JP2007328905A - Information recording apparatus and information recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide information recording technology for shortening the termination processing time when the recording ends, and information recording technology for recording independently of limitations due to the maximum number of video title sets and titles. <P>SOLUTION: Information is recorded on a recording medium according to recording instructions such as a recording start instruction and recording stop instructions. During the finalization processing, management information is generated and is recorded on the recording medium. On the basis of this management information, the information generated by a single recording instruction is managed as one chapter, at least one chapter is managed as one title and at least one title is managed as one video title set. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for recording and reproducing information on a recording medium.

Conventionally, for example, a technique for recording information using a magnetic tape such as a VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) is known.

In addition to the above magnetic tape, CD-RW (Compact Disc-ReWritable),
A technique for recording information on a disk-shaped information recording medium such as a DVD-RAM (Digital Versatile Disc-Random Access Memory) is also known.

In the case of the VCR, since information is continuously recorded on the magnetic tape, reproduction of desired information has to be performed continuously, and the information access speed is slow. On the other hand, when information is recorded on a disc-shaped information recording medium such as a CD-RW or DVD-RAM, so-called random access that enables immediate reproduction of desired information is possible. The speed is faster than VCR.

In recent years, DVD recorders for digitally recording video input by TV broadcasting or line input on a write-once DVD that can be written only once have been put on the market. This D
In a VD recorder, video recorded on a recording medium from the start of one recording to the end of recording is managed in a management unit called a video title set.

As shown in FIG. 1, the recording medium 101 has a video title set # 1 (102).
), Video title set # 2 (103),... Video title set #N (10
As in 4), a data structure is constructed in which the video title set is increased by the number of recorded videos. At this time, video title set # 1 (102), video title set # 2 (103),..., Video title set #N (104) are title # 1 (105), title # 2 (106),. #
N (107) is associated one-to-one. Further, each title is managed by being divided into subdivided units such as chapter # 1 (108), chapter # 2 (109),... Chapter #M (110). For example, the recording time is 5
Increase chapters every minute.

FIG. 2 shows a more detailed data structure. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data structure constructed on the recording medium 101 by the finalizing process. Information recorded on the recording medium 101 includes one video manager 302 and a video title set # 1 (3
03), video title set # 2 (304),... Video title set #L (
305).

The video manager 301 includes video manager information 306, a video manager menu video object set 307, and a video manager information backup 308. The video manager information 306 is information for managing the entire information recorded on the recording medium 101. The video manager menu video object set 307 is information for displaying a menu screen used for reproducing information recorded on the recording medium 301. The video manager information backup 308 is backup information of the video manager information 306.

Each video title set includes video title set information 309, a video title set menu video object set 310, a video title set video object set 311, and a video title set information backup 312. The video title set information 309 is information for managing one video title set as a whole. Management of information in units such as titles and chapters shown in FIG. 1 is performed by the video title set information 309. Video title set menu The video object set 310 is information for reproducing a menu screen used for reproducing information in one video title set. The video title set video object set 311 is an AV stream of recorded video, that is, information itself. The video object set information backup 312 is backup information of video object set information.

The video manager menu video object set 307 and the video title set menu video object set 310 may or may not be constructed on a recording medium.

With such a recording method, it is necessary to create and record information about the video title set every time recording is finished (recording is finished), and therefore, it takes time to finish the recording. Furthermore, since the number of video title sets and titles that can be constructed on a recording medium is limited (up to 99), the number of times that recording (recording) can be performed is also limited. As a result, for example, there is a possibility that only half of the recordable capacity is recorded on the recording medium even though the number of times that the recording can be performed is reached. There is a possibility that it cannot be used.

A first object of the present invention is to provide an information recording technique capable of shortening the end processing time at the end of recording. Furthermore, the second object of the present invention is to provide an information recording technique capable of recording without being restricted by the maximum number of video title sets and the number of titles.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention uses the following recording technique.

Information is recorded on a recording medium according to a recording instruction such as a recording start instruction and a recording end instruction, and the information generated by one recording instruction is managed as one chapter at the time of finalizing processing, and at least one chapter is defined as one chapter. Management information is managed as a title, and management information for managing all the information on the recording medium composed of at least one title as one video title set is generated, and the management information is recorded on the recording medium.

