MXPA98002618A - Data transmission device and da transmission method - Google Patents

Abstract

Er. A data transmission apparatus having unit modules connected in cascade in a plurality (x; 2 < = x) of steps and a list conversion means, wherein each of the unit modules has a registration means and / or reproduction, a first list generating means to generate a first list indicating the data that will be recorded in the recording and / or reproduction medium, a second list receiving means to receive a second list indicating the data to be reproduced from the medium registration and / or reproduction, and a means of providing data to supply the data reproduced to the unit module of the next stage, the means of registration and / or reproduction of each of the unit modules records the data indicated in the first list generated by the first list generating medium between the data supplied from the outside and reproduces the data indicated in the second list received in the receiving medium of the second list, and the means of list version converts a first list generated by a first list generator means of a unit module of the stage y (2 < = and < = x) th to a second list and send it to the receiving medium of the second list of all the unit modules or some unit modules of the stage (y-1)

Description

"DATA TRANSMISSION DEVICE AND DATA TRANSMISSION METHOD" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a data transmission apparatus and a data transmission method, more particularly to a data transmission apparatus and method of data transmission in for example a cable television company that broadcasts through multiple channels and equipped with a recording and / or reproduction system that stores all the audio and / or video data of programs and commercial announcements to be broadcast through the different channels all together and reproduces the audio and / or video data of the individual programs or commercial announcements for transmission through individual channels. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED TECHNIQUE In recent years, cable television companies (CATV) etc. They have improved their systems so that they offer a greater number of channels. Along with this, there is an increasing demand for systems, which unlike the videotape recording apparatus of the related art, allow the simultaneous recording or reproduction of audio and / or video data of various programs or commercial advertisements towards or from a single apparatus for recording and reproducing audio and / or video, and in addition, simultaneous recording and reproduction. In response to this demand, the device called "video servers" (or so-called "AV servers (audio and / or video)") using hard disks and other randomly accessible recording media are increasingly being used to record and reproduce the data audio and / or video. In general, the video server in a cable television company should be able to transfer the data at a fast rate due to the demands on the quality of the image and the sound quality and should have a large storage capacity in order to be able to record long hours of data. An effort has been made to accelerate the data transfer rate and increase the storage capacity, using data recording and playback devices equipped with a group of hard drive drives for parallel storage and processing of audio data and / or data. Of video. In addition, an effort has been made to ensure a reliable service even if one or more of the hard disk drives exhibits a malfunction by registering parity data. These efforts have allowed the realization of a multi-channel video server that can simultaneously transmit the audio and / or video data or several programs or commercial announcements registered in a dispersed way, through the multiple channels or can transmit the same data through multiple channels displaced in reproduction synchronization even when the number of channels required for transmission differs due to the content or format of the program or commercial advertisement that is to be disseminated and therefore, may offer a variety of services, for example, "video on demand" (VOD) and "almost video on demand" (NVOD). However, there are many types of cable television companies etc. - from the diffusion of small-sized operations through only one to three channels to large-size operations that broadcast through dozens or even hundreds of channels. The functions and performances required for the server system differ in different cable television companies, etc. Therefore, in the past, it has been necessary to individually design the server systems according to the scale of operations of the companies, etc. The expenses required to design the systems therefore increased the price of the server systems.

In addition, these individually designed server systems are difficult to modify, for example, when the cable television company expands its operations and wishes to increase the number of channels offered. Thus, it is not possible to flexibly increase the number of channels. Of course, it is possible to simply use the identical configuration server system in different sizes of cable television companies, etc. but to do this would require the adoption of an appropriate configuration for large-sized operating companies, etc. This would end up forcing small-sized operations to install unnecessarily large, expensive server systems.

COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a data transmission apparatus and a data transmission method that allows the realization of a data recording and / or reproduction system that allows the configuration of a server system tailored to the scale of operations of the cable television company, etc. assembling unit modules of identical configurations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a data transmission apparatus and a data transmission method that allows the realization of a data recording and / or reproduction system allowing flexible changes in the specifications of a server system to deal with the increases in the number of channels offered by the cable television company, etc. In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a data transmission apparatus having unitary modules connected cascade in a plurality of stages (x; 2 <x) and a list conversion means, wherein each one of the unit modules has a means of recording and / or reproduction, a first list generating means for generating a first list indicating the data to be recorded in the recording and / or reproduction medium, a second medium receiving list for receiving a second list indicating the data to be reproduced from the recording and / or reproduction means and a means of supplying data to supply the reproduced data to the unit module of the next stage; the recording and / or reproduction means of each of the unit modules records the data indicated in the first list generated by the first list generating means, among the data supplied from the outside, and reproduces the data indicated in the second list received in the second list receiver means, and the list conversion means converts a first generated list into a first list generating means of a unitary stage module and (2 <y = x) th to a second list and sends the same to the second medium receiver of list of all the unit modules or some unitary modules of the stage of (y-1) th. Preferably, the first list and the second list contain at least current status data indicating whether the data indicated by the first list and the second list have been registered in the recording and / or reproduction medium or have not been registered, and the means of recording and / or reproducing each of the unit modules reproduces the data that the current state data indicates that they have not been recorded among the data indicated in the second received list. Alternatively, preferably the first list and the second list contain at least the current status data - indicating whether the data indicated by the first list and the second list have been recorded in the recording and / or reproduction medium or not. registered; the first list generator means of a unit module supplies a third list comprising the current status data indicating that the data has not been recorded outside the first list to the list conversion means; and the list conversion means converts the current state data of the third generated list by means of a first list generating means of a unitary cover module y-th to a second list. Preferably, the data is a video data and / or an audio data. In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data transmission method for transmitting the data from the unit modules, each including a recording and / or reproducing means for recording the data supplied from the outside and reproducing the data. registered data, cascaded in a plurality of stages (x; 2 < x), comprising a first step of generating a first list indicator data to be recorded in a recording and / or reproduction medium of a unitary module of stage and (2 <; and < x) th and a second step to convert the first list generated in the first step to a second list indicating the data registered in the recording and / or reproduction medium to be reproduced; a third step of sending the second list converted in the second step to all the unit modules or some of the unit modules of the stage (y-l) th; and a fourth step of receiving the second list sent in the third step and reproducing the registered data from the recording and / or reproduction medium in the second list. Preferably, there is an additional step of the unit module of the y-th generator stage of the second list and that reproduces the data recorded in the recording and / or reproduction medium of the unit module of the y-th stage. Preferably there is an additional step of a unit module of step (yl) th that receives the output of the second list in the third step, which converts it into the first list, and record the data indicated in the first list among the data supplied from outside the recording and / or reproduction medium of the stage (y-Dth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The aforementioned objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments that are provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a view of the configuration of a server system in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a view of the configuration of a unit module of a portion of the library of the server system shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view of the configuration of a copy manager shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a view of a file list generated by a file list generating unit shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a view of a file list generated by a receiver unit of the playlist shown in Figure 2; Figure 6 is a view of a first modification of one embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 7 is a view of the second modification of one embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be explained. First, an explanation of the configuration of a server system 1 will be given, referring to Figure 1.

