JP3987126B2 - Image file method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to an image file method for recording a large number of image files on an information recording medium such as a magneto-optical disk, an apparatus therefor, and an information recording medium.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, an optical (magnetic) disk such as a compact disk or a mini disk is known as a large-capacity information recording medium suitable for recording a large amount of data such as image data and audio data. In such an image database using an optical disk as a rotating recording medium, an optical pickup as a recording / reproducing head for reading information recorded on a track of the disk or writing information on a desired track is provided in the radial direction of the disk. It is moved to trace the tracks formed on the disk. This optical pickup has a larger weight than a magnetic head in a magnetic disk, for example, and therefore it is difficult to greatly reduce the seek speed for moving between tracks. Therefore, in particular, in a magneto-optical disk apparatus using an optical reading and writing head such as an optical pickup, the search time for searching for data recorded on each track of the disk becomes long. Also, in the case of a constant linear velocity (CLV) magneto-optical disk with a constant rotation speed of the disk, it is necessary to control the rotation of the disk at a constant linear speed according to the position of the optical pickup being sought. As a result, the seek speed of the optical pickup and the transfer speed of information are further slowed down, so that the data search time is long.
[0003]
Conventionally, as this type of image file device, search information and index image data are recorded in a disc area so that a seek distance between the search information and index image data is shortened as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-164977. Thus, a method for shortening the search time has been proposed.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, when recording image data on an optical disk, a method of physically adding to the recording area of the optical disk for each file of image data to be recorded is generally used. Therefore, when the files recorded in this way are reproduced in any desired order, the search time for the image file is long because the time for which the optical pickup is tracked to the desired track differs depending on the recording position of the file. Furthermore, there is a problem that the playback interval of each file is not constant. For example, when performing a slide show in which image files recorded on an optical disk are read at predetermined time intervals and reproduced on a display device, the interval between the reproduced image and the next reproduced image is not constant. was there.
[0005]
In this case, for example, when synchronizing the playback image with an external audio device that plays back background music, narration, or other sound, the image file playback interval varies, especially if the playback start time of the image file is delayed. Since the display of the image is delayed and the sound is output in advance, or the sound reaches the next image, the sound is interrupted, and the sound and the reproduction of the image are not accurately synchronized. This problem also occurs in the same way when the reproduction of audio information recorded in a predetermined area of the optical disc is synchronized with the reproduction of an image file.
[0006]
In view of the above-described conventional problems, the present invention can quickly search for a desired image file when reproducing a large number of image files recorded on a large-capacity information recording medium. An object of the present invention is to provide an image file method, an apparatus thereof, and an information recording medium capable of reducing variations.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, an image file method according to the present invention is an image file method for recording information representing a desired image on an information recording medium. This method is a method for prioritizing information recorded on an information recording medium. A determination step for determining the information, a grouping step for grouping the information into a predetermined group based on the priority determined in the determination step, and the physical information of the information recording medium for each group. And a rearrangement step for recording in a region close to the region.
[0008]
In this case, the method includes a step of recording information on an information recording medium. The step includes an input step for inputting information, a generation step for generating index information for searching for information input in the input step, and an information And a recording step of recording the index information on the information recording medium.
[0009]
In this case, the generating step may further generate index information including information indicating information priority.
[0010]
Also, a search process for searching information recorded on the information recording medium based on the index information, an output process for outputting an image representing the information searched in the search process, and an index for searching for information in the search process And updating the information.
[0011]
The determining step corrects the priority of the information based on predetermined table information, determines a priority indicating the corrected priority, and the grouping step determines information based on the determined priority. Group them together.
[0012]
In this case, the table information may be table information for correcting the priority using the number of information searches as a parameter.
[0013]
In the rearrangement step, the information grouped in the grouping step may be recorded on the information recording medium in order from the group with the highest priority.
[0014]
In this case, the rearrangement step may record the grouped information on another information recording medium.
