HK1069654B

HK1069654B - Media-processing device using an external storage device

Info

Publication number: HK1069654B
Application number: HK05102599.6A
Authority: HK
Inventors: 徐敏浩; 李勇权
Original assignee: 株式会社Telechips
Priority date: 2003-04-04
Filing date: 2005-03-29
Publication date: 2007-06-29

Description

Media processing apparatus using external storage device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a media processing apparatus which accesses an external storage device, reads and reproduces media files stored in the external storage device, and stores media files generated by itself through an encoding process in the external storage device, thus enabling reproduction and storage of the media files without configuring a storage module for storing the media files in the media processing apparatus.

Background

Media processing devices for reproducing and storing media files, such as MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3(MP3) players and recorders (voicerecorders), are widely used today. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing the structure of a conventional media processing apparatus 100. A non-volatile storage module 140 (e.g., flash memory) is provided in such a conventional media processing device 100, and thus such a conventional media processing device 100 can store therein media files received from the host device 180. In addition, when a user inputs a command for reproducing a media file to the conventional media processing apparatus 100 through the user interface module 120, the conventional media processing apparatus 100 reads a media file from the storage device 140 and transfers data of the media file to the signal processing module 150 so as to decode the data of the media file according to a certain signal processing method (e.g., MP3 encoding method).

For the purpose of transmitting and receiving media files described above, the host device 180 and the media processing device 100 are each equipped with a transmission medium access function. As an example, fig. 1 shows a case where a Universal Serial Bus (USB) transmission medium is used. In the USB technology, when two devices are connected to each other through a USB transmission medium, one of the devices performing a master function is referred to as a USB host, and the other device performing a slave function is referred to as a USB device. In such a case where the media processing device 100 receives a media file from the host device 180 as shown in fig. 1, the host device 180 corresponds to a USB host and the media processing device 100 corresponds to a USB device. To this end, the host device 180 includes a USB host module 190, and the media processing device 100 includes a USB device module 130.

In addition to the USB transmission medium, an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)1394 transmission medium and a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) can be used as a transmission medium for such use. As for the connection between the two devices, the devices may be connected to each other by a cable, may be provided with a connection port for connection between the two, or may be wirelessly connected to each other by a wireless medium. In the case of using IEEE1394 technology or a wireless LAN, a different scheme may be adopted in addition to the above-described host-device scheme. For example, in the case of using the IEEE1394 technology, a peer-to-peer scheme may be used in addition to the master-slave scheme, and according to the serial bus protocol 2(SBP2) which is a higher-level management protocol, the host device 180 corresponds to the SBP2 initiator and the media processing device 100 corresponds to the SBP2 target. For example, i-Pod of Apple Computer inc. is a typical MP3 player that utilizes an IEEE1394 transmission medium. Meanwhile, in general digital transmission media including a USB transmission medium and an IEEE1394 transmission medium, the host device 180 can be generally simulated as a controller, and the media processing device 100 can be simulated as a target.

Three problems with such a conventional media processing device 100 are: cost reduction, miniaturization and product weight. The storage device 140 is a big obstacle to solving these three problems. In addition, there is another problem with the storage capacity of the storage device 140: the demand for increased storage capacity from users is constantly increasing, because the storage capacity of the storage device 140 becomes relatively insufficient after one or two years of product launch. Meanwhile, external storage media for supporting high-performance digital transmission media (such as USB transmission media or IEEE1394 transmission media) have been popularized, but they have a problem of unreliable applications.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to: there is provided a media processing apparatus which accesses an external storage device, reads and reproduces a media file stored in the external storage device, and stores the media file, which is generated by itself through an encoding process, in the external storage device, thereby making it possible to realize reproduction and storage of the media file without configuring a storage module for the media file in the media processing apparatus.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a media processing apparatus using an external storage device, the media processing apparatus comprising: a storage device access module for providing access to an external storage device through some transmission medium; the information acquisition module is used for acquiring an input signal; a program memory module for storing a system program for the media processing device; a system memory module to provide memory space for temporary access operations by the media processing device; a signal processing module for decoding media data according to a first signal processing method and encoding an input signal into media data according to a second signal processing method; a user interface module for providing an interface for a user of the media processing device; the control module is used for controlling the storage device access module, the signal processing module and the user interface module according to the system program; wherein the control module accesses the external storage device through the storage device access module, reads file information of one or more media files stored in the external storage device, stores the file information in the system memory module, and constructs contents to be displayed on the user interface module according to the file information stored in the system memory module; wherein, when a command for selecting one media file from the one or more media files is received through the user interface module, the control module accesses the external storage device through the storage device access module, searches for the selected media file, reads data of the searched media file, copies the read data into the system memory module, and provides the copied data to the signal processing module so as to decode the provided data according to the first signal processing method; and wherein, when a command for encoding a signal is received through the user interface module, the control module transmits the input signal provided from the information acquisition module to the signal processing module to encode the transmitted input signal into media data according to the second signal processing method, constructs a media file from the encoded media data, places the media file in the system memory module, copies the constructed media file to the external storage device in a case where the external storage device is currently accessible through the storage device access module, and waits until the external storage device becomes accessible and then copies the constructed media file to the external storage device in a case where the external storage device is currently inaccessible.

