard disk devices, a hard disk device in which the target content is recorded is specified from the plurality of hard disk devices.
Here, it is assumed that the content is recorded on the hard disk device 40.

Next, the control unit 20 reads information of a logical format (for example, FAT32) adopted by the hard disk device 40 from the hard disk device 40 (step S252). Next, the control unit 20 searches for the “content identification name” of the corresponding content from the read information, confirms the arrangement information in the hard disk (step S253), and outputs the relevant content information to the hard disk device 40. (Step S25)
4).

The control unit 20 controls the bit stream of the corresponding content output from the hard disk device 40 to be input to the MPEG2 decoding unit 14 via the bus 24 (step S255). MPE
The G2 decoding unit 14 decodes the MPEG2 bit stream read from the hard disk device 40 to decode a video / audio signal, and inputs the decoded signal to the video switcher 15.

At the same time, the control unit 20 makes the OSD unit 16
In addition to instructing that a signal indicating that the content is being played back and the name of the content being played back is to be generated, the video switcher 15 is instructed to mix the output of the OSD unit 16 with the demodulated video signal (step S256). . Therefore, the video signal generated by the OSD section 16 is mixed with the video signal from the MPEG2 decoding section 14 by the video switcher 15, supplied to the television monitor 2 via the output terminal 17, and provided to the user.

Then, when the user presses the stop button on the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70, this is determined in step S257, and an instruction to stop reading the content from the hard disk device 40 is issued.
An instruction is issued to stop the generation of the "reproducing" signal from the D unit 16 (step S258). And MPEG2
The decoding of the decoding unit 14 is stopped (step S25).
9) Instruct the video switcher 15 to output a signal from the tuner unit 12 (step S260), and end the above-described reproduction operation.

Next, if the “recording medium type” of the content selected for reproduction is “1”, that is, if the selected content has been recorded on the optical disc, the control unit 20 sets the record of the content in question. Is read, and the number of optical discs to be reproduced is recognized (step S241).

Next, the control unit 20 reads out “recording media IDs” corresponding to the “number of recording media” from the record of the corresponding content, and reads one or a plurality of optical discs on which the selected content is recorded. In addition to displaying the read “recording media ID” on the screen of the television monitor 2 using the OSD unit 16, the user prepares those optical disks and records the first optical disk (the selected content is recorded on one optical disk). If so, a message prompting the user to load the optical disk is displayed (step S242). Then, the process continues to the steps in the flowchart of FIG.

The control unit 20 checks whether an optical disk is loaded in the optical disk drive 50 (step S).
271). If no optical disk is loaded in the optical disk drive 50, the control unit 20 uses the OSD unit 16 to load “XXXX (recording media ID)”. Is displayed on the television monitor 2 (step S286). Then, it waits for loading of the optical disk (step S287). The message in step S286 at this time is a message that prompts loading of the first optical disk (or the optical disk when the selected content is recorded on one optical disk).

If it is determined in step S271 that an optical disk has been loaded, or if it is determined in step S287 that
When it is determined that a new optical disk is loaded in step (a), the control unit 20 operates the optical disk drive 50 to obtain the recording media ID of the loaded optical disk (step S272). And the obtained recording media ID
Is a desired numerical value, that is, whether or not this is the recording medium ID of the optical disk on which the corresponding content is recorded (step S273). Acquired recording media ID
However, if the value is not the desired value, the control unit 20 operates the optical disk drive 50 to eject the currently loaded optical disk (step S285). And
Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S286 and thereafter, and as described above,
Wait for loading a new optical disk.

In step S273, if the recording medium ID of the loaded optical disk is equal to the recording medium ID of the optical disk on which the corresponding content is recorded, the control unit 20 operates the optical disk drive 50 to switch the optical disk from the optical disk. The logical format (for example, UDF (Universal D)
The information of (isc Format) + RTR) is read (step S274). Then, the control unit 20 determines the “content identification name” of the content from the read information.
Is searched for, and the information of the arrangement in the optical disk is confirmed (step S275), and the output of the corresponding content is instructed to the optical disk drive 50 (step S276).

Then, the control section 20 controls the bit stream of the corresponding content output from the optical disk drive 50 to be input to the MPEG2 decoding section 14 via the bus 24 (step S277). MPE
The G2 decoding unit 14 decodes the MPEG2 bit stream read from the optical disc 3 to decode the video / audio signal, and inputs the decoded signal to the video switcher 15.

At the same time, the control unit 20 makes the OSD unit 16
In addition to instructing generation of a signal indicating “playing back” and the name of the content being played back, the video switcher 15 is instructed to mix the output of the OSD section 16 with the demodulated video signal (step). S278). Therefore, the video signal generated by the OSD section 16 is mixed with the video signal from the MPEG2 decoding section 14 by the video switcher 15, supplied to the television monitor 2 via the output terminal 17, and provided to the user.

Next, control unit 20 determines whether or not a reproduction stop instruction has been issued by the user (step S279).
When the user presses the stop button on the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70, this is determined in step S279, and an instruction to stop reading the content from the optical disc 3 is issued. Is stopped (Step S282). Then, the decoding of the MPEG2 decoding unit 14 is stopped (step S283), and the video switcher 15 is instructed to output a signal from the tuner unit 12 (step S284), and the above-described reproduction operation ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S279 that there is no reproduction stop instruction from the user, it is determined whether or not reading of the bit stream of the content from the optical disk being reproduced has been completed (step S28).
0). If all readings have not been completed, the flow returns to step S279 to check whether or not the user has issued a reproduction stop instruction.

If it is determined in step S280 that reading of the bit stream of the content from the optical disc being reproduced has been completed, step S24 is reached.
It is determined whether or not reproduction of all the required number of optical disks recognized in step 1 has been completed (step S281). When it is determined that the reproduction of all the required number of optical disks has been completed, the process proceeds to step S282, and an instruction to stop the generation of the “during reproduction” signal from the OSD unit 16 is performed. Then, the decoding of the MPEG2 decoding unit 14 is stopped (step S283), and the video switcher 15 is instructed to output a signal from the tuner unit 12 (step S2).
84), the above-described reproduction operation ends.

If it is determined in step S281 that there is an unplayed optical disk among the required number of optical disks, the process advances to step S285 to eject the loaded optical disk and prompt the user to load the next optical disk. The OSD unit 16 is instructed to send a message (step S286). Then, when the user loads the optical disk according to this message, it is determined in step S
The determination at 287 is made, the process returns to step S272, and the above-described processes after step S272 are repeated.

