JP2006041728A - Hard disk recorder and information recording and reproducing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hard disk recorder and an information recording and reproducing apparatus capable of easily reproducing a program recorded in a ring buffer from the beginning. <P>SOLUTION: The information recording and reproducing apparatus 100 includes: a tuner 11 for receiving a broadcast program and a program name; a hard disk unit 12 for overwrite-recording the information of the video image; a memory 16 for recording the program name of the broadcast program together with its address; a selector 18 for outputting information; an OSD image generating circuit 19 for generating a time shift title list; an operating unit 22 for receiving one of program names; a pickup device 121 for reading the information of the video image from the hard disk unit 12; and a system control circuit 10 that cyclicly controls addresses of the hard disk unit 12 for recording the information, controls the OSD image generating circuit 19 and the selector 18 so as to rewrite addresses and so as to generate and output the time shift title list in the case of overwrite-recording the information, and controls the selector 18 in a way of particularizing the address of video image recording and outputting the information of the video image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a hard disk recorder and an information recording / reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to a hard disk recorder and an information recording / reproducing apparatus having a time shift function.

  As disclosed in Patent Document 1, a conventional program recording / playback system includes a program information acquisition circuit that acquires program information such as a broadcast time and a program name for a television program broadcast by a television broadcasting station, and a television. Recording location search for finding a recording location where a desired television program already recorded by the recording device can be viewed based on one or a plurality of recording devices for recording a program and program information acquired by the program information acquisition circuit Circuit, a recording location display device for displaying a recording location that can be viewed by this recording location search circuit, and a broadcasting device for acquiring and broadcasting a television program found by the recording location search circuit from the recording location It comprises.

  According to the present invention, the currently broadcast television program can be viewed backward or viewed from the beginning of the program (generally, such a function is referred to as a “time shift function”).

However, in the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a television program recorded in a ring buffer (a recording area in which information is periodically overwritten) is to be viewed from the beginning, the program cannot be viewed from the beginning. There is a problem that there is a possibility.
JP 2003-333484 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned distant point, and an object thereof is to provide a hard disk recorder and an information recording / reproducing apparatus capable of easily reproducing the first information of a program recorded in a ring buffer. There is.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, a hard disk recorder includes a tuner that receives broadcasts and broadcast program names, a hard disk device that overwrites and records video information represented by the broadcasts, and information. A first control means for controlling a position on the hard disk device for recording information so that a recording position circulates; a memory for recording a broadcast program name together with information corresponding to a broadcast date and time; and a hard disk When the device overwrites information, the time required for the hard disk device to output the information overwritten and recorded as video corresponding to the broadcast date and time of the information recorded before the hard disk device overwrites the information Rewriting means for rewriting information corresponding to the later date, output means for outputting information, broadcasting Corresponding to the first detection means for detecting information corresponding to the information being recorded by the hard disk device among the information representing the program name, and information rewritten by the rewriting means among the information representing the program name of the broadcast Second detection means for detecting the information to be recorded and the broadcast program name detected by the first detection means that the hard disk device is recording information are displayed side by side, and the rewriting means rewrites the information. This information is displayed side by side on the broadcast program name detected by the second detection means, and the information indicating the broadcast program name is displayed as the image corresponding to the broadcast date and time in the order of the program name. The generation means for generating the corresponding information every time it is rewritten, the second control means for controlling the output means so as to output the information generated by the generation means, and the information output by the output means are A position for recording video information corresponding to the program name accepted by the accepting means using the accepting means for accepting any of the program names and the information of the program name accepted by the accepting means and the information recorded in the memory Specifying means for specifying, a reading means for reading video information after the position specified by the specifying means from the hard disk device, and an output means for outputting the information of the video read by the reading means And third control means for controlling.