Figure 1 is a view of the configuration of a server system 1 in accordance with the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the server system 1 comprises a library portion 12, a distribution unit 124, a copy administration 14, a local area network (LAN) 16, and a transmitting portion 18. The library portion 12 comprises, for example, a receiving unit 120, a video tape recorder 122 and a unitary module 2 a and is connected to a relay use communication line 10 and a non-broadcast broadcast transmission line. illustrated etc. The transmitting portion 18 comprises n number of unit modules 2b ^ to 2bn and a transmitter unit 180. A distribution unit 124 (Figure 1) amplifies and distributes for example the input of the audio and / or video data LOUT from a unit module 2a of the library portion 12. It supplies audio and / or video data of the same content to the unit modules 2b_ to 2bn, of the transmitting portion 18. The transmission unit 180 (Figure 1) multiplexes the audio and / or video data CG1 to CGn supported from the unit modules 2b] _ to 2bn of the transmitting portion 18 in numbers of number one aq of the channels, and transmits the same to the diffusion use transmission line. Figure 2 is a view of the configuration of the unitary module 2a of the library portion 12 of the server system 1 shown in Figure 1 and the unit modules 2b] _ to 2bn of the transmitting portion 18. Unit modules 2a and 2b] _ to 2bn have basically the same configuration with the exception of the ability to record audio and / or video data and modifications made in accordance with the specifications of the individual system. Each comprises an input portion 20, a registration and / or reproduction unit 22, a sending unit 24, a control unit 26 and a terminal device 268. The input portion 20 comprises, for example, a number of input interface circuits (IF input) 200] _ at 200m. Each of the input interface circuits 200 ^ to 200m has a receiver unit 120, the distribution unit 124, a video tape recorder / VTR apparatus 122, etc. connected to it. The recording and / or reproducing portion 22 comprises a m number of register units 220 ^ to 220m corresponding to the input interface circuit 200] _ at 200m, such as the hard disk drives, the magneto-optical disk drives. and other devices using non-linearly accessible recording media and cassette changing device, using cassette taas the medium. Note that the number of register units 220_ to 220m does not necessarily have to match the number of the input interface circuits 200_ to 200m of the input portion 20. The portion 22 of registration and / or reproduction, for example, it can be constituted of a single registration and / or reproduction unit. The control unit 26 comprises a control unit 260, a file list generation portion 262, a playlist receiving portion 264 and a LAN (LAN-IF) interface 266. Figure 3 is a configuration view of the copy manager 14 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3, the copy manager 14 is for example a computer connected to the unit module 2a of the library portion 12 and the unit modules 2bj to 2bn of the transmitting portion 18 through LAN 16 and having a 140 LAN interface and a list conversion portion 142. The system 1 server receives all the audio and / or video data of the programs, commercial announcements and sports broadcasts that are to be broadcast using a plurality of channels in, for example, cable television companies, etc. and, in addition, the data of the text or other data of the communication line 10, etc. from library portion 12 and register and manage all of them together. In addition, the server system 1 records and manages the audio and / or video data supplied with the library portion 12 through the unit modules 2b] _ to 2bn of the transmitting portion 18 corresponding to this plurality of channels, reproduces the same conformity with scheduled broadcast times of the programs, etc. and transmits it to another broadcast use transmission line. Then, an explanation of the operation of the unit modules 2a and 2b will be made? to 2bn, and the operation of the units that make up the unit modules 2a and 2b ^ to 2bn. First, an explanation will be given of the operation of the unit module 2a, of the library portion 12. In the library portion 12, the unitary module 2a receives for example the audio and / or video data indicated in the first list (which will be explained later with reference to Figure 4) prepared by a user, using the terminal 268 device from receiving unit 120 and VTR device 122, etc. and register the same. In addition, the unit module 2a reproduces the audio and / or video data indicated by the playlist (which will be explained later with reference to Figure 5) admitted from the transmitting portion 18 through the copy manager 14 and LAN 16. and supplies the same to all the unit modules 2b to 2bn of the transmitting portion 18 through the distribution unit 124. The unit modules 2b] _ to 2bn in the transmitting portion 18 for example reproduce the audio and / or video data of each of the plurality of channels indicated by the playlist prepared by the user, using the terminal 268 device in accordance with the time and programmed diffusion of the same. In addition, the unit modules 2b ^ to 2bn generate the file list indicating the audio and / or video data to be registered and send it through the copy manager 14 and LAN 16 to the unit module 2a of the portion 12 of library. In the unit modules 2a and 2b] to 2bn, each of the input interface circuits 200] _ at 200m of the input portion 20 operates under the control of the unit 260 of the control unit 26 receives the data audio and / or video of the receiving unit 120 and the VTR device 122 or other external device such as the distribution unit 124 and sends the same to the registration portion 22.

The 220] _ to 220m register units constituting the recording and / or reproduction portion 22 operate under the control of the control unit 260, respectively recording the audio and / or video data input through the circuits 200 ^ at 200m of input interface, they reproduce the audio and / or video data and send it to the routing unit 24. The routing unit 24 has q (1 < q) number of output terminals VOUT ^ to VOUTq, operates under the control of the control unit 260, switches the audio and / or video data admitted from the registration units 220 ^ at 220m to the selected predetermined output terminals VOUT ^ to VOUTq, and sends the same to the distribution unit 124 or the transmission unit 180. Note that, in the library portion 12, the routing unit 24 of the unit module 2a for example sends audio and / or video data of only one (VOUTx = 1 <k < k) between the given number and the output number VOUT! to VOUTq. In addition, in the transmitting portion 18, the routing units 24 of the unit modules 2b? at 2bn send the audio and / or video data from all or part of the determined number q and output VOUT ^ to VOUT ".