As described above, in this embodiment, when one content is divided and recorded on a plurality of optical discs, all of the plurality of optical discs are displayed on the television monitor screen according to the information from the database. Is notified to the user before the reproduction starts, and the user can prepare the plurality of optical discs in advance.

Further, since the database records the start and end times of the information recorded on the respective optical discs from the beginning of the content information, the user can obtain the information from these information. It is possible to know on which optical disk the part in the middle of which one wants to reproduce is recorded. Note that the data of the start time and the end time also has a role as joint information when recording one content on a plurality of optical discs.

When one content is recorded on a plurality of optical discs, a representative image portion of a portion recorded on each optical disc is recorded as a thumbnail on the optical disc, and when a content list is displayed, If the thumbnail recorded on each of those optical discs can be displayed by performing a specific operation, it becomes useful information when the user selects content. Instead of or along with thumbnails,
Index information may be recorded according to the content content.

[Database non-registration flag (EXPOR
TING_FLAG)] Although omitted in the description so far, the hard disk and the optical disk of the hard disk device have a 1-bit flag (database non-registration flag: hereafter referred to as a non-database registration flag) indicating whether the medium is registered in any database. EX flag
PORTING_FLAG). In this embodiment, when EXPPORTING_FLAG is “0”, it indicates that the recording medium is registered in any one of the databases. Also, EXPORT
When ING_FLAG is “1”, it indicates that the recording medium is an isolated recording medium that is not registered in any database and is moving between databases.

By having a mechanism (information) for clearly distinguishing an optical disk registered in the database from an optical disk that is not registered, that is, an optical disk moving between databases, the same optical disk can be registered in a plurality of databases. And disruption of the database caused by that.

Here, "registered / not registered" is indicated by using a 1-bit flag.
For example, the same effect can be obtained by a method such as recording the ID of a database in which optical disks are registered on each optical disk.

The EXPO of the optical disk used in the above description and the hard disk of the hard disk device 40
RTING_FLAG has a value of “0” in each case, indicating that each recording medium is registered in the database stored in the memory 30 of the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1.

Referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation by PORTING_FLAG will be described.

First, it is determined whether or not the optical disk 3 has been loaded into the optical disk drive 50. When the optical disk 3 is loaded into the optical disk drive 50, the optical disk drive 50 notifies the control unit 20 of the fact, so that the control unit 20 detects that the optical disk 3 is loaded (step S291).

If it is determined that the optical disc 3 is not loaded in the optical disc drive 50, the OSD section 16 is controlled so that a message prompting the loading of the optical disc is displayed on the television monitor 2 (step S29).
2).

When an optical disk is loaded into the optical disk drive 50, the control unit 20 sends the EXPOR
The TING_FLAG and the recording medium ID are read (step S293). And, EXPORTING_FL
It is determined whether or not AG is "1" (step S29)
4).

When EXPPORTING_FLAG is "1", as described above, the disk is isolated and moving between databases. For this reason, the control unit 20 presents “capturing the optical disk to its own database” (this process is referred to as “import” in this specification), reproduction, and the like to the user as options of the operation to be presented to the user. (Step S295).

If EXPPORTING_FLAG is "0", it is determined whether or not the recording medium ID is in its own database (step S296). If the recording media ID is in its own database,
The optical disk is managed by the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1. For this reason, the control unit 20 provides the user with options of the operation to be presented to the user, such as reproduction, “loading the contents of the optical disk into the internal hard disk device” (this process is referred to as check-in in this specification), reproduction, and the like. (Step S297).

When EXPPORTING_FLAG is “0” but the recording medium ID is not in its own database, the optical disk is managed by a video recording / reproducing device other than the video recording / reproducing device 1. For this reason, the control unit 20 provides the user with options such as reproduction and “forcefully import an optical disk in another location into its own database” (this process is referred to as “forced import” in this specification) as options of the operation to be presented to the user. (Step S298).

[0214] The forced import is essentially an emergency evacuation operation. For example, a request for forced import occurs when the remaining optical disc is registered again after the database is damaged.

[Regarding Check-out / Check-in and Export / Import] In the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 described above, a hard disk device which is a fixed recording medium and an optical disk which is a detachable recording medium are used as one recording medium. It is managed in the content database.

Therefore, in the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the movement of the content is handled in a single content database.
Some are between different content databases. The former involves moving content between a fixed recording medium and a removable recording medium within one database (checkout / checkin), and the latter involves exchanging content between databases (export / import). is there.

[0217] Copying (copying) can be considered as duplicating the content and adding one record to the database, and therefore the description is omitted in this specification.

In this specification, “checkout” means
This refers to a process in which, of the contents registered in the database, the entity of the content whose entity is recorded in the internal hard disk device is moved to the optical disk, and the record in the database is changed accordingly.

In the database configuration and control method of this embodiment, the content recorded on the hard disk device in the main body of the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 and the content recorded on the optical disk and placed outside are treated in the same line. However, when considering the accessibility in the library, the built-in hard disk device is considered to be more advantageous because the access speed is faster because there is no need to load an optical disk or the like.

For this reason, the operation of writing out a certain content to the optical disk by the checkout means giving the accessibility in the library to another content. In other words, by moving the content that the user wants to secure for viewing at a later date to the optical disk by the checkout process without dropping the function as a library by erasing the content, other content is recorded on the internal hard disk device. And increase the accessibility of the entire system.

“Check in” means “check out”
Conversely, it refers to a process of moving, from the contents registered in the database, the contents of the contents recorded on the optical disk to the internal hard disk device, and further changing the records in the database accordingly.
In other words, the place where the entity is recorded moves from the optical disk outside the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 to the hard disk device inside the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 while being registered in the database. This check-in process reduces the time required to access the content.

The "export" is a process of writing the contents registered in the own database to an optical disk for movement to another database, and deleting a record corresponding to the contents from the own database. In this case, the EXPORTING of the optical disc
_FLAG is set to “1”, indicating that it does not belong to any database (the database is being moved).

At the time of “export”, the entity of the content has been checked out to the optical disc, and if the optical disc is to be exported as it is, the entity does not move. That is, the EXP of the corresponding optical disc
The “export” is completed by setting the ORTING_FLAG to “1” and deleting the corresponding record in the database.