[0015]
In order to solve the above-described problems, an image file device according to the present invention is an image file device that records information representing a desired image on an information recording medium. This device records information on an information recording medium. An information recording means for reading information recorded on the information recording medium, a display means for displaying an image represented by the information read from the information recording means, and writing and reading of information to and from the information recording medium are controlled. And control means for grouping the information into a predetermined group based on the determination means for determining the priority of the information recorded on the information recording medium and the priority determined by the determination means Information recording means including grouping means for performing recording, and relocation means for performing control for recording the grouped information in a physically close area of the information recording medium for each group. Stage is controlled by the rearrangement means, and recording the grouped information in the information recording medium.
[0016]
In this case, the determining means determines the priority order of the information based on the priority of the information recorded on the information recording medium and the number of times information is searched, and the grouping means is based on the priority order determined by the determining means. And group information together.
[0017]
In this case, the apparatus further includes a storage unit that stores table information for correcting the priority of the information using the number of times of information search as a parameter, and the determination unit refers to the table information and determines the priority. The corrected priority order may be determined.
[0018]
Further, the rearrangement unit may record information on the information recording medium in order from the information of the priority group having the highest priority.
[0019]
[Action]
In the present invention, information representing a plurality of images that are additionally recorded in order on the information recording medium is grouped, and the image information belonging to the same group is rearranged and recorded in a physically close area of the information recording medium. The Therefore, when each piece of image information belonging to the same group is played back continuously, the search time can be shortened and the variation in the playback interval of each piece of image information can be reduced.
[0020]
【Example】
Next, embodiments of an image file device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a block diagram of an embodiment of an image file device according to the present invention.
[0021]
The image file device 10 processes the image data input from the image input device 12 for inputting image data representing a natural image or the like by the central processing device 14, and the processed image data is loaded into the disk drive 16. In order to reduce the variation in the reproduction interval of each image file, the image data of each file recorded in the recording area of the optical disc 18 in this way is created by sequentially recording on the optical disc 18. This is an apparatus for rearranging and recording on the optical disc 18 based on the reproduction priority order of image data. Further, the device 10 is a device that searches for an image file recorded on the optical disc 18 and reads desired image data, and displays an image represented by the read image data on the display screen of the display device 20.
[0022]
First, FIG. 2 shows an information recording format of an optical disc 18 as an information recording medium in this embodiment. Referring to the figure, an information recording track of an optical disk 18 formed in a spiral shape on one main surface on a disk is described in a band shape for explanation. In this figure, the left side of the figure corresponds to the inner peripheral side of the disk 18, and the right side of the figure corresponds to the outer peripheral side of the disk 18. In this embodiment, the optical disk 18 employs a recording mini-disc (MD) in which a magneto-optical disc having a diameter of 64 mm is accommodated in a predetermined cartridge (not shown), and the mini-disc has an inner periphery to an outer periphery. Toward, meandering pregrooves and tracks are formed in a spiral shape. This mini-disc is a rotating information recording medium having an MO (Magneto-Optical) area where information can be rewritten and erased. The optical disk 18 is not limited to a mini disk, and may be, for example, a hybrid magneto-optical disk having a ROM area as a read-only area from which only image information can be read and an MO area. Further, the disk 18 may be an optical disk conforming to the compact disk standard, for example, as an information recording format.
[0023]
As shown in the figure, the disc 18 has a lead-in area 200 in which information relating to the type of the disc is recorded, and a UTOC area 202 in which management information for recognizing the disc as one or more volumes is recorded. A user data area 204 in which information such as actual image information and table information for managing the recorded image information is recorded, and a lead-out area 206 in which information indicating the end of the user data area 204 is recorded. They are arranged in order from the inner circumference side to the outer circumference. In this embodiment, the UTOC area 202, the user data area 204, and the lead-out area 206 are formed in the MO area, and the remaining lead-in area 200 is in a ROM (Read Only Memory) area where only information can be read out. Is formed.
