JP3610352B2 - Recording / playback device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording / reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to recording / reproducing of an image signal.

Conventionally, recording and reproduction of television signals have been performed in a home VTR under the concept of time shift.
Specific examples of the time shift include absence recording by setting a timer, and a one-touch timer that is convenient when watching TV.

  As a known general example, an outline of absence recording by timer setting will be described. This is to receive and record a broadcast program from a desired television station at a desired time by a VTR device comprising a television tuner, a television signal recording / reproducing device, and a timer means for controlling them, Thus, it is possible to shift the time when a certain program is broadcast and the time when the program is viewed.

However, in order to set the one-touch timer, a video tape capable of recording the television signal must be installed in the VTR device in advance. Had.
When resuming viewing, if the recorded program has not yet ended, it is necessary to select either one of resuming viewing from the middle of the program or waiting until the program ends. did not become. Therefore, in any case, it was not preferable for viewers.

Furthermore, there is a case where it is desired to reconfirm the scene currently being viewed. In such a case, a conventional VTR can cope with this, but a television signal during a period of reverse reproduction cannot be recorded. There was the inconvenience that it became impossible to watch.
Therefore, in order to perform reverse playback without such inconvenience, it has been necessary to rewind to a desired place after completing the recording of the program being viewed and to start reverse playback. It took a lot of work.

  In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to continuously view a scene from the time when the viewer is sitting after returning from the center when the viewer is sitting while viewing.

The recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention has a moving image signal receiving means, a memory means capable of simultaneously executing a reproducing operation while recording the moving image signal received by the receiving means, and a connection terminal to an external monitor. Output means for outputting the moving image signal reproduced through the connection terminal to the external monitor, and manual instruction means for instructing recording and reproduction operations of the moving image signal recorded in the memory means; In response to the first instruction from the manual instruction means, the recording is recorded in the memory means, and the still picture signal that is a part of the moving picture signal is reproduced and output from the output means. The still image signal output in response to the first instruction while continuing to record the moving image signal to the memory means in response to the second instruction from the manual instruction means. Instead it is characterized in that a control means for switching to output from said output means by reproducing the moving image signal recorded in the memory means.
Another feature of the present invention is that the control unit records the moving image signal in the memory unit while continuing to record the moving image signal in the memory unit in response to a third instruction by the manual instruction unit. Further, the moving image signal is controlled to be reproduced at a variable speed and the reproduced image signal is output from the output means.
Another feature of the present invention is that the image processing apparatus includes expansion means for expanding the information amount of the moving image signal reproduced by the memory means, and the output means outputs the moving image signal expanded by the expansion means. It outputs to the said external monitor.

  According to the present invention, when sitting in the middle of watching a television broadcast or the like, the first instruction is given to record the scene after the center and in the viewing pause on the monitor that was being viewed. A still image that can easily be identified can be displayed. And if it returns from the center, the scene from the time of the center can be continuously viewed by performing the second instruction.

Next, the configuration and operation of the first embodiment of the information recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the configuration diagram of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, an analog input video signal given from the AV receiver 11 or the like is received through the video input terminal 12 and an audio signal is received from the audio input terminal 14.

Analog video signals and audio signals input from these input terminals 12 and 14 are converted into digital signals by A / D converters 13 and 15, respectively. Then, the data amount is reduced by the image compressor 31 and the audio compressor 30 for compressing the data thereafter.
Next, the synthesizer 16 synthesizes the video data and the audio data, forms a data block for each predetermined unit as composite video and audio data, and temporarily writes it in the buffer memory 17. In this embodiment, a memory element that can simultaneously access a plurality of ports of two or more ports is used as the buffer memory 17.

  The data compressor used here is based on DCT or the like for video information. For example, simple fixed-length encoding may be used in addition to JPEG recommended still image processing for each screen or MPEG recommended advanced variable length encoding. For example, in the case of speech information, coding considering auditory characteristics, adaptive transform coding based on the theory such as entropy coding, and a method of subdividing into 32 to 1024 frequency bands and analyzing music signals in each band What is being studied in MPEG such as band division coding currently shows good compression characteristics.