According to the present invention, the time for creating a video title set at the end of recording can be saved, so that the recording end time can be shortened. Further, since the number of times that the information signal can be recorded can be increased, the recording area of the recording medium can be effectively used.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The data structure on the recording medium on which the information signal is recorded according to the embodiment of the present invention is as shown in FIG. Information recorded from one recording start to the end of recording is recorded so that it can be managed as one chapter. Assume that the data structure manages all information recorded on the recording medium 201 as one video title set # 1 (202). Further, the video title set # 1 (202) is changed to the title # 1 (20
3) Subdivide into title # 2 (204),... Title #N (205). One title has a configuration in which a plurality of chapters are bundled together, such as chapter # 1 (206), chapter # 2 (207),... Chapter #M (208). At this time, there are various rules for bundling titles. For example, a plurality of chapters recorded on the same day can be used as one title, or one title can be provided every time the number of recorded chapters reaches a predetermined number (for example, 99).

By recording in this way, the time for creating a video title set at the end of recording can be saved, and the recording end time can be shortened accordingly. Furthermore, the number of video title sets and the number of titles can be recorded more times than the limit (up to 99).

In other words, as described above, conventionally, from the start of recording to the end of recording (referred to as a scene) is managed as one video title set, and further, one video title set is managed in association with one title. Only a limit of the number of video title sets and the number of titles per recording medium (for example, 99) can be recorded. On the other hand, in this embodiment, one scene is set to 1
The title is composed of a number of chapters,
Further, since the entire plurality of recorded titles are managed as one video title set, the number of recordable scenes per recording medium is, for example, the number of titles even if there is a limit on the number of titles as described above. The limit (99) × the number of chapters per title (for example, 99) is set, and the number of times exceeding the limit of the number of titles can be recorded.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic block diagram of an information recording / reproducing apparatus 1200 to which the present invention is applied.
For example, a stationary apparatus represented by a DVD recorder that can record a TV program or the like corresponds to the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1200. The information recording / reproducing apparatus 1200 records information input from the input terminal 1229 on the recording medium 201. Also, the information recorded on the information recording medium 201 is reproduced and an information signal output terminal 1128 is reproduced.
Is output from

A signal detected from the optical pickup 1118 is sent to a servo signal generation circuit 1119 and an information signal reproduction circuit 1120. In the servo signal generation circuit 1119,
From these detection signals, a focusing control signal and a tracking control signal suitable for the optical disc are generated, and based on this, the objective lens actuator in the optical pickup 1118 is driven through the actuator drive circuit 1121 to control the position of the objective lens. The information signal reproduction circuit 1120 reproduces information recorded on the optical disc 201 from the detection signal, and the information is output to the information signal output terminal 1128. The servo signal generation circuit 1119 and the information signal reproduction circuit 1
Part of the signal obtained at 120 is sent to the system control circuit 1122.

The information input from the input terminal 1229 is stored in the recording information signal conversion circuit 112.
4 is converted into an AV stream. This AV stream is a system control circuit 11.
22 and converted into a recording signal for laser drive. The laser light source lighting circuit 1123 is driven by this laser driving recording signal to control the light emission amount, and information is recorded on the optical disk 1108 via the optical pickup 1118.

Note that an access control circuit 1125 and a spindle motor drive circuit 1126 are connected to the system control circuit 1122, and the optical pickup 111 is respectively connected thereto.
8 and the rotation control of the spindle motor 1127 of the optical disk 1108 are performed. In addition, the power of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1200 is supplied via a power supply circuit 1250 that processes power supplied from a commercial power supply.

Recording and playback instructions can be given via the user processing unit 1151,
Information reproduced from the recording medium 201 and information input from the input terminal 1229 can be displayed on the display processing unit 1152.

In the case where the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1200 is a portable apparatus typified by a DVD camera, an information signal converted into an electric signal by a camera signal processing circuit (not shown) after optical imaging. , And input to the recording information signal conversion circuit 1124. Also,
Power is supplied by a battery instead of the power circuit 1250.