[0024]
The user data area 204 is an area further including a data management area 206 and a data area 208. The data management area 206 is an area in which table information for managing the image data recorded in the data area 208 is recorded. In this area 206, for example, the address of the recording data and the data type in the data area 208 are recorded. File management information representing table information is recorded. Next, as shown in FIG. 4B, the data area 208 stores an image data area 210 where actual image data is recorded, and index information for searching the image data recorded in the image data area 210. This is an area including the index area 212 to be recorded. In the image data area 210, image information representing a color image is recorded, for example, image data having a basic resolution and difference data created from the image data for each of a plurality of resolutions by being compressed and encoded. This is also advantageous in terms of the efficiency of information recording on the disk 18. In the data area 208, the respective image data (IMG 1 to IMGnnn) encoded in this way are sequentially recorded as image files from the inner periphery side of the disk 18.
[0025]
The index area 210 is an area in which index information including search information for searching the image data recorded in the data area 208 and information related to the search result is recorded corresponding to each image data. Specifically, the search information includes information indicating the shooting date and time indicating the date and time when the corresponding image data was shot, information indicating the characteristics and explanation of the shot image, and the search given to the image data. Shooting information such as information representing a keyword for the purpose. In addition, the index area 210 includes information indicating the number of times that the corresponding image data has been reproduced by the search search, and information indicating the priority given according to the importance of each image data by the information input from the operator (priority). This is an area where index information including degrees a, b or c) is recorded. As will be described later, the image file device 10 of the present embodiment sequentially records in the data area 208 in accordance with the priority order corresponding to the number of times the image file has been searched and the priority assigned to each image data. The created image file is rearranged in the same area 208.
[0026]
In this embodiment, the optical disk 18 is formed as one volume. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of volumes are formed on the disk 18, and each volume is based on management information recorded in the UTOC area 202. A plurality of user data areas may be managed.
[0027]
Returning to FIG. 4, the image file device 10 will be described in more detail. The device 10 reads, for example, an image formed on a silver lead photographic film and outputs a three-primary color image data representing the image, An image input device 12 such as a camera that captures an image of a subject and outputs color image data representing the still image or moving image is connected to the bus 22. The image input device 12 is not limited to an image reading device that directly reads an image. For example, the image input device 12 receives a storage device in which image data is recorded on a predetermined recording medium or image data from another device in a predetermined transmission control procedure. It may be an input device for inputting image data such as a communication control device or an input terminal having an interface function with other devices.
[0028]
The bus 22 is further connected to an operation unit 24 that detects an operation state of the operator and outputs corresponding operation information to the output 22. The operation unit 24 detects the input of index information given by the operator corresponding to the image data output from the image input device 12, and outputs the corresponding code information to the output 22.
[0029]
The memory 26 accumulates and processes image data input via the bus 22, searches for image data recorded in the data area 208 of the optical disc 18, and records and arranges image files in the same area. Therefore, it is a main storage device that forms a work area for temporarily storing data.
[0030]
Specifically, the memory 26 includes a ROM and a non-volatile RAM (Random Access Memory) in which control information such as processing programs and control data for controlling the overall operation of the apparatus 10 is stored. To the central processing unit. The memory 26 also has a RAM for storing the image data input via the bus 22 in its work area. Based on the control signal input from the central processing unit 14 via the bus 22, the memory 26 stores the image data. Store and read from RAM.
[0031]
A CRT controller 28 and a SCSI controller 30 are also connected to the bus 22, respectively. The CRT controller 28 converts the image signal into a video signal corresponding to the display device 20 and outputs the color image represented by the image signal appearing on the bus 22 on the display device 20 connected to the output 32. It is a control device. The CRT controller 28 has a frame memory for accumulating image signals for a moving image or one screen of a still image. When the image signal input from the image input device 12 is a still image, the CRT controller 28 stores 1 in the frame memory. The image signal of the frame is repeatedly read and output to the output 32.
