JPH09168134A - Video signal recorder and video signal recording and reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To extend a recording time into a recording medium by providing an input signal detector 2 and a write controller 6 so as to limit write of data to a data storage device when an input signal to be recorded is not detected. SOLUTION: A data storage device 5 is made up of a hard disk 52 and a hard disk control section 51. When a write controller 6 outputs a write control signal C indicating 'ON' while an input signal is detected, the hard disk control section 51 records data outputted from a data processing section to the hard disk 52. While the write controller 6 does not detect an input signal, when the controller 6 provide an output of an 'off' write control signal C, the recording of hard data to the hard disk 52 is stopped. Thus, a detector 2 checks the presence of the input signal and controls the recording to the disk 52 via the section 51 and the controller 6, then the recording to the disk 52 is extended.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video signal recording apparatus for temporarily recording a television signal in a data storage means, and a video signal recording / reproducing apparatus capable of temporarily recording and reproducing. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, due to the diversification of working hours and the extension of broadcasting time, there has been a strong demand for a device which allows a user to watch TV broadcasting at any time. A typical example of such a device is a video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as a VTR), and if it is known in advance that there is a program that the user wants to watch while the user is absent, it is recorded on the VTR using a function called "reserved recording". You can reserve and watch the program at any time.

[0003]

However, the normal VTR has the following problems.・ It is necessary to make a "recording reservation" in advance, which is troublesome.・ "Extension of broadcast time" for special programs and sports programs
For example, we cannot respond when the broadcast time changes.・ When recording a program for a long time, it is necessary to replace the recording medium, and reserved recording cannot be used.

Therefore, the received TV program is digitally converted and continuously recorded in the data storage means such as a hard disk, and the desired TV program is read from the data storage means at any time of the user and played back for viewing. In this way, it is possible to avoid the above problem, but for that purpose, a data storage means having a large recording capacity is required.

The present invention provides a video signal recording apparatus for efficiently recording and accumulating a television program and the like, and a video signal recording / reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing the same by using a data accumulating means having a limited recording capacity. With the goal.

[0006]

A video signal recording device of the present invention is a device for digitally converting input signals of video and audio signals and recording them in a data storage means, and an input for detecting the presence or absence of the input signals. A signal detecting means and a write control means for controlling writing of data to the data accumulating means according to the detection output of the input signal of the input signal detecting means are provided, and a video signal in digital format is written to the data accumulating means. In doing so, the input signal detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a television signal limits the writing of data to the data storage means when the television signal is no longer input, such as at midnight.

The video signal recording device of the present invention is a device for digitally converting input signals of video and audio signals and recording them in the data storage means, and an input signal detection means for detecting the presence or absence of the input signals. A write control means for controlling writing of data to the data storage means according to a detection output of the input signal of the input signal detection means, and an amount of data to be written in the data storage means by compressing the digitally converted input signal The input signal detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a TV signal when writing a digital video signal to the data accumulating means is provided with a data compressing means for reducing the data when the TV signal is not input at midnight. While limiting the writing of data to the storage means,
Since the data is compressed by the data compression means and written in the data storage means, the recording time can be extended.

The video signal recording device of the present invention is a device for digitally converting input signals of video and audio signals and recording them in the data storage means, and an input signal detection means for detecting the presence or absence of the input signals. A write control means for controlling writing of data to the data storage means according to a detection output of the input signal of the input signal detection means, and an amount of data to be written in the data storage means by compressing the digitally converted input signal A data compression means for reducing the number of times, a recording reservation means for making a recording reservation of a program in advance, and a recording quality control means for controlling a compression method of the data compression means depending on whether or not there is a reservation for recording a program. The recording quality can be changed depending on the presence or absence, and the recording time can be extended without deteriorating the recording quality of the reserved program.

Further, the video signal recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention is an apparatus for converting input signals of video and audio signals into digital data, recording the data in the data accumulating means, and reading the data recorded in the data accumulating means. Input signal detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a signal, write control means for controlling writing of data to the data storage means in accordance with the detection output of the input signal of the input signal detection means, and the digitally converted input signal A data compressing means for compressing the data to reduce the amount of data to be written in the data accumulating means, and a data reading means for reading the data from the data accumulating means based on the requested program information and outputting a video and audio signal. The viewing frequency of each time zone is counted from the program information, and the compression method of the data compression means at the time of recording according to the viewing frequency. Due to the provision of a recording quality control means for controlling, recording quality of the corresponding program is automatically determined according to the audience rating of the program data written in the data storage means.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. [First Embodiment] FIGS. 1 to 5 show [First Embodiment].