  That is, the first control means controls the position on the hard disk device for recording information so that the position for recording information circulates. The hard disk device overwrites and records video information represented by the broadcast. The memory records the broadcast program name along with information corresponding to the broadcast date and time. When the hard disk device overwrites and records information, the rewriting means outputs information corresponding to the broadcast date and time of the information recorded before the hard disk device overwrites the information, and outputs the information recorded by the hard disk device as the video. Rewrite to the information corresponding to the later date and time for the time required to do. Thus, while the hard disk device is overwritten and recorded, the information corresponding to the broadcast date and time of the video information recorded before the hard disk device is overwritten and recorded is the information that the hard disk device has overwritten and recorded. As a result, it is possible to rewrite the information corresponding to the later date and time by the amount of time required for the output. When the information corresponding to the broadcast date / time is rewritten to a later date / time, the generating means displays the information indicating that the hard disk device is recording the information side by side with the program name of the broadcast detected by the first detection means, and the rewrite means The information indicating the program name of the broadcast is displayed as an image corresponding to the broadcast date and time, and the information indicating the program name of the broadcast is displayed side by side on the program name of the broadcast detected by the second detection means. Is generated each time information corresponding to the broadcast date and time is rewritten. The second control means controls the output means so as to output the information generated by the generating means. The accepting unit accepts one of the program names represented by the information output by the output unit. The specifying means uses the information on the program name received by the receiving means and the information recorded in the memory to specify the position where the video information corresponding to the program name received by the receiving means is recorded. The reading means reads information on the video after the position specified by the specifying means from the hard disk device. The third control means controls the output means so as to output the video information read by the reading means. As a result, the name of the program whose information is being rewritten can be clarified, the name of the program whose information is being recorded can be clarified, and the program recorded in the ring buffer can be accurately known in real time. In addition, an information recording / reproducing apparatus capable of easily reproducing the program from the beginning can be provided.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, an information recording / reproducing apparatus includes a receiving unit for receiving a broadcast and a broadcast program name, and a first recording unit for overwriting recording information of a video represented by the broadcast. The first control means for controlling the position on the first recording means for recording the information so that the position for recording the information circulates, and the program name of the broadcast together with the information corresponding to the date and time of the broadcast When the second recording means for recording and the first recording means overwrite and record information, the information of the video recorded before the first recording means overwrites and records the information at the broadcast date and time Rewriting means for rewriting corresponding information, output means for outputting information, and generating means for generating information representing a broadcast program name so that the order of program names corresponds to the broadcast date and time And output the information generated by the generation means As described above, the second control means for controlling the output means, the accepting means for accepting any of the program names represented by the information output by the output means, the information on the program name accepted by the accepting means, and the second The position specified by the specifying means from the first recording means and the specifying means for specifying the position for recording the video information corresponding to the program name received by the receiving means using the information recorded by the recording means Readout means for reading out subsequent video information and third control means for controlling the output means so as to output the video information read out by the readout means.

  In other words, the first control means controls the position on the first recording means for recording information so that the position for recording information circulates. The first recording means overwrites and records video information represented by the broadcast. The second recording means records the broadcast program name together with information corresponding to the broadcast date and time. The rewriting means rewrites the information corresponding to the broadcast date and time in the video information recorded before the first recording means overwrites and records the information when the first recording means overwrites and records the information. As a result, the information is overwritten and recorded by the first recording means, while the information corresponding to the broadcast date and time can be rewritten according to the overwriting of the information. When the information corresponding to the broadcast date / time is rewritten according to the information overwrite, the generation means sends the program name of the broadcast so that the order of the program name corresponds to the broadcast date / time rewritten according to the information overwrite. To generate information representing. The second control unit can control the output unit to output the information generated by the generation unit. The accepting means can accept any program name represented by the information output by the output means. The specifying means can specify the position at which the video information corresponding to the program name received by the receiving means is recorded, using the program name information received by the receiving means and the information recorded by the second recording means. . The reading means can read the information of the video after the position specified by the specifying means from the first recording means. The third control means can control the output means so as to output the video information read by the reading means. As a result, it is possible to provide an information recording / reproducing apparatus that can easily reproduce the program recorded in the ring buffer from the beginning.

  In addition, the above-mentioned rewriting means, when the first recording means overwrites the information, records the information corresponding to the broadcast date and time of the information recorded before the first recording means overwrites the information. It is desirable to include means for rewriting the information corresponding to the later date and time by the time corresponding to the amount of information overwritten and recorded by one recording means. In addition, the generating means preferably includes means for generating information representing the program name of the broadcast every time the rewriting means rewrites the information corresponding to the broadcast date and time.

  That is, when the first recording unit overwrites and records the information, the rewriting unit stores information corresponding to the broadcast date and time of the information recorded before the first recording unit overwrites the information. The recording means rewrites the information corresponding to the later date and time by the time corresponding to the amount of information overwritten and recorded. The generating unit generates information representing a broadcast program name each time the rewriting unit rewrites information corresponding to the broadcast date and time. The second control means controls the output means so as to output the information generated by the generating means. As a result, information representing the program name of the broadcast is output every time the information is overwritten. Thus, since the information indicating the program name of the broadcast is output, the recorded program name can be known in real time. As a result, a program recorded in the ring buffer can be known in real time, and an information recording / reproducing apparatus that can easily reproduce the program from the beginning can be provided.

  The time corresponding to the amount of information overwritten and recorded by the first recording means is preferably the time required to output the information overwritten and recorded by the first recording means as a video.

  That is, when the first recording unit overwrites and records information, the rewriting unit is late for the time required to output the information corresponding to the broadcast date and time as the video with the information recorded by the first recording unit being overwritten. Rewrite the information corresponding to the date and time. Thereby, the recorded program name can be known accurately in real time. As a result, it is possible to provide an information recording / reproducing apparatus capable of accurately knowing a program recorded in the ring buffer in real time and easily reproducing the program from the beginning.

  The information recording / reproducing apparatus described above preferably further includes first detection means for detecting information corresponding to the information being recorded by the first recording means among the information representing the program name of the broadcast. . At the same time, the generation means uses information representing the broadcast program name as information representing an image displayed side by side with the broadcast program name detected by the first detection means that the first recording means is recording information. It is desirable to include a means for generating.

  That is, the fact that the first recording means is recording information is displayed side by side with the program name corresponding to the information being recorded by the first recording means. Thereby, the name of the program whose information is being recorded can be clarified. As a result, the name of the program whose information is being recorded can be clarified, and an information recording / reproducing apparatus that can easily reproduce the program recorded in the ring buffer from the beginning can be provided.

