JP2002100119A - Data compression rate setting device, data compression rate setting method and data compression rate setting processing program recording and memory medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the complicatedness and laboriousness of selecting or setting of compression rates when recording is going to be made at the compression rates varying with each of music (data) and to facilitate the recording thereof at the different compression rates. SOLUTION: The compression rates (A, B or C) to be applied respectively to respective pieces of the data (music numbers 1 to 5) to be recorded are selected and the magnitude of the respective recording regions considered necessary when the data is recorded at the respective selected compression rates is calculated. A graph 22 indicating the magnitude of the respective calculated recording regions considered necessary by the sizes of respective segments (P1 to P5) is displayed together with a graph 21 indicating the sizes of the free areas of a recording medium.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data compression rate setting device, a data compression rate setting method, and a data compression rate setting processing program recording storage medium. Data compression ratio setting device, data compression ratio setting method and data compression ratio setting for easily specifying different compression ratios for each song when recording (recording) songs (tracks) Processing program recording storage medium (CD
= Compact disc, MD = mini disc. ).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When recording audio or the like in a flash memory, MD, or other storage medium, a recording apparatus that allows a user to arbitrarily select from several compression ratios is increasing (for example, in a flash memory, For MP3 and MD,
SP, LP2, LP4, etc.). In such a recorder,
By changing the compression ratio, the recording time that can be recorded in the free space of the recording medium changes.

[0003]

In this case, it is assumed that several songs or the like are recorded at once from a source device to a recording machine by using a program reproducing function, and the compression ratio of each song is made uniform. Then, it is relatively easy to determine whether the music or the like to be recorded fits in the free area of the recording medium. That is, for example, a recording area of 4 units is required for recording for 1 minute at the compression rate A, 2 units for recording for 1 minute at the compression rate B, and 1 unit for recording for 1 minute at the compression rate C. If necessary, if the compression rate is uniform, the recordable time is uniquely determined by the free space of the recording medium and the compression rate as in the following equation. In the case of the compression rate A, F / 4 [minute] if the free space is F. In the case of the compression rate B, F / 2 [minute] if the free space is F. In the case of the compression ratio C, F [if the free space is F]. Minutes]

[0004] However, the compression ratio and the sound quality have an opposite relationship. That is, when the compression ratio is increased, the sound quality is reduced. Therefore, even if several songs are recorded on the recording medium, the sound quality that the user considers important, without compressing or recording with a low compression ratio, can be maintained. Preferred. On the other hand, if a song is not regarded as important by the user, it is preferable to record the song with a higher compression ratio and use a smaller recording area, since more songs can be recorded.

However, when the compression ratio is changed for each music piece in this way, it is difficult to know which music piece is most suitable to be set to which compression rate in relation to the free area of the recording medium. For example, assuming that the same compression rate A, compression rate B, and compression rate C as described above are used and recording is performed at a different compression rate for each music piece, assuming that five music pieces are recorded together as shown in Table 1 below. In addition, the disk free space requires 57 units.

[0006]

[Table 1]

Here, since it is represented in the form of a table, it is relatively easy to understand. However, for example, in the example of Table 1 above, the compression ratio of the first song is changed from A to C, and the compression ratio of the fifth song is changed from C to B
If it is actually calculated, such as what is the total required recording area and how much is the ratio to the free space of the recording medium, it can be quite complicated and complicated. Become.

An object of each invention of the present application is to eliminate the complexity and complexity of selecting or setting a compression ratio when recording at a different compression ratio for each music piece (data). It is to facilitate these recordings with different compression ratios.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data compression ratio setting apparatus for selecting a compression ratio to be applied to each data to be recorded. Required recording area calculating means for calculating the size of each recording area required for recording at each compression ratio, and calculating the calculated required size of each recording area for each section. The graph expressed in size,
Display control means for displaying together with a graph representing the size of the free area of the recording medium.