In the control unit 26, the control unit 260 controls the operation of the pieces of the unit modules 2a and 2b? to 2bn. In addition, the control unit 260 manages the audio and / or video data recorded in the 220 to 220m register units and the register regions thereof. In addition, the control unit 260 controls the control units 220 ^ to 220m based on the file list prepared by the user, using the terminal device 268 or the file list generated by the file list generation portion 262 in order to to have them record only the audio and / or video data indicated by the file list between the audio and / or video data admitted from the receiving unit 120 and the VTR 122 or other external device, or from the unit 2a module the library portion 12 through the distribution unit 124. Further, the control unit 260 controls the registration units 220] ^ to 220m based on the playlist prepared by the user using the terminal device 268 or the playlist from the unit module 2a of the library portion 12 received by the user. the receiving portion 264 of the playlist in order to make them successively reproduce the audio and / or video data indicated in the playlist between the audio and / or video data recorded in the 220] _ units at 220m during the times indicated in the playlist. In addition, the control unit 260 has a self-diagnostic function to diagnose whether or not a problem has occurred in the different parts of the unit modules 2a and 2b to 2bn. It reports, for example, that a problem has occurred and the content of the problem occurred through LAN 16 in response to a request from the administrator 14 of copies. Then, an explanation of the generation portion 262 of the file list will be made. A file list is a list indicating which audio and / or video data should be recorded or registered in the 220; L 220m register units and is prepared by the operation terminal 268 or list generation portion 262 archive. The file list generation portion 262 generates a file list based on the playlist sent by the receiving portion 264 of the playlist or the data indicating the audio and / or video data managed by the control unit 260 and sends this to the control unit 260 and the LAN space interface 266. The file list prepared by the operation terminal 268 is also sent to the control unit 260 and the interface 266 LAN. Then, an explanation of the file list generated by the file list generation portion 262 will be made with additional reference to Figure 4. The file list prepared in the operation terminal 268 has a similar configuration. Figure 4 is a view of a file list 410 generated by the file list generation portion 262 shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 4, the file list 410 consists of the data of the number (not) 400, the reproduction of the data of initiation time (INITIATION) 401, the data identifier (ID) 402, the data of the title (TITLE) 403, the position data register (SOM) 404, the time slot data (DUR) 405, the storage position data (BIN) 406 and the current status data (CURRENT STATUS) 407. In the file list, the data number (no) 400 indicates the number fixed to the audio and / or video data of each program or commercial announcement. The reproduction of the start time data (INITIATION) 401 indicates the time to start playback of each of the audio and / or video data in the form of time (HH): minute (MM): second (SS ).

The identifier data (ID) 402 indicates the identifier set in a unique way to the audio and / or video data of each program or commercial announcement in the unit modules 2a and 2b] _ to 2bn. The data of the title (TITLE) 403 indicates the title of the audio and / or video data of each program or commercial announcement. The registration position data (SOM) 404 indicates the inication of the recording position of the audio and / or video data of each program or commercial announcement in the 220 to 220m register units in the form of the hour (HH): minute (MM): second (SS). The time interval data (DUR) 405 indicates the time interval of the audio and / or video data of each program or commercial announcement registered in the 220] _ units at 220m. The storage position data (BIN) 406 indicates in which of the register units 220 to 220m the audio and / or video data is recorded or, when the register and / or the reproduction portion 22 is a device for changing cassette, the storage position of the cassette recording medium where the audio and / or video data is recorded. The current state data (CURRENT STATUS) 407 indicates the current status, for example, if the audio and / or video data is recorded (archived) or not registered (it is not stored in the 220 to 220m register units or , when the audio and / or video data is recorded in the tape recording medium, if the tape recording medium in which the audio and / or video data is registered is rolled up again. an explanation of the operation of the receiving portion 264 of the playlist A playlist is a list that indicates when to play the data containing the audio and / or video data recorded in the registration units 220, and is generated in the operation terminal 268 or the receiving portion 264 of the playlist The playlist receiving portion 264 sends a playlist generated using the operation terminal 268 or that is received from the unit module 2a of the portion 12 from library to the file list generation portion 262 and the control unit 260. The file list generated by the playlist receiving portion 264 will be explained below with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a view of a file list 510 generated by the receiving portion 264 of the playlist shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown in Figure 5, the playlist is comprised of a number data (not) 500, the start time data of reproduction (INITIATION) 501, the identifier data (ID) 502, the data of SEG 503, the data of the title (TITLE) 504, the registration position data (SOM) 505, the data of the time interval (DUR) 506, the storage position data (BIN) 507, the data 508 of the impulse 12LB and the current status data (CURRENT STATUS) 509. That is, the playlist is configured as the number data (no), the reproduction start time data ( INITIATION), the identifier data (ID), the registration position data (SOM), the time interval data (DUR), the storage position data (BIN), and the current status data (CURRENT STATUS) of the same content as those of the file data shown in Figure 4 to the SEG data and the 12LB impulse data. In the playlist, the data SEG is used for control between the portion 12 of the library and the transmitting portion 18. The data of the impulse 12LB indicates the synchronization of the reproduction of the audio and / or video data in the unit modules 2a and 2b ^ to 2bn.