[0224] "Import" refers to registering, in the database, the content recorded in the optical disk and having no "exported" affiliated database. At this time, a new record is created in the database. When the optical disk is stored as it is, the EXPPORTING_FLAG of the optical disk is set to “0”. When recording content on the internal hard disk device, the content is moved from the optical disk.

[Check-out Operation] The "check-out" operation will be described with reference to FIG. 19 and FIG. In this embodiment, since the content can be divided and recorded on the optical disc,
Even at the time of checkout, the size of the content file recorded on the hard disk device 40 is large,
If the content does not fit on one optical disc, the content can be checked out on a plurality of optical discs.

For example, the user knows that the remaining capacity of the hard disk device 40 is not enough in the user interface image created by the instruction of the control unit 20 in the OSD unit 16 and displayed on the television monitor 2, Suppose you decide to "check out" the content. At this time, the user operates the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70 to display a list of contents on the television monitor 2 as described above prior to the check-out instruction.

In the content list display, information indicating whether the recording medium on which the content is recorded is a built-in hard disk device or an optical disk is displayed as information. Therefore, the user selects one of the contents recorded in the internal hard disk device and instructs “check out”.

The check-out instruction is performed by using a button of the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70 or a menu of the user interface displayed on the television monitor 2.

Remote control receiving section 60 or key operating section 70
First, the control unit 20 having received the notification from the server searches the database in the memory 30 for a record for the content selected as the object of “checkout” (step S301).

Next, the control unit 20 checks the “file size” from the record of the corresponding content, and divides the size by the capacity of the optical disk to obtain the required number of optical disks K (1 or more). (Integer) is displayed on the screen of the television monitor 2 using the OSD unit 16 to notify the user (step S302). Then, the control unit 20 determines the amount of data to be recorded on each of the required number of optical disks based on the information on the "file size" (step S303).

For example, when the corresponding content is the content B having a large file capacity as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the control unit 20 determines from the location information shown in FIG. It recognizes that the number is "3" and notifies the user to that effect using the OSD unit 16. At this time, the control unit 20 controls the three optical discs D1,
The amount of data written to D2 and D3 is about 4.2 gigabytes (4,509,715,661 bytes), about 4 gigabytes (4,294,967,296 bytes), and about 3 gigabytes (3,221,225,472, respectively). Byte).

The user watching the screen of the television monitor 2 prepares three optical disks (D1, D2, D3). Here, it is assumed that the optical disks D1, D2, and D3 have a sufficient free space.

Next, the control unit 20 specifies the internal hard disk device from the information of the “recording medium ID” field of the record of the content (step S30).
4). When only one internal hard disk is used, the process in step S304 is performed as a simple check operation. If there are multiple internal hard disk drives,
A hard disk device in which the target content is recorded is specified from the plurality of hard disk devices. Here, it is assumed that the target content has been recorded on the hard disk device 40.

The control unit 20 reads information on the logical format (for example, FAT32) adopted by the hard disk from the hard disk device 40 (step S30).
5). The control unit 20 searches for the “content identification name” of the corresponding content from the read information and confirms the information of the arrangement in the hard disk device 40 (step S3).
06).

Then, the control section 20 performs an initialization process for recording the required number of optical disks K (step S).
307), a message urging the loading of the k-th (k = 1, 2,..., K) optical disk is displayed on the screen of the television monitor 2 using the OSD unit 16 (step S308).

When the control unit 20 confirms that the optical disk has been loaded into the optical disk drive 50 by the notification from the optical disk drive 50 (step S3).
09), and instructs the hard disk device 40 to output the corresponding content to be recorded on the k-th optical disk and to input the content to the optical disk drive 50 (step S310).

That is, in the case of this example, for the first optical disc, 4,509,715,661 bytes from the head of the corresponding content information, and for the second optical disc, the first optical disc. 4,294,967,296 bytes from the continuation of the content information on the third optical disc, and 3,221,225,472 bytes from the continuation of the content information on the second optical disc for the third optical disc To do so.

At the same time, the control unit 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to record the input data (step S311 in FIG. 20).

The bit stream of the corresponding content output from the hard disk device 40 is input to the optical disk drive 50 via the bus 24. The optical disk drive 50 records the input bit stream on the optical disk 3.

At this time, the screen of the TV monitor 2
The OSD unit 16 is controlled by the control unit 20, and “Checkout is being executed” is displayed (step S312).

When the output of the content from the hard disk device 40 to the k-th optical disk is completed,
A signal is sent from the hard disk device 40 to the control unit 20 to notify the control unit 20 of that. The control unit 20 thereby obtains k
It is determined whether the reading of the corresponding content from the hard disk device 40 for the third optical disk has been completed (step S313), and an instruction is given to end the recording after all bit streams have been recorded on the optical disk drive 50 (step S314).

At the same time, the control unit 20 converts information such as the attribute of the recorded content according to the logical format (for example, UDF + RTR) adopted by the optical disc 3 and records the information on the k-th optical disc 3 ( Step S315). At this time, a content identification name is added to the recorded content. For example, "File1" is written on the first optical disc, and "File1" is written on the second optical disc.
“File2” is “Fil2” on the third optical disc.
e3 "is recorded as the content identification name. When accessing the content later, this identification name is used.

Next, the control unit 20 controls the EXP of the optical disc.
ORTING_FLAG is set to “0” (step S316).

Next, the control unit 20 determines whether or not the recording of the content corresponding to the required number of disks K recognized in step S302 has been completed (step S317), and the recording of the required number of optical disks has been completed. If it is determined that there is no optical disk, the optical disk is ejected (step S320),
The OSD unit 16 sends a message urging the loading of the next optical disc.
(Step S321 and step S308).

When the loading of the next optical disk is confirmed by the notification from the optical disk drive 50, the above-described processing from step S309 is repeated.

In step S317, step S3
When it is determined that the recording of the corresponding content to the required number of disks K recognized in 02 has been completed, the control unit 20
Of the fields of the record for the corresponding content in the database in the memory 30, the field related to the location information is rewritten as shown in FIG. 10 (step S318).

Finally, the control section 20 deletes the corresponding content recorded on the hard disk device 40 (step S319). Thereby, the hard disk drive 4
Zero free space is available.

[Check-in Operation] Next, the "check-in" operation will be described with reference to FIG. 21 and FIG.