The information recording apparatus 1200 itself can reproduce information recorded on a recording medium even if so-called finalization processing is not performed.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a part of the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1200 in detail.

In FIG. 5, the AV stream processing unit 402 includes a recording information signal conversion circuit 1124.
Corresponding to Further, the management information processing unit 403 and the control unit 407 are parts that constitute part of the system control circuit 1122 illustrated in FIG. Further, the recording medium drive processing unit 404 includes an optical pickup 1118 and a laser light source lighting circuit 112 in FIG.
3, a servo signal generation circuit 1119, an information signal reproduction circuit 1120, an access control circuit 1125, a spindle motor drive circuit 1126, a system control circuit 1122, and the like correspond to each other. An operation unit 408 corresponds to the user input processing unit 1151.

The information output from the input terminal 1229 is encoded by the AV stream processing unit 402 and is recorded as an AV stream by the recording medium drive processing unit 404 by the recording medium 2.
01 is written. In a movie or stationary video recorder, the AV stream is written to the recording medium 201 from the start to the end of recording. This AV stream is additionally recorded. A section from the start of recording to the end of recording is defined as one chapter.

Information is transmitted from the AV stream processing unit 402 to the management information processing unit 403 during recording. The management information processing unit 403 creates temporary management information at the end of recording, and the recording medium drive processing unit 404 writes the temporary management information to the recording medium 201.

This temporary management information is additionally recorded every time recording ends. Information about the start / end of recording is transmitted from the operation unit 408 to the control unit 407. The control unit 407 collectively controls each block of the portion 406 surrounded by a dotted line in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of operations performed by the information recording / reproducing apparatus 1100 after the power is turned on. The operation shown in the following flowchart is performed by the system control circuit 1122 (
In particular, the description will be made assuming that the control is executed under the control of the control unit 407).

After the power is turned on, the recording medium drive processing unit 404 checks whether the recording medium 201 is initialized (step S501). If not initialized, the display processing unit 1152 displays a display prompting the user to select whether or not to execute initialization (step S502). If the user input processing unit 1151 selects not to perform initialization, the information signal cannot be recorded on the recording medium 201, and thus all the processes are terminated in the future (step S503). On the other hand, the user input processing unit 1151
When the selection to execute initialization is made in step S504, the display processing unit 1152 displays that information cannot be recorded in another device after initialization (step S504).
Then, after the recording medium 201 is initialized (step S505), the process returns to step S501.

If it is determined in step S501 that initialization has been performed, step S506 is performed.
Then, it is determined whether or not the user input processing unit 1151 gives an instruction to start recording. If the recording start instruction is given, the recording medium drive processing unit 404 records the AV stream (information) encoded by the AV stream processing unit 402 until the recording end instruction is given by the user input processing unit 1151. Recording on the medium 201 (
Step S507). When a recording end instruction is issued (step S508), recording of information is ended, temporary management information for managing the recorded AV stream is generated by the management information processing unit 403, and the recording medium drive processing unit 404 performs this temporary management. After the information is recorded on the recording medium 201 (step S509), the process returns to step S501. 1
The information recorded from the recording start instruction to the recording end instruction is recorded so that it can be managed as one chapter.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the arrangement of chapters on the recording medium 201. In this example, information is recorded three times in response to a recording start / end instruction, and three chapters are recorded. Information is recorded so that there is no gap between chapter # 1 (1001) and chapter # 2 (1002). Similarly, chapter # 2 (1002) and chapter # 3 (
1003), information is recorded so that no gap is generated. In order to prevent gaps between chapters, it is necessary to perform alignment and recording so that the size of each chapter is an integral multiple of a predetermined unit recorded on the recording medium. For example, in the case of an optical disk, gaps are generated between chapters by recording dummy information and adjusting the size of each chapter to an integral multiple of a predetermined recording unit so as to be aligned in units of ECC blocks (32 kilobytes). Do not. By recording so that no gaps are generated between chapters, normal reproduction can be performed even in a reproduction-only device.