  In addition, the information recording / reproducing apparatus described above preferably further includes detection means for detecting information corresponding to information rewritten by the rewriting means among information representing broadcast program names. In addition, the generating means includes means for generating information representing a broadcast program name as information representing an image displayed side by side with the broadcast program name detected by the detecting means that the rewriting means is rewriting information. It is desirable.

  That is, the fact that the information is being rewritten is displayed side by side with the program name corresponding to the information whose information is being rewritten. Thereby, the name of the program whose information is being rewritten can be clarified. As a result, the name of the program whose information is being rewritten can be clarified, and an information recording / reproducing apparatus that can easily reproduce the program recorded in the ring buffer from the beginning can be provided.

  The hard disk recorder and the information recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention can easily reproduce the program recorded in the ring buffer from the beginning.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an information recording / reproducing apparatus 100 which is a first embodiment of a disk reproducing apparatus of the present invention. The information recording / reproducing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is a hard disk recorder.

  In FIG. 1, when a digital broadcast channel designation signal is supplied from the system control circuit 10, a tuner 11 receives a digital broadcast wave and an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) of the designated channel. The EPG includes the name of a digital broadcast program received by the tuner. At this time, the tuner 11 obtains an MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) signal by demodulating the received digital broadcast wave, and supplies this to the hard disk device 12 and the selector 13 as an MPEG signal MA. As a result, the hard disk device 12 can overwrite and record the video information represented by the broadcast (how to overwrite and record will be described later). The tuner 11 is supplied with a channel designation signal for analog television broadcasting (NTSC (National Television Standards Committee), PAL (Phase Alternation by Line), or SECAM (SEquential Couleur A Memoire)) from the system control circuit 10. If it is, the analog television broadcast wave of the designated channel is received. At this time, the tuner 11 supplies a television signal obtained by demodulating the received analog television broadcast wave to the MPEG encoder 14. The MPEG encoder 14 supplies a signal obtained by subjecting the television signal to MPEG encoding processing to the hard disk device 12 as an MPEG signal MB.

  The selector 13 selects one of the reproduction MPEG signal RM supplied from the hard disk device 12 and the MPEG signal MA supplied from the tuner 11 according to the selection signal supplied from the system control circuit 10. This is selected and supplied to the MPEG decoder 17. The MPEG decoder 17 performs an MPEG decoding process on the MPEG signal supplied from the selector 13 to obtain a video signal and supplies it to the selector 18 as a video signal DAV.

  The clock 15 detects time according to the signal of the system control circuit 10. When the time is detected, the clock 15 outputs information representing the detected time to the system control circuit 10.

  The memory 16 records information. The memory 16 relates to an area (buffer) for temporarily recording information, an area for recording a time shift title list, an area for recording a temporary time shift title list, and a program recorded on the hard disk device 12. And an area for recording the database. The database includes a recording date and time, a title of the recorded program, an address in the hard disk device 12, a performer name, a recording flag indicating whether recording is in progress, an overwrite flag indicating overwriting, and other information. (This information is arbitrarily determined by the designer of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 100) is a group. Information belonging to these one group is created every time recording of a new program is started. A specific procedure for creating these pieces of information will be described later.

  An OSD (On Screen Display) image generation circuit 19 generates a message image signal DC to display an image corresponding to various message display commands supplied from the system control circuit 10, and supplies this to the selector 18. The selector 18 selectively selects one of the video signal DAV and the message image signal DC according to the selection signal supplied from the system control circuit 10 and supplies it to the display device 200.

  The display device 200 displays an image based on the video signal DAV or message image signal DC supplied from the information recording / reproducing device 100.

  The operating device 22 receives a broadcast channel specifying operation, a recorded program specifying operation, a recording command operation, a playback command operation, a recording stop operation, a playback stop operation, and the like from the user, and various operation signals corresponding to the operation are received. This is supplied to the system control circuit 10. The operation device 22 may be a remote controller that is separated from the housing of the information recording / reproducing device 100.

  In response to various operations by the user using the operation device 22, the system control circuit 10 can cause the information recording / reproducing device 100 to perform television monitor, recording, and time shift reproduction.

  The TV monitor is an operation for viewing a program being broadcast in real time. In this case, the user performs a broadcast channel designation operation for designating a desired broadcast channel using the operation device 22. In response to this operation, the system control circuit 10 supplies the tuner 11 with a channel designation signal for receiving the program of the desired broadcast channel. At the same time, the system control circuit 10 supplies the selector 13 with a selection signal that should alternatively be derived from the MPEG signal MA output from the tuner 11 to the MPEG decoder 17. Further, the system control circuit 10 supplies the selector 18 with a selection signal to be alternatively derived from the audio signal DAV output from the MPEG decoder 17 to the display device 200.

  As a result of such control, the MPEG signal MA received and demodulated by the tuner 11 is supplied to the MPEG decoder 17 via the selector 13. Then, the audio signal DAV decoded by the MPEG decoder 17 is supplied to the display device 200 via the selector 18. As a result, the display device 200 displays the digital broadcast program of the desired channel received by the tuner 11 as an image in real time.