Prior to the check-in instruction, the user
By operating the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70, a list of contents is displayed on the screen of the television monitor 2.
In the list display of the contents, the recorded location (internal hard disk drive or optical disk) is also displayed as information. The user selects one of the contents recorded on the optical disk and instructs "check-in". The check-in instruction is performed using a button or a menu of the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70. Here, it is assumed that the internal hard disk device 40 has a sufficient free space.

First, the control unit 20 searches the database in the memory 30 for a record for the content selected as the object of “check-in” (step S331). Then, the control unit 20 reads the “number of recording media” of the record of the corresponding content, and knows that it is necessary to read K optical disks since this value is K (an integer of 1 or more). Then, the control unit 20 reads out the “recording media ID” of the K optical disks from the record of the corresponding content, and displays it on the television monitor 2 using the OSD 12 (step S33).
2).

The user looks at the screen of the television monitor 2 and prepares in advance K optical disks having the recording medium ID displayed thereon.

Next, the control unit 20 performs an initialization process for reading the contents from the required number K of optical disks (step S333), and executes the k-th (k = 1, 2,..., K) -th optical disk. A message prompting loading, for example, "XX
XX (recording media ID) ”is displayed on the screen of the television monitor 2 using the OSD unit 16 (step S334).

Then, it is confirmed whether an optical disk is loaded in the optical disk drive 50 (step S33).
5). Then, when the loading of the optical disk is confirmed by the notification from the optical disk drive 50, the control unit 20 operates the optical disk drive 50 to obtain the recording media ID of the loaded optical disk (step S336).

Then, the obtained recording medium ID is a desired numerical value, that is, k in which the corresponding content is recorded.
It is determined whether or not the recording medium ID is the recording medium ID of the optical disk (step S337). Acquisition of recording media ID
However, if it is not the desired numerical value, the control unit 20 operates the optical disk drive 50 to eject the currently loaded optical disk (step S338). And
After that, the process returns to step S334, again displays a message prompting the loading of the k-th optical disk, and waits for loading into the optical disk drive (step S335).

In step S337, if the recording medium ID of the loaded optical disk is equal to the recording medium ID of the relevant optical disk, the control unit 20 operates the optical disk drive 50, and the optical disk adopts the optical disk. Logical format (for example, UDF + RT
R) is read (step S341 in FIG. 22).
Here, since the optical disk is registered in the database, EXPPORTING_FLAG should be "0".

Next, the control unit 20 searches for the “content identification name” of the corresponding content from the read information on the logical format of the optical disc, confirms the arrangement information in the optical disc (step S342), Then, the output of the corresponding content is instructed (step S343). At the same time, the control unit 20 instructs the hard disk device 40 to record the input data (step S344).

As a result, the bit stream of the corresponding content output from the optical disk drive 50 is input to the hard disk device 40 via the bus 24. The hard disk device 40 records the input bit stream. At this time, the screen of the TV monitor 2 shows O
By controlling the SD unit 16 by the control unit 20,
“Checking in” is displayed (step S34)
5).

When the output of the corresponding content from the optical disk drive 50 is completed, a signal notifying the controller 20 of the output is sent from the optical disk drive 50. The control unit 20 thereby determines the end of reading of the corresponding content from the k-th optical disc (step S34).
6) An instruction is given to end recording after all bit streams have been recorded on the hard disk device 40 (step S347).

Further, the control unit 20 instructs the optical disk drive 50 to delete the corresponding content from the loaded optical disk (step S348). And
It is determined whether or not all check-ins from the K optical disks recognized as checking in the selected content are completed (step S349).

If it is determined in step S349 that there is an optical disk for which check-in has not yet been performed, the optical disk drive 50 is instructed to eject the loaded optical disk, and the optical disk is ejected (step S353). Then, a process of designating the next optical disk among the K optical disks is performed (step S35).
4) Then, the process returns to step S334, and a command to load the next optical disc is displayed on the screen of the television monitor 2 using the OSD unit 16. Then, the processing after step S334 is repeated as described above.

If it is determined in step S349 that the check-in from all the K optical disks has been completed, the control unit 20 uses the information such as the attributes of the recorded contents by using the hard disk device 40. According to the logical format (for example, FAT32)
Recording on the hard disk device 40 (step S35)
0). At this time, a content identification name is added to the content. When accessing the content later, the content identification name is used. Note that the EXPORTING_FLAG of the hard disk device 40 is set to “0”.

Next, the control unit 20 changes the field related to the location information among the fields of the record for the corresponding content in the database in the memory 30 so as to be, for example, the same as that shown in FIG. (Step S351). Finally, the K-th optical disc is ejected (step S352), and this check-in routine is ended.

[Movement between Contents Databases] Next, movement between contents databases will be described. In this case, in this embodiment, the content to be moved is checked out from the previous (to which the content belongs) database and checked in to the new database.

<Export Operation> The operation when the content is "exported" from the video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 23 and the flow charts of FIGS. In this example, when the size of the file is large, it is necessary to consider that one content is divided into a plurality of pieces and recorded on a plurality of optical disks.

First, the user operates the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70 to display a list of contents. Thereafter, the user uses the remote control transmitter 4 or the key operation unit 70 and the user interface to select the content to be exported and instruct “export”. Then, the control unit 20 starts the processing routine from FIG.

First, the control unit 20 searches the database in the memory 30 for a record for the content selected as the target of "export" (step S3).
61). When a record of the content is found, it is determined whether the corresponding content is on the hard disk device 40 or the optical disk 3 by referring to the location information (step S362).

The export operation will be described below in two cases depending on whether the target content is on the internal hard disk device or on the optical disk.

(1) Content designated for “export” (hereinafter, this content is referred to as “corresponding content”)
Is recorded on the internal hard disk: in step S362, the corresponding content is
0, the control unit 20 determines
Checks the "file size" from the record of the corresponding content in the database of the memory 30, recognizes the required number of optical disks K (K is an integer of 1 or more), and sends the required number of optical disks K to the OSD section 16. The information is displayed on the screen of the television monitor 2 to notify the user (step S363).

Next, the control unit 20 determines the amount of data to be written on each of the recognized K optical disks. K =
In the case of 1, the "file size" of the record of the corresponding content is determined as it is as the data amount. When K is 2 or more, the data amount indicated in the "file size" is K Then, the amount of data to be recorded on each of the plurality of optical disks is determined (step S364).

Then, the control unit 20 executes step S3 of the checkout processing flow of FIGS. 19 and 20 described above.
After step 04, the information of the content main body in the hard disk device 40 is transferred to one or more optical disks (step S365).