Drawings

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing the structure of a conventional media processing apparatus 100;

FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a structure in which a media file is reproduced using a media processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a structure in which a media file is reproduced using a media processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a structure in which a media file is reproduced using a media processing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a structure in which media is stored using a media processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a timing relationship between an operation of copying media data to a system memory module and an operation of reproducing a media file in the media processing device of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to designate the same or similar components.

Fig. 2 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a structure in which a media file is reproduced using a media processing apparatus 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The media processing device 200 is primarily configured to reproduce media files and operates to retrieve media files from the external storage 280 and reproduce the media files. In the present embodiment, a USB interface is used as a transmission medium for connecting the media processing apparatus 200 and the external storage device 280. In the present invention, the media processing device 200 functions as a USB host, and is provided therein with a USB host module 230 for such purpose. In contrast, the external storage device 280 functions as a USB device, and is provided therein with a USB device module 290.

In the present embodiment, the media processing device 200 includes: a user interface (U/I) module 220 for providing a user interface; and a signal processing module 250 for performing a signal processing operation according to a signal processing method, which is substantially the same as the conventional media processing apparatus 100. Meanwhile, the media processing device 200 of the present invention is not provided with the conventional storage 140 but is provided with the program memory module 260. The conventional storage 140 has a capacity exceeding several tens of MB, mainly contains a system program of the media processing apparatus 100, and is provided with a space capable of storing media files. In contrast, the program memory module 260 has a capacity of several hundred KB, and is largely different from the conventional storage device 140 in that: the program memory module 260 contains only the system programs of the media processing device 200 and does not provide a space for storing media files.

Further, in the present embodiment, the media processing device 200 is different from the conventional media processing device 100 in that: the media files are obtained through a USB transmission medium and are directly input to the signal processing module 250. That is, the media processing apparatus 200 uses the storage medium of the external storage device 280 as if it uses an internal storage medium. By configuring the structure as described above, the media processing device 200 of the present invention can be made to operate sufficiently with a smaller capacity and lower cost of the program memory module 260, whereby cost reduction, miniaturization, and weight reduction of the media processing device 200 can be achieved. Further, by being configured as described above, the media processing device 200 of the present invention can realize utilization of the external storage 280 by providing the transmission medium 230, and therefore, expansion of capacity can be realized.

Fig. 3 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a structure in which a media file is reproduced using a media processing apparatus 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment of fig. 3, the media processing apparatus 300 of the present embodiment is mainly configured to reproduce media files, and the media processing apparatus 300 operates to acquire media files from the external storage device 380 and reproduce the media files, and in this regard, the media processing apparatus 300 of the present embodiment is consistent with the media processing apparatus 200 of the above-described embodiment. However, the media processing device 300 of the present embodiment is different from the media processing device 200 of the above-described embodiment in the following: the media processing device 300 includes not only a system memory module 370, which is composed of a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) or a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), but also a boot code memory module 360 for storing a system boot code, instead of the program memory module 260 for storing a system program.