The video signal recording device shown in FIG. 1 is a device for recording the video signal and audio signal output from the television receiver 1 in the data storage means 5, and the presence or absence of the video signal and audio signal output from the television receiver. Input signal detecting means 2 for detecting
It has a digital converter 3, a data writing unit 4, and a writing control unit 6.

The data writing means 4 for writing the input signal digitally converted by the digital converter 3 into the data storage means 5 comprises a data processing section 41 and a program information generation section 42 as shown in FIG. . The program information generation unit 42 generates the program information A that associates the time and channel at the time of writing the video data with the file name at the time of recording the video data.
The program information generator 4 converts the input signal digitally converted by
The program information A generated in 2 is added and output.

The data storage means 5 is composed of a hard disk 52 and a hard disk controller 51 as shown in FIG. Here, if the write control means 6 outputs the write control signal C of "on" in response to the input detection signal B output from the input signal detection means 2 while the input signal can be detected, the hard disk control section 51. Is the data processing unit 4
The data output by 1 is recorded in the hard disk 52.

When the write control means 6 outputs the write control signal C of "OFF" when the input signal cannot be detected, the hard disk control section 51 stops recording the data output from the data processing section 41 on the hard disk 52. .

In this way, the input signal detecting means 2 checks the presence or absence of a signal, and the writing control means 6 and the hard disk control section 51.
Since the recording on the hard disk 52 is controlled via the, the recording time on the hard disk 52 can be extended.

The input signal detecting means 2 can be realized by FIG. 4 or FIG. In FIG. 4, the input signal detecting means 2
Is composed of an integrator 21 and a comparison / determination unit 22. The TV tuner 11 of the TV receiver 1 selects a desired TV station, outputs the signal amplified by the video intermediate frequency amplifier 12 as a TV signal, and integrates it by an integrator 21 to obtain a reference value and an integrated value. The comparison is made by the comparison / determination device 22,
When the integrated value exceeds the reference value, it is determined that there is an input signal, and when the integrated value is less than the reference value, it is determined that there is no input signal.

It is also possible to supply a signal corresponding to the reception level generated at the output of the integrator 21 to the writing control means 6 and control the writing to the data storage means 5 according to the reception level.

FIG. 5 shows a sync signal detecting means for a composite video signal (hereinafter referred to as a television signal) including a video signal for reproducing an image on the receiving side and a sync signal for assembling a color image, a carrier color signal and a color burst. It is used as the input signal detecting means 2. The synchronization signal detection means is composed of a synchronization detection circuit 23, a lock detection circuit 24, a phase detector 25, and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 26.
The TV tuner 11 of the TV receiver 1 selects a desired TV station and compares the carrier frequency of the signal amplified by the video intermediate frequency amplifier 12 with the output frequency of the VCO 26 by the phase detector 25 to form a PLL. The switching signal of the video intermediate frequency that is in phase with the carrier wave is obtained. The lock detection circuit 24 detects the video signal and releases the loop of the PLL when the channel selection is changed. When the lock detection circuit 24 is used as the output signal of the input signal detection means 2 and the video signal cannot be detected, The lock detection signal is output to the writing control means 6 as the input detection signal B.

When playing back the program recorded in the data storage means 5 in this way, the program information A corresponding to the program to be played back is searched for and read out, and this is converted into an analog signal. And output.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 6 shows a video signal recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. It shows the digital converter 3 and the data writing means 4 in the first embodiment. The only difference is that a data compression means 7 is interposed between them.

According to this structure, the output data of the digital converter 3 is compressed by the data compressing means 7 before being written in the data accumulating means 5, so that the data amount is reduced.
It is possible to further extend the recording time on the hard disk 52 as compared with [First Embodiment].

[Third Embodiment] FIGS. 7 and 8 show a third embodiment.
Embodiment of] is shown. The video signal recording apparatus shown in FIG.
Only that the recording quality (compression method, compression ratio, etc.) of the data compression means 7 in the second embodiment is controlled by the compression method specifying means 8, the recording quality specifying means 9, and the program recording reservation means 10. Are different.

The recording quality specifying means 9 includes a data compression means 7 via a compression method control means 8 in accordance with the presence / absence of a program recording reservation made by the recording reservation means 10 which reserves the recording of a program in advance.
Instruct the compression method.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a method of obtaining program information for program reservation. 100 is a broadcasting station that supplies programs, 101 is a communication line, 102 is a communication line interface, and 103 is a program information acquisition function. Show.

