JP2003167686A - Content recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To contribute to prevention of content copy. <P>SOLUTION: Audiovisual information or the like supplied from the outside is inputted to an input part 20 and is supplied to a recording part 30. A control part 80 controls operation of the recording part 30 in accordance with a file management table 91 held in an EEPROM 90 to record the content in a prescribed empty area on an HDD device 10 and registers the recording position in the file management table 91. The content recorded on the HDD device 10 is read out by a reproducing part 40 in accordance with control of the control part 80 and is decoded by a decoding part 50 and is outputted to an external device like a monitor device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a content recording / reproducing apparatus for recording content such as moving images on a recording medium and reproducing the content recorded on the recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A hard disk drive device (HDD device) using a magnetic disk as a recording medium is known for high-speed access to a recording medium such as a magnetic tape or an optical disk. The conventional HDD device has a smaller capacity than a device using a magnetic tape, an optical disk or the like as a recording medium, but recently, a large-capacity HDD device has been provided by the development of manufacturing technology, control technology and the like. It is like this.

On the other hand, in the field of recording audiovisual signals, techniques for compressing audiovisual signals in a digital area to reduce the amount of recorded data have been developed.

[0004] Against this background, the audiovisual signal is converted to HD.
A recording / reproducing apparatus (so-called hard disk recorder) for recording on a D device has been developed.

Some recording / reproducing devices such as hard disk recorders can digitize / compress received television broadcast signals and record them in the HDD device.

[0006] In such a device, since a large amount of content can be recorded digitally, it is easy to copy the video information and the like, and there is no deterioration unlike the case of analog copying. It is desirable to have technical means for copyright protection.

A technique that can be used for copyright protection is content encryption. For example, in a digital video disk (DVD), when recording video information, the content cannot be reproduced unless it is encrypted and decrypted in a predetermined procedure.

[0008]

However, in the above-mentioned hard disk recorder, the HDD device which is generally used in the information processing equipment is used due to the constraints of cost and the like. Therefore, it is easy to connect the HDD device taken out from the device to an information processing device such as a personal computer (PC).

By connecting to the information processing apparatus, the content recorded by the information processing apparatus can be analyzed, and there is a possibility that the content will be copied or reproduced.

Therefore, it is desired from the viewpoint of copyright protection that the recorded contents cannot be reproduced even if the HDD device or the like is taken out from the device.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a content recording / reproducing apparatus capable of contributing to the prevention of duplication of content.

[0012]

In order to solve the above problems, a content recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention records a content on a recording medium, reads the recorded content from the recording medium and reproduces the content. An apparatus, which is a recording unit that records content on a recording medium, and a management information holding unit that is provided separately from the recording medium and that holds management information indicating a recording position of the content on the recording medium,
A recording control unit that reads the management information held in the management information holding unit and controls the recording of the content on the recording medium according to the read management information is provided.

The contents include, for example, image data such as still images and moving images, audio data such as music and conferences, and the like.

The recording medium includes, for example, a memory device such as a flash memory, an optical disk or a magnetic disk, and the recording means includes a memory recording device for recording data in the memory device, an optical disk such as a magneto-optical disk, or the like. An optical disk recording device for recording data, a hard disk drive device for recording data on a magnetic disk, etc. are included.

The management information holding means is provided separately from the recording medium. The management information holding means includes, for example, an electrically recordable / erasable EEPROM, a nonvolatile memory element such as a flash memory, or the like. It is desirable that the management information holding unit is configured so that the contents cannot be read from the outside of the content recording / playback apparatus.

Further, the control of recording the content on the recording medium according to the read management information means control such as management of the recording position according to the management information. For example, a free area is obtained and obtained according to the management information. It also includes control for recording the content to be recorded in the free space.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention can be applied to a recording / reproducing apparatus such as a so-called hard disk recorder for recording / reproducing content such as video on a recording medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) apparatus.

(Structure) A recording / reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, a hard disk drive apparatus (HDD apparatus) 10 that uses a magnetic disk as a recording medium, and an audio image from the outside. An input unit 20 for inputting contents such as data, a recording unit 30 for recording the contents supplied from the input unit 20 in the HDD device 10, a reproducing unit 40 for reading the contents from the HDD device 10, and a reading unit 40 for reading the contents. The decrypting unit 50 that decrypts the generated content, the control unit 80 that controls the overall operation of the recording / reproducing apparatus, and the control unit 80 are the HDD device 1
0, and an EEPROM 90 for storing a table used for managing the recording position of contents on the disk.

The contents recorded and reproduced by the recording device in the HDD device 10 are, for example, image data such as still images and moving images, music, and audio data such as conferences. The HDD device 10 has sufficient capacity to record these contents.

