JP2003509789A - Multimedia data shuttle and archive - Google Patents

Abstract

  (57) [Summary] A data shuttle and storage device for providing input from a variety of sources in a single hard disk drive and in a variety of formats, and for selectively outputting data in a variety of formats to a variety of destinations. A data shuttle and storage device comprising a plurality of analog and digital interfaces. All of the above data is stored through a disk processor that performs bus arbitration and file management, etc. under the control of the shuttle-mounted microprocessor and the shuttle-mounted power supply, so that the shuttle can be retrieved from multiple sources. Provides media independent plug and play data portability for data provided to multiple destinations.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is US provisional dated September 13, 1999, entitled "Apparatus for VCR Systems Based on Hard Disks", both invented by William S. Hertz. Patent Application No. 60 / 153,634, and entitled "Conversion of Multimedia Data Shuttles and Archives to Different Codes", 1999.
Based on US provisional patent application No. 60 / 153,631 dated September 13, 2013.
We claim priority to these US provisional patent applications. The above US provisional patent application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to digital signal processing for recording streams of digital data representing data, sound and images, and in particular, removable data shuttle format, demounting. Method and apparatus for using a removable hard disk drive.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the advent of consumer audio and video products that use advanced digital processing techniques, all the potential of digital technologies used to broadcast video, audio and other data-oriented works. It is becoming increasingly important to develop ways to realize these potentials. Given such sources of video and audio information, such as television stations, satellite, cable television, video tapes, and digital discs, such information is
Increasingly, they will be presented in a way suitable for operation with automated electronic hardware such as computers or decoders. For example, direct video broadcasting (DV
D) The standard is for digital broadcasting from satellite ground stations and cable television systems. Even analog broadcasts, such as regular NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) broadcasts from local stations, can be received and digitized. Of course, it would be highly desirable if all of these broadcast data could be stored, stored and selectively played.

A device that performs some of these functions, familiar to all consumers, is the Video Cassette Recorder (VCR), which uses magnetic tape to store information. Since the tape has a linear property by nature, the tape may be rewound, fast forwarded, or temporarily stopped. However, the VCR cannot record and reproduce at the same time. Moreover, the quality on tape storage media is not particularly high. Quality on tape storage media tends to degrade fairly rapidly over time and / or with repeated playback. But,
VHS tapes have several advantages such as easy transport, easy storage, easy transfer from one machine to another, and ease of use for rerecording.

Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have these advantages in a storage device that has a larger storage capacity and is capable of storing digital data directly. Moreover, it would be highly desirable if other types of digital and analog data could be similarly migrated and accessed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One object of the present invention is the convenience of being able to play high quality recordings on a single removable assembly for long periods of time while being very easy to transport. To provide various types of factor storage systems.

Another object of the present invention is to make high quality digital recordings on disc products which can be controlled and removed by a human user in a known manner.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a high quality digital storage device for broadcast video information that allows easy access to the tape without data loss due to wear and tape particle degradation. Is.

In summary, the device of the present invention provides an audio and
Provides a new and unique facility to provide portable storage of data and video data. The portable storage device of the present invention provides an associated interface for storage on a hard disk drive and for processing on the same deck, and media-independent plug and play data and mobility. Provides the media interface needed to achieve. The storage device may be temporary or permanent as long as it does not cause data deterioration due to the long-term storage capacity of the hard disk drive. The storage shuttle of the present invention is portable, low power, and operates essentially in a plug and play mode. Operations on stored video and audio data are limited only by the storage capacity and input / output bandwidth of the associated interface system. The apparatus described herein provides operation similar to the functionality of commercial and household devices using more traditionally used portable media such as VHS tapes and music discs. The functions can include pause, fast forward, play, or select a portion of the storage medium. Moreover, in the case of the portable disc storage media described herein, the user has instant access to these operations, unlike similar mechanical systems. Further, the stored data can be used in the plug and play mode. Therefore, a portable disk drive with its associated interface serves, among other things, as, for example, an MP3 shuttle or archive, a digital image shuttle or archive, or a television shuttle or archive.

In the preferred embodiment, each shuttle stores images, televisions, etc.,
A multi-gigabyte hard disk drive packaged with associated input and output interfaces so that it can be moved or archived and then read from any of multiple machines Prepare In the preferred embodiment, a hard disk is used in place of the VHS tape in the VCR, using the same type of factor, the same elevator mechanism, to make the data shuttle make the necessary electrical contact. The input / output interface can be built into the modified model of the VCR, making it easier for the consumer to use. Those skilled in the art will readily understand other features and advantages of the present invention by reading the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the related drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a novel and unique method for storing, archiving, shuttle, and easily accessing a continuous stream of digital information representing audio, video or another similar medium. Of equipment.

