JP2004200925A - Image recording apparatus and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image recording apparatus and a method therefor which are capable of recording the beginning of a program of a following recording reservation when two consecutive recording reservations are made where the termination time of the program of a preceding one is same as the start time of the program of a following one. <P>SOLUTION: The image recording apparatus is equipped with a recording setting information recording means which reads in recording reservation setting information containing, at least, the start and termination time of recording a program to record and stores; a consecutive recording reservation determination means which determines whether the termination time of recording a program is coincident with the start time of recording another program contained in the read recording reservation setting information; and a recording start means which sets the termination time of recording the program of a preceding recording reservation is set earlier than the time set by a user by a certain time, finishes the recording of the reservation information content of the preceding recording reservation before the start time of recording the program of a following recording reservation, and starts the recording of the program of a following recording reservation at the start time of the recording when the consecutive recording reservations are made. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus and an image recording method, and more particularly to a technique related to a control method in continuous reservation recording in which recording reservation settings are temporally continuous.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art An image recording apparatus capable of compressing and encoding a television broadcast image signal and an audio signal using a recording medium such as an optical disk and recording the same, and reproducing and decoding recorded data has been developed and commercialized.
[0003]
Like the home video tape recorder, such an image recording apparatus also has a scheduled recording start time (hereinafter abbreviated as start time) and a scheduled end time of recording (hereinafter abbreviated as end time) according to a television broadcast schedule. ), A recording quality and a recording schedule signal input path, and a recording reservation function for automatically starting recording when the start time comes.
[0004]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional image recording apparatus using an optical disk as a recording medium. In FIG. 3, 1 is an external input unit, 2 is a tuner unit, 3 is a recording processing unit, 4 is a compression encoding circuit, 5 is a recording / reproducing unit, 6 is an optical disk, 7 is a memory unit, 8 is a reproducing processing unit, Reference numeral 9 denotes an output unit, 10 denotes a system control unit, 11 denotes a reservation storage unit, 12 denotes an operation unit, 13 denotes a display unit, 14 denotes a reception unit, and 15 denotes a remote control unit.
[0005]
In the configuration shown in FIG. 3, when making a recording reservation, the start time, the end time, the recording signal input path, and the recording image quality are set using the remote control unit 15 or the like. The reservation data transmitted from the remote control unit 15 is received by the reception unit 14 and is stored in the reservation recording unit 11 via the system control unit 10.
[0006]
When the reservation standby state is entered, the current time is monitored by the system control unit 10, and when the start time comes, the recording reservation is executed. In the case of an actual device, a circuit operates earlier than a start time to prepare for recording in order to set a recording signal input path and a recording image quality according to reservation contents.
[0007]
At the start time, a control signal is output from the system control unit 10 to each unit (each circuit) of the apparatus, and either the external input unit 1 or the tuner unit (television broadcast receiving unit) 2 is determined according to the recording signal input path information of the reservation. The signal from one of them is selected and taken in by the recording processing unit 3, and further, is compressed and encoded by the compression encoding circuit 4 in the recording processing unit 3 according to the setting information of the recording image quality, and the set recording is performed. Converted to image quality bit rate. In the high image quality setting, both the number of pixels and the bit rate are set to large values (in this case, the recording time that can be recorded on the optical disk 6 is shortened), and in the low image quality setting (the long time recording setting), the number of pixels and the bit rate are set. Both rates are set to small values (in this case, the image quality deteriorates). The signal thus converted is temporarily stored in the memory unit 7 and recorded on the optical disc 6 as needed.
[0008]
When the end time comes, a control signal for recording end is output from the system control unit 10 to each unit (each circuit) of the apparatus, and the recording / reproducing circuit 5 stores the reservation information contents (reserved information contents) in the memory unit 7 or the optical disk. 6 is written, and if there is a next reservation, it is in a standby state until the next reservation is executed. When the next reservation start time comes, the above-described operation is repeated.
[0009]
Here, a case where the start time of the next reservation is the same as the end time of the previous reservation will be described with reference to FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the recording of the reservation A starts at the time t1, the recording of the reservation A ends at the time t3, the writing of the reservation information of the reservation A to the memory unit 7 or the optical disk 6, and the time T1 after the time t3. At time t4, all writing related to reservation A is completed. Here, the start time of the reservation B is t3, but since the recording operation of the reservation A is continued until the time t4, the recording of the reservation B starts at the time t4. Then, at the time t5, the reservation B is finished, the contents of the reservation information of the reservation B are started to be written into the memory unit 7 or the optical disk 6, and the recording of the reservation B is finished at the time t6 after the time T2 of the time t5. Therefore, during the time T1 from the start of the reservation B, the reservation B is not recorded.
