JP2003319315A - Recording apparatus and computer-readable program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording apparatus capable of performing continuous recording while skipping the out-of-service periods without having a user bothered about when the out-of-service periods start and end. <P>SOLUTION: An MPEG encoder 3 generates VOBUs from broadcast waves and writes them to an HDD 5. A record control unit 10 controls the MPEG encoder 3 and the HDD 5 to repetitively perform this writing for achieving continuous recording. The record control unit 10 also judges if there are points of time at which, by a broadcast station, a service period is switched to an out-of-service period and an out-of-service period is switched to a service period. The record control unit 10 suspends the writing to the HDD 5 at a point of time at which a service period is switched to an out-of-service period, and resumes writing to the HDD 5 at a point of time at which an out-of-service period is switched to a service period. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording device for recording a broadcast program, and more particularly to an improvement in a technique for continuous recording.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a recording apparatus capable of recording for a long time, a continuous recording function is under consideration. The continuous recording means that when the user operates, the broadcast contents of a certain channel are sequentially recorded, and when the recording medium becomes full,
By overwriting old broadcast contents in order from the beginning, it is a function of repeatedly recording the broadcast contents endlessly.

If the recording medium is an HD having a capacity of 52 hours, and if the recording device constantly records on the recording medium, the recording medium has broadcast contents up to 52 hours ago, so that the user can Can watch the broadcast up to 52 hours ago. As prior arts of devices for recording broadcasts, there are those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below.

[0004]

[Patent Document 1] JP-A-63-42056

[0005]

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 07-322169

[0006]

However, the broadcasting service is not always provided, and most of the services are suspended during the hours such as midnight and early morning. Although recording is always performed, if the recording process is repeated during the pause period, the recording medium is occupied with meaningless broadcast contents during the service pause period. When a broadcast program is already recorded on the recording medium, the recorded program on the recording medium is overwritten by meaningless broadcast contents during this service suspension period, so that the recorded data on the recording medium is partially eroded. Will receive

However, when the broadcasting service is suspended varies depending on the monthly or weekly broadcasting schedule.
It is not annoying for the user to check what time the service suspension period is and set not to record during the suspension period. In order to avoid erosion of recorded data, the end of a program is detected to stop recording as shown in Patent Document 1, or the end of television broadcasting is detected as shown in Patent Document 2. Then, the power supply must be stopped. However, if recording is stopped according to these documents, the function itself of continuous recording is hindered.

When a major accident, natural disaster, or the like occurs in the middle of the night or early in the morning, special news programs are often broadcast during the time when the service is normally closed. At this time, the service suspension period and the broadcast service period appear irregularly. If the service period appears irregularly, if recording reservation is made to cut off the service suspension period according to the predetermined broadcast schedule, it is impossible to record the news of the natural disaster caused at midnight. Become.

An object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus capable of always recording so as to skip the rest period without the user being aware of when the rest period starts and when it ends.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a recording apparatus according to the present invention performs a recording process by writing the generated digital data in a recording medium each time new digital data is generated. The recording means to be performed, the judging means for judging the switching time point from the service period to the service suspension period by the broadcasting station, and the switching time point from the service suspension period to the service period, and the switching time point from the service period to the service suspension period, And a control unit for stopping the recording process by the recording unit and restarting the recording process by the recording unit at the time of switching from the service suspension period to the service period.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, embodiments of a recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described. First of all,
Among the implementation actions of the recording apparatus according to the present invention, the mode of use action will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a usage pattern of a recording apparatus according to the present invention. The recording device according to the present invention is
As shown in FIG. 1, a television 101 and a remote controller 102 form a home server system, and the recording device is used for continuous recording of a broadcast to be displayed on the television 101.

The exception to this continuous recording is that recording is interrupted during the service suspension period. What is a service suspension period?
This is a period during which the broadcasting company suspends the service (service) of transmitting information. Information sent by broadcasters
Information related to economic or social affairs, news, and culture, which is meaningful to the user. The service suspension period is a period during which the information transmission itself is stopped or information that is meaningless to the user is transmitted, and has a type as shown in FIG. The types of service suspension periods will be described below with reference to FIG. During the service suspension period, the period during which the broadcast wave is stopped (1),
The broadcast wave is not in the stopped state, but during the period when the broadcast wave is the broadcast wave for the radio wave test (2), the broadcast wave is not in the stopped state and not in the radio wave test, but the change of the video signal is There are four types: extremely poor period (3), in which a broadcast wave contains a transport stream, and there is no stream to be reproduced in this transport stream (4).

FIG. 2 (a) is an image displayed on the TV in the first type, and the TV is in a state commonly called "sand storm" or in a blue-back processed state. Figure 2
(B) is a figure which shows the image | video displayed on TV at the time of the 2nd type, and is in the state in which the still image, such as a color bar and monoscopic image, was displayed. FIG. 2C is a diagram showing an image displayed on the TV in the third type, and a scene around the station is displayed on the TV. If vehicles or people pass around the station, those things will appear in the video signal. In other words, in this third type, there is a slight change in the video signal.

FIG. 2D is a diagram showing an image displayed on the TV in the fourth type. In this case, since there is no stream to be displayed, as shown in the figure, the recording device displays a message to the effect that the service is not in service. In the first embodiment, a recording device for the first type of service suspension period will be described, and in the second embodiment, a recording device for the first to third types of service suspension period. Will be described. In the fifth embodiment, a recording device for the fourth type of service suspension period will be described.