The recording area in the HDD device 10 is managed as a recording block for each predetermined length. An address is assigned to each recording block, and HD
Data such as contents recorded in the D device 10 is recorded by designating a recording position (address) from the control unit 80.

The content is supplied, for example, by multiplexing image information and audio information, or by multiplexing a plurality of audio channels.

For example, in digital satellite broadcasting, the received data stream is supplied, and in conventional analog television broadcasting, the received video signal is digitized and supplied. The input unit 20 stores these pieces of information in a predetermined recording format, for example, MPEG (Moving Picture Exp).
ert group) -2 system and the like, and converts the TS packet into a transport stream packet and supplies the TS packet to the recording unit 30.

The recording unit 30 records such a series of TS packets under the control of the control unit 80.
Record for each size of the above recording block.

In accordance with an instruction from the control unit 80, the reproduction unit 40 reads the content recorded in the HDD device 10, forms the above-mentioned TS packet for each predetermined length, and supplies the TS packet to the decoding unit 50. The decoding unit 50 appropriately decodes the supplied TS packet and outputs it to an external device such as a monitor as a digital video signal, for example. Alternatively, in the case of an analog monitor, the decoding unit 50 further converts the analog video signal and outputs the analog video signal.

If the TS packet is a multiplexed video and audio, the decoding section 50 separates each and outputs them to the outside.

The EEPROM 90 is constructed, for example, as an IC 70 which is the same as the control unit 80 so that the contents cannot be read from the outside of the device. Furthermore, this EEPR
It is desirable that the OM 90 be mounted in the same chip as the control unit 80 and that no pad or the like for external connection be provided.

Alternatively, the EEPROM 90 may be replaced by the control unit 80.
When configured as an IC other than
The wiring between 0 and the control unit 80 is the wiring of the inner layer of the multilayer substrate, and the terminals are not exposed on the surface when the EEPROM 90 and the control unit 80 are mounted on a substrate such as BGA (ball grid array). It is desirable that the wiring between the control unit 80 and the EEPROM 90 is hidden as, for example, wiring inside the multilayer substrate. This is because the person who tries to analyze illegally EEPRO from the outside
This is because the probe cannot be read by bringing the probe into contact with the terminal of the M90 or the wiring between the EEPROM 90 and the control unit 80.

By the way, the contents recorded in the HDD device 10 are recorded as a single file, for example, in units of programs, songs and the like. A single file may be recorded by the control unit 80 in a plurality of empty areas on the HDD device 10 for each predetermined number of data blocks (extents).

Therefore, the control unit 80 needs to manage the recording position of the content in units of files, extents, and predetermined recording blocks on the HDD device 10 corresponding to each extent. Therefore, in the EEPROM 90,
A file management table 91 and an allocation area management table 92 for managing these are recorded. Also, EEPR
A free area management table 93 for managing free areas on the HDD device 10 is recorded in the OM 90.

In an ordinary information processing device such as a personal computer (PC), these tables are recorded in the HDD device 10 as management information. In this recording / reproducing device, the contents of these management information are read from the outside. It is recorded in the EEPROM 90 in order to prevent it.

The file management table 91 is a table for managing contents in file units, and for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a management information number for identifying each file and the file is recorded. The recorded recording date and time, the number of extents used by the file, and the start extent number indicating the first extent are recorded in association with each other.

The allocation area management table 92 is a table for managing the recording position of each extent. For each extent, an extent number for identifying each extent and a recording block of the recording start position of the extent are recorded. The address (recording start address) and the number of used blocks (size) are recorded in association with each other.

The free area management table 93 is obtained and recorded in advance so that the control unit 80 can easily manage the recording position where the content is recorded, and the start address of each free area is recorded. The (recording start address) and the number of blocks (size) of the free area are stored in association with each other.

(Operation) Recording Recording In the recording / reproducing apparatus configured as described above, the control unit 80 controls the recording of contents when starting recording of contents by a user instruction from an input unit (not shown) or a timer function. First, the free space management table 93 is referred to for a free space on the HDD device 10, and the HDD device 10 is instructed of the address indicating the first recording block of the free space.

The control unit 80 also instructs the recording unit 30 to sequentially divide the TS packets supplied from the input unit 20 into recording block sizes, and supply the TS packets to the HDD device 10.

Further, the control unit 80 separately grasps the recording block in which the content is recorded, and changes the address supplied to the HDD device 10 in accordance with the instruction to the recording unit 30.

The HDD device 10 records the data from the recording unit 30 at the address designated by the control unit 80. As a result, the contents are sequentially recorded at the addresses designated by the control unit 80.