Incidentally, JPEG and MPEG are groups for studying international standardization of images, and JPEG is an abbreviation for Joint Photographic Expert Group.
MPEG is an abbreviation for Moving Picture Expert Group, and each of them considers still images and moving images.
Details of such image compression are introduced in pages 1 to 32 of the special edition of Nikkei New Media on March 4, 1991.

Thereafter, the data read from the buffer memory 17 under a predetermined control is applied to the separator 18 where it is separated again into a video signal and an audio signal. These signals are supplied to the image expander 33 and the audio expander 32, respectively, and are decoded into information amounts before compression.
The decoded data is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converters 19 and 22, and is output from the output terminals 20 and 23 as a video signal and an audio signal having an arbitrary time delay. By supplying this output signal to the video monitor 21 and the speaker 24, the video and audio of the desired broadcast program are reproduced.

  Such predetermined control is performed mainly by the system controller 28, and the above-described buffer memory 17, synthesizer 16, and synthesizer 16 are controlled by the write controller 25 and the read controller 26 instructed by the system controller 28. The operation of the separator 18 and the like is controlled.

When viewing of the television broadcast is interrupted, pause instruction information is input via the key input unit 29. The input pause instruction information is given to the system controller 28.
When the pause instruction information is given, the buffer memory 17 starts recording AV information, repeatedly reads out image information corresponding to the top screen of the write information, and displays this as a still image.

  When the television broadcast can be viewed again, instruction information for canceling the pause state is input from the key input unit 29. When this pause state release instruction information is given to the system controller 28, a reproduction process of the information recorded in the buffer memory 17 is started.

  The operation of recording in the buffer memory 17 is continued from the time when the pause instruction is given. When the memory capacity becomes full using all the storage capacity of the buffer memory 17, or the viewing ends. When an instruction to perform is given to the system controller 28 via the key input unit 29, the information recording operation is finished for the first time.

Next, the execution procedure of the reserved recording process controlled based on the timer setting will be sequentially described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 2 shows the passage of time from time T0 to time T6, and FIG. 3 shows the state of the buffer memory 17 at each time point from time T1 to time T6 separately from unrecorded, recorded and reproduced.

In FIG. 2, time T0 is an initial state. Here, if a pause instruction is input from the key input unit 29 to the system controller 28 at the timing of time T1, recording starts from time T1.
The state of the buffer memory 17 at this time is all in an unrecorded state (indicated by φ) immediately after the start as shown at T1 in FIG.

  At time T2 after time t1 has elapsed from time T1, the memory capacity corresponding to time t1 has been recorded, and the rest is in an unrecorded state φ. In the information storage / reproduction apparatus of the first embodiment, while still recording as described above, the still screen at the time when the pause instruction information is input is reproduced.

Next, when the pause state is released at time T3, reproduction of the recorded information is started. For example, as shown at time T3 in FIG. 3, the memory state at the start of reproduction is a distribution of recorded areas and unrecorded memory areas, and there is no reproduction area yet.
Next, at time T4 when time t2 has elapsed from time T3, a memory area that has been reproduced for time t2 has already occurred.

  At the same time, recording corresponding to time t2 is proceeding compared to time T3. In the first embodiment, since a memory element that can simultaneously access a plurality of ports of two or more ports is used, such a simultaneous recording / reproducing process can be realized.

In this state, the simultaneous recording / reproducing process is continued. When the memory full state is reached, the recording process is terminated. In this case, the playback time so far is t3, and the remaining playable time is T3-T1. When the recording process is completed, only the reproduction process is performed thereafter.
When the end of the reproduction process is instructed at time T6, as shown at T6 in the figure, an unrecorded portion φ and a recorded portion corresponding to the pause execution period T3-T1 remain. In this embodiment, since data is not erased during the reproduction process, the data can be reproduced as many times as necessary.

