Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
  • G11B20/10—Digital recording or reproducing
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/11—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F12/00—Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/02—Editing, e.g. varying the order of information signals recorded on, or reproduced from, record carriers
  • G11B27/031—Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
  • G11B27/034—Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals on discs
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/102—Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers
  • G11B27/105—Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers of operating discs
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/34—Indicating arrangements 
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/36—Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
  • H04N5/76—Television signal recording
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
  • G11B2220/20—Disc-shaped record carriers
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S707/00—Data processing: database and file management or data structures
  • Y10S707/99941—Database schema or data structure
  • Y10S707/99944—Object-oriented database structure
  • Y10S707/99945—Object-oriented database structure processing
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S707/00—Data processing: database and file management or data structures
  • Y10S707/99941—Database schema or data structure
  • Y10S707/99948—Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a recording / reproducing apparatus for recording / reproducing multimedia contents based on various data such as video, audio, and text, a recording management method for the recorded multimedia contents, a recording medium, and a program.
• AV equipment that records and reproduces video data, audio data, etc.
• video tape recorders and disk recorders using a magnetic tape, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, memory card, etc. as a recording medium, and Z-players are widely used.
• devices that record and reproduce video, music, data files, and other various contents (multimedia contents) using large-capacity recording media such as HDDs (hard disk drives) have been developed.
• a digital broadcast tuner is provided with a recording / reproducing unit that uses an HDD as a recording medium, and is realized as a recording / reproducing device capable of recording a broadcast program.
• the recordable capacity is small, so that users can grasp the contents of video recorded on video tapes, etc., and use it by overwriting if unnecessary. There was no need to automatically manage recorded content, for example, to automatically delete unnecessary content. In addition, since there is no electronic additional information for the device to grasp the contents and the like of each content, the content cannot be automatically managed.
• recording / reproducing devices using HDDs are also equipped with a function to automatically record broadcast programs based on, for example, user preferences and viewing histories, or programs recommended by broadcasting stations and service sites.
• the user does not operate the automatic recording. In other words, recording is performed regardless of the user's will. In such a case, even if the capacity is insufficient, it is not possible to delete unnecessary contents in an interactive manner with the user.
• an automatic deletion function for automatically deleting old content is known. I have. In other words, the recording date and time of the content are managed, and the recording date and time are deleted in ascending order as necessary.
• some content may be deleted only because it is old and may not be appropriate for the user. For example, it is not appropriate to delete content that a user likes and enjoys playing many times because it is old.
• an object of the present invention is to provide a recording / reproducing apparatus for multimedia content or a recording management method thereof, without imposing a heavy operation burden on a user and appropriately performing automatic deletion.
• the recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention comprises: a recording / reproducing means for recording an input content data on a recording medium and reproducing the content data from the recording medium; and a content data recorded on the recording medium.
• Content state management means for managing the content age as a value subjected to aging processing in accordance with the elapsed time from the recording execution date and time and the genre of the content data; and for the content data recorded on the recording medium,
• An automatic deletion control unit for automatically deleting the content data with a high content age from the recording medium by referring to the content age managed by the content status management unit.
• the automatic deletion control means gives priority to the content data with a high age based on the remaining recordable capacity of the recording medium and the capacity required for content data to be recorded on the recording medium. Perform deletion.
• the content state management means can perform deletion prohibition management for the content recorded on the recording medium, and the automatic deletion control means can control the deletion prohibition management in the content state management means. Except for the deleted content data, the content data with the higher content age is deleted with priority.
• the content state management means manages, as the deletion prohibition, the content overnight in which the operation input for instructing the deletion prohibition has been made from the content data recorded on the recording medium.
• an upper limit value is set for the total amount of content data that can be deleted prohibition management.
• content data that is scheduled to be automatically deleted based on the content age managed by the content state management unit is selected.
• Display data output means for outputting display data including a content notifying that automatic deletion is scheduled is further provided.
• the recording / reproducing means automatically records content data of a genre preferred by the user on the recording medium.
• the recording / reproducing means records the recommended content data provided by the service on the recording medium.
• the recording / reproducing means records, on the recording medium, content data selected by a user's operation input from a list of information of the content data. Further, the recording / reproducing means records the content data in a compressed format on the recording medium.
• the coefficient value for each genre when the aging process of the content age is performed may be set in advance, or may be set and changed.
• the recording management method of the present invention manages the elapsed time from the recording execution date and time of the content data recorded on the recording medium and the content age as a value subjected to aging processing according to the genre of the content data.