[0032]
The display device 20 connected to the output 32 of the CRT controller 28 is a device that displays an image represented by the video signal appearing at the input 32. As the display device 20, a well-known image display device such as a CRT color display device or a liquid crystal display device that displays a color image corresponding to a video signal is applied, and advantageously, a high pixel type floor capable of displaying a high-definition image. A display device with excellent tonal characteristics is applied. Further, in the device 10 in the present embodiment, an image printing device that prints out an image displayed on the display device 20 may be connected to the bus 22 via a predetermined interface. In this case, a high-precision color photographic image An image output device such as a pictograph capable of creating the image is advantageously applied.
[0033]
The SCSI controller 30 outputs an image signal appearing on the bus 22 and an image signal input from the disk drive 16 described later via a connection line 34 based on a control signal supplied from the central processing unit 14, respectively. 22 is a control device that outputs to 22. Specifically, the controller 30 in this embodiment is a SCSI (Small Computer System) that controls reading and writing of information to and from the optical disk 18 loaded in the disk drive 16 based on a control signal from the central processing unit 14 appearing on the bus 22. Interface) A control device corresponding to the standard. The controller 30 realizes bit parallel data transfer to the disk drive 16 as a peripheral device. The output 34 of the SCSI controller 30 is connected to the disk drive 16 and is connected to the fixed disk 38 via the connection line 36 by the daisy chain method.
[0034]
The disk drive 16 is an information recording / reproducing apparatus corresponding to the information recording format on the optical disk 18. In this embodiment, the drive 16 is loaded with an optical disc 18 having a physical structure conforming to the mini-disc standard as an information recording medium, and the optical disc 18 is rotationally driven by a constant linear velocity method to write and read digital information. Do. Specifically, the drive 16 has a magneto-optical pickup 17 that functions as a head for recording information on the optical disk 18 and reading the recorded information. The drive 16 rotates the optical disc 18 at a rotational speed corresponding to the position of the magneto-optical pickup 17 with respect to the track of the optical disc 18 to record information by a magnetic field modulation optical system, and the laser beam irradiated to the disc 18 Information corresponding to the reflection is read out. The disk drive 16 outputs information read from the optical disk 18 to the output 34 and transfers it to the memory 26 via the SCSI controller 30.
[0035]
The fixed disk 38 is an auxiliary storage device having a storage area for temporarily saving the image file read from the optical disk 18. In this embodiment, image files are temporarily saved by using the RAM of the memory 26. However, according to the amount of data recorded in the data area 208 of the optical disc 18, for example, image files are saved collectively. First, the image file is temporarily saved in a predetermined area of the fixed disk 38. The fixed disk 38 is advantageously a magnetic disk device that can quickly read and write data, and may of course be a semiconductor memory such as a RAM or an optical disk drive using another optical disk medium. The fixed disk 38 writes image files on the same optical disk in this embodiment when the image files recorded on the optical disk 18 are placed at the top. In particular, the information recorded in the user data area of the optical disk 18 is batched. In the case of evacuating to the fixed disk 38, by loading another optical disk 18 into the disk drive 16, it is possible to create another optical disk 18 on which image files are most arranged.
[0036]
The central processing unit 14 connected to the bus 22 is a control device that controls each part of the image file device 10 based on an instruction signal input via the bus 22. Specifically, the central processing unit 14 controls the image input device 12 in response to operation information from the operation unit 24, for example, reads an image recorded on a silver halide photographic film, and reads an original image corresponding to this image. Data is stored in the memory 26 via the bus 22. Further, the central processing unit 14 performs control to record the original image data stored in the memory 26 on the optical disk 18 loaded in the disk drive 16.
[0037]
The central processing unit 14 in this embodiment has a function of compressing and decoding the original image data stored in the RAM 26 in the RAM 26 and the image data encoded and recorded on the optical disc 18. is doing. In this compression coding process, for example, a hierarchical coding method is used in which difference data for each layer of a plurality of resolutions is created from original image data, and entropy coding such as Huffman coding is applied to each layer. . Further, the device 14 generates a control signal for writing the encoded image data into the image data area 210 of the optical disc 18 and outputs this control signal to the SCSI controller 30 connected to the output 30.