If the currently used free area is insufficient during recording, the control unit 80 refers to the free area management table 93 to search for the next free area, and at the same time sets the previous free area as one extent. Is registered in the allocation area management table 92 as

When the recording of the contents is completed, the control unit 8
0 causes the HDD device 10 and the recording unit 30 to complete the above operation. Furthermore, the file management table 91, the allocation area management table 92, and the free area management table 93 are updated according to the recording position of the file of the recorded content and the extent used.

Reproduction When reproducing the content recorded as described above,
The control unit 80 refers to the file management table 91 and the like to acquire the recording position of the content to be reproduced, and sequentially instructs the HDD device 10 of the read address. This allows
The content data recorded by being divided into extents is sequentially read out and supplied to the reproducing unit 40.

The control unit 80 also instructs the reproduction unit 40 to form a TS packet of a predetermined length according to the data supplied from the HDD device 10.

Further, the control unit 80 instructs the decoding unit 50 to decode the TS packet from the reproduction unit 40.

As a result, the decoding unit 50 sequentially outputs the TS packets sequentially supplied from the reproduction unit 40 to the decoded outside.

(Effect) As described above, in this recording / reproducing apparatus, the HDD device 10 as a recording medium has information (management information) indicating the recording position of the contents such as the above-mentioned file management table and allocation area management table. Not recorded.

Therefore, even if the HDD device 10 is taken out from the device and connected to an information processing device such as a PC, the recording position of the contents cannot be known. Therefore, unless the information indicating the recording position of the content is separately acquired, the content H
The content cannot be normally read from the DD device 10 and reproduced or duplicated, which can contribute to the prevention of duplication of the content.

(Modification) In the above description, the recording / reproducing apparatus constituted by using the HDD device using the magnetic disk as the recording medium has been described, but the technical idea of the present invention is not limited to this. Alternatively, the present invention can be applied to a recording / reproducing apparatus using an optical disk such as a digital video disc (so-called DVD) as a recording medium or a recording / reproducing apparatus using a memory device such as a flash memory as a recording medium.

Further, in order to produce the same effect as the fragmentation, the control unit 80 may intentionally disperse the empty areas. As described above, the control unit 80
Since the content is recorded by searching for a free area, the content is distributed and recorded in a relatively random area of the HDD device 10 by distributing the free areas in this way. This makes it more difficult to analyze the recording position of the content when the HDD device 10 is taken out, and makes it more difficult to copy the content.

[0048]

In the content recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, the management information indicating the recording position of the content on the recording medium is held in the management information holding means provided separately from the recording medium. Therefore, the management information is not recorded on the recording medium, and when the recording medium is taken out from the device, the recording position of the content cannot be specified.
Therefore, in this content recording / reproducing apparatus, unless the management information is separately known, the content recorded on the recording medium cannot be restored, which can contribute to the prevention of duplication of the content.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a recording / reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a file management table for managing contents recorded in an HDD device which constitutes the recording / reproducing device.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an allocation area management table for managing a recording area of the content on the HDD device.

FIG. 4 is an HDD constituting the content recording / reproducing apparatus.
It is a figure which shows the example of the free space management table for managing the free space on a device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... HDD device, 20 ... Input unit, 30 ... Recording unit, 40
... playback unit, 50 ... decoding unit, 80 ... control unit, 90 ... EEP
ROM, 91 ... File management table, 92 ... Allocated area management table, 93 ... Free area management table

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Kenjiro Ueda             3-12 Moriya-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Local Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (72) Inventor Wataru Inaba             3-12 Moriya-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Local Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (72) Inventor Takayuki Sugawara             3-12 Moriya-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Local Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. F-term (reference) 5B017 AA03 BA01 BB06 CA07                 5B065 BA01 PA04 PA12                 5D044 AB05 AB07 BC08 CC09 DE17                       DE49 DE50 EF05 HL08                 5D110 DA03 DA11 DA14 DB08

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A content recording / reproducing apparatus for recording content on a recording medium, reading the recorded content from the recording medium, and reproducing the content, wherein the recording means records the content on the recording medium, and the recording medium. Management information holding means that is separately provided and holds management information indicating the recording position of the content on the recording medium, and reads the management information held in the management information holding means,
A content recording / reproducing apparatus, comprising: recording control means for controlling recording of the content on the recording medium according to the read management information. 2. A reproduction control means for reading out the management information held in said management information holding means and controlling the reproduction of the content from said recording medium according to said read management information. 1. The content recording / reproducing apparatus described in 1. 3. The management information holding means comprises free area information holding means for holding information indicating a free area on the recording medium, and the recording control means records when recording the content. The content recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a recording position of the content to be reproduced on the recording medium is controlled.