Among the actions of the recording apparatus according to the present invention,
An embodiment of a production act will be described. The recording apparatus according to the present invention can be industrially produced based on the internal configuration shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of the recording device. As shown in FIG. 3, the recording apparatus has a hardware configuration including a tuner 1, a wave stoppage detection unit 2, an MPEG encoder 3, a track buffer 4, an HDD 5, an MPEG decoder 6, an OSD generator 7, a signal synthesis unit 8, and a microcomputer system 9. Composed of.

The tuner 1 demodulates a broadcast signal of a channel selected by the user among broadcast waves of the television and outputs a video signal and an audio signal to the MPEG encoder 3. The wave stop state detection unit 2 detects whether or not the channel selected by the user is in the wave stop state. When the channel selected by the user is stopped, the switching is determined as the point of time when the service period is switched to the service suspension period. When the selected channel is in the non-wave stop state, the switching is determined as the switching time point from the service suspension period to the service period.

The MPEG encoder 3 encodes an analog video signal and an analog audio signal to produce a VOBU (Video OB) in the DVD-Video Recording standard.
jectUnit) is generated. VOBU is a group of picture (GOP) that is a collection of 0.4 to 1.0 seconds worth of picture data.
And a plurality of audio frames to be reproduced at the same time as this GOP is the minimum VOB decoding unit. An analog video signal is encoded by a method called VBR (Variable Bit Rate). In VBR, the allocated bit rate is increased for a complex video in the signal section of the analog video signal. On the contrary, the allocated bit rate of the signal section where the image is simple is lowered. By such adjustment, the average value of the bit rate becomes a fixed value, and the variation in image quality is eliminated.

The track buffer 4 is an MP for recording.
The VOBU generated by the EG encoder 3 is temporarily stored and output to the HDD 5. During playback, the VOBU read from the HDD 5 is temporarily stored and output to the MPEG encoder 3. The HD drive (HDD) 5 has an HD area, and this HD
Read / write VOBU to / from the area. VOBUs for N hours can be written in this HD area. VOBU is HD
Is divided into ECC block sizes in and written in ECC blocks in HD.

The MPEG decoder 6 decodes the VOBU read from the MPEG encoder 3 to obtain an analog video signal and an audio signal. The OSD generator 7 uses the OSD (On Sc
reen Display) is generated and output to the signal synthesizing unit 8 to synthesize the OSD and the picture data. This O
The SD is for drawing a menu, and the GUI is provided to the user by changing the menu according to the operation from the user.

The signal synthesizing section 8 synthesizes the OSD with the picture data by mixing the horizontal lines constituting the uncompressed picture data and the horizontal lines of the OSD, and converts the OSD into a video signal for television. In this mixing, the signal synthesizing unit 8 sets the picture data to the OS depending on the setting of the mixing ratio.
You can also hide it with D or make the picture data transparent.

The microcomputer system 9 includes a CPU 9a, a RAM 9b and an instruction ROM 9c, and controls the integrated recording apparatus by causing the CPU 9a to execute a program stored in the instruction ROM 9c. A program is stored in advance in the instruction ROM 9c. This program functions as a concrete means called a recording control unit 10 and a reproduction control unit 11 in cooperation with the hardware resources constituting the microcomputer system 9.

Hereinafter, a concrete means in which the program and the hardware resource cooperate with each other will be described. Recording controller 10
MPEG encoder 3 and HDD to execute the recording process
5 is controlled. In this recording process, each time a VOBU is accumulated in the track buffer 4, this VOBU is written in the area after the write destination pointer (abbreviated as WP in the figure) of the HD area, and then WP is set to the size of the VOBU. It is to move forward. 4 and 5 schematically show the recording process by the recording control unit 10. It is assumed that WP is set at the position pj1 in FIG. Track buffer 4 in this state
If VOBU is accumulated in the WP, as shown in Fig. 4 (b),
After that, VOBU on the track buffer 4 is written, and then WP is shifted to the position pj2 as shown by an arrow yp1 in FIG. 4 (c). Thereafter, the processes of FIGS. 4A to 4C are repeated. By repeating this, as shown in FIG. 4D, the HD area is occupied by a plurality of VOBUs.

When recording, the recording control unit 10 is such that WP is HD.
It is determined whether the end of the area has been reached. When the WP reaches the end of the HD area as shown in FIG. 5A, the WP is folded back to the beginning of the HD area as shown by an arrow yp2 in FIG. 5B, and the track is moved as shown in FIG. 5C. VOBU in buffer 4 in HD
Write after WP in the area. When WP reaches the end of HD area,
Since WP is folded back to the beginning of the HD area and VOBU writing is performed,
VOBU written in the HD area in the past is newly created
It will be overwritten by VOBU. As long as the broadcast signal is continuously encoded by the MPEG encoder 3, the recording process is continued. By this continuation, the recording control unit 10 realizes continuous recording.

The exception of the continuous recording by the recording control unit 10 is
This is detection of a service suspension period by the wave stoppage state detection unit 2. In other words, if the wave stoppage detection unit 2 detects the time point of switching from the service period to the service suspension period, the HDD 5, MPE
The power supply to the G encoder 3 is stopped and the recording process is stopped. On the other hand, if the wave stoppage detection unit 2 detects the time point of switching from the service suspension period to the service period, the HDD 5, MPEG
Power is supplied to the encoder 3 to restart the recording process.