According to the data compression ratio setting method of the present invention, it is necessary to select a compression ratio to be applied to each data to be recorded and to record at the selected compression ratio. A graph in which the size of each recording area is calculated and the calculated required size of each recording area is represented by the size of each section, and a graph in which the size of the free area of the recording medium is represented. Display with

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data compression ratio setting program storage medium, wherein a process for selecting a compression ratio to be applied to each data to be recorded, and a process for recording at the selected compression ratio. A process of calculating the size of each recording area required for the recording medium, and a graph showing the calculated size of each recording area required by the size of each section. A program for executing a process of displaying together with a graph representing the size of the image on a computer is recorded.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail based on illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the embodiment. In the figure, 1 is a CD player as a source device, and 2 is an MD recorder as a recording device. A transmission cable 3 connects the CD player 1 and the MD recorder 2, and audio and video data to be recorded is supplied from the CD player 1 to the MD recorder 2 via this. Reference numeral 4 denotes a personal computer, which includes a display 6, a keyboard 7, a mouse 8, and the like.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a compression ratio selection unit, 11 denotes a necessary recording area calculation unit, 12 denotes a display control unit, and 13 denotes a recording control unit, each of which is realized by a program executed on the personal computer 4. Compression ratio selection unit 10
Executes each process when the user selects a compression ratio for each data to be recorded, as described later, and corresponds to a compression ratio selection unit described in claims.
The required recording area calculation unit 11 calculates the required size of each recording area when recording at each selected compression rate for each data to be recorded. This corresponds to the required recording area calculation means.

The display controller 12 displays a graph showing the size of each required recording area by the size of each section together with a graph showing the size of the free area of the recording medium. In the form of a table as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, specific values of each item are displayed on the display 6, which corresponds to a display control unit described in claims. The recording control unit 13 instructs the CD player 1 to reproduce a CD,
Various controls related to data recording, such as an instruction to the MD recorder to record data on the MD, are executed.

Reference numerals 16 and 17 denote communication cables, which are the personal computer main body 4 and the CD player 1 or MD.
Recorder 2 is connected, for example, USB, IE
EE1394 and RS232C standards are used.
Examples of data supplied via these communication cables 16 and 17 include the following. The music number (track number) recorded in the data supplied from the CD player 1 to the personal computer body 4 and the playing time of each music (track) The free space of the data MD supplied from the MD recorder 2 to the personal computer body 4 Applicable compression rate Compression rate selected for each song recorded in data supplied from the personal computer body 4 to the MD recorder 2

A specific operation example in the embodiment is as follows.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. These figures show examples of display contents on the display 6. Here, it is assumed that a CD is set in the CD player 1 as a source device, a desired music is reproduced from this, and recorded on the MD of the MD recorder 2 as a recording device. That is, first, C
The music number (track number) to be reproduced is designated by using the program reproduction function of the D player 1 or the like. Here, it is assumed that music numbers “1” to “5” are sequentially specified. The user may specify the song numbers in the order of reproduction desired by the user, such as 1, 3, 2, 4, and 5.

The specified music number and the respective playing time are supplied to the personal computer 4 through the communication cable 17 as described above. In response to this, the necessary recording area calculation unit 11 first inquires the MD recorder 2 about the MD free area and the type of applicable compression ratio. In response to this, the MD recorder 2 responds to the personal computer body 4 with the available MD area at that time and the kind of applicable compression ratio as described above. Here, it is assumed that the free area is 100 units, and the types of applicable compression rates are A, B, and C described above.

The necessary recording area calculation unit 11 first assumes that recording is performed at the compression rate A having the lowest compression rate among these compression rates. Calculate the area. Then, the result is notified to the display control unit 12. In response, the display control unit 12 displays a graph or a table as illustrated in FIG. That is, reference numeral 21 denotes a graph representing the size of the MD free area, which is displayed here in a length of 100 units. The cross hatching indicates that the graph 21 is colored in a predetermined manner. Reference numeral 22 denotes a graph representing the total value of the necessary recording area for each music piece.
P5 represents a necessary recording area for each song.
The number TN assigned to each of the sections P1 to P5 is a music number. In addition, each of the sections P1 to P5 is given a predetermined color corresponding to the applied compression ratio.
Specific numerical values representing the length of each of the graphs 21 and 22 and the length of each section are shown in Table 2 below these graphs.
3, as shown in Table 24.

Next, an operation for selecting a compression ratio will be described. Here, first, the compression ratio B
Shall be selected. In this case, as shown in FIG.
The cursor 26 is moved to the right side of the section P3. Then, while holding down the button of the mouse 8, the cursor is dragged to the left until the color of the section P3 changes to the one corresponding to the compression ratio B and the length changes to half. That is, when this dragging is performed, the compression ratio selection unit 10 determines the amount of dragging, and the amount of dragging is larger than the length of the section at that time, here, the amount corresponding to half the length of P3. Then, it is determined that a compression ratio one step higher than the compression ratio applied up to that point is selected for that section. Then, the newly selected compression ratio is notified to the necessary recording area calculation unit 11. The necessary recording area calculation unit 11
In this case, for the music number 3, the size of the recording area necessary for recording at the compression ratio one step higher, that is, the compression ratio B is recalculated.