However, at this time, this step S365
Then, the control unit 20 replaces the process in step S316 of FIG. 20 with the EXPPORTING_FLA of the optical disc.
G is set to “1”, and a record for the corresponding content is deleted from the database included in the memory 30 instead of the processing in step S318 in FIG. Further, when checking out to a plurality of optical disks, the recording medium ID of the optical disk following the optical disk is recorded on each optical disk.

[0272] The information of the recording medium ID is used for specifying that the content is recorded on a plurality of optical discs and the optical disc on which the continuation of the content is recorded at the time of import. Note that, on the last optical disk of the plurality of optical disks, for example, data meaning “no following optical disk” is recorded instead of the recording medium ID of the next optical disk.

In the above example, the recording medium ID of the next optical disk is written before the optical disk is exchanged at the time of export. The recording medium ID of one optical disk is registered in advance together with the recording order, or the user inputs and sets the recording medium ID of the next optical disk when exchanging the optical disk.

However, the recording medium ID of the next optical disk can be determined by reloading each optical disk into the optical disk drive after the content export to the K optical disks has been completed and writing the same. There is no need to register an ID.

(2) If the corresponding content for which "export" has been instructed has been recorded on the optical disc: That is, if it is determined in step S362 that the corresponding content has been recorded on the optical disc, the control unit 20 ,
The “number of recording media” of the record of the corresponding content is read, and since this value is K (K is an integer of 1 or more), it is known that K optical disks need to be read. Then, the control unit 20 determines “recording media I
D ", and those recording medium IDs are
Is displayed on the television monitor 2 using (step S371 in FIG. 24).

The user looks at the screen of the television monitor 2 and prepares in advance K optical disks having the recording medium ID displayed thereon.

Next, the control unit 20 performs an initialization process for reading contents from the required number K of optical discs (step S372), and executes the k-th (k = 1, 2,..., K) -th optical disc. A message prompting loading, for example, "XX
XX (recording media ID) ”is displayed on the screen of the television monitor 2 using the OSD unit 16 (step S373).

Using the recording medium ID read from the loaded optical disc, it is determined whether or not the optical disc is loaded (step S374). When it is confirmed that the optical disc is loaded, the optical disc is read. Determines whether only the corresponding content is recorded (step S375).

If it is determined that only the corresponding content is recorded on the optical disc, EXPPORTING_FLAG of the optical disc is set to "1" (step S376). By this processing, the content can be exported without bothering the entity of the content.

Then, it is determined whether or not all the checkouts to the K optical discs recognized as necessary for exporting the selected content have been completed (step S377).

If it is determined in step S377 that there is an optical disk that has not been checked out, the optical disk drive 50 is instructed to eject the loaded optical disk, and the optical disk is ejected (step S378). Then, a process of designating the next optical disk among the K optical disks is performed (step S37).
9) Then, the process returns to step S373 to instruct the OSD unit 16 to display a message prompting the loading of the next optical disc on the screen of the television monitor 2. Then, the processing after step S374 is repeated as described above.

If it is determined in step S377 that check-in from all K optical disks has been completed, control unit 20 deletes the record for the content from the database included in memory 30 (step S380). Then, the export process ends.

If it is determined in step S375 that not only the corresponding content but also other content is recorded on the optical disc, the controller 20
Checks the content once into the hard disk device 40 (step S381 in FIG. 25). The check-in operation is the same as that described with reference to FIGS. 21 and 22.

After the check-in is completed, the control unit 20
Using the SD unit 16, a message prompting the optical disc drive 50 to load an empty optical disc is displayed on the television monitor 2 (step S382).

Then, it is determined whether or not an empty optical disk is loaded (step S383). When it is confirmed that an empty optical disk is loaded, the control unit 20 checks out the corresponding content onto the empty optical disk (step S384). . However, in this step S384,
The control unit 20 replaces the processing in step S316 in FIG. 20 with the EXP_PORT_FLAG =
Set to “1”. Further, when checking out to a plurality of optical disks, the recording medium ID of the optical disk following the optical disk is recorded on each optical disk. Note that, on the last optical disk of the plurality of optical disks, for example, data meaning “no following optical disk” is recorded instead of the recording medium ID of the next optical disk.

Then, it is determined whether or not all the checkouts to the K optical disks recognized as necessary for exporting the selected content have been completed (step S385).

If it is determined in step S385 that there is an optical disk that has not been checked out, the optical disk drive 50 is instructed to eject the loaded optical disk, and the optical disk is ejected (step S386). Then, a process of designating the next optical disk among the K optical disks is performed (step S38).
7) Then, the process returns to step S373 to instruct the OSD unit 16 to display a message prompting the loading of the next optical disc on the screen of the television monitor 2. Then, the processing after step S374 is repeated as described above.

If it is determined in step S385 that check-in from all K optical disks has been completed, control unit 20 deletes the record for the content from the database included in memory 30 (step S388). Then, the export process ends.

<Operation of Importing> The operation at the time of “importing” the content “exported” as described above will be described with reference to FIG. 26 and the subsequent FIGS. 27, 28 and 29. .

[0290] The video recording / reproducing apparatus 1 waits for the user to load the optical disk on which the "exported" content is recorded into the optical disk drive 50 (step S391). Then, when receiving a signal indicating that an optical disk has been loaded from the optical disk drive 50, the control unit 20 reads the EXPORTING_FLAG recorded on the optical disk (step S392). If the optical disc has been exported, the value of this EXPORTING_FLAG is
Since it is "1", it is determined whether this is the case (step S393).

When the value of EXPPORTING_FLAG is “0” and it is determined that the loaded optical disc 3 has not been exported, the processing shifts to a normal reproduction process. In this case, if the device ID recorded on the optical disk 3 matches the device ID of the own device, the content can be reproduced in the same manner as described above.

When the value of EXPPORTING_FLAG is “1” and it is determined that the loaded optical disk has been exported, the control unit 20 registers the content recorded on the optical disk in its own database. OS to ask the user
A message is generated using the D unit 16 and displayed on the television monitor 2 (step S394).

Control unit 20 determines whether the user has instructed "import" for this display (step S20).
395) When the "import" is not instructed, this processing routine ends.

[0294] When the user instructs "import" of the corresponding content using remote controller transmitter 4 or key operation unit 70, the import instruction accompanies an instruction to check in hard disk device 40 after import. Is determined (step S396).

