WO1998050850A2

WO1998050850A2 - Device provided with a recording unit and a memory

Info

Publication number: WO1998050850A2
Application number: PCT/IB1998/000672
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edwin André MONTIE; Adrianus Johannes Maria Denissen; Erik Peter Maria Niessen; Ronald Marcel Tol
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.; Philips Ab
Priority date: 1997-05-07
Filing date: 1998-05-06
Publication date: 1998-11-12
Also published as: WO1998050850A3; HUP0004284A2; JP2001502457A; EP0910824A2; ID21476A; CN1229481A; TW459218B; KR20000023568A; HUP0004284A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for recording and/or reproducing information signals. The device has an input (2) for receiving an information signal to be recorded, a memory (9), a recording unit (3) which is suitable for loading a record carrier and input means (11) for supplying an instantaneous recording command. The device (1) is provided with means for storing the information signal in the memory (9), detection means (7) for detecting whether a record carrier is loaded, means for reading the relevant information signal from the memory in response to said detection and means for copying the information signal to the record carrier.

Description

Device provided with a recording unit and a memory

The invention relates to a device for recording and/or reproducing information signals, comprising an input for receiving an information signal to be recorded, a memory, a recording unit which is suitable for loading a record carrier and input means for supplying an instantaneous recording command.

A device in which a memory is used as a buffer in combination with a recording unit is known from, for example European patent application EP 0 594 241. Incoming information signals are written via a channel selector. The channel selector will distinguish the information signals which must be stored from the information signals which must be directly reproduced. The information signals which must be stored are compressed and stored in a buffer. The information of these buffers is subsequently stored in the memory, for example a hard disk, under the control of a microprocessor. When an information signal stored on the hard disk is to be reproduced, the signal will be displayed, for example by a television via a buffer and after having been decompressed. Another possibility is to copy the information signal read from the memory on a record carrier.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device in which also a memory is combined with a recording unit in which a record carrier can be provided and in which a number of functions is made possible by means of this combination. To this end, the device according to the invention is provided with means for storing the information signal in the memory in response to the instantaneous recording command, detection means for detecting whether a record carrier is loaded, means for reading the relevant information signal from the memory in response to said detection and means for copying the information signal to the record carrier. When an instantaneous recording command is given, it will be checked whether a record carrier is present in the recording unit. The user will thereby get an indication of whether he will have to introduce a record carrier into the recording unit. Alternatively, the recording unit may be provided with a record carrier changer which will have to be activated in the absence of a record carrier. If the absence of a record carrier is detected, a start can be made with the recording of the information signal in the memory. This has the advantage that a start is already made with the recording without a record carrier being present in the recording unit so that it is prevented that part of the information signal is lost. From the instant when a record carrier is present in the recording unit, the detection means indicate this to the memory so that the information signal can be copied from the memory to the record carrier.

Also when a suitable record carrier is already present in the recording unit, the information signal will always be stored first in the memory. This allows the consecutive positioning of signal blocks in such a way that the bandwidth of the record carrier is utilized to an optimum extent. In fact, this bandwidth is generally much larger than the bandwidth of the signal so that the recording space would be utilized inefficiently if the signal were directly recorded on the record carrier.

The instantaneous recording command may be programmed in advance, but may also be given at any moment by the user. For example, when watching a program the user may as yet decide to record the program on tape.

The whole information signal may be stored in the memory, while at the instantaneous recording command the signal will also be stored on tape. The choice of the user to record on tape may thus be delayed with respect to the starting moment of the information signal. The indication means are preferably implemented in such a way that, in the presence of a record carrier in the recording unit, an indication is given about the quantity of available recording space which is still left on the record carrier. This allows another record carrier to be introduced into the device if more space is necessary for recording the information signal. The received information signal may be accompanied by a signal indicating the length of the information signal. When the device is provided with means for abstracting this extra information from the information signal, it can be indicated in response thereto whether there is still sufficient recording space left for the relevant information signal. Moreover, the indication means of the device may be implemented in such a way that these means indicate that only recording space is left which is smaller than a given value. This is notably important when the user does not have any idea of the length of the information signal to be recorded. In this case, it is assumed that, on average, an information signal will not be longer than a given value. It is known per se to provide the memory with a table of contents of a number of record carriers. When the information signal to be recorded is accompanied by an extra signal indicating the period of time of the information signal, the device may comprise means, in combination with such a memory, indicating which record carriers occurring in the table of contents still have sufficient recording space left for the relevant information signal.

The device may be provided with means for measuring the filling level of the memory. This option is advantageous if an information signal which is recorded with a delay time is viewed while the recording still continues. When a given value of the filling level is exceeded, the part recorded in the memory will be copied to the record carrier so that new space will be made available in the memory. If the delay time is relatively short, so that the filling level remains under this given value, the information signal can be viewed from the hard disk.