[0038]
Further, when writing the image data to the optical disc 18, the central processing unit 14 generates index information in the index area 212, and generates an image file including the generated index information and image data at the head of the unrecorded area in the data area 208. Write to location. That is, this head position is the next position if several image files have already been recorded, and the apparatus 14 records the image files in order from the left to the right in the data area 208 in FIG. The device 14 generates index information including information indicating the priority input to the operation unit 24.
[0039]
Further, the central processing unit 14 controls to read out the image file recorded on the optical disc 16, and stores the read image data in the memory 26 for decoding. For example, the device 14 controls the disk drive 16 in response to the operation information from the operation unit 24, and searches the image file recorded on the optical disk 18 based on the file management information recorded in the data management area 206 of the optical disk 18. To do.
[0040]
Specifically, the central processing unit 12 searches for image data recorded in the data area 208 according to the file management information recorded in the data management area 206 in response to the operation information indicating the search condition designated by the operator. . Furthermore, the device 12 reads out an image file that matches the search condition from the data area 208, decodes and decompresses the image data, and causes the display device 20 to display an image represented by the image data. In this case, when the device 12 reproduces the desired image, the device 12 updates the number of searches in the index area 212 of the image file.
[0041]
The central processing unit 12 in this embodiment has a control function for relocating and recording the image file (IMGnnn) recorded in the data area 208 of the optical disc 18 on the same optical disc 18 or another optical disc. Specifically, when image files sequentially recorded in the data area 208 are rearranged on the same disk 18, the apparatus 12 determines the number of searches recorded in the index area 212 and the priority assigned to each image file. The image files are rearranged in order from the inner circumference side to the outer circumference side of the disk 18 in accordance with the priority order according to the above, and the image files are rearranged.
[0042]
Specifically, the apparatus 12 stores a priority order conversion table that defines the priority order (A, B, C) according to the number of times of searching for an image file and the priority (a, b, c) as shown in FIG. Based on this, the priority given by the operator is corrected using the number of times the image file is searched as a parameter, and the priority order of the image file is determined. In this embodiment, this priority order conversion table is stored in the nonvolatile RAM of the memory 26, and the apparatus 12 refers to this conversion table to determine the priority order of the image file. The priority order conversion table can be freely set and changed according to operation information from the operation unit 24. In this embodiment, “a” and “A” are given the highest priority, followed by “b”, “B”, then “c”, “C”. Is done.
[0043]
The image file device 12 corresponds to the determined priority order so that when the image files written on the optical disc 18 are rearranged, the interval time for reproducing each image file, that is, the reproduction interval is substantially constant. Thus, the image files are searched and grouped in order from the image file A having the highest priority, and control is performed to write the grouped image files from the inner periphery side of the data area 208 for each priority. Since the apparatus 12 rearranges the image files grouped according to the priority order by this method in the physically close area in the data area 208 for each group, the variation in the reproduction interval is reduced, and the image file is reduced. The playback time interval time can be made constant.
[0044]
The image file device 12 also sequentially reads out the image file recorded in the data area 208 of the optical disc 18 from the inner circumference side of the data area 208 at predetermined time intervals, and displays the image represented by the image data of the image file. It has a slide show function to be displayed on 20 display screens. This function is, for example, a function of reproducing a plurality of image data in order from image data recorded on the inner circumference side of the optical disc 18, and also functions when sequentially reproducing image files corresponding to the above-described search conditions. Therefore, if the image files recorded in the data area 208 are grouped for each priority, it is not necessary to move the pickup 17 to a group of image files with an unprecedented priority, and the pickup 17 is moved to the target group. Since it is only necessary to move the inside of the pickup 17, the extra movement of the pickup 17 can be prevented.