(1) Import Only The determination made through steps S395 and S396 means that if the user's instruction is only import, the content is registered in the database as it is recorded on the optical disk. . In this case, it is determined from the information of the recording medium ID of the next optical disc recorded on the loaded optical disc whether or not there is a subsequent next optical disc (step S40 in FIG. 27).
1).

If it is determined in step S401 that there is no subsequent optical disc, the control unit 20 recognizes that the content is recorded on only one optical disc, and
By operating the optical disk drive 50, information on the logical format (for example, UDF + RTR) employed by the optical disk is read from the optical disk (step S40).
2).

[0297] Then, the control section 20 prepares a new record in the database in the memory 30. This new record is created for all the contents recorded on the optical disc to be imported (step S4).
03). In this case, the control unit 20 sets the following three fields related to the location information of the content among the fields of the record for each content as follows.

[0298] The "recording medium type" is set to "1" representing an optical disk. The “recording media ID” is an “optical disk identifier (media ID)”. Further, the “content identification name” is an “identifier representing the corresponding content”.
In addition, information read from the optical disc is written in fields related to other content attributes.

Then, the control unit 20 sets the EX of the optical disc
PORTING_FLAG is changed to "0" to indicate that it has been registered in the database (step S4).
04). Then, the optical disc drive 50 is instructed to eject the optical disc, and the optical disc is ejected (step S405), and the import routine is terminated.

[0300] If it is determined in step S401 that the next optical disc is present, it is recognized that the content is recorded on a plurality of optical discs, and the control unit 20 operates the optical disc drive 50 to switch the optical disc from the optical disc. The logical format (for example, UDF +
RTR) is read out and temporarily stored (step S406). Further, the control unit 20 controls the EXP of the optical disc.
ORTING_FLAG is changed to "0" (step S407), and the optical disc is ejected (step S4).
08).

Then, an instruction is issued to display a message prompting the loading of the next optical disk on the screen of the television monitor 2 using the OSD section 16 (step S409). In response to the message, it is determined whether or not the optical disk has been loaded by the user (step S410). When it is confirmed that the optical disk has been loaded, the recording medium ID is read from the loaded optical disk (step S41).
1), it is determined whether or not the optical disc is loaded (step S412).

When it is determined that the loaded optical disc is not the corresponding optical disc, the process returns to step S408, and the optical disc is ejected, and a message prompting the user to reload the corresponding optical disc is displayed (step S40).
9).

If it is confirmed in step S412 that the corresponding optical disc has been loaded, the recording medium ID of the next optical disc recorded on the loaded optical disc is determined.
, It is determined whether there is a subsequent next optical disk (step S413). In this step S413,
If it is determined that the next optical disk is present, the process proceeds to step S
The process returns to 406, and the above-described processing after step S406 is repeated.

If it is determined in step S413 that there is no next optical disk and that it is the last of a plurality of optical disks on which one content is recorded, the control unit 2
No. 0 operates the optical disk drive 50 to read information of the logical format (for example, UDF + RTR) adopted by the optical disk from the optical disk and temporarily store the information (step S414).

Next, the control unit 20 sets the E
XPORTING_FLAG is changed to "0" (step S415).

Then, the control unit 20 prepares a new record in the database in the memory 30. The new record is obtained from a plurality of optical discs to be imported and is created as shown in FIG. 10 described above using the information of the logical format held up to that time (step S416).

Then, the control section 20 instructs the optical disc drive 50 to eject the last optical disc, ejects the optical disc (step S417), and ends the import routine.

(2) Importing and Checking In If the determination made through steps S395 and S396 is that the user's instruction is to import and check in, the content recorded on the optical disk is registered in the database. At the same time as reading to the internal hard disk.

In this case, first, it is determined whether or not the free space of the hard disk of the hard disk device 40 is sufficient (step S397). When the free space is not sufficient, the hard disk device 40 is
Is displayed on the television monitor 2 indicating that the hard disk has insufficient free space (step S39).
8), this processing routine ends.

[0310] When it is determined that the hard disk device 40 has a sufficient free space, the control unit 20 operates the optical disk drive 50 to change the logical format (for example, U
DF + RTR) information is read (Step S in FIG. 28)
421).

[0311] Then, the control unit 20 searches for the "content identification name" of the corresponding content from the read information of the logical format of the optical disk, confirms the information of the arrangement in the optical disk (step S422), and Then, the output of the corresponding content is instructed (step S423). At the same time, the control unit 20 instructs the hard disk device 40 to record the input data (step S424).

Then, the bit stream of the corresponding content output from the optical disk drive 50 is
Is input to the hard disk device 40 via the. The hard disk device 40 records the input bit stream. At this time, the screen of the TV monitor 2 displays the OS
When the D unit 16 is controlled by the control unit 20,
“Checking in” is displayed (step S42)
5).

When the output of the corresponding content from the optical disk drive 50 is completed, a signal notifying the control unit 20 is sent from the optical disk drive 50. The control unit 20 thereby determines the end of reading of the content from the optical disc drive 50 (step S
426), an instruction is given to end the recording after all bit streams have been recorded on the hard disk device 40 (step S427).

Next, the control unit 20 determines whether or not there is a subsequent next optical disk from the information of the recording medium ID of the next optical disk recorded on the loaded optical disk (step S431 in FIG. 29). .

In this step S431, there is no next optical disk, and the next optical disk is a plurality of last optical disks on which one content is recorded (when one content is recorded on only one optical disk, the last optical disk is the last optical disk). If it is determined that the optical disk is an optical disk), the controller 20
Converts information such as the attribute of the recorded content according to the logical format (for example, FAT32) adopted by the hard disk device 40, and
0 is recorded (step S432). At this time, a content identification name is added to the content. It is not considered necessary to change the “content identification name” at the time of importing, but it is changed when a different name is used due to, for example, duplication of the content name already recorded on the hard disk device 40. Is possible. When accessing the corresponding content later, this identification name is used.

[0316] Then, the control unit 20 prepares a new record in the database in the memory 30. This new record is created for all contents recorded on the optical disk to be imported and checked into the hard disk device 40 (step S433). This new record is similar to that shown in FIG.

[0317] Finally, the control unit 20 deletes the corresponding content recorded on the optical disc (step S43).
4). As a result, when there is no more content recorded on the optical disc (step S435), the EXP
ORTING_FLAG is set to “0” (step S436).