These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will be elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 show embodiments of a device according to the invention;

Fig. 3 shows diagra matically a device with which two information signals are recorded simultaneously, and Fig. 4 shows diagrammatically a device with which an information signal is recorded and another information signal is reproduced simultaneously.

Fig. 1 shows a device 1 for recording and/or reproducing an information signal. The device 1 comprises a recording unit 3 in which a record carrier 5 can be accommodated on which the information signal can be recorded. The device according to the invention comprises detection means 7 detecting whether a record carrier is loaded or not loaded. Furthermore, the device 1 has a memory 9 in which the information signal can be stored, and input means 11 providing the possibility of giving an instantaneous recording command. The memory 9 is preferably a non-volatile memory so that, for example in the case of power failure, the information in the memory is maintained. The memory is preferably rapidly accessible and may consist of, for example a solid-state memory or a hard disk.

When an instantaneous recording command is given by the input means 11, the detection means 7 will be activated via control means 13 and they will detect whether a record carrier 5 is present or absent in the recording unit 3. This information will be visualized for a user on the indication unit 15.

When the indication unit 15 indicates, for example on a display 14, that a record carrier is absent, the user can select a record carrier and subsequently introduce it into the recording unit while a start i: already made with recording the information signal in the memory 9. In this way, it is prevented that part of the information signal is missing in the recording.

Another possibility is to pass on the information about the presence of a record carrier from the indication means 15 to a record carrier changer 16 which forms part of, for example the recording unit. Such a changer 16 comprises a plurality of record carriers which can be automatically loaded. Also in this case, a short period must be bridged, during which the record carrier from the changer is loaded.

When a record carrier is subsequently loaded, the detection means 7 will detect the presence of a record carrier and subsequently activate the motor transport 19 in the memory 9 via the control means 13 so that the part of the information signal already stored in the memory is copied to the record carrier 5.

When the indication unit 15 indicates that a record carrier is present in the recording unit 3, the information signal may, in principle, be recorded directly on the record carrier from the start. However, in this case, recording is preferably also effected via the memory. In fact, a drawback is that the record carrier generally has a much larger bandwidth than that of the information signal to be recorded. This means that, without further measures, the space on the record carrier would be used inefficiently because the record carrier has to be filled up with dummy data. In fact, the incoming information signal may consist of a number of signals, only one of which is to be recorded. All the blocks of this one signal are now first positioned one behind the other in the memory and provided with a time stamp. It can be ensured that the bandwidth of this compressed signal will approximately correspond to the bandwidth of the record carrier, so that now no or little recording space is left unused when copying this signal on the record carrier. When a record carrier is present in the recording unit, there might be a problem that the relevant record carrier does not have enough recording space available to record the information signal completely. To this end, the detection means 7 and the indication unit 15 are adapted in such a way that a measure of the remaining available recording space is given. Furthermore, the indication unit 15 may comprise warning means 21 for the case where the quantity of remaining recording space is smaller than a given value. Then the user can as yet select another record carrier or another record carrier can be removed from the changer 16 while a start is already made with the recording in the memory. The given value could be chosen to be, for example one and a half hours, the customary playing time of a movie. This possibility is only useful if the lergth of the information signal to be recorded is not known in advance.

However, the length of the information signal to be recorded may be known in advance. There are several possibilities. One possibility is that the information about the length of the information signal to be recorded is known from, for example an EPG (electronic programming guide) or from teletext. Another possibility is that the information signal applied to the device is accompanied by an extra signal indicating the duration of the information signal. In that case, an extra detection unit 23 may be provided in the device so that the extra signal is abstracted from the information signal and applied to the detection means 7. In response thereto, the detection means 7 will send a signal to the indication unit 15 which will subsequently indicate whether there is still recording space enough for the relevant information signal on the record carrier. Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a device in which the extra signal is abstracted from the information signal. It is known per se to provide a record carrier with a table of contents and to provide the memory of a device as described hereinbefore with a table of contents of all record carriers. If the memory includes such a table of contents, the device may be equipped with means 25 indicating, in response to the extra signal, which record carriers still have sufficient recording space available for the relevant information signal. These means 25 may be integrated, for example, also with the indication unit 15. The combination of a recording unit with a memory, for example a hard disk, as described hereinbefore provides other possibilities. One of these possibilities is to reproduce two recorded information signals in parallel. Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically a device which is suitable for simultaneously reproducing two information signals. To this end, the recording unit 5 has two outputs 27, 29. Alternately,, a part of the two information signals is copied from the record carrier 5, for example a tape, to the hard disk 9. The hard disk has sufficiently large buffers 31, 33 in which the data undergo an extension with respect to time and/or data, and the record carrier 5 and the hard disk 9 have such a bandwidth that sufficient data can be sent from the hard disk to the two outputs 27, 29. The hard disk compensates the inertia of the record carrier. Each of the two outputs 27, 29 has a small buffer (not shown) because the hard disk cannot be read at two sites simultaneously. However, the time which must be bridged is very short. The data constituting two different information signals available at the outputs can be subsequently displayed by two different display apparatuses 35, 37, for example televisions. Another possibility is to record two information signals in parallel. The direction of the data stream is then opposed to the situation of parallel reproduction shown in Fig. 3. In the buffers of the hard disk, the information signal will be compressed in this case with respect to time and/or data.