Program guide information of the broadcasting station 100 is distributed via the communication line 101. This is received by the communication line interface 102, and given to the program recording reservation means 10 as program information by the program information acquisition function 103.
The program recording reservation means 10 makes a program reservation by the program information and a reservation operation by the user, and transfers the channel, time information, etc. of the program for which the program reservation is made to the recording quality specifying means 9.

The recording quality specifying means 9 specifies quality such as high quality and low quality according to the presence or absence of reservation. For example,
Low quality is set for programs not reserved, and high quality is set for reserved programs.

The compression control means 8 receives the quality of the program such as low quality and high quality, the channel data of the program, and the broadcast time, and causes the data compression means 7 to perform the compression by designating the parameters relating to the compression.

As described above, by obtaining the program information and setting the recording quality by the recording quality setting means 9 together with the channel data of the reserved program, the broadcast time, etc., depending on whether or not the program is reserved for recording. Since it is desired to store a large amount of accumulated data for recording a non-existent program, the recording time in the data storage device 5 can be further extended.

[Fourth Embodiment] FIG. 9 shows a fourth embodiment. In the third embodiment, the program recording reservation means 10 is supplied with program information input through the communication line 101. In the fourth embodiment, the broadcast time of the program for which the reservation operation is desired to be recorded. And the only difference is that the channel is entered directly. As a result, a simple system can be configured.

[Fifth Embodiment] FIG. 10 shows a fifth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the broadcast time and the channel of the program for which the reservation operation is to be recorded are directly input, but in this [fifth embodiment], the program for which the reservation operation is to be recorded is changed to "program." The code that specifies ". Since it is specified by the code, it is possible to realize a device suitable for manual input of a code, input by a bar code, automatic control by a controller, and the like.

Further, by realizing the "code for specifying the program" by the "G code", the VTR reservation method widely accepted in the world can be used as it is for the program reservation part of the present invention. Even easier operability can be realized.

[Sixth Embodiment] FIGS. 11 to 13 show [Sixth Embodiment]. In the video signal recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 11, the program recording reservation means 10 of FIG. 7 showing the [third embodiment] is replaced with an audience rating counting means 113, and a reading means D is added. The read means D is the read request generation means 112 and the data read means 1
14, data decompression means 115, and data transmission means 116.

In response to a program read request from the outside, the read request generation means 112 specifies read information such as broadcast time and channel and generates a read request. Audience rating counting means 11
3 counts the frequency of read requests and collects statistics. The data read means 114 reads the program designated by the read request generation means 112. The data decompression means 115 decompresses the compressed data. Data transmission means 116
Is for outputting the restored TV signal to the outside.

As shown in FIG. 12, the audience rating counting means 113 comprises a program information analysis section 120, a logging section 121, and a viewing statistics section 122 for each program. The program information analysis unit 120 determines the broadcast day of the program requested to be read,
Analyzes information that specifies programs such as channels and times. These pieces of information are accumulated in the logging unit 121, and the time broadcast by the viewing statistics unit 122 for each program and the audience rating for each channel are counted.

As shown in FIG. 13, the data reading means 114 comprises a program information reading section 130, a program information analyzing section 131, and a data reading section 132. In response to an external program read request, read information such as broadcast time and channel is designated and read information is generated by the read request generating means 112, and the audience rating counting means 113 and the data reading means 11 are specified.
Input to 4.

Further, the program information reading unit 130 of the data reading unit 114 reads the program information generated from the program information generating unit 42 of the data writing unit 42 at the time of writing the video data. The read program is specified by the read information such as the broadcast time and channel generated from the read request generating means 112 in response to the program read request from the outside and the program information output from the program information reading unit 130, and the data is read. The unit 132 is instructed to read from the data storage unit 5.

The read data is expanded by the data expansion means 115 according to the compression method of the program data, and the expanded television signal is output to the outside by the data transmission means 116.

The recording quality specifying means 9 is an audience rating statistical means 1.
On the basis of the broadcast time counted by 13 and the audience rating for each channel, for example, a channel with a broadcast time having a high audience rating is recorded with high quality, and a channel with a broadcast hour having a low audience rating is recorded with low quality. Compression method control means 8
The recording quality is instructed to the data compression means 7 via.

With this configuration, the recorded program can be recorded automatically and cleanly as the program is being auditioned, and the program not auditioned can be recorded with low quality, and the recording of the program having a low audience rating can be performed. On the other hand, since it is desired to store a large amount of accumulated data, it is possible to further extend the recording time in the data accumulating means 5.