The reproduction control unit 11 controls the MPEG decoder 6 and the HDD 5 so as to execute the reproduction process. This reproduction processing is to read a VOBU from a read pointer (abbreviated as RP) in the HD area, output it to the MPEG decoder 6, and then advance the RP by the size of the VOBU. During playback, the playback control unit 11 determines whether the RP has reached the end of the HD region. If the RP reaches the end of the HD region, the RP is returned to the beginning of the HD region and the VOBU in the track buffer 4 is set to the HD region. of
Write after RP. When RP reaches WP, the replay process is stopped.

The recording control section 10 is produced by describing a computer-readable program for performing the processing procedure of the flowchart of FIG. 6 in a program description language such as C language. Hereinafter, the processing procedure of the recording control unit 10 will be described with reference to this flowchart. Step S
In step 1, set WP to the beginning of the HD area and instruct HDD 5 and MPEG encoder 3 to start the recording process, and then execute step S
The process shifts to the loop process including 2 to step S3. Step S2 is an event waiting step for waiting for the establishment of an event as to whether VOBU has accumulated in the track buffer 4, and step S3 is an event waiting step for waiting for switching from the service period to the service suspension period. When VOBU is accumulated in the track buffer 4, the process proceeds to steps S4 to S10. Steps S4 to S10 are
Write VOBU after WP after judgment in step S4
After the WP is advanced by the size of VOBU (step S5) (step S6), the process of returning to steps S2 to S3 is performed.

The determination in step S4 is carried out according to FIG. 7 out of the three cases shown in FIG. 7 (a), FIG. 8 (a) and FIG. 9 (a).
The case of (a) is assumed. The case of FIG. 7A is to satisfy the relationship that WP is before the end of the HD area and the address obtained by adding VOBU size to WP is also before the end of the HD area. In this case, the track The VOBU in the buffer 4 can be written in the HD area without interruption. Therefore, VOBU in the track buffer 4 is written after WP as shown by arrow wy1 in FIG. 7B, and WP is advanced as shown in FIG. 7C.

If the relationship in step S4 is not satisfied, it is determined whether or not the relationship in step S7 is satisfied.
The reason why the relationship in step S7 is not satisfied is that in FIG.
Of the three cases shown in (a), FIG. 8 (a), and FIG. 9 (a), it means the case of FIG. 8 (a). If WP has already reached the end of the HD area as shown in FIG. 8A, step S
Since 7 is No, as shown by arrow ry1 in Fig. 8 (b), W
P is returned to the beginning of the HD area (step S8). After writing VOBU after WP as shown in Fig. 8 (c)
(Step S9), the WP is advanced by the VOBU size and the process returns to the loop process including Steps S2 to S3.
(Step S10).

On the other hand, the relationship satisfying step S7 is that
As shown in FIG. 9A, WP is before the end of the HD area, but the address obtained by adding VOBU size to WP is after the end of the HD area. If this relationship is satisfied (Yes in step S7), as shown by the arrow hy1 in FIG. 9 (b), the (HD area end-WP) portion of the VOBU is written after WP, and from the VOBU to (HD area). VOB is the part minus the end-WP)
Set to U (step S11). Then, as shown by the arrow ry2 in FIG. 9C, WP is returned to the head of the HD area (step S
8). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 9D, after writing VOBU after WP (step S9), WP is advanced by the VOBU size and the process returns to the loop process of steps S2 to S3 (step S10).

In the loop process consisting of steps S2 to S3, if an event of switching from the service period to the service suspension period occurs, VOBU in the track buffer 4 is written after WP (step S1.
2), stop the power supply to HDD5 and MPEG encoder3
(Step S14). Then, it waits for switching from the service suspension period to the service period (step S15). If this switching is performed, power supply to the HDD 5 and the MPEG encoder 3 is restarted (step S16).

After the time point of switching from the service suspension period to the service period is detected, power is supplied to the MPEG encoder 3 and the HDD 5 and the recording process is restarted, so that there is a slight time lag before the actual recording of the VOBU. However, the erosion due to this time lag cannot be a great loss.
Because the beginning part of the service period in the early morning is
This is because it is an announcement or CM of the station, and it is unlikely that the user will be discouraged even if some of these are missing.

FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing the operation of the recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. The first stage shows how the voltage supplied to the tuner changes, and the second stage shows the change of the detection result by the wave stoppage state detection unit 2. The third row shows how the voltage supplied to the MPEG encoder 3 changes. The fourth level is HDD
5 shows how the voltage supplied to 5 changes.

In the second row of FIG. 10, the switching from the service period to the service suspension period occurs at time point jt1 and the switching from the service suspension period to the service period occurs at time point jt2. The stoppage state detection unit 2 detects the switching time point from the service period to the service suspension period and the switching time point from the service suspension period to the service period, and at the time point jt1, the HDD 5 as shown by an arrow yj1
Drop the power supply level to Vcc to 0V. Also at time point jt2
At, the power supply level to the MPEG encoder 3 is dropped from Vcc to 0V as indicated by arrow yj2. With this, HDD5,
There is no power consumption in the MPEG encoder 3.

It is assumed that the service suspension period of a few hours has elapsed and the service period has started. At time jt2, arrow yj3
Increase the power supply level to HDD5 from 0V to Vcc as shown in. Similarly, the power supply level to the MPEG encoder 3 is indicated by the arrow yj4.
Increase from 0V to Vcc as shown in. After the power level is restored in this way, the encoding process by the MPEG encoder 3 and the recording process on the HDD 5 are restarted.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the recording is controlled so as not to be performed during the service suspension period, it is possible to continuously perform the continuous recording while reducing the power consumption such as at midnight and early morning. it can. In addition, since the control means causes the recording means to restart the recording process each time a switch from the service suspension period to the service period is detected, even if the service suspension period and the service period appear irregularly,
The recording process can be performed during the service period. Therefore, the special news program at midnight can be recorded without omission.