Yet another possibility is to record an information signal and reproduce another information signal simultaneously, as is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4. In this case, there is both a data stream in accordance with the previously described possibility and an opposite data stream. The information signals received, for example by a satellite antenna 39 are received at an input 28 of the device and compressed in a buffer 31 of the hard disk 9 with respect to time and/or data, and stored. At an instant when the record carrier is available, the information signal is copied from the hard disk to the record carrier.

Simultaneously, another information signal, which was already stored on the record carrier, can be reproduced. When the tape is available, at least a part of this information signal can be copied from the tape to the hard disk. This information signal is subsequently available after expansion at an output 30 so as to be displayed by a display apparatus 36. A further possibility is to implement the device in such a way that it is possible to view the information signal with a delay whose recording has not yet finished, irrespective of the length of the delay period. The delay period is herein understood to mean the time interval between the start of the recording and the start of reproducing the same fragment. Initially, in response to a recording command programmed, for example in advance, a start is made with the recording of the information signal in the memory. The memory is assumed to have a filling level d_f . If the delay time with which the information signal must be reproduced becomes too large, the memory tends to get filled up. In that case the filling level is 100%. To prevent that the recording would have to be discontinued in that case, means 41 (see Fig. 1) are provided to measure the filling level of the memory. When it is ascertained during this measurement that the filling level exceeds a given value, the command will be given, for example via the control means 13, to copy the part of the information signal already recorded from the memory to the record carrier so that free space to record the rest of the information signal becomes available in the memory again. This operation may be repeated, if necessary, until the complete information signal has been copied on the record carrier. This will be the case when the delay time is much longer than the time required to reach the given value of the filling level.

If the delay time is shorter than the period required to reach the given value of the filling level, the information signal can be directly read from the buffer of the hard disk without copying on the record carrier being necessary.

A device according to the invention provides the possibility of simultaneously recording and reproducing information signals without this being noticeable in the reproduction. It is further possible to reproduce a part already recorded of one and the same information signal, while the recording of the rest of the signal still continues. Recording in the memory precedes recording on the record carrier. If there is no or no suitable record carrier, the recording is already started so that nothing of the information signal to be recorded is lost. Furthermore, it is ensured that the information signal stored in the memory can be recorded at a suitable moment on the record carrier so that the memory has free space available for storing new information signals.

Claims

1. A device for recording and/or reproducing information signals, comprising an input for receiving an information signal to be recorded, a memory, a recording unit which is suitable for loading a record carrier and input means for supplying an instantaneous recording command, wherein the device is provided with means for storing the information signal in the memory in response to the instantaneous recording command, detection means for detecting whether a record carrier is loaded, means for reading the relevant information signal from the memory in response to said detection and means for copying the information signal to the record carrier.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising first indication means which, in response to the instantaneous recording command, supply information about the presence or absence of a record carrier in the recording unit.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, comprising second indication means which, in response to the instantaneous recording command and in the presence of a record carrier, give a measure of the recording space still available on said record carrier.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, adapted to extract extra information about the length of an information signal which, together with the information signal, is available at the input of the device from the information signal and to indicate, in response to said extra information, whether there is still sufficient recording space available.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3, comprising means for warning that the available recording space is smaller than a given value.

6. A device as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the memory is provided with a table of contents of a plurality of record carriers, the device comprising means for indicating the record carriers which have still sufficient recording space available for storing the relevant information signal.

7. A device for recording and/or reproducing information signals, comprising an input for receiving an information signal to be recorded, a memory having a filling level d_f, a recording unit which is suitable for loading a record carrier and input means for supplying an instantaneous recording command, wherein the device is provided with means for storing the information signal in the memory in response to the instantaneous recording command, detection means for detecting whether a record carrier is loaded, means for measuring the value of the filling level of the memory and for reading, in response to said detection of the record carrier and in response to said measurement of the filling level, the part of the information signal stored in the memory and copying said part of the information signal to the record carrier, when a given value is exceeded.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, comprising indication means which are adapted to indicate the amount of time which is still available until the filling level has reached the given value or is maximum.