  It is also possible to change the reproduction operation described above. When changed, the time interval between time T3 and time T6 changes according to the reproduction speed. In this case, the playback speed can be freely set as long as the playback (read) address does not overtake the record (write) address.

  As an example, when a high-speed playback mode is provided and this instruction is input from the key input unit 29, a process of detecting this and increasing the read address count compared to the standard speed (jumping every several addresses) is performed. FIG. 4 shows a flowchart that is performed.

  The operation flowchart of FIG. 4 shows the control of the system controller 28, and includes 15 processing steps. In the following description, each processing step is denoted as S01 to S15.

First, by operating the key input unit 29 in S01, the AV signal path is set so that AV information (audio information and video information) from the AV receiver 11 is reproduced by the speaker 24 and the monitor 21 via the system controller 28. Set.
Next, in S02, it is monitored whether or not a pause instruction is input. If a pause instruction is input, the process proceeds to S03 to S07 sequentially.

In S03, an initial setting of the reproduction start address is performed for the read controller 26, and in S04, an initial setting of the recording start address is performed for the write controller 25.
In S05, recording of information supplied from the data synthesizer 16 is started. When the information recording is started, the write address of the memory 17 is sequentially counted up at S06, and the write address is monitored at S07. When the capacity is exceeded, the process jumps to S13 to stop the recording.

Next, the process proceeds to S08 to determine whether or not the pause is OFF. If the pause is OFF, the process proceeds to S09 and the reproduction address is counted up.
If there is a margin in the address, the process proceeds to S10 to determine whether or not there is a fast-forward instruction. If there is a fast-forward instruction, the reproduction address is counted up at S11 at high speed. When it is determined that there is no fast-forward instruction, the fast-forward reproduction process S11 is bypassed.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S08 that there is no pause release instruction, the reproduction process S09 to S11 is bypassed and the process proceeds to S12.
In S12, an instruction to end reproduction and an instruction to stop recording are monitored. If there are these instructions, the process proceeds to S13. If no playback end instruction or recording stop instruction is issued, the process returns to S06, and the above-described processing is repeated.

In S13, the recording operation is stopped in response to an instruction to end reproduction or a capacity over condition.
Next, in S14, the magnitude relationship between the reproduction address (A _pb ) and the recording address (A _rec ) is compared.
in this case,
Playback address (A _pb ) ≤ Recording address (A _rec )
Then, since it is a recorded area, the process returns to S08 to continue the reproducing operation.

Also,
Playback address (A _pb )> Recording address (A _rec )
In this case, it means that an unrecorded area has been entered. Therefore, the process proceeds to S15 to stop the reproduction operation and prevent an unrecorded area from being entered.

  Since the information recording / reproducing apparatus of the first embodiment records / reproduces information in this way, as shown in the conceptual diagram of operation in FIG. When a pause-on instruction is given, a freeze display state is entered in which a moving image is paused, and the screen at the time when the TV pause-on instruction is given is still displayed. In addition, the recording of the television broadcast is started from the time when the instruction of TV pause on is given.

  Then, when the viewer returns from the center and gives an instruction for TV pause off, playback of the television broadcast that was being viewed before the center is started. In addition, since this reproduction can be performed from the point where it was interrupted by the center, the viewer can consistently view the television broadcast despite being in the center.

Next, a description will be given of a second embodiment of the information storage / reproduction apparatus of the present invention. In the second embodiment, when reverse reproduction instruction information is given from the key input unit 29, the operation is as described below.
That is, when reverse reproduction instruction information is given, it is input to the system controller 28.

When the system controller 28 receives the reverse reproduction instruction information, the system controller 28 starts the reproduction process in the reverse direction with respect to the time axis while continuing to record the television signal.
This is a subtraction from the current address value in the direction opposite to the address count-up in the recording process described above.
In this way, a search is performed by reverse reproduction. When the desired position is reached, a normal reproduction instruction is input from the key input unit 29 to the system controller 28 instead of the reverse reproduction instruction.