(Second Embodiment) The second embodiment supplements one drawback of the service suspension period detection in the first embodiment. As in the past, the broadcast service that the service suspension period is currently in a state of suspension is a very small part, and the test radio waves such as color bars are being transmitted during the service suspension period and the scene around the station. There are many broadcasting services that are streaming. Broadcast signals flowing during these service suspension periods have a unique property that signal changes are extremely small. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the MPEG encoder 3 is used to detect the service suspension period having this unique property.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the recording apparatus according to the second embodiment. The difference between this figure and FIG. 3 is that the recording control unit 10 receives a notification of the allocated bit rate from the MPEG encoder 3. The detection of the switching time point using the MPEG encoder 3 is as follows. As described in the first embodiment, the MPEG encoder 3 allocates an optimum bit rate according to the intensity of motion in a broadcast signal, and is suitable for a period when a color bar or a scene around the station is flowing. , The allocated bit rate becomes extremely small. The recording control unit 10 of the second embodiment detects the period when the allocated bit rate becomes extremely small as the service suspension period.

Since the MPEG encoder 3 is used to detect the time of switching from the service period to the service suspension period,
The recording control unit 10 causes the MPEG encoder 3 to monitor the broadcast signal, and if the allocated bit rate by the MPEG encoder 3 becomes lower than a predetermined standard, it is determined that a switching time from the service period to the service suspension period has occurred to the HDD 5. To stop the power supply. The power supply to the MPEG encoder 3 is not stopped as in the first embodiment because the MPEG encoder 3 is allowed to perform bit rate allocation even during the service suspension period. One hour, two hours have passed,
If the allocated bit rate by the MPEG encoder 3 becomes high, the power supply to the HDD 5 is restarted and the recording process is restarted, because it is the time of switching from the service suspension period to the service period.

Regarding the relationship between the detection of the service suspension period using the MPEG encoder 3 and the detection of the service suspension period using the wave stop state detecting unit 2, the wave stop state detecting unit 2 has priority over the MPEG encoder 3. That is, as long as the switching state detection section 2 detects the switching to the service suspension period, the MPEG encoder 3 does not detect the service suspension period. This is because the fact that the broadcast signal is in the stopped state can be considered as the service suspension period without any doubt. MPEG
The detection by the encoder 3 is performed only when the stationary wave state detection unit 2 detects the broadcast signal as the service period.

FIG. 12 is a timing chart showing the operation of the recording apparatus according to the second embodiment. The first stage shows how the voltage supplied to the tuner changes, and the second stage shows the change of the detection result by the wave stoppage state detection unit 2. The third row shows how the bit rate allocated by the MPEG encoder 3 changes. The fourth level shows how the voltage supplied to the HDD 5 changes.

In the second stage of FIG. 12, the detection result by the wave stop state detecting section 2 is a wave state, and there is no wave stop state. On the other hand, in the third row of FIG. 12, MPEG
The bit rate allocated by the encoder 3 is above the threshold value, but is below the threshold value from the time point et1 to the time point et2. After the time point et2, the state of exceeding the threshold continues.

The recording control unit 10 monitors such a change in the allocated bit rate, and at the time point et1, the arrow ky1
As shown in, reduce the power supply level to HDD5 from Vcc to 0V. It is assumed that the service suspension period of a few hours has passed and the service period has started. At the time point et2, the power supply level to the HDD 5 is increased from 0V to Vcc as shown by the arrow ky2. After the power level is restored in this way, the recording process by the HDD 5 is restarted.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, even during a service suspension period in which a color bar or a scene around the station is flowing, the service period changes from the service period to the service suspension period depending on the bit rate assigned by the MPEG encoder 3. Since the switching time point and the switching time point from the service suspension period to the service period are detected, it is possible to realize the control of stopping the power supply during the service suspension period, which can contribute to the power reduction in the recording device.

(Third Embodiment) In the second embodiment, the MPEG encoder 3 detects the service suspension period / service period based on the bit rate assigned to the broadcast signal.
This detection involves erroneous detection. This is because if the information during the service suspension period is a scene image around the station, even if it is a perfect still image such as a color camera, there is a slight change in the information of the broadcast signal. Due to the existence of this change, the service suspension period may be detected as the service period or the service period may be detected as the service suspension period.

In the third embodiment, the user is allowed to set the standard of how much the allocated bit rate should be the service suspension period. Therefore, the recording control unit 10 according to the third embodiment causes the OSD generator 7 to display a menu and accept the threshold setting. FIG.
Shows an example of a menu for accepting a standard setting for detecting a service suspension period from a user. The menu in this figure has a slide bar, and this slide bar accepts a parameter "small movement" during the service suspension period.

By moving this slide bar to the left, a small amount of reference movement can be set to a small value, and by moving it to the right, a small amount of reference movement can be set to a large value. . If "small movement" is set on this slide bar, the recording control unit 10
Calculates the standard of allocated bit rate based on this, and if the allocated bit rate to the broadcast signal is below this standard,
It is detected that the broadcast signal is in the service suspension period. FIG.
There is no particular limitation on the threshold value setting for the menu, and it may be set during recording. Considering the example of FIG. 6, it is desirable to accept the threshold setting for this menu between steps S2 and S3. By doing so, the area corresponding to the service suspension period is preferentially overwritten by the setting in FIG. 13 before the determination in step S3.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the input of the unique parameter "small motion" is received from the user, and the allocated bit rate which is the reference of the service suspension period is set based on this input. It is possible to search for an optimum reference for detecting a broadcast signal in which a surrounding scene is being observed as a service suspension period. The setting of this reference is sensuous via the slide bar, so MP
Even a user who is not familiar with the encoding method by the EG encoder 3 can perform the above-mentioned search.
In addition to the small movement, the user may receive an input of a time length serving as a reference of the service suspension period. That is, another slide bar is displayed on the menu shown in FIG. 13, and the length of time for which the threshold value continues is input with this slide bar.