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When a recording reservation is executed by an image recording apparatus using an optical disk or the like, the program contents are recorded from the start time to the end time, and then the information on the reservation execution (reservation information contents) is also recorded on a recording medium such as an optical disk. Alternatively, it is recorded once on a recording element and finally recorded on a recording medium such as an optical disk.
[0011]
Therefore, when the end time of the previous reservation is the same as the start time of the next reservation, the recording of the program of the next reservation is started after the contents of the reservation information of the previous reservation are recorded. The head of the next reserved program is not recorded for the time required for recording the contents. Since the beginning of a program is often indispensable for the face of the program or for discriminating the contents of the program, if the beginning of the program for the next reservation is missing during the execution of continuous recording reservation, the user will be greatly dissatisfied. May give.
[0012]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to execute a continuous recording reservation in which the end time of the previous reservation and the start time of the next reservation are the same, and To enable recording from
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an image recording apparatus according to the present invention includes:
Recording setting information recording means for capturing and storing recording reservation setting information including at least a recording start date and time and a recording end date and time of a program to be scheduled for recording;
Continuous recording reservation determining means for determining whether or not the recording end time of the captured recording reservation setting information and the recording start time of the other recording reservation setting information are set to the same time;
When executing the continuous recording reservation, the recording end time of the previous reservation is set a fixed time earlier than the user set time, and the recording of the reservation information content of the previous reservation is completed by the recording start time of the next reservation, and the program of the next reservation is set. Means for starting recording from the recording start time,
Prepare.
Further, the image recording method according to the present invention,
Capturing and storing recording reservation setting information including at least the recording start date and time and the recording end date and time of the program to be scheduled for recording;
Determining whether the recording end time of the captured recording reservation setting information and the recording start time of the other recording reservation setting information have been set to the same time;
When executing the continuous recording reservation, the recording end time of the previous reservation is set a fixed time earlier than the user set time, and the recording of the reservation information content of the previous reservation is completed by the recording start time of the next reservation, and the program of the next reservation is set. Starting recording from the recording start time.
Prepare.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, an apparatus using an optical disk is shown as an example of a recording medium, but the applicable recording medium is limited to an optical disk. It is not something that can be done.
[0016]
In FIG. 1, 1 is an external input unit, 2 is a tuner unit, 3 is a recording processing unit, 4 is a compression encoding circuit, 5 is a recording / reproducing unit, 6 is an optical disk, 7 is a memory unit, 8 is a reproducing processing unit, 9 is an output unit, 10 is a system control unit, 11 is a reservation storage unit, 12 is an operation unit, 13 is a display unit, 14 is a reception unit, 15 is a remote control unit, and 16 is a reservation comparison unit.
[0017]
In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, when making a recording reservation for a program, the user sets the start time, end time, recording signal input path, and recording image quality using the remote control unit 15 or the like. The reservation data transmitted from the remote control unit 15 is received by the reception unit 14 and is stored in the reservation recording unit 11 via the system control unit 10. Also in the case of making a recording reservation for a plurality of programs, the reservation contents for the plurality of programs are stored in the reservation recording unit 11 by repeating the above-described procedure.
[0018]
When the reservation standby state is entered, the current time is monitored by the system control unit 10, and when the start time comes, the recording reservation is executed. That is, when the start time comes, a control signal is output from the system control unit 10 to each unit (each circuit) of the apparatus, and the external input unit 1 or the tuner unit (television broadcast receiving unit) 2 is set according to the reserved recording signal input path information. The signal from any one of the above is selected and taken in by the recording processing unit 3, and is further compression-encoded and set by the compression encoding circuit 4 in the recording processing unit 3 according to the setting information of the recording image quality. Is converted to the bit rate of the recorded image quality. In the high image quality setting, both the number of pixels and the bit rate are set to large values, and in the low image quality setting (long time recording setting), both the number of pixels and the bit rate are set to small values. The signal thus converted is temporarily stored in the memory unit 7 and recorded on the optical disc 6 as needed.
[0019]
Here, in the present embodiment, the system control unit 10 fetches information on the start time of the next reservation to be executed from the reservation recording unit 11 at an appropriate timing during the execution of the recording reservation, and terminates the currently executed reservation. The time and the start time of the next reservation to be executed are output to the reservation comparison unit 16. Then, the reservation comparison unit 16 determines whether the start time and the end time match or not, and the determination result is transmitted from the reservation comparison unit 16 to the system control unit 10.