  The recording operation is an operation for recording a program received by the tuner 11 as described above. In this case, the user performs a recording command operation using the operation device 22. In response to such a recording command operation, the system control circuit 10 supplies a signal for instructing recording to the hard disk device 12, and takes in the current count value of the play point counter which is a part of the memory 16, This is supplied to the hard disk device 12 as a play point WP. Further, the system control circuit 10 obtains a signal SW representing the speed corresponding to the bit rate of the MPEG signal MA or MB obtained by the tuner 11 and stores it in a built-in register (not shown). , Supply to the play point counter. As a result, the hard disk device 12 uses the pickup device 121 in the time shift area of the hard disk main body 120 at a speed corresponding to the signal SW described above to send the MPEG signal MA or MB (and thus information representing the video of the program). Record sequentially.

  The time-shift playback operation is an operation for performing so-called time-shift playback in which a recorded program is played back simultaneously with the above-described recording operation. In this case, the user uses the operation device 22 to perform an operation for instructing reproduction and an operation for designating a recorded program. In response to such an operation, the system control circuit 10 supplies a signal for instructing reproduction to the hard disk device 12 and fetches the current count value of the play point counter, and uses this as the play point WP. To supply. Further, the system control circuit 10 obtains a signal SR representing the speed corresponding to the bit rate of the signal recorded in the hard disk main body 120, stores it in a built-in register (not shown), and supplies it to the play point counter. As a result, the pickup device 121 of the hard disk device 12 sequentially reads signals (and thus information recorded by the hard disk main body 120) from the time shift area of the hard disk main body 120 at a speed corresponding to the signal SR described above.

  FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the operating device 22. Each operation using the above-described operation device 22 will be described using the keys provided on the operation device 22.

  The broadcast channel designation operation is performed using the numeric keys 229 provided corresponding to the numbers 0 to 9.

  In the recorded program designation operation, a program is identified using the numeric keypad 229 on the screen displaying a list of programs recorded in the hard disk device 12, and the identified program is operated by operating the decision key 222. Performed by being specified.

  The recording command operation is performed by operating the recording key 223.

  The reproduction command operation is performed by operating the reproduction key 224.

  The recording stop operation and the playback stop operation are performed by operating the stop key 225 during the recording operation or the playback operation.

  In addition, when the power key 221 is operated, ON / OFF of the power supply to the information recording / reproducing apparatus 100 is switched. By operating the fast-forward key 228, the playback position of the recorded image is fast-forwarded, and by operating the rewind key 227, the playback position of the recorded image is rewound. By operating the pause key 226, the playback operation of the recorded image being played back is paused, and the playback operation being paused is resumed.

  Referring to FIG. 3, the program executed by information recording / reproducing apparatus 100 has the following control structure with respect to the title recording process.

  In step 100 (hereinafter, step is abbreviated as S), the system control circuit 10 sets the counter to “0”. In S102, the tuner 11 receives the EPG via the antenna. The EPG is recorded in the buffer of the memory 16. In S104, the clock 15 detects the time. In S106, the system control circuit 10 extracts titles from the EPG.

  In S108, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the extracted title is the same as the title of the database. If it is determined that the title is the same as the title of the database (YES in S108), the process proceeds to S112. If not (NO in S108), the process proceeds to S110.

  In S110, the memory 16 records the date and time of recording, the title of the recorded program, the address in the hard disk device 12, the performer name, the recording flag, the overwrite flag, and other information in the database. In the present embodiment, the recorded date and time and the address in the hard disk device 12 correspond to information corresponding to the broadcast date and time. The procedure for recording these pieces of information is as follows. The first procedure is a procedure in which the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the address to be recorded in this step matches any of the recorded addresses already recorded in the database. In the second procedure, when the address to be recorded in this step matches any of the recorded addresses, the recorded address (match address) that matches the address to be recorded in this step is already recorded. This is a procedure in which the system control circuit 10 determines whether the address is one immediately before the address. In the third procedure, when the coincidence address is the address immediately before any of the other recorded addresses, the information constituting the above-mentioned group together with the recorded addresses in the database information is sent to the system control circuit 10. Is the procedure to delete. The fourth procedure is a procedure in which the system control circuit 10 rewrites the value of the match address with the value of the next address when the match address is not one of the other recorded addresses. is there. Thus, when the hard disk device 12 overwrites and records video information, the system control circuit 10 displays information corresponding to the broadcast date and time by a time corresponding to the amount of information overwritten and recorded by the hard disk device 12. Will be rewritten to the information corresponding to. At this time, the time corresponding to the amount of information overwritten and recorded by the hard disk device 12 is the time required to output the information overwritten and recorded by the hard disk device 12 as a video. The reason is that after the information recorded at a certain address is displayed as a video, the time until the information recorded at the next address is displayed as a video is to output information for one address as a video. Is the time required for At this time, the system control circuit 10 rewrites the value of the overwrite flag constituting the group described above together with the coincidence address to “1”. The fifth procedure is a procedure for recording the recording date and time to be recorded in this step, the title of the recorded program, the address in the hard disk device 12, the performer name, the recording flag, the overwrite flag, and other information. . The system control circuit 10 records “1” as the value of the recording flag. The system control circuit 10 records “0” as the value of the overwrite flag.