(Fourth Embodiment) In the third embodiment, the recording apparatus stops the recording process during the service suspension period. However, in the third embodiment, since the setting of the reference of the allocation bit rate to be the service suspension period is received from the user, if the reference is too low, the scene around the station is erroneously recorded in the HD area. The fourth embodiment is already HDD
Regarding improvement to perform garbage collection so that VOBU written in 5 is preferentially overwritten.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the recording apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. Compared with FIG. 3, the point that the garbage collection unit 12 is added is a new improvement. The garbage collection unit 12 detects what constitutes a service suspension period from the VOBUs already written in the HD area, and performs garbage collection so that the VOBUs constituting the service suspension period come to the beginning of the HD area.

The detection of the service suspension period is performed through the menu as shown in FIG. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a menu for accepting user settings for detecting a service suspension period. Arrows cy1 and cy2 in this figure indicate transitions between menus. There is an item called garbage collection in the root menu rm1, and when this is selected, the menu mn1 is displayed. This menu is shown in Figure 1.
This menu is the same as that shown in FIG. 3, and is a menu for accepting the standard of the small movement during the service suspension period. When a small amount of movement is set for this menu, the garbage collection unit 12 detects VOBUs that constitute a service suspension period from the HD area. The menu mn2 is a menu for showing the user the time length of VOBUs constituting the service suspension period. In this menu, a button called “OK” is arranged. When this button is pressed, the recording control unit 1
The continuous recording by 0 is interrupted and garbage collection is performed. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a garbage collection processing procedure. In FIG. 16A, it is assumed that a portion corresponding to the service suspension period is located in the middle of the HD area. When the portion corresponding to this service suspension period is detected, the garbage collection unit 12 detects
As indicated by the arrow cy3 in (b), the portion corresponding to this service suspension period is temporarily saved in the RAM 9b. After that, the part sc1 preceding the service suspension period is shifted later as indicated by the arrow cy4. Then, as shown by an arrow cy5, a portion corresponding to the service suspension period on the RAM 9b is written in the vacant area. By doing so, the portion corresponding to the service suspension period is placed at the beginning of the HD area.

Thereafter, the continuous recording by the recording device is resumed,
When the WP wraps around from the end of the HD area to the beginning, the part corresponding to the service suspension period at the beginning of the HD area will be overwritten preferentially. As described above, according to the present embodiment, even when a scene around the station is erroneously written in the HD area, this service suspension period can be overwritten preferentially.

As the destination of the service suspension period,
It may be right after WP. Further, it may be a predetermined time ahead of WP (for example, 10 minutes ahead of WP). Further, the service suspension period may be managed by pointer information, and the portion designated by the pointer information may be preferentially overwritten. In this case, it is not necessary to move the service suspension period. (Fifth Embodiment) The fifth embodiment relates to an improvement in detecting a service suspension period in digital broadcasting. In digital broadcasting, video streams that compose multiple programs by multi-program type transport streams,
Audio streams are sent together. Which video stream and which audio stream a program consists of is determined by the PSI (Program Specisfic Info) included in the multi-program transport stream.
rmatin: MPEG2 standard). PSI includes PMT and PAT. A PMT (Program Map Table) indicates which of a plurality of streams multiplexed in a multi-program type transport stream is a video stream or an audio stream which constitutes each broadcast program. FIG. 17A is a diagram showing an example of the PMT, and the broadcast program corresponding to PMT # 1 in this figure is composed of a video stream having PID = 001 and an audio stream having PID = 002. Recognize. PAT (Program Allo
(Cation Table) is a PMT for each broadcast program transferred by a multi-program type transport stream.
Refer to to indicate whether to obtain. FIG. 17 (b) shows
It is a figure which shows an example of PAT. In this figure, the stream structure of broadcast program # 1 is shown in PMT # 1, and broadcast program # 2
It can be seen that the stream structure of is shown in PMT # 2. Since the PSI is provided for each broadcast program of each broadcast channel, it is possible to determine whether it is the service suspension period or the service period by monitoring the presence or absence of this.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a recording apparatus according to the fifth embodiment. The difference between this figure and Figure 3 is MP
The EG encoder 3 is replaced with the TS decoder 13. The TS decoder 13 accepts the channel setting from the user, determines whether the PSI corresponding to this channel exists in the transport stream,
The presence or absence thereof is notified to the recording device. If it exists, this
Video streams that make up broadcast programs based on PSI,
Separate the audio stream from the transport stream. In the multi-program type transport stream, since individual broadcast programs are identified by "event-id", the "event-id" of the broadcast program selected by the user
As long as there is a PSI marked with, the separation of the video stream and audio stream will continue.

Subsequently, the recording controller 1 according to the fifth embodiment.
The process of 0 will be described. The recording control unit 10 determines that the service period is continuing as long as the notification that the PSI exists is received from the TS decoder 13. When the TS decoder 13 notifies that the PSI does not exist,
Assuming that channel is out of service,
The switching time point is detected. PS on that channel
If I is notified again that I is present, the channel detects the switching time as if it had switched from a service outage period to a service period.