1-5 are overviews of exemplary embodiments showing the operation of the present invention for storing and subsequent reading of a continuous stream of data. The data is VCR,
It may be from a video application such as a DVD, a digital camera, an MP3 player or an audio tape or from a certain source, or a PC data application or content, or some kind of It may be from another media source. The objective can be achieved by implementing a hard disk based cache or shuttle system so that any portion of the media cache can be selected for instantaneous access. Therefore, the data can be moved rather than the machine, and the data can be selectively accessed in a plug and play mode. If the input and output paths are running correctly, pause, rewind,
Features that are already familiar to the user, such as fast forward and selective play, and features such as more advanced motion, such as fast play, slow play, and reverse play, can easily be used. Therefore, the data cache system includes a hard disk drive and associated input and output electronics. Media output can be displayed or even rerecorded for audio and video display or printing,
Can be used for fax, email or other applications.

As with this design, the device is independent of the format of the digital data stream used. To apply the invention, it is only necessary to be aware of the data stream used by the processor, or at the input interface so that the information used can be properly digitized and stored on the data shuttle of the invention. Only the analog / digital circuit needs to be installed.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. This block diagram illustrates the digitization and compression of the input video and audio signals so that they can be properly stored on disk 100 by disk processor 102. The input video signal is sent to analog-to-digital converters 110, 112 and its output is sent to a television decoder 114, which is controlled by a microcontroller 116. The output of this decoder 114 is SD
It is sent to the compression codec 118 controlled by the RAM 120. The output from the compression decoder, which is digitized and compressed video information, is
Although sent to the disc 100 through the processor 102, the disc 100 also provides the digitized audio received from the audio analog-to-digital converters 140, 142. On the output side, the same disk processor 102 is used for the necessary file management, content management, bus arbitration and stream management, as shown in each block of FIG. A digital television, under the joint control of SDRAM 120 and microcontroller 116, capable of sending information to video digital-audio 222 before it is sent to the required audio digital-analog output system 210. Perform the necessary decryption of the information before sending it to the encoder 220. FIG. 3 shows the device implemented in the disk shuttle for storage of digital audio and compressed digital video. Essentially, on line 310, SPDIF
The same microcontroller controlling the codec 118 in cooperation with the SDRAM 120 is used to receive and code the input. The firmware input on line 320 is sent to disk processor 102 for proper file management, etc. before being stored in shuttle disk 100 along with the output of codec 118. On the output side, as shown in the figure, the fire line 3
20 can send compressed audiovisual data in both directions directly from the disk processor 102 to the appropriate output. The SPDIF output is received from the codec 118 under the control of the microcontroller 116.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show inputs and outputs from the flash memory 500 to the disk through the disk processor 102. The only element required is the flash controller 502, and in some embodiments, the physical drive 50.
4 is required.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a personal computer, a digital video camera,
Data from any of a number of sources in digital and analog form, such as flash memory, digital VCRs, etc., are all stored in a hard disk drive built into the data shuttle. Can be routed to any of a number of output devices with appropriate file and bus management.

FIG. 7 is easily implemented by one of ordinary skill in the art and may be incorporated into a data shuttle with about 1 gigabyte of disk storage device for storing received files and managed data. An example of a possible board level system is shown.

Take continuous streams of digital information from various sources, and
Through the various interfaces built into the data shuttle of the present invention,
The functions described in FIGS. 1-6 for sending to the hard disk drive and sending them over the bus to the hard disk drive with a built-in data shuttle are built into one board of FIG. In the case of this figure, inputs from various devices or sources of data are outputs to potential destinations and are illustrated on the left. When the received data is analog data, it is digitized, for example, as shown in the upper left of the figure, in which case the synthesized television video signal 70
0 and the associated audio 702 is a suitable analog-to-digital converter 704.
And 706 and then through the bus to the MPEG-2 encoder 710. The output of this MPEG-2 encoder 710 is the data packetizer 71.
2 to the disk processor 714, which performs the appropriate file management functions, bus arbitration functions, content management functions, and stream management functions, resulting in the data on the local hard disk drive 720. Can be memorized. In this way, any required video input stream can be converted, digitized, processed and stored for selective access on the data shuttle.