  In S112, tuner 11 converts the radio wave received via the antenna into a signal. In S114, hard disk device 12 records the signal compressed by MPEG encoder 14. That is, the system control circuit 10 determines the position on the hard disk device 12 where the video information is recorded so that the address in the hard disk device 12 (the position where the video information is recorded, which is indicated by the broadcast received by the tuner 11) circulates. Control. The received video information is compressed by the MPEG encoder 14. The compressed information is recorded in the time shift area of the hard disk device 12 (specifically, the hard disk main body 120). The system control circuit 10 records the address (in the hard disk main body 120) where the video information is recorded in the buffer of the memory 16. In S116, system control circuit 10 adds “1” to the counter.

  In S118, system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the counter value has reached the period for reading the EPG. If it is determined that the EPG reading cycle has been reached (YES in S118), the process proceeds to S100. If not (NO in S118), the process proceeds to S104.

  Referring to FIG. 4, the program executed by information recording / reproducing apparatus 100 has the following control structure regarding the display process of the time shift title list.

  In S120, system control circuit 10 searches for a time shift title from the database according to the following procedure. The first procedure is a procedure for reading (that is, searching) a title, a recording flag, and an overwrite flag recorded in the database. These pieces of information are read out in an order that matches the order of recorded dates. The second procedure is a procedure for recording the read title, recording flag, and overwrite flag in the area of the time shift title list (described later). In the case of this embodiment, the titles are recorded in an order that matches the order of the recorded dates.

  In S122, system control circuit 10 causes display device 200 to display a time shift title list via OSD image generation circuit 19 and selector 18. That is, the system control circuit 10 controls the OSD image generation circuit 19 and the selector 18 so as to output information representing the time shift title list. The OSD image generation circuit 19 creates image information (time shift list) that represents titles in the order of information recorded in the time shift area. The selector 18 outputs a time shift title list to the display device 200. At this time, the system control circuit 10 displays an icon indicating that recording is in progress next to the program whose recording flag is “1”. That is, first, the system control circuit 10 detects information (recording flag) corresponding to information being recorded by the hard disk device 12 from information representing the program name of the broadcast. Next, the system control circuit 10 generates a time-shifted title list as an image in which an icon indicating that recording is in progress (that is, that the hard disk device 12 is recording information) is displayed alongside broadcast program names. In addition, the OSD image generation circuit 19 is controlled. Next, the system control circuit 10 controls the selector 18 so as to output the information generated by the OSD image generation circuit 19. Further, the system control circuit 10 displays an icon indicating that overwriting is being performed next to the program whose overwrite flag is “1”. That is, first, the system control circuit 10 detects information (overwrite flag) corresponding to information rewritten by the system control circuit 10 itself from information indicating a broadcast program name. Next, the system control circuit 10 generates a time-shifted title list as an image in which an icon indicating overwriting (that is, that the system control circuit 10 itself has rewritten information) is displayed side by side with the broadcast program name. Thus, the OSD image generation circuit 19 is controlled. Next, the system control circuit 10 controls the selector 18 so as to output the information generated by the OSD image generation circuit 19. The contents of the time shift list according to the present embodiment will be described later.

  In S <b> 124, system control circuit 10 determines whether or not a timer interrupt is input from operation device 22. A timer for timer interruption is built in the system control circuit 10. In the present embodiment, the timer interrupt interval is arbitrarily set by the designer of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 100. If it is determined that a timer interruption has occurred (YES in S124), the process proceeds to S126. If not (NO in S124), the process proceeds to S132.

  In S126, the system control circuit 10 searches the title of the program recorded in the time shift area from the database of the memory 16. In the present embodiment, the procedure for searching for a title is the same as S122. However, the system control circuit 10 records the read title and the like in the temporary time shift title list area.

  At S128, system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the title name at the top of the searched titles has changed (the title recorded first in the time shift title list area of memory 16 and the provisional time shift title list). Whether or not the title recorded at the beginning of the table area matches). If it is determined that the title name at the beginning has changed (YES in S128), the process proceeds to S130. If not (NO in S128), the process proceeds to S132.

  In S130, system control circuit 10 updates the time shift title list. That is, the system control circuit 10 replaces the contents of the time shift title list area with the contents of the temporary time shift title list area. In addition, the system control circuit 10 controls the OSD image generation circuit 19 and the selector 18 so as to output information representing the time-shifted title list by the same processing as S122. The OSD image generation circuit 19 and the selector 18 generate a time shift list and outputs it to the display device 200. The display device 200 displays a new time shift title list.

  In S132, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the user has requested to display the title (the user can request to display the title by pressing the enter key 222 of the operation device 22. System control. The circuit 10 can determine which key is pressed based on the signal transmitted from the controller device 22). If it is determined that the user has requested to display the title (YES in S132), the process proceeds to S134. If not (NO in S132), the process proceeds to S142.