Note that other than the two types of data mentioned above, the data contained in the playlist is the same as the data contained in the file data. In library portion 12, the intercaz 266 LAN of the unit module 2a sends the allowed playlist from the copy manager 14 through LAN 16 to the receiving portion 264 of the playlist. further, in the transmitting portion 18 (Figure 1), the LAN interface circuits 266 of the unit modules 2b_ to 2bn receive the file list admitted from the file list generation portion 262 and send it through LAN 16 to the administrator 14 of copies. Then, an explanation of the operation of the copy manager 14 will be given. In the copy manager 14, the 140 LAN interface (Figure 3) sends the file list (Figure 4) supported from the unit modules 2b] _ to 2bn of the transmitting portion 18 through LAN 16 to the conversion portion 12 of list. In addition, the 140 LAN interface sends the playlist (Figure 5) admitted from the list conversion portion 142 via LAN 16 to the unit module 2a, of the library portion 12.

The list conversion portion 142 adds the data SEG and the pulse data 12LB (Figure 5) to the file list (Figure 4) admitted from the transmitting portion 18 through LAN 16, converts it into the playlist, and sends the same through LAN 16 to library portion 12. Next, an explanation of the operation of each unit module in an entire server system will be given. First, in the transmitting portion 18 each of the unit modules 2bj_ to 2bn prepares a playlist using the terminal 268 device. The playlist, i.e., a transmission list, is prepared for the reproduction and transmission of the audio and / or video data recorded in the recording and reproduction apparatus of the transmission portion 18. The playlist can be prepared not only on the terminal device 268, but also from an unillustrated terminal connected to LAN 16. The receiving portion 264 of the playlist receives the ready playlist and sends it to the portion 262 of file list generation and control unit 260. The file list generation portion 262 suppresses the SEG data and the 12LB pulse data from the prepared playlist to generate the file list. In addition, it changes the current state data (CURRENT STATUS) of the playlist based on the audio and / or video data recorded in the 220 ^ to 220m register units, administered by the control unit 260 to prepare the list of archive. Namely, prepare a file list indicating the audio and / or video data not archived from the playlist if there is no audio and / or video data to be transmitted in the playlist indicating that the audio data and / or / or video will be transmitted from the transmission portion 18. The generated file list is sent to the copy manager 14 via LAN 16. The file list sent from each unit module constituting the transmission portion 18 is sent to the copy manager 14. This copy manager 14 prepares the playlist from the file list and sends it to the library portion 12. Here, the file list becomes a playlist for preparing the playlist, but the receiving portion 264 of the playlist receives the list in the unit modules 2a and 2b_ to 2bn. Namely, if the copy manager 14 sends the admitted file list from a unit module of the transmit portion 18 or the library portion 12 as it is, the library portion 12 will receive this file list in the portion 264 recipient of the playlist. That is, the playlist that must be received in the receiving portion 264 of the playlist can be obtained by actually admitting the file list by making it be recognized as the playlist in the library portion 12. Accordingly, this copy manager 14 may also send the admitted file list to the library portion 12, as it is. The recipient portion 264 of the library portion 12 playlist sends the supported playlist via LAN 16 or the file list as the playlist of the library portion 12 to the list generation portion 262 of file and 260 control unit. The control unit 260 sends the audio and / or video data recorded in the register units 220 to 220m to the transmission portion 18 based on the playlist sent from the receiving portion 264 of the playlist. Here, when the audio and / or video data to be transmitted is not in the register units 220] _ at 220m of the transmission portion 18, the audio and / or video data needed for the transmission portion 18 is register from the library portion 12 in the registration units 220 to 220m of the transmission portion 18 according to the aforementioned processing. further, the playlist received in the receiving portion 264 of the playlist is sent to the file list generation portion 262. The file list generation portion 262 generates the file list based on this playlist. The generated file list is sent to the control unit 260. The control unit 260 records the audio and / or video data required in the registration units 220; L to 220m based on this list of input file. Namely, if the audio and / or video data to be transmitted is not recorded in the transmission portion 18, and if it is desired