The shuttle can also be connected through an interface to a larger hard disk drive with a nesting or docking device 760 for the shuttle. The disk processor 714 can then also transmit from the local disk drive 720 the digital data stored on the larger capacity nested disk drive 740. In this way, the shuttle can move from one device to another to store input data from one or several sources. The shuttle may then enter a nesting or docking device 760 that supports or incorporates a larger capacity disk drive 740, such that some of the stored contents of local hard disk 720 may be , ATA bus 734
To offload onto a larger capacity disk 740. Nesting device 7
If you want to offload or access some of the 60 content, the shuttle returns to the nested device 760 and the disk processor moves from the nested disk 740 onto the local hard disk 720.
Download the required data. The shuttle operates under the control of its own local processor 770 and has a power supply, monitor 772 and controllers 780-784.
, So that the shuttle is in the dock 760 and has a power supply 772.
If it can be recharged, it can function independently from the dock or nesting.

Among other interfaces, the shuttle also includes an input / output bus 720 that operates to handle the SPDIF format. This input / output bus 72
0 connects directly to the data packetizer 712 and then to the disk processor 714 through the bus. Another SPDIF input 722 for receiving digital audio is an input to the MPEG-2 encoder 710. The output of this MPEG-2 encoder is also the local hard disk 7
20 or nested hard disk 740 for storage on disk processor 714. The output of this digital audio source 722 is also sent directly to the data packetizer 712, after which the disk processor 7
14 is sent to the MP3 encoder 724, which allows it to store any data in the SPDIF format and selectively access that data.

A plurality of bi-directional buses are also installed, including USB buses 730, 1394 buses 732 and ATA buses 734. The USB bus 730 can provide a two-way connection to, for example, an MP3 player, digital camera or personal computer. U
Through SB PHY 740 and packetizer 742, any of these devices connect directly to data packetizer 712, whose inputs and outputs are then sent to hard disk drive 720 through processor 714. In a similar manner, the 1394 bus 732 can be connected through a suitable PHY 744 to a digital video camera or personal computer or digital VCR, and through a packetizer 746 to a data packetizer 712 and disk processor 714. it can. Finally, the ATA bus 734 connects flash memory or other data storage device directly to the disk processor 71.
4 and then can be connected to the disk drive 720.

On the output side, even though the SPDIF input 722 can be sent through the MP3 encoder 724 for storage, its output is sent to the SPDIF output bus 75.
2 or, alternatively, through audio processor 754, an MP3 decoder 750 is provided that can be sent to modulator amplifier 756. This provides several additional output lines including high frequency modulated AV758, stereo phone output 760 and audio output 762. The audio output is often used in conjunction with the television output 764, which is sent through a modulator amplifier via a digital video encoder 766 and an MPEG-3 decoder 768. The MPEG-2 decoder receives its video information from the depacketizer 712 and a disk processor 714 that, as described above, can selectively access any file on the local disk 720. Also, if the shuttle enters the nesting device 760, the nesting hard disk 740 can also be used as a source. All of these functions are performed under the control of CPU 770, which in this embodiment is Motorola 823E supported by power supply 772 and monitor.

The above functions are selected, the input and output sources and destinations are recognized through the IR controller 780, and the selected functions are displayed on the LCD display 782 on the front of the shuttle. Both of these are control inputs / outputs 7 with built-in shuttle
Supported through 84 and controls the functions of CPU 770 through bus 786.

With this controller and a set of bus inputs, video inputs, etc., to enhance the data shuttle to support and carry the limited storage capacity of the analog and digital devices described above. Can be used.

[0025] As another example, this hard disk-based shuttle, while maintaining compatibility with traditional tape media, has traditionally provided both standard and enhanced features due to mechanical type factors. Can be used to emulate a VHS VCR. In one embodiment, the shuttle is lightweight,
It is used in place of tape inside a VHS cassette shell with a low power hard disk drive. The interface of the hard disk drive is exposed when the disk drive is inserted into the VCR in the same way that the flaps of the VHS cassette are opened to expose the tape. Audio and video data can interface directly to the VCR digital signal processing mechanism and pass directly through the same path as conventional tape. When the cassette is lowered to its "replay" position, the power and ground pins
It projects from the R chassis and contacts the retracted connector in the cassette shell.