  In S134, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not to play the first title based on the signal transmitted from the controller device 22. The signal used for determination by the system control circuit 10 is a signal transmitted after the signal transmitted in S132 (a signal indicating that the enter key 222 has been pressed). What signal is transmitted after the signal transmitted in S132 is recorded as a flag value (the flag value is recorded in the buffer of the memory 16). In the case of the present embodiment, when the fact that the numeric keypad 229 representing “1” is pressed is transmitted from the operating device 22, the system control circuit 10 adds “1” to the value of the flag. When the value of the flag as a result of addition exceeds the number of programs recorded in the time shift area, the system control circuit 10 changes the value of the flag to “1”. When the flag value is changed, the system control circuit 10 uses the OSD image generation circuit 19 and the selector 18 to change the title of the program corresponding to the flag value (the flag value is the program name in the time shift title list). ) Are output to the display device 200. When the fact that the numeric keypad 229 representing “2” is pressed is transmitted from the operation device 22, the system control circuit 10 subtracts “1” from the flag value. When the value of the flag becomes “0” as a result of the subtraction, the system control circuit 10 changes the value of the flag to the number of programs recorded in the time shift area. When the flag value is changed, the system control circuit 10 outputs to the display device 200 an image in which the title of the program corresponding to the flag value is surrounded by a thick frame in the same manner as when the flag value is increased. To do. When a message indicating that the enter key 222 has been pressed is transmitted from the operating device 22, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not to play the first title (that is, whether or not the flag value is “1”). If it is determined that the first title is to be reproduced (YES in S134), the process proceeds to S136. If not (NO in S134), the process proceeds to S138.

  At S136, system control circuit 10 sets a play point (information representing an address from which information is read for reproduction out of addresses on hard disk device 12) to the content representing the head portion of the time shift area. This process is performed through the following procedure. In the first procedure, the position where the system control circuit 10 records the video information corresponding to the title using the information of the title (namely, the program name) received by the controller device 22 and the information recorded in the memory 16. It is a procedure to identify. In the case of the present embodiment, such specification is performed by reading out addresses that form the same group as the title received by the controller device 22 from the database. The second procedure is a procedure for controlling the pickup device 121 so as to read the information of the video after the position specified by the system control circuit 10 from the hard disk device 12. The third procedure is a procedure for controlling the selector 18 so as to output video information read by the pickup device 121.

  At S138, the play point is set to the content representing the head portion of the title. “Make the content representing the head part of the title” means the video of the beginning part of the program selected by the user by pressing the numeric key 229 of the operating device 22 among the addresses on the hard disk device 12 as the value of the play point. Is the value of the recorded address.

  In S140, system control circuit 10 starts reproduction from the video at the address indicated by the play point. For this purpose, the system control circuit 10 controls the hard disk device 12, the selector 13, the MPEG decoder 17, and the selector 18. The hard disk device 12 outputs information recorded at the address indicated by the play point. The MPEG decoder 17 decodes the information output via the selector 13. The selector 18 outputs the decoded information to the display device 200.

  In S142, system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the user has requested to cancel the display of the title list. If it is determined that there is a request to cancel the display (YES in S142), the process proceeds to S144. If not (NO in S142), the process proceeds to S124.

  In S144, system control circuit 10 cancels the time shift title list. That is, the system control circuit 10 causes the display device 200 to display the image read from the hard disk device 12 via the selector 13, the MPEG decoder 17, and the selector 18.

  An operation of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 100 based on the above-described structure and flowchart will be described.

  The system control circuit 10 sets the counter to “0” (S100). When the counter is set to “0”, the tuner 11 reads EPG and program image information via the antenna (S102). The read image information is recorded in the time shift area of the hard disk device 12. When the image information is recorded to the end of the time shift area, the image information read after that is recorded after the start of the time shift area. The information in the time shift area is rewritten every time certain information is read. The time shift area is a ring buffer. When the recorded EPG and program image information are read, the clock 15 detects the time (S104). When the time is detected, the system control circuit 10 extracts a title from the EPG (S106). Initially, the program received by the tuner 11 is the program (1). As a result, the title extracted from the EPG becomes “program (1)”. When the title is extracted, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the extracted title is the same as the title of the database (S108). Initially, since no title is recorded in the database (NO in S108), the memory 16 records a title or the like in the database (S110). When a title or the like is recorded, the tuner 11 converts the radio wave received by the antenna into a signal (S112). When the radio wave is converted into a signal, the hard disk device 12 records the signal compressed by the MPEG encoder 14 (S114). When the signal is recorded, the system control circuit 10 adds “1” to the counter (S116). When “1” is added to the counter, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the counter value has reached the period for reading the EPG (S118). Initially, the value of the counter has not reached the period for reading the EPG (NO in S118), and through the processing of S104 to S106, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the extracted title is the same as the title of the database. Is determined (S108). In this case, since the extracted title is the same as the title of the database (YES in S108), tuner 11 converts the radio wave into a signal (S112). When the radio wave is converted into a signal, the processes of S114 to S108 are repeated. Thereafter, after the broadcast time of the program (1) ends and the broadcast time of the program (2) comes, the system control circuit 10 again extracts titles from the EPG (S106). When the title is extracted, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the extracted title is the same as the title of the database (S108). In this case, since the extracted title “program (2)” is not the same as the title “program (1)” in the database (NO in S108), the memory 16 records the title “program (2)” in the database. (S110). Thereafter, the processing of S100 to S118 is similarly repeated.

