JP2001298708A - Information reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information reproducing device that can accurately detect whether or not a video/audio signal is viewed/listened to even when all of the reproduced video/audio signal is not continuously read (when the video/audio signal is skipped and then viewed/listened to). SOLUTION: The information reproducing device is provided with a viewing/ listening detection circuit 6 that discriminates that all of the video/audio signals are viewed/listened to when data at a specific position of the video/audio signals recorded in a recording medium are read or when number of data and areas at a prescribed rate of the video/audio signals is read.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing a video or audio signal recorded on a recording medium.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an information reproducing apparatus capable of performing viewing detection of a video or audio signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, video / audio signals have been converted to MPEG (Movi
2. Description of the Related Art A system has been developed in which a digital signal is compression-encoded into a digital signal using an encoding technique of an ng Picture Experts Group (NG) method and the like, and is recorded as a digital signal in a digital recording / reproducing device such as a hard disk drive (HDD).

FIG. 3 shows an outline of an example of such a digital recording / reproducing apparatus system.
In FIG. 3, reference numeral 101 denotes a broadcasting station for transmitting a broadcast signal, 1
02 is an antenna for receiving a signal from the broadcast station 101, 1
03 is a digital recording / reproducing device, and 104 is a monitor for outputting video / audio.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration example of the digital recording device 103. Digital recording device 103
Receives an analog broadcast signal by the tuner 1 and
The video / audio signal is digitally encoded by the G encoder 2. The digitally encoded signal is recorded on the HDD 5 via the CPU 3.

[0005] A signal read from the HDD 5 via the CPU 3 is decoded by the MPEG decoder 4, and the decoded video / audio signal is output on the monitor 104.

[0006]

Incidentally, the HDD 5 for recording digital signals has a predetermined recordable capacity, and it is impossible to perform recording beyond that capacity. Therefore, when newly recording, if the recordable capacity of the HDD 5 is smaller than the capacity required for the signal to be recorded, the already recorded signal must be erased to secure the recordable capacity. No.

Therefore, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-66694 proposes a method of automatically erasing a stream that has been viewed, but the problem here is to detect whether or not the stream has been viewed. Is the way. For example, in the case of a signal that rarely skips in the middle, such as music, it is possible to determine that viewing has been completed when all data are continuously read.

[0008] However, in the case of recording such as a television broadcast, commercials and the like may be skipped, so that it may be preferable to determine that viewing has been completed even if not all data has been read. Many.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and even when all of the reproduced video / audio signals are not continuously read out (when viewed while skipping the middle),
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information reproducing apparatus capable of accurately detecting whether or not the video / audio signal has been viewed.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, when two specific points are read out of a video or audio signal recorded on a recording medium, all of the video or audio signal is viewed. It is characterized in that it has been determined that it has been performed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the first and last two points of a video or audio signal recorded on a recording medium are read, it is determined that all of the video or audio signal has been viewed. It is characterized by the following.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, when a predetermined number of data of a video or audio signal recorded on a recording medium is read out, all of the video or audio signal is viewed. It is characterized by making a judgment.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when a predetermined number of areas of a video or audio signal recorded on a recording medium are read out, all of the video or audio signal is viewed. It is characterized by detecting.

With the above configuration, even when the user performs an operation such as fast-forward or rewind, and all the video or audio signals are not continuously read, all of the video or audio signals are not read out. It is possible to determine that it has been viewed.

[0015] The video or audio signal judged to have been viewed is preferentially erased when the recordable capacity of the recording medium is reduced, or the number of times the video or audio signal has been viewed is determined. By managing, it is also possible to manage video or audio signals in consideration of user preferences.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the information recording apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 for a digital recording / reproducing apparatus. And a description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a digital recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The digital recording / reproducing apparatus 203 of this embodiment converts the broadcast signal received by the antenna 102 into an MP
The signal is converted into an EG digital signal.

The digital signal obtained by the MPEG encoder 2 is recorded on the HDD 5 via the CPU 13. The digital signal read from the HDD 5 via the CPU 13 is supplied to the MPEG decoder 4,
It is decoded into a video / audio signal.

When a BS digital broadcast or a CS broadcast is received and recorded / reproduced, there may be a signal of only an audio. Therefore, it is not always necessary to simultaneously record and reproduce a video and an audio signal.

Further, in the digital recording / reproducing apparatus 203 of the present embodiment, when reading a digital signal from the HDD 5, the viewing detection circuit 6 for detecting whether or not the recorded digital signal has been viewed from the position of the read data or the like. It has.

The viewing detection circuit 6 will be described with reference to FIG. A read position comparison value holding unit 21 for holding read position comparison values 1... N for comparing positions of data read from the HDD 5 is provided in the viewing detection circuit 6.
22, the actual read position and the read position comparison value 1 ...
Readout position comparing sections 23 for comparing N
Are provided.

Each of the read position comparing sections 23... 24
24, a comparison result storage unit 25 for storing the comparison result from the storage unit, a read ratio comparison value holding unit 26 for storing a read ratio value for setting the ratio of the read data, and read position comparison units 23. A ratio comparing unit 27 that compares the comparison result with the read ratio value is provided.