[0045]
In this embodiment, the apparatus 12 temporarily saves the original image file recorded on the optical disc 18 to another storage medium, writes the saved image file back to the optical disc 18 according to the priority order, and rearranges the image files. . As another storage medium, the RAM 26 of the memory 26 or the fixed disk 38 daisy chained to the SCSI controller 30 is used.
[0046]
The operation of the image file device 10 having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1A, the image data input from the image input device 12 is recorded in the data area 208 of the optical disc 18 from the inner circumference side to the outer circumference side of the area 208 in the data writing order. In the figure, for the sake of explanation, the priorities determined by the central processing unit 12 are shown as indexes A, B and C in advance.
[0047]
This image filing operation will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 5. In step 500, a color image formed on the film set in the image input device 12 is read, and image data representing the image is stored in the RAM of the memory 26. Stored in The image data stored in the RAM is transferred to the CRT controller 28, and an image represented by the image data input to the CRT controller 28 is displayed on the display screen of the display device 20.
[0048]
Next, the process proceeds to step 502, where index information including search information for searching for this image data is generated by the apparatus 14, and this index information is temporarily stored in the RAM of the memory 26. Next, in step 504, the priority (a, b or c) indicating the priority of the image data stored in the RAM is input to the operation unit 24, and the information indicating this priority is added to the index information stored in the RAM. Is granted.
[0049]
In step 506, the index information stored in the RAM is read by the central processing unit 14 and written into the index area 212 at the head position of the unrecorded area in the data area 208 of the optical disk 18 loaded in the disk drive 16. It is. Further, the image data stored in the RAM is subjected to compression encoding processing by the device 14, and the processed encoded data is written in an image data area corresponding to the index area 212. When index information and image data are recorded and an image file is created in the data area 208, file management information indicating the recording position of the created image file and the like is recorded in the data management area 206.
[0050]
In this way, in the data area 208, image files including index information and image data to which an arbitrary priority is given are sequentially recorded in order from the inner periphery side of the area 208. For example, as shown in FIG. 1 (a), the priority order corresponding to the number of searches is zero (FIG. 3), that is, the image file assigned with the priority order equal to the priority of each image file is included in the area 208. Recorded sequentially from the circumferential side. As a result, these image files are recorded in the data area 208 in any order regardless of the priority order.
[0051]
When searching for an image file recorded on the optical disc 18, operation information for search is detected by the operation unit 24, and search information matching the operation information is recorded in the index area 212 of each image file. It is determined whether or not. Next, an image file corresponding to the matched search information is read from the optical disc 18. The image data of the read image file is transferred to the display device 20 via the CRT controller 28, and an image represented by the data is displayed on the display screen. In this case, when there are a plurality of image files that match the search conditions, the image files recorded in the respective areas in the data area 208 are sequentially read at predetermined time intervals, and the read image data is Transferred to the display device 20.
[0052]
When image data matching the search condition is displayed, “1” is added to the number of searches recorded in the index area 212 corresponding to the image data, and information indicating the added number of searches is written in the area 212. . In this case, the writing unit may be performed for each predetermined data capacity in the index area 212. In this way, each time an image file is searched, the number of searches for that image file is updated.
[0053]
Next, referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a flowchart in the case where image files recorded in random order on the optical disk 18 as described above are arranged in the data area 208. In step 600, when the operation information indicating the rearrangement of the image file detected by the operation unit 24 is recognized by the central processing unit 14, the image file recorded in the data area 208 is stored in the RAM (or fixed) of the memory 26. The image file is saved (step 602).