The boot code memory module 360 is a module for storing boot code for system boot of the media processing device 300, and the code memory module 360 has a capacity of several tens KB. The boot code memory module 360 may be implemented in a signal controller chipset with the control module 310. In the present embodiment, the system program of the media processing device 300 is preferably stored in the external storage 380 in the form of a file. The manufacturer of the media processing device 300 preferably publishes the system program through the internet, and the user can download the system program and store the system program in the external storage 380 in the form of a file.

Accordingly, when the media processing device 300 is booted at an initial stage, the media processing device 300 operates according to the boot code stored in the boot code memory module 360. Thereafter, when the connection between the media processing apparatus 300 and the external storage 380 is detected through the USB host module 330, the media processing apparatus 300 searches the storage space of the external storage 380, copies a system program compatible with the model of the media processing apparatus 300 into the system memory module 370, and then operates according to the copied system program. During power up, the system program copied as described above is preferably retained without being deleted. In this state, when the external storage device 380, which does not contain the system program file for the media processing apparatus 300, is connected to the media processing apparatus 300, the copied system program file is preferably copied from the system memory module 370 to the external storage device 380.

When the external storage device 380 is connected to the media processing apparatus 300, the media processing apparatus 300 preferably copies all or part of file information (e.g., a file allocation table, entry structure information, or descriptor information) of media files stored in the external storage device 380 to the system memory module 370 in advance. By doing so, the number of accesses to the external storage 380 can be reduced, whereby the operation speed of the media processing device 300 can be increased and power consumption can be reduced, which will be described later. In the case where file information has been copied to the system memory module 370 as described above, it is preferable to refer to the file information from the system memory module 370 thereafter. In this case, when a file of the external storage device 380 is changed in its operation, a version management may be performed by re-copying file information from the external storage device 380 or changing file information in the system memory module 370.

When the media processing device 300 receives a command from a user to select a specific media file through the user interface module 320, the media processing device 300 accesses the external storage 380, searches the external storage 380 for the media file, copies data of the media file to the system memory module 370, reads data of the media file from the system memory module 370, and provides the data of the media file to the signal processing module 350. By doing so, the number of times of accessing the external storage device 380 can be reduced, whereby the operation speed of the media processing apparatus 300 can be increased and power consumption can be reduced, which will be described later. Further, there is also a case where: one or more media files to be reproduced after a media file currently being reproduced may be known in advance through various information, such as a meta information file (meta information file), a user selection input, or file order information. In this case, an operation can be realized that: in the signal processing of the media file currently being reproduced, one or more media files to be reproduced next are copied from the external storage 380 to the system memory module 370 in advance as a background operation, whereby the operating speed of the media processing apparatus 300 can be increased. However, in this case, it is preferable to set the priority of the operation of copying the next media file to be lower than the priority of the operation of signal-processing the current media file.

Meanwhile, in the case of using the external storage device 380, power consumption may also be a problem. In particular, in case the media processing device 300 of the present invention is a portable device (e.g. an MP3 player), power consumption may be a serious problem. For example, if the external storage device 380 is not provided with a separate power source in the case of using the USB interface, the media processing apparatus 300 provides a voltage of about 5V and a current of about 40 mA. Such power consumption may place a significant burden on the media processing device 300. Accordingly, the operation mode of the USB host module 330 may be set to an active mode or an inactive mode according to the control of the control module 310. The deactivation mode is preferably configured not to perform the above power supply. Such an activation mode can be easily implemented using well-known transistor technology. This active mode can be easily implemented, for example, with a tri-state mode of transistors.

After the USB host module 330 is constructed in the above-described manner, by setting the operation mode of the USB host module 330 to the inactivation mode when the media processing apparatus 300 does not access the external storage device 380, the power consumption of the media processing apparatus 300 can be reduced. In this case, if the number of accesses to the external storage medium 380 by the media processing device 300 is reduced by the various methods described above, the power consumption of the media processing device 300 can be reduced.

Fig. 4 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a structure in which a media file is reproduced using a media processing apparatus 400 according to still another embodiment of the present invention. In contrast to the media processing device 300 of fig. 3, the media processing device 400 of fig. 4 does not have the boot code memory module 360, but has a program memory module 460. That is, since the system program for performing system control of the media processing apparatus 400 is embedded in the program memory module 460, it is no longer necessary to copy the system program from the external storage device 480 as described with reference to fig. 3. Other details of the present embodiment are substantially the same as those of the embodiment of the media processing device 300.