The result of the recalculation is notified to the display control unit 12. The display control unit 12 receives the result, and as shown in FIG. 3, a new graph in which the color of the section P3 of the music number 3 is a color representing the compression ratio B and the length thereof is halved. 2
2 is displayed. The hatching on the lower left given to the new section P3 in FIG. 3 indicates that this section is colored corresponding to the compression ratio B. That is, the above-described dragging of the cursor to the left is continued by the display control unit 12 until the new section P3 is displayed. Then, when the new color and length section P3 is displayed, release the button of the mouse 8, that is, drop. Thus, a new compression rate applied to the music number 3 is determined. The contents of the tables 23 and 24 are also modified according to the contents of the new graph 22 in FIG. That is, in Table 23 of FIG. 3, the compression ratio of the music number 3 changes from A to B as compared with Table 23 of FIG. 2, and accordingly, the required recording area also changes from 20 units to 10 units. In Table 24, the total required recording area is reduced from 88 units to 7 units.
It has changed to 8 units. It should be noted that the graph 21 remains unchanged, and the same one as in FIG. 2 is displayed. These processes are executed by the display control unit 12.

Further, when a compression ratio two steps higher is selected at a time, for example, when it is desired to change the compression ratio from the compression ratio A to the compression ratio C, for example, using the same music number 3 as an example,
After the color and the length have been changed to those corresponding to the compression ratio B, dragging is further continued to the left. Then, when the color of this section 3 changes to a color representing the next compression ratio C, dropping is performed there. Thus, the compression ratio can be increased by two steps at a time. At this time, the length of the section P3 is the original compression ratio A
It is a quarter of the time. Even when the compression ratio is changed several times at a time, the compression ratio selection unit 10 determines the selected compression ratio and the necessary recording area calculation unit 11 performs recalculation. Further, the display control unit 13 displays a new graph 22 or the like according to the result. In the embodiment, the compression ratio is assumed to be three stages of A, B, and C. However, if more compression ratios are available, dragging in the same manner until the segment is the desired color will allow you to select several compression ratios at once. Become.

FIG. 4 shows an example in which a desired compression ratio is selected for each music piece as described above. In this example, the compression ratio B is selected for the song numbers 3 and 4, and the compression ratio C is selected for the song number 5. Tables 23 and 24 also have contents corresponding to these selection results.

When the compression ratio is to be lowered, drag and drop is performed in the opposite direction to the case where the compression ratio is increased. For example, if the compression ratio C applied to the song number 5 is to be the compression ratio A, as shown in FIG. 4, the cursor 26 is positioned at the right side of the section P5 and the color of this section is changed to the compression rate. Drag to the right until it changes to a color representing B, and further to a color representing the compression ratio A, and drop it there. As a result, the compression rate applied to the music number 5 changes from the compression rate C to the compression rate A, and the length of the section P5 becomes four times as long as the compression rate C. Thus, even in the operation of lowering the compression ratio, the compression ratio selection unit 10 determines the compression ratio to be selected, and the necessary recording area calculation unit 11 performs recalculation. The display control unit 13 displays a new graph 22 or the like according to the result.

The selection and change of the compression ratio can be performed by a method other than the drag and drop operation. For example, the cursor 26 is moved to the compression ratio of each music number in Table 23 shown in FIG. 2 and the like, and the button of the mouse 8 is clicked. A list of various compression rates is displayed, the cursor 26 is moved to a desired compression rate in the list, and the button of the mouse 8 is clicked. May be determined to have been selected.

Next, a description will be given of how to change the recording order of music. As mentioned earlier, in this embodiment,
The playback order of the music is specified by the program playback function of the CD player 1. Therefore, recording on the MD is performed in principle in the designated order (playback order). In the example shown in FIG. 2 and the like, music numbers 1 to 5 are sequentially reproduced and recorded. But,
In consideration of usability, it is preferable that the setting can be changed on the display 6. Therefore, here, an example of changing the recording order of music pieces in that format will be described.

That is, in order to change the recording order of music on the display 6, move the cursor 26 over the music number TN to be changed, and press the button of the mouse 8 there. Drag to the right and drop at the desired location. For example, the recording order is 1, 3,
If the user wants to do 2, drag the cursor 26 over the song number 3 to the left as shown in FIG. 5, and drop it between the song numbers 2 and 1 and drop it. The display control unit 12 moves the section P3 of the graph 22 between the sections P2 and P1 in response to the drag and drop. Also, this change in the reproduction order is referred to as C
Notify D player 1.