[0054]
Next, proceeding to step 604, the priority level of each image file is determined by the central processing unit 14 based on the number of searches and the priority recorded in each index area 212 of the image file recorded in the area 208. Is done. In this case, the priority order determination table set in the nonvolatile RAM of the memory 26 is referred to, and the priority order for each image file is determined by correcting the priority order by the number of search times indicating the number of times the image file has been searched. The
[0055]
Specifically, when the conversion table as shown in FIG. 3 is set, for example, when the priority assigned to an image file is a, the priority order A is determined regardless of the number of times the image file is searched. The When the priority assigned to the image file is b, the priority order B is determined when the number of searches is 9 or less, and the priority order A is determined when the number of searches exceeds 10. Is done. When the priority assigned to the image file is c, the priorities C, B, and A are determined for each of the search times 0 to 4 times, 5 to 9 times, and 10 times or more of the image file. . In other words, in the present embodiment, the priority is set so that the priority becomes higher as the number of searches of the image file increases for the image files to which the priorities b and c except the priority a indicating the highest priority are given. . Information indicating the set priority order is temporarily stored in the RAM of the memory 26.
[0056]
Next, the routine proceeds to step 508, where the respective image files are grouped according to the priority order based on the set priority order. When the image files are grouped, in step 510, each image file is written to the data area 208 for each group.
[0057]
For example, image files are recorded in order from the inner circumference side of the area 208 from the group of image files in which the priority order A is set, and then the images in the group of image files in which the priority order B and finally the priority order C are set. Files are recorded in the area 208 in order. When the image file is recorded, the file management information in the data management area 206 is updated. When all the image files are rearranged in this way, in step 512, the image files saved in the memory 26 are deleted.
[0058]
The image files recorded on the optical disk 18 in this way are grouped and rearranged according to the priority order of the image data as shown in FIG. 1B, for example, and re-recorded in the data area 208. As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, first, the data of the group (index A) of the priority A image files is recorded from the inner side of the data area 208, and then the image file group of priority B is recorded. Data of (index B) is recorded. Finally, the data of the group (index C) of the image file having the lowest priority order C is recorded in the data area 208 and rearranged.
[0059]
In the above description, the image files are grouped in order of priority when rearranging the image files. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when an image file is searched, the priority of the image file is set. Information indicating the priority order and the priority order may be recorded in the index area 208, and each image file may be grouped by priority order. In this case, when rearranging the grouped image files, the image files may be recorded in the data area 208 in the order of priority based on the priorities already determined and recorded in the index area 208.
[0060]
Thus, when each image file physically rearranged for each group corresponding to the priority order is reproduced in the data area 208 of the optical disc 18, the pickup 17 of the disc drive 16 seeks on the optical disc 18. The seek time of the pickup 17 is shortened when moving between each file in which index information and image data are recorded. In addition, since the image file grouped according to the priority order is recorded in the data area 208 for each group, it is possible to reduce the variation in the reproduction interval when reproducing each image file. In this case, since the image file of the priority group B having the next highest priority is relocated next to the group having the priority A having the highest priority, it is rearranged in an area that is physically close. Even when the pickup 17 is sought, the seek time can be shortened.
[0061]
Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a playback timing when the image file device 10 is operated synchronously with an external audio device (not shown) capable of switching narration playback at predetermined intervals. In this example, the central processing unit 14 is configured so that the image file device 10 searches for the next image file after waiting for the end of the audio signal (b) reproduced from the audio device.
[0062]
If the time interval from the end of the audio signal to the start of the next audio signal is long (T1 in the figure), as shown in FIG. When the audio signal is long (T2 in the figure), there is no time for searching for the image file.
[0063]
However, in the optical disk 18 in which the image file is rearranged in the image file device 10 of the present embodiment, the image file belonging to the same group is rearranged in an area physically close to the data area 208, and the search time is Since it is shortened and the variation in the reproduction interval is reduced, it is possible to prevent the reproduction of the narration and the reproduction of the image file from becoming out of synchronization.
[0064]
In the above embodiment, the case of recording and reproducing an image file has been described. However, when recording and reproducing a multimedia file composed of an image and audio, the image data and audio data belonging to the same group are also recorded. Are collectively rearranged and recorded in a physically close area, so that the image and the sound can be reproduced in synchronization.