Fig. 5 is a diagram conceptually showing a structure in which media is stored using a media processing apparatus 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the media processing device 500 of fig. 5, the signal processing module 550 performs an encoding operation according to a certain signal processing method (e.g., an MP3 signal processing method). That is, the media processing apparatus 500 encodes an input signal received from a certain information source according to a certain signal processing method, outputs media data, and arranges the encoded media data in a certain file format to construct a media file.

In this embodiment, the media processing device 500 places the media file constructed as described above in the system memory module 570. Thereafter, if the external storage device 580 becomes accessible, the media file is copied into the external storage device 580 through the USB host module 530. In contrast, if the external storage device 580 is accessible at the time of construction of the media file, the media file is immediately copied from the system memory module 570 to the external storage device 580. However, this operation is only one embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. That is, the media processing apparatus 200 not equipped with the system memory module or the media processing apparatus 300 or 400 equipped with the system memory module having insufficient capacity performs encoding of media data only when the external storage device is accessible, and may be made to operate to construct a media file in the external storage device 580 without involvement of the system memory module.

The information sources described above may take a variety of different forms. For example, the information source may be a module that receives signals from the outside and provides the intact or processed signals to the inside. Furthermore, the information source may be a module, such as a microphone, which generates signals from the environment and provides these signals. In particular, the information source can be modeled as an operation: the signal is generated in the media processing device 500 by performing a function, such as content rendering, in the media processing device 500. Generally, an information source is understood as a module that provides a signal to the inside of the media processing device 500 in an analog manner or a digital manner.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a timing relationship between an operation of copying media data to a system memory module and an operation of reproducing a media file in the media processing device of the present invention. Referring to fig. 3 and 4, in the above-described media processing apparatuses 300 and 400, when a user selects a specific media file, the media processing apparatus 300 or 400 accesses the external storage 380 or 480, searches for the corresponding media file, copies data of the searched media file into the system memory 370 or 470, and transfers the data of the searched media file from the system memory 370 or 470 to the signal processing module 350 or 450. Fig. 6 shows a case where a user selects a specific media file k. As described above, the media processing device 300 or 400 copies the media file k to the system memory 370 or 470 in step ST 610, and then reproduces the copied media file k in step ST 620.

In this case, the reproducing operation may be started after all of the selected media files k are copied into the system memory 370 or 470. However, in order to reduce the waiting time of the user, it is preferable that the signal processing module 350 or 450 is provided with the media data and performs the decoding operation when the media data copied into the system memory 370 or 470 reaches the extent that the signal processing module 350 or 450 can perform the encoding operation even though the media file k has not been completely copied. Fig. 6 shows the following case: after the copying operation of the media file k has been started in step ST 610, the operation of reproducing the media file k is started in step ST 620 before the copying operation of the media file k has not been completed. In this case, the operation of copying the media data is performed as a background operation while the reproduction operation is continuously performed.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, adjacent media files, which are desired to be reproduced next, are copied to the system memories 370 and 470 in advance during an operation of reproducing the media files. If the operation of copying the media file is faster than the operation of reproducing the media file, a memory limit may be reached in step ST 630 at which the media data cannot be further copied into the system memory 370 or 470. In this case, the media processing device 400 will temporarily stop the operation of copying the media file or reduce the speed of the copying operation. In this case, the media file k +2 is indicated by a dotted line.

According to the present invention, the media processing device has advantages in that: the internal structure of the media processing device is simplified, and thus, the minimization of the production cost of the product and the optimization of the size and weight of the product are achieved.

In this specification, the units shown in fig. 1 to 5 are distinguished from each other in order to describe their functions. Thus, multiple units may be implemented in a single module (e.g., a single controller chipset), or each unit may be divided into two or more modules.

Further, in this specification, the above-described embodiments in which the nonvolatile memory device is not provided are merely examples enumerated to clearly describe the objects and effects of the present invention. Thus, according to an implementation of the invention, there may also be a so-called hybrid media processing device, wherein a conventional media processing device is combined with the media processing device of the invention, in which hybrid media processing device non-volatile storage means are provided, and in which hybrid media processing device the operations described above are to be performed.