If it is determined in step S413 that there is a next optical disk, the control unit 20 deletes the corresponding content recorded on the optical disk (step S4).
37). As a result, when there is no more content recorded on the optical disc (step S438), EX
PORTING_FLAG is set to “0” (step S439).

Thereafter, the control section 20 ejects the optical disc (step S440). Then, an instruction is issued to display a message prompting the loading of the next optical disk on the screen of the television monitor 2 using the OSD unit 16 (step S441). In response to the message, it is determined whether or not the optical disk has been loaded by the user (step S442). When it is confirmed that the optical disk has been loaded, the recording medium ID is read from the loaded optical disk (step S443). It is determined whether an optical disk has been loaded (step S444).

When it is determined that the loaded optical disk is not the corresponding optical disk, the process returns to step S440, and the optical disk is ejected, and a message prompting the user to load the relevant optical disk again is displayed (step S44).
1).

When it is confirmed in step S444 that the relevant optical disk has been loaded, the flow returns to step S421 in FIG. 28, and the processing in step S421 and thereafter is repeated as described above.

[Other Embodiments of Information Recording Management Apparatus] In the above embodiment, the optical disk drive 50 is for loading optical disks one by one. An optical disk changer capable of loading the same optical disk at the same time can be used. In this case, if the recording of the content has a file capacity that can be accommodated in the range of the number of optical discs that can be loaded into the optical disc changer, it is not necessary to eject and load the optical disc. Even when the content is recorded, the user does not need to perform any operation, which is convenient.

Also, at the time of reproduction, since a plurality of optical disks on which the specified contents are recorded can be confirmed on the screen of the television monitor 2 and loaded into the optical disk changer at one time, the usability is extremely high. Get better.
In particular, in this embodiment, since the recording / reproducing apparatus has information on the content recorded on a plurality of recording media as a database, the content can be recorded simply by specifying the desired content. Since the user can know all of the plurality of recording media, the recording media can be loaded in the changer in advance.

In the above-described embodiment, when the recording of the content cannot be completed on the first optical disk, the bit stream is supplied to the hard disk device to temporarily save the content. The recording may be always performed via the hard disk from the start of the recording.

As a development of this, when the user selects an optical disk as a recording medium and operates the recording button, but the optical disk is not loaded in the optical disk drive, the recording button is simultaneously operated and the temporary storage on the hard disk device is performed. Recording is started, and after that, when the optical disk is loaded, the content information is transferred to the optical disk while writing to the hard disk device as described above, and the completed transfer is erased from the hard disk. It is also possible to record on an optical disk.

When one content is recorded on a plurality of optical disks, the reproduction is performed via the hard disk device even at the time of reproduction from the optical disk, so that even at the joint between the optical disks,
Reproduction can be performed without interruption.

[0327] In the above description of the embodiment, the case where a broadcast signal is received and recorded on a recording medium has been described, but the present invention is not limited to recording a broadcast signal. For example, the present invention can be applied to a video camera using a fixed recording medium and a detachable recording medium.

[0328] The content information to be recorded is not limited to video information or audio information, but may be text information or a program.

In the above-described embodiment, the database memory is incorporated in the video recording / reproducing device. However, the database memory is connected to the video recording / reproducing device via a network. For example, provided in a device such as a personal computer,
Of course, the video recording / reproducing apparatus can be accessed via a network.

[0330]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a large amount of content is recorded and managed, it can be easily managed by a relatively simple device.
In particular, by using not only a fixed recording medium but also a detachable recording medium, it is not necessary to particularly provide a large-capacity built-in recording medium. In addition, one content can be recorded and reproduced over a plurality of removable recording media, which is very convenient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an information record management device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a content database in the information recording management device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing a recording operation in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing a recording operation in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing a recording operation in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing a content selection and reproduction operation in the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing a recording operation in the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing a content selection and reproduction operation in the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing a recording operation in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a record in a database when content is recorded on a hard disk in the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram used to explain records in the database of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a record in a database when content is recorded on a plurality of optical discs in the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram used to describe records in the database of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining another example of the processing of the seam of recording on a plurality of optical disks in the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a part of a flowchart for describing another example of the processing operation of the joint processing of recording on a plurality of optical disks in the embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a part of a flowchart for describing another example of the processing operation of the joint processing of recording on a plurality of optical disks in the embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing a content selection and reproduction operation in the embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing a content selection and reproduction operation in the embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing a content selection and reproduction operation in the embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating an example of database management of an optical disc in the embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a part of a flowchart for describing an operation of moving content from a fixed recording medium to a removable recording medium in the embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a part of a flowchart for describing an operation of moving content from a fixed recording medium to a removable recording medium in the embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a part of a flowchart for describing an operation of moving content from a removable recording medium to a fixed recording medium in the embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating a part of a flowchart for describing an operation of moving content from a removable recording medium to a fixed recording medium in the embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing an operation for moving content to another database in the embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing an operation for moving content to another database in the embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing an operation for moving content to another database in the embodiment.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing an operation of registering content from another database in the embodiment.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing an operation of registering content from another database in the embodiment.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing an operation of registering content from another database in the embodiment.

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a part of a flowchart for describing an operation of registering content from another database in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Video recording / reproducing apparatus, 2 ... TV monitor, 3 ... Optical disk, 4 ... Remote control transmitter, 12 ... Tuner part, 1
3 ... MPEG2 encoding unit, 14 ... MPEG2 decoding unit, 15 ... Video switcher, 16 ... OSD unit, 20
... Control unit, 24 ... System bus, 30 ... Database memory, 40 ... Hard disk drive, 50 ... Optical disk drive, 60 ... Remote control receiving unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme coat ゛ (reference) G11B 27/00 G11B 27/00 DF term (reference) 5B082 CA01 CA17 CA18 CA20 JA11 5D044 AB07 BC01 BC04 CC04 DE29 DE49 DE54 DE94 EF03 EF05 GK12 5D110 AA13 AA17 AA29 DA01 DA06 DA14 DB03 DB08 DC16 DE04 FA08