The position of data to be read from the HDD 5 is a physical position on the HDD 5, that is, information such as a track and a sector necessary for specifying the position of the data on the HDD 5. These information are normally managed by the system, and the read position comparison values 1...
Are automatically set according to the video / audio signal to be read.

On the other hand, the read ratio value comparison value leaves room for the user to set how much data is read when it is determined that viewing has been completed.

That is, by setting, for example, 50% for a variety program in which commercials frequently enter, and 80% for a drama, etc., according to the recorded video / audio signal, it is possible to perform viewing detection suitable for the recorded program. . Of course, a value of, for example, 90% may be held in advance as an initial setting value, and that value may be used unless otherwise set by the user.

When reading a digital signal from the HDD 5, data of the read position is input from the CPU 13 to the viewing detection circuit 6. The input read position data is
Each of the read position comparison units 23... 24 compares the read position with a preset read position comparison value 1.

The comparison results of the respective comparison units 23... 24 are recorded in a comparison result storage unit 25. The value recorded in the comparison result storage unit 25 is compared with the readout ratio value in the ratio comparison unit 27. If the readout ratio value is equal to or greater than the readout ratio value, it is determined that the digital signal has been viewed and the viewing detection signal is output. Output.

Here, the read position comparison values 1...
By setting in advance two specific points of the digital signal and setting the readout ratio value to 100%,
When the point data is read, it can be determined that the digital signal has been viewed. In this case, the read position comparison value holding unit and the read position
Will be prepared.

By setting the specific two points at the first and last two points of the digital signal (stream), it is determined that the digital signal has been viewed even when the digital signal is skipped. be able to.

Further, the read position comparison values 1...
By setting the position of the digital signal at certain intervals, and setting the read ratio value to, for example, 50%, it is determined that the digital signal has been viewed when data of 50% or more is read. be able to.
In this case, the read position comparison value holding unit and the read position comparison unit have an arbitrary number.

The read position comparison value 1... N
By dividing the digital signal into a plurality of regions, setting the position at an arbitrary position in each of the divided regions, and setting the readout ratio value to, for example, 50%.
When data is read from the above area, it can be determined that the digital signal has been viewed. Also in this case, the read position comparison value and the read position comparison unit have an arbitrary number.

As described above, the digital signal detected to have been viewed should be erased preferentially when the recordable area of the HDD 5 becomes small, or the number of times viewed has been recorded. Can also manage user preferences.

[0033]

According to the present invention, it is possible to detect the viewing of a video or audio signal even if the user skips the process while viewing the video or audio signal. The video or audio signal for which viewing has been detected in this manner can be preferentially erased when the recordable area of the recording medium is reduced. In addition, by recording the number of times of viewing, it is possible to know the preference information of the user, and management of video or audio signals is facilitated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a digital recording / reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a viewing detection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an outline of a system configuration example of a digital recording / reproducing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a conventional digital recording / reproducing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tuner 2 MPEG encoder 4 MPEG decoder 5 Hard disk drive 6 Viewing detection circuit 13 CPU 101 Broadcasting station 102 Antenna 104 Monitor 203 Digital recording / reproducing device

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H04N 5/765 H04N 5/781 510J 5/781 5/93 EF term (reference) 5C053 FA23 GB37 HA29 HA40 5D044 BC01 CC05 DE02 DE12 DE17 DE23 DE29 DE38 DE59 EF05 FG19 GK08 5D110 AA13 AA27 AA29 DB03

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A reproducing means for reading a video or audio signal recorded on a recording medium, a reading position managing means for managing a position of the video or audio signal read by the reproducing means, And a viewing detecting means for detecting whether or not the video or audio signal has been viewed, wherein the viewing detecting means comprises a specific 2 out of a video or audio signal recorded on the recording medium. An information reproducing apparatus characterized in that when points are read, it is detected that all of the video or audio signals have been viewed. 2. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the viewing detection unit is configured to read the first and last two points of the video or audio signal recorded on the recording medium. An information reproducing apparatus for detecting that all of the video or audio signals have been viewed. 3. A reproducing means for reading a video or audio signal recorded on a recording medium, and a read data management for managing the video or audio signal recorded on the recording medium at regular intervals and managing the number of data read. Means, and a viewing detection means for detecting whether a video or audio signal recorded on the recording medium has been viewed, and wherein the viewing detection means has been recorded on the recording medium. An information reproducing apparatus characterized in that when a predetermined number of data of a video or audio signal is read, it is detected that all of the video or audio signal has been viewed. 4. A reproducing means for reading out a video or audio signal recorded on a recording medium, and dividing and managing the video or audio signal recorded on the recording medium into areas of an arbitrary size and reading out a data area. A read area management means for managing the number, and a viewing detection means for detecting whether a video or audio signal recorded on the recording medium has been viewed, and wherein the viewing detection means, An information reproducing apparatus for detecting that all of the video or audio signal has been viewed when a predetermined number of areas of the video or audio signal recorded on the recording medium are read out; .