  If the recording is continued as it is, a plurality of programs are recorded on the hard disk device 12. FIG. 5 shows a situation in which program information is recorded in the entire time shift area of the hard disk device 12. In the time shift area of the hard disk device 12, “program (1)” to “program (4)” are recorded. FIG. 6 shows the contents of the database recorded in the memory 16 at this time. At this time, when the user requests to display the time shift title list via the operation device 22 (in the case of the present embodiment, the user presses the enter key 222 during the time shift reproduction, thereby The system control circuit 10 retrieves the time shift title from the database (S120). During this time, the processes of S100 to S118 are repeated. When the time shift title is retrieved, the system control circuit 10 displays a time shift title list via the OSD image generation circuit 19 and the selector 18 (S122). Referring to FIG. 7, the contents of display device 200 at this time are shown. “Recording” means that the video information of the program (4) is being recorded. The column of program (1) is surrounded by a thick frame. This means that if the enter key 222 is pressed at this time, playback starts from the beginning of the program (1). When the time shift title list is displayed, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not a timer interrupt has occurred (S124). If a timer interrupt happens to occur at this time (YES in S124), system control circuit 10 searches for a title (S126). When the title is retrieved, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the head title name has changed (S128). At this point, the program has just been recorded to the end of the time shift area. Since the program has just been recorded to the end of the time shift area, the title name at the beginning has not changed. Since the head title name has not changed (NO in S128), system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the user has requested to display the title with determination key 222 (S132). When the user requests to display the title (YES in S132), system control circuit 10 determines whether or not to reproduce the first title based on the signal transmitted by operation device 22 (S134). In the case of FIG. 7, it is determined that the first title is reproduced (that is, operation device 22 has received the first program name among the program names represented by the information output by selector 18) (YES in S134). The system control circuit 10 sets the play point to the content representing the head portion of the time shift area (S136). When the play point is set to the content representing the head portion of the time shift area, the system control circuit 10 starts reproduction from the video at the address represented by the play point (S140). When playback is started, the process ends.

  Thereafter, when the user requests to display the time-shifted title list again via the operation device 22, after repeating the processing of S120 to S142, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the head title name has changed again. Is determined (S128). As described above, since the program has already been recorded up to the end of the time shift area of the hard disk device 12, the program (1) in the time shift area of the same hard disk device 12 is recorded as the video information of the program (4). The area is overwritten. Along with this, the database has also been updated. That is, when the hard disk device 12 overwrites and records the video information of the program (4), the system control circuit 10 rewrites the video information address of the program (1). A specific address rewriting procedure is as described above. FIG. 8 shows the contents of the database at this time. The address of the program (1) and the value of the overwrite flag are rewritten. System control circuit 10 determines that the title name at the top has changed (YES in S128), and system control circuit 10 updates the time shift title list (S130). Thus, the system control circuit 10 controls the OSD image generation circuit 19 every time the system control circuit 10 itself rewrites information corresponding to the broadcast date and time. Referring to FIG. 9, the contents of display device 200 at this time are shown. The display of “Overwriting” means that the video information of the program displayed as “Recording” is overwritten in the area of the program (1). When the time shift title list is updated, the processes of S124 to S144 are repeated. During this time, the information in the time shift area of the hard disk device 12 is overwritten. As a result of the information overwriting, the information of the program (1) will eventually disappear. Referring to FIG. 10, the arrangement of information in the time shift area at the time when the information of program (1) disappears is shown. In the meantime, the processes of S124 to S144 are repeated. In the middle of this, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not a timer interrupt has occurred (S124). If a timer interrupt happens to occur at this time (YES in S124), system control circuit 10 searches for a title (S126). When the title is retrieved, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the head title name has changed (S128). Since the head title name has already changed at this time (YES in S128), the system control circuit 10 updates the time shift title list (S130). Referring to FIG. 11, the contents of display device 200 at this time are shown. There is no display of program (1). “Overwriting” is displayed next to program (2). This means that the video information of the program (4) is overwritten in the area of the program (2). When the video information of the program (1) disappears, the contents of the display device 200 are updated in real time.

  When the time shift title list is updated, after repeating the processing of S124 to S132, the system control circuit 10 determines whether or not the user has requested to cancel the display of the title list (S142). . If there is a request to cancel the display (YES in S142), system control circuit 10 cancels the time shift title list (S144).

  As described above, the information recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present embodiment can perform the following processing. The first process is a process for displaying the program name of the program recorded in the time shift area. In particular, the information recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present embodiment can display program names that can actually be viewed by periodically updating the program names. The second process is a process of displaying the video recorded in the time shift area from the top of the program according to the user's selection. As a result, even if the video is recorded in the time shift area, the user can reproduce it from the head of each program that he / she wants to watch. Since the program can be reproduced from the beginning of each program, an information recording / reproducing apparatus with higher convenience can be provided.

  The database described above may be recorded in the hard disk device 12 instead of the memory 16.