Although there is a PSI with "event-id",
Even if the description of the PSI (PMT, PAT) is invalid, the recording control unit 10 may determine that it is the service suspension period. Although the description of PSI (PMT, PAT) is valid, even when the designated stream is an announcement message, it may be detected as a service suspension period. The announcement message here indicates that the channel selected by the user is in a service suspension period, or that the service itself of the selected channel does not exist. .

As described above, according to the present embodiment, even in the case of digital broadcasting in which a multi-program type transport stream is transmitted, it is possible to switch from the service period to the service suspension period, or from the service suspension period to the service period. Since the switching time point can be detected, the range of uses of the recording device can be expanded. Incidentally, also in this embodiment, the MPEG encoder 3 and the MPEG decoder 6 shown in FIG.
May be provided in the recording device. By doing so, it is possible to cause the MPEG decoder 6 to perform decoding of digital data and the MPEG encoder 3 to perform re-encoding to detect color bars and service suspension periods such as a scene around the station. Further, the detection of the period in which the digital broadcast including the transport stream is in the wave stop state as the service suspension period is the same as in the first embodiment.

(Supplementary Items of First to Fifth Embodiments) The description has been given based on the above embodiment, but it is merely presented as an example of a system in which the best effect can be expected in the present situation. The present invention can be modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof. The following (A) (B) (C) ...

(A) The recording apparatus in the first to fifth embodiments is a recording apparatus of the type that is used by connecting to the television 101, but it is a recording apparatus integrated with a liquid crystal display. It may be. Further, although the recording apparatus shown in the first embodiment has the HD drive 5-MPEG encoder 3 built therein in advance, it may not be equipped with these and may be connected via the IEEE1394 connector. Further, in the recording device of each embodiment, only the microcomputer system 9 that is an essential part of the process may be the recording device.

Since all of these recording devices are the inventions described in the present specification, the internal structure of the recording device shown in the first to fifth embodiments is the same in any of these aspects. Based on the above, the act of manufacturing the recording device is an act of implementing the invention described in the specification of the present application. The act of carrying out the present invention includes the transfer of the recording device shown in the first to fifth embodiments for a fee or free of charge (sales in the case of payment, gifts in the case of no charge), lending, and importing. . It is also an act of implementing the present recording device that the general user is requested to transfer or rent these items through store display, catalog solicitation, or pamphlet distribution.

(B) Information processing by the program shown in FIG. 6 is specifically realized by using hardware resources such as a CPU, an MPEG encoder, and an HD drive. That is, the recording means shown in the first to fifth embodiments is constructed by the specific means in which the program and the hardware cooperate to perform information processing according to the purpose of use.

Since the information processing by the program is concretely realized by using the hardware resources, the program whose processing procedure is shown in the above flow chart may be regarded as the creation of the technical idea utilizing the law of nature. You can
A program alone is an invention. That is, the processing procedure shown in FIG. 6 discloses the form of implementation of the program according to the present invention.

In the first to fifth embodiments, the embodiments for implementing the program according to the present invention are shown as being incorporated in the recording apparatus. You may implement the single program shown in 1st Embodiment-5th Embodiment. For the act of executing the program alone, the act of producing these programs (1),
The act of transferring the program free of charge (2), the act of lending (3), the act of importing (4), the act of providing to the public via a two-way electronic communication line (5), in-store exhibition, catalog solicitation,
Transferring and renting programs by distributing pamphlets,
There is an action (6) offered to general users.

Providing act via bidirectional electronic communication line
In the category of (5), the provider sends the program to the user and causes the user to use it (the program download service), or the program is left in the provider's hand, and only the function of the program is performed by the electronic communication line. Through, there is an action to provide to the user (function-providing ASP service). (C) Consider the "time" element of each step executed in time series in the flowchart of FIG. 6 as an essential item for specifying the invention. Then, it will be understood that the processing procedure by these flowcharts discloses the usage pattern of the recording method. These flowcharts are the embodiments of the act of using the recording method according to the present invention. By performing the processing of each step in chronological order, the processing according to the present invention is performed as long as the processing of these flowcharts is performed so that the original purpose of the present invention is achieved and the operation and effects are achieved. It goes without saying that this corresponds to the act of implementing the method.

(D) In the first to fifth embodiments, the description has been made assuming that the recording medium on which the moving image content is recorded is HD. However, the physical property of this HD is that the action and effect of the present invention are exerted. Has not contributed much. Similar to HD, another recording medium may be adopted as long as it is a recording medium having a capacity capable of recording a broadcast program. For example, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, D other than HD
It goes without saying that other optical disks such as VD + RW, CD-RW, and Blu-ray Disc may be used. It may also be a magneto-optical disk such as a PD or MO. In addition, SD memory card, Compact Flash (registered trademark) card, smart media,
It may be a semiconductor memory card such as a memory stick, a multimedia card or a PCM-CIA card. It may be a flexible disk, a magnetic recording disk such as SuperDisk, Zip, Clik !, or a removable hard disk drive such as ORB, Jaz, SparQ, SyJet, EZFlyer, and microdrive.

(E) In the first to fifth embodiments, VOB
In U, a video stream and an audio stream are multiplexed, but a sub-picture stream in which subtitle characters are run-length compressed and other control information may be multiplexed. (F) For convenience of explanation, the entire HD area is always recorded, but a partition in the HD area may be always recorded.