Further, in the media processing device of the present invention, the transmission medium is a well-known wireless communication medium, and the storage access module accesses the external storage medium through the well-known communication medium and operates in the controller mode.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A media processing apparatus using an external storage device, comprising:

a storage device access module for providing access to an external storage device through some transmission medium;

the information acquisition module is used for acquiring an input signal;

a program memory module for storing a system program for the media processing device;

a system memory module to provide memory space for temporary access operations by the media processing device;

a signal processing module to: decoding media data according to a first signal processing method, and encoding an input signal into the media data according to a second signal processing method;

a user interface module for providing an interface for a user of the media processing device; and

the control module is used for controlling the storage device access module, the signal processing module and the user interface module according to the system program;

wherein the control module accesses the external storage device through the storage device access module, reads file information of one or more media files stored in the external storage device, stores the file information in the system memory module, and constructs contents to be displayed on the user interface module according to the file information stored in the system memory module;

wherein, when a command for selecting one media file from the one or more media files is received through the user interface module, the control module performs the following operations: accessing an external storage device through a storage device access module; searching for the selected media file; reading the data of the searched media file; copying the read data into a system memory module; and providing the copied data to a signal processing module for decoding the provided data according to a first signal processing method; and

wherein, when a command for encoding a signal is received through the user interface module, the control module performs the following operations: transmitting the input signal provided by the information acquisition module to a signal processing module so as to encode the transmitted input signal into media data according to a second signal processing method; constructing a media file from the encoded media data; placing the media file into a system memory module; copying the constructed media file into the external storage device in a case where the external storage device is currently accessible through the storage device access module, and waiting until the external storage device becomes accessible in a case where the external storage device is currently inaccessible, and then, copying the constructed media file into the external storage device.

2. The media processing device of claim 1, wherein:

the storage device access module is configured to set its access mode to an active mode or a deactivated mode with lower power consumption under the control of the control module;

the control module accesses the external storage device, reads the file information, and then sets the access mode to the deactivated mode when the access to the external storage device is finished;

when a command for selecting one media file from among the one or more media files is received through the user interface module, the control module sets an access mode to an active mode, accesses the external storage device, copies data of the selected specific media file into the system memory module, and sets the access mode to an inactive mode; and

when a command for encoding a signal is received through the user interface module, the control module performs the following operations: constructing a media file; placing the constructed media file into the system memory module; and setting the access mode to an active mode when the external storage device is accessible through the storage device access module, and copying the constructed media file into the external storage device and setting the access mode to an inactive mode.

3. A media processing apparatus using an external storage device, comprising:

a boot code memory module for storing boot code for system boot of the media processing device;

the control module is used for controlling the storage device access module, the signal processing module and the user interface module;

wherein, in a previous operation mode in which the media processing apparatus operates according to the start-up code, the control module accesses the external storage through the storage access module, searches the external storage for a system program suitable for the media processing apparatus, and loads the system program into the system memory module, and after that, the control module operates according to the loaded system program;

wherein the control module accesses the external storage device through the storage device access module after the system program is loaded, and copies file information of one or more media files stored in the external storage device into the system memory module;

wherein, when a command for selecting one media file from the one or more media files is received through the user interface module, the control module performs the following operations: searching the selected media file according to the copied file information; reading the data of the searched media file; copying the read data into a system memory module; and providing the copied data to a signal processing module for decoding the provided data according to a first signal processing method;

wherein the storage device access module is configured to set its access mode to an active mode or a deactivated mode with lower power consumption under control of the control module, such that the control module performs the following operations: setting the access mode to an inactive mode after copying file information from an external storage device into a system memory module; and when a command for selecting one media file from among one or more media files is received through the user interface module and before the selected media file is searched in the external storage module according to the copied file information and data of the searched media file is copied to the system memory module, setting the access mode to an active mode; and after these search and copy operations are completed, setting the access mode to an inactive mode.