[0020]
When a match is detected (when it is detected that a continuous recording reservation has been made), the system control unit 10 records the reservation information contents of the currently executed reservation (previous reservation) by the start time of the next reservation. In order to end, the end time of the previous reservation (currently executed reservation) in the reservation storage unit 11 is reset so that the end time of the currently executed reservation (previous reservation) is earlier than the user-set time by a fixed time. . Then, the recording of the next reservation is executed from the start time of the next reservation.
[0021]
If the determination result in the reservation comparison unit 16 does not match, the system control unit 10 changes the end time (end time set by the user) of the currently executed reservation (previous reservation). When the end time is reached, a recording end control signal is output from the system control unit 10 to each unit (each circuit) of the apparatus, and the recording / reproducing circuit 5 stores the reservation information contents (reserved execution information contents) in the memory. When writing is performed on the unit 7 or the optical disk 6 and there is a next reservation, the apparatus enters a standby state until the next reservation is executed.
[0022]
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a continuous recording reservation is executed when the start time of the next reservation is the same as the end time of the previous reservation in the present embodiment.
[0023]
Now, in the standby state of the continuous recording reservation of the reservation A and the reservation B, when the start time t1 of the reservation A comes, the recording of the program of the reservation A is started from the time t1 by a command from the system control unit 10. The system control unit 10, which recognizes that the reservation A and the reservation B are continuous recording reservations, controls the end of recording of the program content of the reservation A at time t2 earlier than the end time t3 of the reservation A by the user setting. The signal is sent to the recording / reproducing unit. As a result, the recording of the program contents of the reservation A is completed at time t2, and during a time T3 after the time t2, the reservation information contents (reserved information contents) relating to the reservation A are stored in the memory unit 7 or the optical disk 6. It is written and waits for the next reservation start time t3. Therefore, the time T3 needs to be set to a time sufficient to record the contents of the reservation information. Recording of the reservation B is started at the time t3, and the reservation B ends at the time t5. Thereafter, the reservation information content of the reservation B is written to the memory unit 7 or the optical disk 6, and the time t6 after the time T2 of the time t5. Then, the recording of the reservation B ends.
[0024]
As described above, in the present embodiment, when the continuous reservation recording is set, by controlling the previous reservation to end a predetermined time earlier, the recording of the next reservation can be executed from the start time. .
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when the end time of the previous reservation and the start time of the next reservation are the same time, by detecting this, the end time of the previous reservation is advanced, and the leading part of the program of the next reservation is missing. Instead, the next reserved program can be recorded from the beginning.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a continuous recording reservation is executed when the start time of the next reservation is the same as the end time of the previous reservation in the image recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention; is there.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional image recording apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a continuous recording reservation is executed when the start time of the next reservation is the same as the end time of the previous reservation in the prior art.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 external input unit 2 tuner unit 3 recording processing unit 4 compression encoding circuit 5 recording / reproducing unit 6 optical disk 7 memory unit 8 reproduction processing unit 9 output unit 10 system control unit 11 reservation storage unit 12 operation unit 13 display unit 14 reception unit 15 Remote control unit 16 Reservation comparison unit

Claims (2)

A recording setting information recording unit that captures and stores recording reservation setting information including at least a recording start date and time and a recording end date and time of a program to be reserved for recording, and a recording end time and other recording reservation settings of the captured recording reservation setting information. Continuous recording reservation determining means for determining whether the recording start time of the information is set to the same time;
When executing the continuous recording reservation, the recording end time of the previous reservation is set a fixed time earlier than the user set time, and the recording of the reservation information content of the previous reservation is completed by the recording start time of the next reservation, and the program of the next reservation is set. Means for starting recording from the recording start time,
An image recording apparatus, comprising: Capturing and storing recording reservation setting information including at least the recording start date and time and the recording end date and time of the program to be scheduled for recording;
Determining whether the recording end time of the captured recording reservation setting information and the recording start time of the other recording reservation setting information have been set to the same time;
When executing the continuous recording reservation, the recording end time of the previous reservation is set a fixed time earlier than the user set time, and the recording of the reservation information content of the previous reservation is completed by the recording start time of the next reservation, and the program of the next reservation is set. Starting recording from the recording start time.
An image recording method, comprising:

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