Thereafter, when the television signal can be viewed again, the viewer inputs a pause state release instruction from the key input unit 29 to the system controller 28, thereby starting the reproduction process.
The recording process is still continued from the initial setting in this case, and the key input unit 29 gives an instruction to end the viewing when the memory capacity is full using all the storage capacity of the memory. The recording ends only when it is input to the system controller 28.

Next, the recording / playback execution procedure of the information storage / playback apparatus in the second embodiment will be described in sequence with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 6 shows the passage of time from time T0 to time T6, and FIG. 7 shows the state of the buffer memory 17 at each time point from time T1 to time T6 separately from unrecorded, recorded and reproduced.

First, recording of a television signal is started at T1 for initial setting. Also in this case, all are in an unrecorded state (indicated by φ) in the initial state of the memory.
When a review instruction is input from the key input unit 29 to the system controller 28 at time T2 after the elapse of time t1 from time T1, reverse playback is started from this point.

  Assuming that the time interval from time T1 to time T2 is t1, a portion of the television signal corresponding to time t1 is recorded at this time. As for the state of the buffer memory 17 at this time, as shown at T2 in FIG. 7, the portion corresponding to the time t1 has been recorded, and the rest is the unrecorded state φ.

At time T3 after the elapse of time t2, the memory area corresponding to time t2 is further recorded, and at the same time, the area corresponding to time t2 is reproduced in the reverse direction.
In this way, the playback process is performed in the reverse direction from the time when the review instruction is input while continuing the recording, and the desired screen search is executed. Then, if the desired screen can be searched, the review instruction is canceled.

The time point at which this review instruction is canceled is T3, and playback of recorded information in the forward direction is started from here. The state of the buffer memory 17 at the start of the forward reproduction is shown at T3 in FIG.
As is apparent from T3 in FIG. 7, the address is advanced in the reverse direction for recording and reproduction for the period of time t2 from the review start time.

Next, at time T4 when some time elapses from time T3, the memory area becomes a recorded area, a reproduced area, a recorded area, and an unrecorded area in order from the smallest address, and the memory capacity is still not enough. This is illustrated as a state.
On the other hand, time T5 has elapsed for time t3 from time T3, and is illustrated as a state in which information is stored in the entire capacity of the buffer memory 17.

In this embodiment, the recording operation is set to end when information is stored in the entire capacity of the buffer memory 17. In addition, when a playback operation end instruction is sent from the key input unit 29 to the system controller 28 at time T6 when the capacity of the buffer memory 17 is sufficient, recording is set to end simultaneously.
In the second embodiment as well, since a memory element that can simultaneously access a plurality of ports of two or more ports is used, such a simultaneous recording / reproducing process can be realized.
Also in this case, since data is not erased during the reproduction process, the data can be reproduced as many times as necessary.

The reproduction process described above can be changed. When changed, the time interval between time T2 and time T6 changes according to the reproduction speed.
In this case, the playback speed can be freely set as long as the playback (read) address does not overtake the record (write) address.

  As an example, when a high-speed playback mode is provided and this instruction is input from the key input unit 29, a process of detecting this and increasing the read address count compared to the standard speed (jumping every several addresses) is performed. FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of the process performed.

Note that the operation flowchart of FIG. 8 shows the control of the system controller 28 and includes 14 processing steps. In the following description, each processing step is denoted as S01 to S14.
First, by operating the key input unit 29 in S01, the AV signal path is set so that AV information (audio information and video information) from the AV receiver 11 is reproduced by the speaker 24 and the monitor 21 via the system controller 28. Set.

Next, in S02, the reproduction start address is initialized for the read controller 26, and in S03, the recording start address is initialized for the write controller 25.
In S04, recording of information supplied from the data synthesizer 16 is started. When the information recording is started, the write address of the memory 17 is sequentially counted up at S05, and the write address is monitored at S06. When the capacity is exceeded, the process jumps to S13 to stop the recording.