If it is determined in step S506 that no recording start instruction has been issued, the process advances to step S510 to determine whether the user input processing unit 1151 has issued a resolution change instruction. If a resolution change instruction has been given, the recording medium driving unit 404 determines whether information has already been recorded on the recording medium 201 (step S511). If no information is recorded, the system control circuit 1122
Changed to the resolution instructed by the user input processing unit 1151 (step S51).
2) Return to step S501 above. On the other hand, if information is already recorded,
The display processing unit 1152 displays that the resolution cannot be changed (step S513).
Return to step S501. This is because information signals having different resolutions cannot be managed by one video title set.

If it is determined in step S510 that resolution change is not instructed, the process advances to step S514 to determine whether or not the user input processing unit 1151 has instructed finalization processing. If no finalize instruction has been made, the process returns to step S501. On the other hand, if a finalize instruction has been given, finalization processing is performed by executing steps S515 to S517 (step S515), and the subsequent operations are terminated (step S516).

By executing the finalizing process in step S515, the data structure as shown in FIG. 2 is constructed. Specifically, management information and menu screen information for reproduction are generated and recorded in the recording medium 201. Of course, as described above, in the present embodiment, only one video title set is generated.

In FIG. 2, information corresponding to management information is video manager information 306, video manager information backup 308, video title set information 309, and video title set information backup 312. Information corresponding to the menu screen information for reproduction is the video manager menu video object set 3.
07, a video title set menu, and a video object set 310.

The management information is created based on the temporary management information recorded on the recording medium during the recording end process, and as shown in FIG. 3, the recorded AV stream becomes one video title set # 1 (202). Then, one scene from the start to the end of recording is assigned as a chapter, and the chapters are foldered on the same date to become a title. When the number of chapters on the same date exceeds a predetermined number, the predetermined number, for example, 99 is used as a title.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a video title set, a title, and a chapter. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data structure constructed on the recording medium. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of a video title set, a title, and a chapter according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an outline of the information recording / reproducing apparatus. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a part of the information recording / reproducing apparatus in detail. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flowchart of operations performed after the information recording / reproducing apparatus is powered on. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the arrangement of chapters in the video title set.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 201 ... Recording medium, 402 ... AV stream processing part, 403 ... Management information processing part, 404 ... Recording medium drive processing part, 407 ... Control part, 408 ... Operation part.

Claims (8)

In an information recording apparatus that starts recording information on a recording medium by a recording start instruction and ends recording information on a recording medium by a recording end instruction.
During the finalizing process, the information recorded on the recording medium from one recording start instruction to a recording end instruction is managed as one chapter, at least one chapter is managed as one title, and consists of at least one title Management information generating means for generating management information for managing all the information on the recording medium as one video title set;
An information recording apparatus comprising: recording means for recording the management information on the recording medium. The information recording apparatus according to claim 1,
When the information amount of the information when receiving the recording end instruction is less than an integral multiple of the predetermined recording unit of the recording medium, the information amount of the information is reduced to the predetermined recording unit of the recording medium by recording dummy information. An information recording apparatus characterized by being an integer multiple. The information recording apparatus according to claim 1,
An information recording apparatus for managing a plurality of information chapters recorded on the same date as one title. The information recording apparatus according to claim 1,
An information recording apparatus characterized in that, when information is already recorded on a recording medium, a change in resolution of information to be recorded next is prohibited. In an information recording method for starting recording information on a recording medium by a recording start instruction and ending recording information on a recording medium by a recording end instruction.
During the finalizing process, the information recorded on the recording medium from one recording start instruction to a recording end instruction is managed as one chapter, at least one chapter is managed as one title, and consists of at least one title Management information for managing all the information on the recording medium as one video title set;
An information recording method for recording the management information on the recording medium. In the information recording method of Claim 5,
When the information amount of the information when receiving the recording end instruction is less than an integral multiple of the predetermined recording unit of the recording medium, the information amount of the information is reduced to the predetermined recording unit of the recording medium by recording dummy information. An information recording method characterized by an integer multiple. In the information recording method of Claim 5,
An information recording method comprising managing a plurality of information chapters recorded on the same date as one title. In the information recording method of Claim 5,
An information recording method characterized by prohibiting a change in resolution of information to be recorded next when information is already recorded on a recording medium.

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