4. A media processing apparatus using an external storage device, comprising:

wherein, in a previous operation mode in which the media processing apparatus operates according to the start-up code, the control module accesses the external storage through the storage access module and loads a system program for controlling the media processing apparatus into the system memory module, and after that, the control module operates according to the loaded system program;

wherein the control module performs the following operations: accessing an external storage device through a storage device access module, reading file information of one or more media files stored in the external storage device, storing the file information in a system memory module, and constructing content to be displayed on a user interface module according to the file information stored in the system memory module;

wherein, when a command for selecting one media file from the one or more media files is received through the user interface module, the control module performs the following operations: accessing an external storage device through a storage device access module; copying data of the selected media file into a system memory module; and providing the copied data to a signal processing module for decoding the provided data according to a first signal processing method; and

wherein the storage device access module is configured to set its access mode to an active mode or a deactivated mode with lower power consumption under control of the control module, such that the control module performs the following operations: setting the access mode to an inactive mode after copying file information from an external storage device into a system memory module; and setting the access mode to an active mode when a command for selecting one media file from among the one or more media files is received through the user interface module and before accessing the external storage device and copying data of the selected media file into the system memory module; and after these access and copy operations are completed, setting the access mode to an inactive mode.

5. A media processing apparatus using an external storage device, comprising:

a signal processing module for decoding the media data according to a first signal processing method;

wherein the control module accesses the external storage device through the storage device access module and copies file information of one or more media files stored in the external storage device into the system memory module;

wherein, when a command for selecting one media file from the one or more media files is received through the user interface module, the control module performs the following operations: searching for the selected media file according to the copied file information; reading the data of the searched media file; copying the read data into a system memory module; and providing the copied data to a signal processing module for decoding the provided data according to a first signal processing method;

wherein the storage device access module is configured to set its access mode to an active mode or a deactivated mode with lower power consumption under control of the control module, such that the control module performs the following operations: setting the access mode to an inactive mode after copying file information from an external storage device into a system memory module; and setting the access mode to an active mode when a command for selecting one media file from among one or more media files is received through the user interface module and before searching for the selected media file in the external storage device according to the copied file information and copying data of the searched media file into the system memory module; and after these search and copy operations are completed, setting the access mode to an inactive mode.

6. A media processing apparatus using an external storage device, comprising:

wherein, when a command for selecting one media file from the one or more media files is received through the user interface module, the control module performs the following operations: accessing an external storage device through a storage device access module; copying data of the selected media file into a system memory module; and providing the copied data from the system memory module to the signal processing module to decode the provided data according to the first signal processing method;

wherein the storage device access module is configured to set its access mode to an active mode or a deactivated mode with lower power consumption under control of the control module, such that the control module performs the following operations: setting the access mode to an inactive mode after copying file information from an external storage device into a system memory module; and when a command for selecting one media file from among the one or more media files is received through the user interface module, and before accessing the external storage device and copying data of the selected media file from the external storage device into the system memory module, setting the access mode to an active mode; and setting the access mode to the inactive mode after completion of the access and copy operations.

7. The media processing apparatus of claim 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the control module copies another media data to be reproduced next from the external storage device into the system memory module while decoding the copied media data according to the first signal processing method caused by supplying the copied media data to the signal processing module, the copying operation having a lower priority than the decoding operation.

8. The media processing device of claim 3, 4, 5 or 6, further comprising an information acquisition module for acquiring a signal;

wherein the signal processing module further performs an operation of encoding an input signal received from the information source into media data according to a second signal processing method;

wherein, when a command for encoding media data is received from a user through the user interface module, the control module performs the following operations: transmitting the signal provided by the information acquisition module to a signal processing module to encode the signal into media data according to a second signal processing method; constructing a media file from the encoded media data; placing the media file in a system memory module; and copying the constructed media file into the external storage device through the storage device access module when the external storage device is currently accessible through the storage device access module, and copying the constructed media file into the external storage device through the storage device access module after the external storage device becomes accessible when the external storage device is not currently accessible through the storage device access module.

9. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the transmission medium is a known USB transmission medium, and the storage device access module accesses the external storage medium through the USB transmission medium and operates in the host mode.

10. The media processing device of claim 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the transmission medium is a well-known IEEE1394 transmission medium, and the storage access module accesses the external storage medium through the IEEE1394 transmission medium and operates in the serial bus protocol 2 initiator mode.

11. The media processing device of claim 1, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the transmission medium is a well-known wireless communication medium, and the storage access module accesses the external storage medium through the well-known communication medium and operates in the controller mode.