Next, the process proceeds to S07 to determine whether or not there is a review instruction. If there is a review instruction, the process proceeds to S08 and the reproduction address is counted down.
Next, if there is no forward playback instruction in S09, the forward playback process is bypassed in S10, and if there is a forward playback instruction, the playback address is counted up.

On the other hand, when it is determined in S07 that there is no review instruction, the reproduction processing S08 to S10 is bypassed and the process proceeds to S11.
In S11, an instruction to end recording or reproduction is monitored, and if these instructions are present, the process proceeds to S12. If no playback end instruction or recording stop instruction is issued, the process returns to S05 to repeat the above-described processing.

In S12, the recording operation is stopped in response to an instruction to end reproduction or a capacity over condition.
Next, in S13, the magnitude relationship between the reproduction address (A _pb ) and the recording address (A _rec ) is compared.
in this case,
Playback address (A _pb ) ≤ Recording address (A _rec )
Then, since it is a recorded area, the process returns to S08 to continue the reproducing operation.

Also,
Playback address (A _pb )> Recording address (A _rec )
In this case, it means that the recording has entered the unrecorded area, so that the process proceeds to S14 to stop the reproduction operation and prevent the reproduction part from entering the unrecorded area.

Since the information recording / reproducing apparatus of the second embodiment records / reproduces information in this way, as shown in the operation conceptual diagram of FIG. 9, for example, to re-confirm the screen while watching a television broadcast. When a review instruction is given, reverse playback is started.
When a playback instruction is given after viewing reverse playback for a desired period, playback of the television broadcast that was being viewed before the start of reverse playback is started. Moreover, since this playback can be performed from the point where it was interrupted by the reverse playback, the viewer can watch the television broadcast consistently even though the reverse playback was performed while watching the television broadcast. It can be done.

1 is a configuration diagram of an information storage / reproduction device showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a time chart for demonstrating operation | movement of the information recording / reproducing apparatus of 1st Example of this invention. It is memory area explanatory drawing which shows the utilization condition of the memory of 1st Example. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the process sequence of 1st Example. It is an operation | movement conceptual diagram of the information storage / reproducing apparatus of 1st Example. It is a time chart for demonstrating operation | movement of the information recording / reproducing apparatus of 2nd Example of this invention. It is memory area explanatory drawing which shows the utilization condition of the memory of 2nd Example. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the process sequence of 2nd Example. It is an operation | movement conceptual diagram of the information storage / reproducing apparatus of 2nd Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Display part 11 AV receiver 13 A / D converter 15 A / D converter 16 Synthesizer 17 Buffer memory 18 Separator 19 D / A converter 25 Write controller 26 Read controller 27 Timer part 28 System controller 29 Key input Unit 30 audio compressor 31 image compressor 32 audio expander 33 image expander

Claims (3)

A moving image signal receiving means;
Memory means capable of simultaneously executing a reproduction operation while recording the moving image signal received by the receiving means;
An output unit having a connection terminal to an external monitor, and outputting a moving image signal reproduced through the connection terminal to the external monitor;
Manual instruction means for instructing recording and reproduction operations of the moving image signal recorded in the memory means;
In response to a first instruction by the manual instruction means, switching to reproduce the still image signal that is a part of the moving image signal and output it from the output means while recording the moving image signal in the memory means, In response to the second instruction by the manual instruction means, the recording of the moving image signal to the memory means is continued, and the still image signal output in response to the first instruction is recorded in the memory means instead of being recorded. And a control means for switching to reproduce the moving image signal and output it from the output means.   In response to a third instruction by the manual instruction means, the control means performs variable speed reproduction of the moving image signal recorded in the memory means while continuing to record the moving image signal to the memory means, and reproduces the reproduction of the moving image signal. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image signal is controlled to be output from the output unit. An expansion means for expanding the amount of information of the moving image signal reproduced by the memory means;
The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output unit outputs the moving image signal expanded by the expansion unit to the external monitor.

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