[0040]

According to the present invention, the input signal detecting means for detecting the presence / absence of an input signal and the writing of data to the data accumulating means are controlled according to the detection output of the input signal of the input signal detecting means. Since the writing control means is provided, the writing time to the recording medium is maximized by limiting the writing of data to the data storage means when the input signal to be recorded is no longer detected. It becomes possible.

Further, according to the present invention, since the data compressing means for compressing the digitally converted input signal to reduce the amount of data to be written in the data accumulating means is provided, the data accumulating means is used when there is no input of the television signal such as at midnight. Since the writing of data into the data storage unit is restricted and the data is compressed by the data compression unit and written in the data storage unit, the recording time can be extended.

Further, according to the present invention, the recording reservation means for preliminarily recording the recording of the program and the recording quality control means for controlling the compression method of the data compression means according to the presence / absence of the recording reservation of the program are provided to record the program. The recording quality can be changed depending on whether or not there is a reservation, and the recording time can be extended without deteriorating the recording quality of the reserved program.

Further, according to the present invention, data compression means for compressing the digitally converted input signal to reduce the amount of data to be written in the data storage means, and data from the data storage means based on the requested program information. Data reading means for outputting read video and audio signals, and counting the viewing frequency in each time zone from the requested program information,
Since the recording quality control means for controlling the compression method of the data compression means at the time of recording according to the viewing frequency is provided, the recording quality of the corresponding program is changed according to the audience rating of the program data written in the data storage means. Automatically decided,
It is possible to reduce the amount of data for programs that are infrequently viewed, and perform maximum recording on a smaller number of recording media.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video signal recording device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a data writing unit in the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a data storage means in the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an input signal detection unit and its peripheral portion in the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 is another configuration diagram of the input signal detection means and its peripheral portion in the same embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a video signal recording device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a video signal recording device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of program information acquisition means in the same embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a video signal recording device according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a video signal recording device according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a video signal recording / reproducing apparatus according to a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of an audience rating counting means in the same embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram of data reading means in the same embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 TV Tuner 2 Input Signal Detecting Means 3 Digital Converter 4 Data Writing Means 5 Data Accumulating Means 6 Writing Control Means 7 Data Compressing Means 8 Data Compression Means 8 Compressing Method Control Means 9 Recording Quality Specifying Means 10 Program Recording Reserving Means 112 Read Request Generating Means 113 audience rating means 114 data reading means 115 data decompressing means

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for digitally converting input signals of video and audio signals and recording the data in a data storage means, the input signal detection means detecting presence or absence of the input signal, and the input signal of the input signal detection means. A video signal recording device provided with write control means for controlling the writing of data to the data storage means in accordance with the detection output of. 2. An apparatus for digitally converting input signals of video and audio signals and recording them in a data storage means, the input signal detection means detecting presence or absence of the input signal, and the input signal of the input signal detection means. Write control means for controlling writing of data to the data storage means according to the detection output of the data storage means, and data compression means for compressing the digitally converted input signal to reduce the amount of data to be written in the data storage means. Video signal recorder. 3. The video signal recording device according to claim 1, wherein the input signal detecting means is a carrier signal detecting means for the video intermediate frequency. 4. The video signal recording device according to claim 1, wherein the input signal detecting means is a synchronizing signal detecting means for the composite video signal. 5. An apparatus for digitally converting input signals of video and audio signals and recording them in a data storage means, the input signal detecting means detecting presence or absence of the input signal, and the input signal of the input signal detecting means. Write control means for controlling writing of data to the data storage means in accordance with the detection output of the data storage means, data compression means for compressing the digitally converted input signal to reduce the amount of data to be written in the data storage means, A video signal recording apparatus provided with recording reservation means for making a recording reservation of a program and recording quality control means for controlling a compression method of the data compression means depending on whether or not there is a reservation for recording the program. 6. The video signal recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the recording reservation means is configured to perform time and channel designation. 7. The video signal recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the recording reservation means is configured to perform a program specifying code. 8. The video signal recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the code for specifying the program in the recording reservation means is a G code. 9. A device for digitally converting input signals of video and audio signals, recording the data in data storage means, and reading the data recorded in the data storage means, wherein the input signal detection means detects the presence or absence of the input signal. A write control means for controlling writing of data to the data storage means according to a detection output of the input signal of the input signal detection means; and a compression of the digitally converted input signal to write it in the data storage means. Data compression means for reducing the amount of data, data reading means for reading data from the data storage means based on requested program information and outputting video and audio signals, and viewing for each time period from the requested program information A recording quality control means for counting the frequency and controlling the compression method of the data compression means at the time of recording according to the viewing frequency is provided. Deo signal recording and reproducing apparatus.