As described above, when the order of recording the music has been changed, the recording start button 27 is clicked. When the replacement is not necessary, the recording start button 27 is clicked when the setting of the compression ratio for each music number is completed as illustrated in FIG. In response, the recording control unit 13 instructs the CD player 1 to reproduce the respective songs (tracks) in the specified order. Further, it instructs the MD recorder 2 to record each of these music pieces at the specified compression ratio. Thus, the operations of reproduction and recording (recording) are sequentially performed for each music piece. When the reproduction of all the songs is completed, the CD player 1 notifies the recording control unit 13 of the reproduction end. In response, the recording controller 13 instructs the MD recorder 2 to end the recording operation. If the recording operation is to be stopped for any reason, the stop button 28
Click. In response to this, the recording control unit 13
Instruct the CD player 1 and the MD recorder 2 to stop the work.

Hereinafter, modified examples will be described. In the embodiment, the CD player 1 is used as the source device, and the MD recorder 2 is used as the recording device. That is, a CD was used as a source medium, and an MD was used as a recording medium.
The medium used is not limited to this. The source side medium may be, for example, an MD, a laser disk, a DVD, or the like. The recording medium may be, for example, a flash memory, a CD-R, a hard disk, or the like.

In the embodiment and the description of the prior art, a music piece, that is, a music piece that lasts for a predetermined time, such as three minutes or five minutes, is recorded here. The target of recording is not limited to this. In short, anything that can be supplied from the source device to the recorder and recorded at various compression rates can be used.For example, audio data such as speech and conversation, video data, image data, etc. No problem.

In the display 6 shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, only the song number (track number) is displayed, but if a track title is given,
This is also easier to understand. If there is other various information, it may be displayed. In the embodiments, the present invention is implemented using personal computers (4 to 8). However, for example, MD recorder 2 or CD
The present invention is implemented in a form in which a display unit capable of displaying a graph is provided on the player 1 or on a stereo apparatus main body or the like in which the source device or the recording device is incorporated, and the display unit illustrated in FIG. You may.

[0031]

As described above, in each of the present inventions,
The compression rate to be applied to each data to be recorded is selected, and the size of each recording area required when recording at the selected compression rate is calculated. A graph showing the size of each recording area represented by the size of each section is displayed together with a graph showing the size of the free area of the recording medium. Therefore,
It is possible to visually grasp the compression ratio of each data, the recording capacity required for recording the data, their integrated value, the free space of the recording medium for the data, and the like. If you want to change the compression ratio for each data, such as recording at a high compression rate for songs that are not recorded at the same time, you can easily set, change, and adjust it. As a result, effective use of the free area of the recording medium or recording in a form desired by the user can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a first display state of a display 6;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display state of a display 6 when a compression ratio of music number 3 is set to B.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display state of the display 6 when the compression ratio of music numbers 3 and 4 is set to B and the compression ratio of music number 5 is set to C.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example in which a cursor 26 is placed at song number 3 in order to change the recording order of songs.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... CD player 2 ... MD recorder 3 ... Transmission cable 4 ... Personal computer main body 6 ... Display 7 ... Keyboard 8 ... Mouse 10 ... Compression rate selection part 11 ... Necessary recording area calculation part 12 ... Display control part 13 ... Recording control part 16 … Communication cable 17… Communication cable 21… Graph showing the size of the empty area of the MD 22… Graph showing the total value of the necessary recording area for each song 23… Table 24… Table 26… Cursor 27… Recording start button 28 ... Stop buttons P1 to P5 ... Each section of graph 22 TN ... Song number

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A compression ratio selecting means for selecting a compression ratio to be applied to each data to be recorded, and a size of each recording area required when recording is performed at each of the selected compression ratios. Required recording area calculating means for calculating the
Display control means for displaying a graph representing the calculated size of each required recording area by the size of each section together with a graph representing the size of the free area of the recording medium. A data compression ratio setting device. 2. A compression rate to be applied to each data to be recorded is selected, and a size of each recording area required when recording at the selected compression rate is calculated. A data compression ratio, wherein a graph representing the calculated size of each required recording area by the size of each section is displayed together with a graph representing the size of a free area of the recording medium. Setting method. 3. A process for selecting a compression ratio to be applied to each data to be recorded, and calculating a size of each recording area required when recording at the selected compression ratio. And a process of displaying a graph representing the calculated size of each required recording area by the size of each section together with a graph representing the size of the free area of the recording medium. A storage medium for a data compression ratio setting processing program, wherein a program for executing the program is recorded.