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A method of recording one piece of content information over a plurality of recording media detachable from an apparatus, wherein when a free space of the recording medium during recording decreases.
The writing of the content information to the recording medium is stopped, and the writing destination of the content information is changed from the recording medium to a storage unit that is built in the device and that can be simultaneously written and read. Writing the content information; and sequentially reading the content information written in the storage unit while continuing to write the content information in the storage unit, and writing the content information to the next recording medium. An information recording method, comprising: 2. A step of writing the content information in a storage means which is built in the apparatus and which can be simultaneously written and read, before recording the content information on a recording medium which is removable from the apparatus. After detecting that a suitable recording medium is loaded in the apparatus, the content information written in the storage means is sequentially read out while continuing to write the content information in the storage means, and the removable Writing an information to a recording medium. 3. The information recording method according to claim 1, wherein a break considered appropriate as the break of the content information is monitored, and a joint of the content information between the recording medium and the recording medium is determined as the appropriate one. An information recording method characterized in that a break is made. 4. The information recording method according to claim 3, wherein the built-in storage means holds the content information after at least one of the appropriate breaks before the current recording time. In advance, when the free space of the recording medium during the recording becomes low, the writing of the content information to the recording medium is stopped, and when the content information is written to the next recording medium, The content information from the previous cut held in the built-in storage means is recorded on the next recording medium, and the logic of the content information recorded on the recording medium for which writing has been stopped. The information recording method according to claim 1, wherein the last end is the previous break. 5. The information recording method according to claim 1, wherein when one piece of content information is recorded on a plurality of recording media, at least identification information of the content and a plurality of pieces of information on which the content information is recorded. An information recording method, wherein identification information of individual recording media is stored in a recording device. 6. A loading section for a removable recording medium, a built-in storage section capable of simultaneously writing and reading, and a medium loading detecting means for detecting that the removable recording medium has been loaded into the loading section. And when the medium loading detection unit detects that the recording medium has been loaded into the loading unit, the content information written into the storage unit while writing the content information into the storage unit. Means for sequentially reading and writing to the removable recording medium. 7. A loading section for a removable recording medium, medium loading detecting means for detecting that the removable recording medium is loaded in the loading section, and a built-in storage section which can simultaneously write and read. When the free space of the recording medium during recording becomes low,
Means for stopping writing of the content information to the recording medium, changing a writing destination of the content information from the recording medium to the storage unit, and writing the content information to the storage unit, and When it is detected that the next recording medium is loaded in the loading section, the content information written in the storage section is sequentially read out while continuing to write the content information in the storage section. Control means for writing to the next removable recording medium. 8. The information recording apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: means for monitoring an appropriate break as a break of the content information being recorded on the recording medium, and holding a position of the break. An information recording apparatus, wherein a joint between content information between recording media is set to the appropriate cut. 9. The information recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, of the content information being recorded on the recording medium, the content information after the appropriate break at least one before the current recording time. Means for writing the content information to the built-in storage unit, and when the free space of the recording medium during the recording becomes low, the writing of the content information to the recording medium is stopped. Means for continuing to write information, and when the medium loading detection means detects that the next recording medium has been loaded into the loading unit, while continuing to write content information to the storage unit, It is preferable that the content information from the previous appropriate break written in the storage unit is sequentially read out and recorded on the next recording medium. Last logical of the contents information recorded on the recording medium that has stopped writing, the information recording apparatus characterized by and a control means for controlling to said previous cut. 10. The information recording method according to claim 7, wherein, when one piece of content information is recorded on a plurality of recording media, at least identification information of the content and a plurality of pieces of information on which the content information is recorded. An information recording apparatus comprising: means for storing identification information of individual recording media. 11. Content information can be stored in a plurality of recording media including a removable recording medium that can be attached to and detached from a recording device, and a fixed recording medium that cannot be attached and detached and can be simultaneously written and read. Record your choices,
An information recording management method for managing information relating to recording of the recorded content information in a database, wherein the information relating to recording of the recorded content information includes location information of the recorded content information, and the location information includes: At least, information on the type of recording medium for distinguishing whether the recording medium is detachable or fixed, an identifier of the recording medium on which the content information is recorded, and the content information can be identified in the recording medium While managing using a content identifier for the, when the recording medium for recording the content information is a removable recording medium, the location information, the number of removable recording media per content information and If the number of the recording medium is a plurality, each identifier of the plurality of removable recording medium, And information about joint of content, the information recording managing method characterized in that it comprises at least. 12. The information recording management method according to claim 11, wherein the recording medium for recording the content information is a removable recording medium, and when the free space of the removable recording medium is reduced. Stopping the writing of the content information to the removable recording medium, changing the write destination of the content information from the removable recording medium to the fixed recording medium, and changing the content information to the fixed recording medium. When the next of the removable recording medium is loaded, the content information written on the fixed recording medium is sequentially written while continuing to write the content information on the fixed recording medium. And recording the information on the next removable recording medium. 13. A method for storing content information from a plurality of recording media including a removable recording medium that is removable from a recording device and a fixed recording medium that is non-removable and simultaneously writable and readable. Record your choices,
An information recording management device that manages information relating to recording of the recorded content information in a database and manages the database memory; and as information relating to recording of the recorded content information, at least a recording medium is detachable or fixed. Whether the information of the type of recording medium for distinguishing between, the identifier of the recording medium on which the content information is recorded, and the identifier of the content information, and if the recording medium is a removable recording medium, When the number of removable recording media per one piece of content information and the number of the removable recording media are plural, the identifiers of the plurality of removable recording media and the joints of the contents are related. Means for writing location information containing at least information to the database memory. That information recording management device. 14. The information recording management device according to claim 13, wherein the recording medium for recording the content information is a removable recording medium, and when the free space of the removable recording medium is reduced. Stopping the writing of the content information to the removable recording medium, changing the write destination of the content information from the removable recording medium to the fixed recording medium, and changing the content information to the fixed recording medium. When the next of the removable recording medium is loaded, the content information written on the fixed recording medium is sequentially written while continuing to write the content information on the fixed recording medium. An information recording management device, comprising: a control unit that controls reading and writing to the next removable recording medium. 15. The information recording management device according to claim 13, wherein a list of content information recorded on the plurality of storage media is based on location information of the content information stored in the database memory. The information of the type of the recording medium for distinguishing whether the recording medium is removable or fixed, and if the recording medium is a removable recording medium, the information of the removable recording medium per content information Quantity and
In the case where the number of the removable recording media is plural, a means for displaying each identifier of the plurality of removable recording media, together with information on the joint of the content, and a list of the content information An information recording management device, comprising: selection instruction means for selecting and instructing specific content information; and means for reproducing the content information specified by the selection instruction means in accordance with a reproduction instruction.