  In S110, the recorded date and time may be rewritten instead of rewriting the address. Alternatively, in S110, the address may be rewritten and the recorded date and time may be rewritten.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

It is a control block diagram of the information recording / reproducing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is an external view of the operating device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of control of the recording process of the title name of the information recording / reproducing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of control of the display process of the time shift title list of the information recording / reproducing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure (the 1) showing the content of the information of the time shift area | region which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is FIG. (1) showing the content of the database recorded on the memory which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is FIG. (1) which shows the content of the display of the display apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure (the 2) showing the content of the database recorded on the memory which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is FIG. (2) which shows the content of the display of the display apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure (the 2) showing the content of the image | video recorded on the time shift area | region which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is FIG. (3) which shows the content of the display of the display apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  10 system control circuit, 11 tuner, 12 hard disk device, 13, 18 selector, 14 MPEG encoder, 15 clock, 16 memory, 17 MPEG decoder, 19 OSD image generation circuit, 22 operation device, 100 information recording / reproducing device, 120 hard disk main body , 121 Pickup device, 200 Display device, 221 Power key, 222 Enter key, 223 Record key, 224 Play key, 225 Stop key, 226 Pause key, 227 Rewind key, 228 Fast forward key, 229 Numeric keypad.

Claims (6)

A tuner for receiving the broadcast and the program name of the broadcast;
A hard disk device for overwriting and recording video information represented by the broadcast;
First control means for controlling the position on the hard disk device for recording the information so that the position for recording the information circulates;
A memory for recording the program name of the broadcast together with information corresponding to the date and time of the broadcast;
When the hard disk device overwrites and records the information, information corresponding to the broadcast date and time of the information recorded before the hard disk device overwrites and records the information, and the information that the hard disk device overwrites and records the information. Rewriting means for rewriting information corresponding to later date and time for the time required for output,
An output means for outputting information;
First detection means for detecting information corresponding to information being recorded by the hard disk device among information representing the program name of the broadcast;
Second detection means for detecting information corresponding to information rewritten by the rewriting means among information representing the program name of the broadcast;
The hard disk device displays information being recorded side by side on the program name of the broadcast detected by the first detecting means, and the second detecting means detects that the rewriting means is rewriting information. The information representing the broadcast program name is rewritten as the image corresponding to the broadcast date and time, and the rewriting means rewrites the information corresponding to the broadcast date and time as an image corresponding to the broadcast date and time. Generation means for generating each time;
Second control means for controlling the output means so as to output the information generated by the generation means;
Receiving means for receiving any of the program names represented by the information output by the output means;
Using the information of the program name accepted by the accepting means and the information recorded in the memory, specifying means for specifying a position for recording video information corresponding to the program name accepted by the accepting means;
Reading means for reading information of the video after the position specified by the specifying means from the hard disk device;
A hard disk recorder comprising: third control means for controlling the output means so as to output information of the video read by the read means. Receiving means for receiving the broadcast and the program name of the broadcast;
First recording means for overwriting and recording video information represented by the broadcast;
First control means for controlling a position on the first recording means for recording the information so that a position for recording the information circulates;
Second recording means for recording the program name of the broadcast together with information corresponding to the date and time of the broadcast;
When the first recording unit overwrites and records the information, the information corresponding to the broadcast date and time is rewritten in the video information recorded before the first recording unit overwrites the information. Rewriting means,
An output means for outputting information;
Generating means for generating information representing the program name of the broadcast so that the order of the program name corresponds to the date and time of the broadcast;
Second control means for controlling the output means so as to output the information generated by the generation means;
Receiving means for receiving any of the program names represented by the information output by the output means;
Using the information on the program name accepted by the accepting means and the information recorded by the second recording means, a specifying means for specifying a position for recording video information corresponding to the program name accepted by the accepting means When,
Reading means for reading information of the video after the position specified by the specifying means from the first recording means;
An information recording / reproducing apparatus comprising: third control means for controlling the output means so as to output video information read by the read means. The rewriting means, when the first recording means overwrites the information, information corresponding to the broadcast date and time of the information recorded before the first recording means overwrites the information, Means for rewriting the information corresponding to the later date and time by an amount corresponding to the amount of information overwritten by the first recording means;
3. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the generating means includes means for generating information representing a program name of the broadcast every time the rewriting means rewrites information corresponding to the broadcast date and time. .   4. The information recording according to claim 3, wherein the time corresponding to the amount of information overwritten and recorded by the first recording unit is a time required to output the information overwritten and recorded by the first recording unit as a video. Playback device. The information recording / reproducing apparatus comprises:
A first detection means for detecting information corresponding to the information being recorded by the first recording means among the information representing the program name of the broadcast;
The generation means represents the broadcast program name as information representing an image displayed side by side with the broadcast program name detected by the first detection means that the first recording means is recording information. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 2, comprising means for generating information. The information recording / reproducing apparatus comprises:
A second detection unit for detecting information corresponding to information rewritten by the rewriting unit among the information representing the program name of the broadcast;
The generating means generates information representing the broadcast program name as information representing an image displayed side by side with the broadcast program name detected by the second detecting means that the rewriting means is rewriting information. The information recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for

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