to transmit the audio and / or video data recorded in the library portion 12, the portion 18 Transmission, but the audio and / or video data that must be transmitted is not recorded in library portion 12 either, the required audio and / or video data will be recorded in the record units 220 ^ a 220m from the 12 portion of library through this processing. Specifically, the control unit 260 controls the register units 220 to 220m in order to cause them to successively record the audio and / or video data that the current status data (CURRENT STATUS) of the file list indicates that has not been registered (NOT REGISTERED). When the playlist from the receiving portion 264 of the playlist is administered, the control unit 260 controls the 220, L to 220m registration units so that they successively reproduce the audio and / or video data described in FIG. play list. The reproduced audio and / or video data is admitted to the distribution unit 124. The distribution unit 124 sends the audio and / or video data from the unit module 2a to all the unit modules 2b] _ to 2bn of the transmission portion 18. Note that, in the library portion 18, the recording and reproduction of the audio and / or video data are carried out simultaneously in parallel. In this way, the same audio and / or video data is sent to all the unit modules 2b] _ to 2bn, and the unit modules 2b] _ to 2bn record the required audio and / or video data. By this, even when several of the modules between the unit modules 2b ^ to 2bn need the audio and / or video data of the same commercial advertisement, etc. the unit module 2a only needs to reproduce and transmit this audio and / or video data once. Note that when the transmission portion 18 registers the audio and / or video data from the library portion 12, it is necessary to synchronize the operations of the transmission portion 18 and the library portion 12, but for example it is possible to synchronize correctly the operations of transmission portion 18 and library portion 12 using a reference synchronization signal used in the cable television company, etc. In addition, for the transmission portion 18 to identify the audio and / or video data of the library portion 12, it is possible to use the method of the transmission portion 18 by comparing the identifier (ID) of the audio data and / or video contained in the file list and the identifier data (ID) set to the audio and / or video data through the library portion 12. The method of determining in advance in which cycle of the reference synchronization signal from when the transmit portion 18 transmits the file list in the library portion 12, must transmit the audio and / or video data to the portion 18 of transmission or the method of using an automatic registration function between library portion 12 and transmission portion 18.

Then, an explanation of the reproduction of the audio and / or video data by the unit modules 2b] _ to 2bn of the transmission portion 18 will be given. In each of the unit modules 2b? at 2bn, the control unit 260 controls the register units 220 ^ to 220m in order to make them reproduce the audio and / or video data indicated by the identifier data (ID), etc. from the registration position indicated by the registration position data (SOM) and the storage position data (BIN) at the time indicated by the reproduction initiation time (INITIATION) indicated by the playlist and sent the same to the transmission unit 180 through the routing unit 24. The transmission unit 180 multiplexes the audio and / or video data admitted from the unit modules 2b? to 2bn and transmits it to the broadcast usage line. As explained above, in accordance with the server system 1 of the present invention, it is possible to configure the library device to centrally manage the use of audio and / or video data broadcast and the transmission portion to administer the audio and / or video data that will be transmitted to the canals using the unit modules 2a and 2b? to 2bn, which basically have the same structure. Accordingly, the scale of the system can be flexibly changed in accordance with the size of the operation of the cable television company, etc. changing the number of unit modules 2a of library portion 12 and the number of unit modules 2b] _ to 2bn of transmission portion 18. In addition, the unit modules in the library portion 12 and the transmission portion 18 operate exactly the same operation, therefore it is possible to use the unit modules of the same configuration for both the library portion 12 and the library portion 18. transmission with very little change, for example, by only making the recording capacity in the registration and / or reproduction portion 22 used in the library portion 12 larger than the registration capacity of the unit modules used in the portion 18 of transmission. Therefore, it is not necessary to develop and design a different unit module for each object, therefore, development costs can be decreased, etc.