(G) In each of the embodiments, it is described that the VOBU is overwritten. However, this is a DVD-Video Recordin.
This is only one aspect for implementing the recording apparatus according to the present invention in accordance with the g standard. It may be overwritten in units of a plurality of VOBUs, or may be a data unit in another recording standard and compatible with VOBUs.

[0067]

As described above, the recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a recording unit that performs a recording process by writing the generated digital data in a recording medium each time new digital data is generated. Judgment means for deciding the switching time point from the service period to the service suspension period and the switching time point from the service suspension period to the service period by the broadcasting station, and the recording by the recording means at the switching time point from the service period to the service suspension period. And a control means for stopping the processing and restarting the recording processing by the recording means at the time of switching from the service suspension period to the service period (1), and controls so as not to perform recording during the service suspension period. Therefore, it is possible to continuously perform continuous recording while reducing power consumption such as at midnight and early morning.

Further, the control means causes the recording means to restart the recording process every time when the switching time point from the service suspension period to the service period is detected, so that the service suspension period and the service period appear irregularly. Even in this case, the recording process can be performed during the service period. Therefore, the special news program at midnight can be recorded without omission.

Here, the recording apparatus includes a tuner for receiving a broadcast wave and outputting a broadcast signal modulated into the broadcast wave, and an encoder for encoding the output broadcast signal to obtain digital data. The encoder calculates the bit rate to be assigned to the broadcast signal when encoding the broadcast signal output from the tuner, and the service suspension period is a period during which the broadcast wave received by the tuner is in a suspended state, and Although the broadcast wave is not in a stopped state, it may be at least one of the periods in which the allocated bit rate calculated by the encoder is below a predetermined threshold (2).

Even if the broadcasting service is in a suspended state during the service suspension period or the broadcasting service is broadcasting a test radio wave such as color bar, it is necessary to always record so as to skip the service suspension period. You can Here, the recording means is a drive device of a recording medium, and if the service suspension period is a period during which the broadcast wave received by the tuner is in a suspended state, the control means causes the encoder and the drive device to operate. The recording process is stopped by stopping the power supply, and the broadcast wave is not in a stopped state, but if the allocated bit rate calculated by the encoder is below a predetermined threshold value, the control means causes the drive device to operate. The recording process may be stopped by stopping the power supply (3).

In the broadcasting service in which the service suspension period is in the wave stop state, it is possible to reduce the power consumption in the drive device and the encoder. In a broadcasting service in which a test radio wave such as a color bar is broadcast, power consumption in the drive device can be reduced. The power consumption can be reduced step by step depending on the target broadcasting service.

The allocated bit rate may fall below the predetermined threshold when the broadcast signal is a still image (4). The recording device includes an acceptance unit that accepts from the user the setting of the small amount of motion of the image during the service suspension period, and the threshold value is a value that changes according to the small amount of motion of the image accepted by the acceptance unit. Good (5).

In this recording device, the threshold value can be adjusted so as not to record the service suspension period during which the scene around the station is broadcast. The recording device has a pointer indicating a writing destination on a recording medium, and the generated digital data is written in an area after the writing destination indicated by the pointer on the recording medium. After writing the digital data, even if the process of adding the size of the digital data to the pointer and the process of setting the pointer at the beginning of the area on the recording medium if the pointer reaches the end of the recording medium, Good (6).

The broadcast wave is obtained by modulating a transport stream, and the generating means receives an operation of selecting a channel from a user and acquires program arrangement information corresponding to the selected channel from the transport stream. A decoder is provided, and the digital data is one shown in the acquired program arrangement information among a plurality of digital data included in the transport stream,
The service suspension period is a period in which the program arrangement information corresponding to the channel selected by the user does not exist in the transport stream, a period in which the program arrangement information corresponding to the channel selected by the user is invalid, or the transport stream. It may be at least one of the periods during which the broadcast wave that is modulated is stopped (7).

With this configuration, it is possible to control so as not to record the service suspension period in digital broadcasting.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a usage pattern of a recording apparatus according to the present invention.

2A to 2D are diagrams showing types of service suspension periods.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a recording device.

4A to 4D schematically show a recording process performed by the recording control unit 10. FIG.

5A to 5C schematically show recording processing by the recording control unit 10. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the recording control unit 10.

7] (a) to (c) WP is before the end of the HD area,
It is a figure which shows VOBU writing in the case of satisfying the relationship that the address obtained by adding the VOBU size to WP is also before the end of the HD area.

[FIG. 8] (a) to (c) When WP reaches the end of HD area
It is a figure which shows VOBU writing.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing VOBU writing when (a) to (d) WP is near the end of the HD area.

FIG. 10 is a timing chart showing the operation of the recording device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a recording device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a timing chart showing the operation of the recording device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 shows an example of a menu for accepting a standard setting for detecting a service suspension period from a user.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a recording device according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a menu for accepting user settings for detecting a service suspension period.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a processing procedure of (a) to (c) garbage collection.

