JP2003242006A - Information recording/reproducing device and file management method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve such a problem that the link between a reproducing management file and an actual file is cut some times by operating an information recording/reproducing device connected to a computer as an external drive, in the information recording/reproducing device having slots for large capacity recording media and for small capacity recording media, and means of copying or deleting files between the two media and of reproducing image files and audio files, and operating as the external drive connected to the computer. <P>SOLUTION: When the device is connected to the computer, a dedicated program for accessing files in the information recording/reproducing device is used to prevent the link between the reproducing management file and the actual file from being cut. <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 file management method and a file management method in an information recording / reproducing apparatus for backing up data of a digital camera or the like, which is equipped with a large capacity recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an information recording / reproducing apparatus, when reproducing thumbnail data of a digital camera or the like, if a thumbnail image is included in an image file, that image is used. Generate and display a small image of. The thumbnail image may be generated each time it is displayed, or the generated thumbnail image may be saved as a separate file.

[0003]

However, when the information recording / reproducing apparatus is connected to a computer and a file is moved or deleted from the computer like a normal drive, the link between the thumbnail data and the original data is broken. Inconsistency may be lost.

[0004]

In order to solve the above problems, an information recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention is equipped with slots for large capacity recording media and small capacity recording media, and stores files between both media. It is characterized in that it has means for performing processing such as copying and file deletion, and playback means for playing back image files and audio files, and operates as an external drive when connected to a computer.

As a result, it is possible to provide an information recording / reproducing apparatus capable of preventing file associations from being lost due to careless file access by the user when connecting to a computer.

Further, the file management method according to the second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the file management is performed by having various information of the file in the medium as separate files.

As a result, it is possible to prevent the file associations from being lost due to careless file access by the user.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is equipped with slots for a large capacity recording medium and a small capacity recording medium to copy files between both media and Means for performing processing such as deletion of
It has a reproducing means for reproducing an image file and an audio file, and operates as an external drive when connected to a computer.

Next, the file management method according to the second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the file management is performed by holding various information of the file in the medium as separate files.

Next, in the file management method according to claim 3 of the present invention, the various information of the file is information necessary for reproducing the file, such as thumbnail image data and file path information. It is characterized by.

Next, in the file management method according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the computer is connected, a dedicated file management program operating on the computer is used to copy or delete files in the information recording / reproducing apparatus. It is characterized by performing file control.

Next, a file management method according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the file management program is incorporated in a large capacity recording medium in an information recording apparatus.

Next, a file management method according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the file management program is automatically started when the information recording / reproducing apparatus and the computer are connected.

Next, the file management method according to claim 7 of the present invention is characterized in that the user can select whether to automatically start the file management program. .

Next, the file management method according to claim 8 of the present invention is characterized in that when the file management program is automatically started, a confirmation message as to whether or not to start is displayed. Is.

Next, the file management method according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the file management program can be set to not display the confirmation message.

(Embodiment 1) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

In FIG. 1, 1 is an information recording / reproducing apparatus, 2 is a monitor, and 3 is a thumbnail image display area. The image data recorded in the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is displayed as thumbnails in the thumbnail image display area 3. Usually, a reduced image for displaying a thumbnail is stored in an image taken by a digital camera or the like, so the thumbnail image data is displayed. However, image data edited by a computer or the like may not have a thumbnail image. In that case, a small image for thumbnail is generated and displayed from the original large size image. Further, since it takes time to generate image data for thumbnails, thumbnail image data once created may be stored in another area in the medium instead of being created each time a thumbnail is displayed. As an example of the storage form, an independent management directory 7 of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is created as shown in FIG. 3, and thumbnail files are stored in the directory so as to be associated with the original file.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 4 is a computer.
The information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is connected to the computer 4, and in this case, the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 can be used as an external drive of the computer 4. Then, the inside of the medium of the information recording / reproducing apparatus can be accessed like a normal drive. However, since a normal drive can be used, files inside the drive can be freely deleted, moved, copied, etc., and the file relationship may be lost. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the original image file 5 and the thumbnail file 6 exist, the thumbnail file 6 is automatically created in the unique management directory 7 by the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 and the user is informed. Absent. Therefore, when the user deletes or moves a file, since only the original image file 5 is accessed, the thumbnail file 6 and the original image file 5 are accessed.
There is a problem that the relation of is broken.

Therefore, when connected to a computer, a program dedicated to file access is executed to control the file in the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1. From this program, the thumbnail file is hidden, and when the original image file is deleted or moved, the related files such as the thumbnail file are also deleted or moved. By doing so, the user can perform the file operation without being aware of the management file of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1. Also, this program
By automatically starting the computer 3 when the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1 is connected, it becomes easier to use. Furthermore, when the program is started, a confirmation message asking whether to start the program is displayed, or it can be set so as not to be automatically started by a setting in the program.

[0021]

As described above, according to the information recording / reproducing apparatus and the file management method of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the file association from being lost by the user's careless access to the file when the computer is connected. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a connection diagram of an information recording / reproducing apparatus and a TV according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a connection diagram of an information recording / reproducing apparatus and a computer according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a directory image in an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Information recording / reproducing device 2 monitors 3 Thumbnail image display area 4 computers 5 image files File for 6 thumbnails 7 independent management directory

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A means for mounting a slot for a large-capacity recording medium and a slot for a small-capacity recording medium and performing processing such as file copying and file deletion between both media.
An information recording / reproducing apparatus having a reproducing means for reproducing an image file and an audio file, and operating as an external drive when connected to a computer. 2. A file management method characterized in that the file is managed by holding various information of the file in the medium as separate files. 3. The file management method according to claim 2, wherein the various information of the file is information necessary for reproducing the file such as thumbnail image data and file path information. 4. A file management method, characterized in that, when a computer is connected, a file management program that operates on the computer is used to perform file control such as file copy and deletion in the information recording / reproducing apparatus. 5. The file management method according to claim 4, wherein the file management program is incorporated in a large capacity recording medium in the information recording device. 6. The file management method according to claim 4, wherein the file management program is automatically started when the information recording / reproducing apparatus and the computer are connected. 7. The file management method according to claim 4, wherein the user can select whether to automatically start the file management program or not. 8. The file management method according to claim 4, wherein when the file management program is automatically started, a confirmation message asking whether or not to start is displayed. 9. The file management method according to claim 8, wherein the file management program can be set to not display the confirmation message.