First Modification Next, an explanation of a first modification (system 3 server) of the aforementioned embodiment (system 1 server) will be given referring to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a view of the first modification of the embodiment of the present invention . Note that, in Figure 6, the reference numbers and symbols are provided to the same constituent parts between the constituent parts of the server system 3 as those of the server system 1 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 6, the system 3 server comprises library portion 12, the number f (f = 2 to q) of the devices 124? to 124f of distribution connected respectively to the output terminals VOUT] _ to VOUTq of the unit module 2a (Figure 1, not illustrated in Figure 6) of the library portion 12, and the transmission portions 18 ^ to 18f connected respectively to the distribution devices 124; [a 124f. In the aforementioned embodiment, only one among the number q of output terminals VOUT ^ to VOUTq of the unit module 2a was used in the library portion 12, but as shown in Figure 6, connecting the portions 18 ^ to 18f of transmission with each of the output terminals VOUT ^ to VOUTq of the unit module 2a, it is possible to increase the number of channels supported by the server system up to the number fxq of the channels to the maximum.

Second Modification Next, an explanation of a second modification (system 4 server) of the aforementioned embodiment (system 1 server) will be given referring to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a view of the second modification of the embodiment of the present invention . Note that, in Figure 7, the same reference numbers and symbols are provided to the same constituent parts between the constituent parts of the server system 4 as those of the systems 1 and 3 servers shown in Figure 1 and Figure 3. The transmission unit 180 is omitted for simplification of the illustration. As shown in Figure 7, the server system 4 comprises the library portion 12, r number of unitary modules 2 -_ to 2n which have the same structure and the same function as those of the unitary modules 2b ^ to 2bn (Figure 1, Figure 2) connected to the library portion 12 through the distribution unit 124, the distribution devices 124] _s to 124rs, s number of which is each connected to each of the unit modules 2j_ to 2r , and the unit modules 2m_ to 2rsn, n number of which being each connected with the distribution devices 124] _s to 124rs. In the server system 4, the copy manager 14 converts the file list sent by the unit modules 2_ to 2r to the playlist and sends the same to the library portion 12. In addition, the copy manager 14 converts the file list sent by the unit modules 2m to 2rsn to the playlist and sends them to the unit modules 2 to 2r. The operation function of each part of the server system 4 other than the copy manager 14 are the same as those in system 1 and 3 servers. The server system 1 is configured by the unit module 2a of the library portion 12 and the number of unit modules 2b] _ to 2bn of the transmission portion 18 connected in cascade in two stages, but the number of channels supported by the system server can be increased up to the number rxsxnxq of channels up to the maximum by further increasing the number of stages of the cascade connection with three, as in the system 4 server and transmitting and receiving the file list and the playlist between the three stages connected in cascade through the copy manager 14 and LAN 16. The number of channels supported by the server system can also be increased by increasing the number of stages of the cascade connection of the server system 4 and carrying out the conversion processing between the list of files and the playlist between stages of the unit modules connected in cascade in four or more stages med uring the administrator 14 of copies.