17 (a) is a diagram showing an example of PMT, and (b) is a diagram showing an example of PAT.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a recording device according to a fifth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 tuner 2 Wave stop state detector 3 MPEG encoder 4 track buffer 5 HD drive 6 MPEG decoder 7 OSD generator 8 Signal synthesizer 9 Microcomputer system 10 Recording control unit 11 Playback control section 12 Garbage Collection Department 13 TS decoder

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yoichi Yamamoto             3-10-18 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima-shi Matsu Co., Ltd.             Shimoden Information System Hiroshima Laboratory F-term (reference) 5C052 AA01 AB02 DD04                 5C053 FA23 KA24 LA06

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A recording apparatus which receives a broadcast wave, generates digital data, and writes the digital data to a recording medium, wherein the generated digital data is written to the recording medium each time new digital data is generated. Recording means for performing a recording process by means of, a judging means for judging a switching time point from a service period to a service suspension period by a broadcasting station, and a switching time point from a service suspension period to a service period, and a service period to a service suspension period. A recording device, comprising: a control unit that stops the recording process by the recording unit at the time of switching, and restarts the recording process by the recording unit at the time of switching from the service suspension period to the service period. 2. The recording device includes a tuner that receives a broadcast wave and outputs a broadcast signal that is modulated into the broadcast wave, and an encoder that encodes the output broadcast signal to obtain digital data. The encoder, when encoding the broadcast signal output from the tuner, calculates a bit rate to be assigned to the broadcast signal, the service suspension period is a period during which the broadcast wave received by the tuner is in a suspended state, and 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast wave is not in a stopped state, but is at least one of the periods in which the allocated bit rate calculated by the encoder is below a predetermined threshold value. 3. The recording means is a drive device for a recording medium, and if the service suspension period is a period during which a broadcast wave received by a tuner is in a suspended state, the control means includes an encoder and a drive. By stopping the power supply to the device, the recording process is stopped, and the broadcast wave is not in a stopped state, but if the allocated bit rate calculated by the encoder is below a predetermined threshold, the control means is The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the recording process is stopped by stopping the power supply to the apparatus. 4. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the allocated bit rate falls below a predetermined threshold when the broadcast signal is a still image. 5. The recording device includes an acceptance unit that accepts a setting of a small amount of motion of a video during a service suspension period from a user, and the threshold changes according to a small amount of motion of the video accepted by the reception unit. The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the recording apparatus has a value that 6. The recording device has a pointer that indicates a writing destination on a recording medium, and the generated digital data is written in an area after the writing destination indicated by the pointer on the recording medium. The writing means adds the size of the digital data to the pointer after writing the digital data, and sets the pointer at the beginning of the area on the recording medium when the pointer reaches the end of the recording medium. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein 7. The broadcast wave is obtained by modulating a transport stream, and the generation means receives an operation of selecting a channel from a user and outputs program arrangement information corresponding to the selected channel from the transport stream. A decoder for obtaining the digital data, wherein the digital data is shown in the obtained program arrangement information among a plurality of digital data included in the transport stream, and the service suspension period corresponds to the channel selected by the user. In addition, at least during the period when the program sequence information does not exist in the transport stream, the period when the program sequence information corresponding to the channel selected by the user is invalid, and the period when the broadcast wave that modulates the transport stream is stopped. The recording device according to claim 1, wherein the number is one. . 8. A program for causing a computer to perform a process of receiving a broadcast wave to generate digital data and writing the digital data into a recording medium, wherein the generated digital data is generated each time new digital data is generated. A recording step of performing a recording process by writing on a recording medium, a determination step of determining when a broadcasting station switches from a service period to a service suspension period, a switching point from a service suspension period to a service period, and a service period At the time of switching to the service suspension period, stop the recording process by the recording step,
A computer-readable program that causes a computer to perform a control step of restarting the recording process by the recording step at the time of switching from the service suspension period to the service period. 9. The encoder includes: a tuner that receives a broadcast wave and outputs a broadcast signal modulated into the broadcast wave; and an encoder that encodes the output broadcast signal to obtain digital data. When encoding a broadcast signal output from the tuner, calculates a bit rate to be assigned to the broadcast signal, the service suspension period, a period during which the broadcast wave received by the tuner is in a suspended state, and The computer-readable program according to claim 8, wherein the broadcast wave is not in a stopped state, but is at least one of the periods when the allocated bit rate calculated by the encoder is below a predetermined threshold value. 10. The recording step is executed on a drive device of a recording medium, and if the service suspension period is a period during which a broadcast wave received by a tuner is stopped, the control step is an encoder. Also, the recording process is stopped by stopping the power supply to the drive device, and the broadcast wave is not in the stopped state, but if the allocated bit rate calculated by the encoder is below a predetermined threshold, the control step is The computer-readable program according to claim 9, wherein the recording process is stopped by stopping the power supply to the drive device. 11. The computer-readable program according to claim 9, wherein the assigned bit rate falls below a predetermined threshold when the broadcast signal is a still image. 12. The program includes an acceptance step of accepting from a user a setting of a small amount of motion of a video during a service suspension period, and the threshold value changes in accordance with a small amount of motion of the video accepted by the reception step. The computer-readable program according to claim 9, which is a value. 13. The program has a pointer indicating a writing destination on a recording medium, and the generated digital data is written in an area after the writing destination indicated by the pointer on the recording medium. The writing step includes a process of adding the size of the digital data to a pointer after writing the digital data, and a process of setting the pointer at the head of the area on the recording medium when the pointer reaches the end of the recording medium. The computer-readable program according to claim 8, wherein 14. The broadcast wave is obtained by modulating a transport stream, and in the generating step, an operation of selecting a channel is accepted from a user, and program arrangement information corresponding to the selected channel is transmitted from the transport stream. The digital data is provided by a decoder for acquiring, and the digital data is shown in the acquired program arrangement information among a plurality of digital data included in the transport stream, and the service suspension period corresponds to the channel selected by the user. In addition, at least during the period when the program sequence information does not exist in the transport stream, the period when the program sequence information corresponding to the channel selected by the user is invalid, and the period when the broadcast wave that modulates the transport stream is stopped. The number of the one according to claim 8 is one. Computer-readable program.