Instead of the magnetic tape that contacts the recording head of the VCR, audio data /
Video data is sent directly through digital processing circuitry within the data shuttle. In this case, the content is decompressed, errors are corrected, filtered, coded, converted to analog signals for display, and on lines 762-764, FIG.
It is output as shown in.

The entire hard disk drive assembly with built-in VHS shell emulates all the physical elements of a VHS tape (such as front loading, automatic positioning, and precise alignment of electromagnetic data modulators and receptors). To do.

The assembly and system provide mass storage for digital video and audio data. Some advantages of disk storage of audio / video content are known (random access, clear forward / backward operation, lossless storage, simultaneous recording and playback, etc.).

However, unique advantages of the present invention include, but are not limited to: Backward compatibility with current DV or other digital tape based recorders. • A convenient form factor that allows you to play high quality recordings on a single removable assembly for tens of hours and is very easy to carry. Familiar human factors-a superset of VHS VCR functions and human factors. • Has all the benefits of tape, but no data loss over time due to tape particle degradation. To anticipate multiple video types (eg, ATSC video format, SD or HD) and program / optimize the media processor,
The ability to provide firmware data (eg DSP code).

Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, upon reading the above description of the invention, other uses, features and advantages of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention is limited only by the following claims.

[Brief description of drawings]

[Figure 1]   FIG. 3 is a block diagram of digitization of input video and audio signals.

[Fig. 2]   FIG. 3 is a block diagram of output of the video and audio signals.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of digitization and storage of digital audio and compressed digital video.

[Figure 4]   It is a block diagram of the output side of digital video and digital audio.

[Figure 5]   Input and output from the flash memory to the shuttle.

[Figure 6]   Input and output from the flash memory to the shuttle.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the data shuttle and the basic elements of the electronics contained in the docking station for the data shuttle.

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Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A data shuttle and storage device for providing input from a single hard disk drive and different formats, different sources, and multiple formats, multiple outputs. Through a disk processor on the disk drive under the control of a shuttle-mounted microprocessor, with all of the data being powered by a shuttle-mounted power supply. A data shuttle that provides media independent plug and play data portability for data stored, such that the shuttle is retrieved from multiple sources and provided to multiple destinations. 2. The data shuttle of claim 1, wherein the on-board microprocessor is accessed by a user of the shuttle connected thereto to specify the source of the data and / or the destination of the data. A data shuttle with multiple input controls that can. 3. The data shuttle of claim 1, further comprising a docking device associated with the data shuttle and containing a second relatively large capacity disk drive. A data shuttle in which a docking device is connected through one of the interfaces to the data shuttle, so that the data can be stored in the hard disk drive of the docking device. . 4. The data shuttle according to claim 3, wherein the analog
The data from an interface and a digital interface under the control of a disk processor that is contained in the data shuttle and that controls the input bus of the data shuttle to the hard disk drive,
A data shuttle transferred from the shuttle hard disk drive to the docking station hard disk drive. 5. The data shuttle of claim 1, wherein the data shuttle includes its own power supply and monitor and controls according to a user of the shuttle, such that the data shuttle is an independent entity. Data shuttle that acts as a. 6. The data shuttle of claim 5, wherein the power source of the data shuttle is rechargeable, which allows the data shuttle to be fully portable and without any permanent connection. A data shuttle that does not require. 7. The data shuttle of claim 6, wherein the power source of the docking device is rechargeable from a docking station. 8. The docking station of claim 1, further comprising controlling the bus connected to the hard disk drive in the data shuttle on the local hard disk drive. A disk processor is provided that operates to perform appropriate file management, bus arbitration, content management, and stream management functions on the stored data, so that on the hard disk drive the input A docking station that allows selective access to a stored input stream. 9. The data shuttle according to claim 8, wherein the disk
It includes an MPEG-2 encoder and a data packetizer that supplies data to the processor and receives input data from audio and video input sources, so that data in MPEG-2 format is stored on the hard disk drive and the data A data shuttle that can be accessed. 10. The data shuttle according to claim 2, wherein a USB bus is connected to the disk processor and the hard disk drive,
A data shuttle that includes a 1394 bus and an ATA bus so that inputs and outputs from digital data accessories can be stored and accessed directly through these buses. 11. A data shuttle and storage device, comprising a plurality of standard format buses, and data received from the interface received from the interface for storage on a hard disk drive built into the shuttle. File management function, bus arbitration function,
A data shuttle and storage device comprising means within said shuttle for performing content management functions and stream management functions.