Other Modifications Note that the configurations of the file list shown in Figure 4 and the playlist shown in Figure 5 are examples. Changes such as an increase in the types of data contained in these lists, change of data order, and deletion of data not required are also possible according to the need. Also, in systems 1, 3 and 4 servers (Figure 1, Figure 6 and Figure 7), the number of unit modules contained in library portion 12 is not limited to 1. It is also possible to connect a plurality of unit modules with receiver unit 120 and VTR 122, etc. in parallel connect the transmission portion 18 with each of this plurality of unit modules. Furthermore, even when the portion of library 12 of the systems 1, 3 and 4 servers carries out the operation of recording the audio and / or video data indicated by the file list established by the user, it has been shown first above, for example, by first changing the operation of systems 1, 3 and 4 servers, so that each of the unit modules of the last stage of library portion 12 first sent all file lists to administrator 14 of copies, the copy manager 14 then converts these file lists to playlists and establishes them in the library portion 12, and the library portion 12 then records the audio and / or video data based on the playlists. established, all audio and / or video data can be recorded and administered by library portion 12 by just establishing the playlist for the unit modules of the last stage. It is unnecessary to set the file list for library portion 12. In addition, systems 1, 3 and 4 servers can be applied to other subjects, for example, registration, reproduction and transmission of computer programs, in addition to the recording, reproduction and transmission of audio and / or video data. Likewise, in the systems 1, 3 and 4 servers, the case was shown where the unit modules of each stage of the cascade connection transmitted all the file lists to the copy manager 14 but the operation of the system 1 server can be changed from so that only the file list of the audio and / or video data which is the current status data of the file list indicates that it has not been registered (not archived) is transmitted to the administrator 14 of copies. Through this change of operation, the traffic of the LAN 16 can be reduced. Furthermore, it is also possible to change the operation of the server system 1 so that the generation portions 262 of the file list of the unit modules of each stage establish an order of priority for the audio and / or video data, for example, the file lists are transmitted to the administrator 14 of copies in the order from the file list indicating the audio and / or video data of the reproduction initiation time previous (INITIATION) and transmit the file lists -to the administrator 14 of copies according to this order of priority. As explained above, in accordance with the present invention, it is possible to build a custom-made server system up to the scale of operations of the cable television company, etc. combining the unit modules of the same configuration. Also, in accordance with the present invention it is possible to change the specifications of the server system easily and flexibly in accordance with an increase in the number of channels offered by the cable television company, etc.

Claims (7)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S:

1. A data transmission apparatus comprising unitary modules connected in cascade in a plurality (x; 2 < x) of steps and a list conversion means, wherein: each of the unit modules comprises a registration means and / or reproduction, a means of generation of first list to generate a first list indicating the data to be recorded in the recording and / or reproduction medium, a second list receiving means to receive a second list indicating the data to be reproduced from the recording and / or reproduction means, and a data supply means for supplying the reproduced data to the unit module of the next stage, the recording and / or reproduction medium of each of the unit modules registers the data indicated in the first list generated by the first list generator means between the data supplied from the outside and reproduces the data indicated in the second list received in the receiving medium of the second a list, and the list conversion means converts a first list generated by the first list generator means of a step unit module and (2 = y <1. x) th to a second list and send it to the receiving medium of the second list of all unit modules or certain unit modules of stage (y-l) th.

2. A data transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the first list and the second list include at least one current status data indicating whether the data indicated by the first list and the second list have been recorded in the recording and / or reproduction medium or have not been registered, and the means of recording and / or reproducing each of the unit modules reproduces the data that the current status data indicates that has not been recorded between the data indicated in the second received list.

3. A data transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first list and the second list include at least one current status data indicating whether the data indicated by the first list and the second list have been registered. in the registration and / or reproduction medium or have not been registered, the generation means of the first list of each of the unit modules supplies a third list comprising the current status data indicating that the data has not been recorded from the first list towards the list conversion means, and the list conversion means converts the current state data of the third list generated by the generating means of the first list of a unitary module of stage y-th to a second list.

4. A data transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data is a video data and / or an audio data.

5. A method of transmitting data to transmit the data from the unit modules each including recording and / or playback media supplied from the outside that reproduces the registered data, cascaded in a plurality of stages (x; 2 < x), comprises: a first step of generating an indicator data of the first list to be recorded by the means of recording and / or reproducing a unitary module of the stage y (2 = y <x) th; a second step to convert the first list generated in the first step to a second list indicating the data registered in the recording and / or reproduction medium to be reproduced; a third step to send from the second list converted in the second step to all the unit modules or some of the unit modules of the stage (y-Dth; and a fourth step to receive the second list sent in the third step and reproduce the data recorded from the recording and / or reproducing means based on the second list

6. A data transmission method according to claim 5, further having the step that the unitary module of the y-th stage generates the second list and reproduce the data recorded in the recording and / or reproduction medium of the unit module of the step y-th

7. A method of transmitting data according to claim 5, which also has the step of a unit module of the stage (yl (th receives the second list sent in the third step, convert it in the first list and record the data indicated in the first list between the data supplied from the outside in the middle of registration and / or reproduction of stage (y-1) th.