[0065]
In addition, a constant linear velocity (CLV) type optical disk has been described as an example of a large-capacity recording medium. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It can also be applied to.
[0066]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the information is grouped on the basis of the priority of the information recorded on the information recording medium, and each group is rearranged and recorded in a physically close area of the information recording medium. Is done. Therefore, when each piece of image information belonging to the same group is played back continuously, the search time can be shortened and the variation in the playback interval of each piece of image information can be reduced. As a result, a synchronization shift can be prevented when audio reproduction such as narration and image information recorded on an information recording medium are reproduced in synchronization.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of rearrangement of image files by an image file device of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data recording format of an optical disc in the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a priority order conversion table in the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image file device according to the present exemplary embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an image file operation by the image file device shown in FIG. 4;
6 is a flowchart showing an operation when rearranging an image file recorded on an optical disc by the image file device shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing narration switching timing and image reading start timing.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Image file device
12 Image input device
14 Central processing unit
16 disk drive
18 Optical disc
20 Display device
26 memory
208 Data area
212 Index area
210 Image data area

Claims (8)

In an image file method for recording information representing a desired image on a rotation information recording medium,
The rotational information recording medium is an optical disc that sequentially records the information on a track in a predetermined area, and the method includes:
Recording the information on the optical disc by a constant linear velocity method;
The step includes an input step for inputting the information;
A generation step of generating index information for searching for information input in the input step;
Recording the information and the index information on the optical disc,
The method further includes:
A determination step of correcting the priority of the information recorded on the optical disc based on predetermined table information, and determining a priority according to the corrected priority ;
A grouping step for grouping the information into a predetermined group based on the priority order determined in the determination step ;
A rearrangement step of recording the grouped information on a track in a physically close area of the optical disc for each group;
A search step for searching information recorded on the optical disc based on the index information;
An output step of outputting an image representing the information searched in the search step;
An image file method comprising: an update step of updating a search count included in the index information each time the information is searched in the search step.   The image file method according to claim 1, wherein the generation step generates index information including information indicating a priority of the information.   2. The image file method according to claim 1, wherein the table information is table information for correcting the priority using the number of searches of the information as a parameter.   2. The image file method according to claim 1, wherein the rearrangement step records the information grouped in the grouping step on the optical disc in the order of the group having the highest priority to the group having the lowest priority. An image file method characterized by.   5. The image file method according to claim 4, wherein the rearrangement step records the grouped information on another optical disc. In an image file device that records information representing a desired image on an optical disc, the device includes:
Comprising information recording means for sequentially recording the information on a track in a predetermined area of the optical disc by a constant linear velocity method;
The information recording means
An input means for inputting the information;
Generating means for generating index information for searching for information input by the input means;
Recording means for recording the information and the index information on the optical disc,
The device further comprises:
Information reading means for reading information recorded on the optical disc;
Display means for displaying an image represented by the information read from the information reading means;
Control means for controlling writing and reading of the information and the index information to and from the optical disc,
The control means includes
Determining means for determining the priority of the information based on the priority of the information recorded on the optical disc and the number of times the information is searched;
Grouping means for grouping the information into a predetermined group based on the priority order determined by the determination means;
Relocation means for performing control to record the grouped information in a physically close area of the optical disc for each group;
Search means for searching information recorded on the optical disc based on the index information;
Output means for outputting an image representing the information searched by the search means;
Update means for updating the number of searches included in the index information each time the information is searched by the search means;
The recording means records the grouped information on the optical disc under the control of the rearrangement means, and records the updated number of searches on the optical disc under the control of the update means. Image file device to do. 7. The image file device according to claim 6, further comprising storage means for storing table information for correcting the priority of the information using the number of searches of the information as a parameter.
The image file apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines a priority order in which the priority is corrected with reference to the table information. An image filing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the rearrangement means in turn the highest priority lower group from the information of the group priority priority is, an image file apparatus characterized by recording on the optical disc.

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