• the recording medium on which the computer-readable program of the present invention is written is a program for a recording / reproducing apparatus, and the content data recorded on the recording medium includes the elapsed time from the recording execution date and time and the content.
• the program according to the present invention provides a computer which controls a recording / reproducing apparatus as a value obtained by subjecting content data recorded on a recording medium to aging processing according to an elapsed time from a recording execution date and time and a genre of content data.
• the recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention includes a recording / reproducing means for recording input content data on a recording medium and reproducing the content data from the recording medium, and a content data recorded on the recording medium.
• the upper limit is set as a capacity value of a predetermined ratio of the capacity of the recording medium, so that the total capacity of one or a plurality of pieces of content data that is prohibited from being deleted and managed is within the capacity value of the predetermined ratio.
• the content state management means when an operation input for prohibiting deletion of certain content data is performed in the content recorded on the recording medium, deletes the content data. By doing so, it is determined whether or not the content exceeds the upper limit. If it is determined that the content does not exceed the upper limit, the content data is managed as being prohibited from being deleted.
• the recording management method of the present invention includes a management procedure for performing management to prohibit deletion of one or more content data within an upper limit value among content data recorded on a recording medium; An automatic deletion procedure for automatically deleting content data from the recording medium, except for the content data that is managed as deletion prohibition, for recorded content data.
• the recording medium in which the computer-readable program of the present invention is described is a program for a recording / reproducing apparatus, and one or more content data within an upper limit value among content data recorded on the recording medium.
• the program of the present invention provides a computer which controls a recording / reproducing apparatus with a management step of performing a management of prohibiting deletion of one or more content data within an upper limit value from among content data recorded on a recording medium. And an automatic deletion step of automatically deleting the content data from the recording medium, except for the content data that is managed as deletion prohibition, for the content data recorded on the recording medium. Let it do.
• the content data recorded on the recording medium is managed based on the elapsed time from the recording date and the content age calculated by the genre, and the content content with the higher content age is given priority. Automatically deleted. For content such as broadcast programs, it is possible to distinguish to a certain extent whether the content should be saved or deleted depending on the genre.Therefore, the age of the content based on the elapsed time and genre is an appropriate index value for automatic deletion. be able to.
• the user should be able to instruct deletion prohibition management for contents that he / she does not want to be automatically deleted, and by excluding content data that has been deletion prohibition managed from automatic deletion. One unwanted automatic deletion is not performed.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a hardware configuration of a recording / reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a functional configuration of the recording / reproducing apparatus according to the embodiment.
• FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an EPG database according to the embodiment.
• FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a stored video database according to the embodiment.
• FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a content state database of the embodiment
• FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a content age adding process of the embodiment.
• FIG. 7 is a flowchart of automatic deletion at the start of recording according to the embodiment.
• FIG. 8 is a flowchart of deletion prohibition management according to the embodiment.
• FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a recorded content list creating process according to the embodiment. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
• the recording / reproducing apparatus of the present embodiment has a digital satellite broadcast receiver provided with a recording / reproducing function using, for example, an HDD drive.
• the recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. The description will be made in the following order.
• FIG. 1 shows the input / output configuration of a recording / reproducing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• the recording / reproducing device 11 is a device in which a video recording / reproducing function is added to a digital satellite broadcast receiver, and is capable of recording a large number of videos on a hard disk drive (HDD) 85 having a huge storage capacity. In addition to this, it is possible to accurately grasp the user's intention and reflect it in the storage management of recorded video.
• HDD hard disk drive
• the recording / reproducing device 11 can be implemented as an AV device, and for example, can be integrally formed with a television receiver such as a set-top box.
• a broadcast wave transmitted from a communication satellite or a broadcasting satellite (not shown) is received by the parabolic antenna 3a and supplied to the tuner 71 of the recording / reproducing apparatus 11.
• This broadcast wave contains electronic program information data (hereinafter referred to as EPG
• the digital satellite broadcasting system transmits information on the electronic program guide (EPG), which is information on broadcast programs.
• EPG electronic program guide
• a program guide table is created based on the data of the electronic program guide, and can be displayed and output.
• the program guide table is configured as a GUI (Graphical User Interface). For example, a user can select a desired program by performing an operation on the program guide table.
• EPG includes program genres, for example, types such as news, sports, and dramas.
• programs being broadcast can be grouped and managed by genre. It is also possible to search for programs of the genre you want to watch from a large number of channels by using it, or to automatically record programs of the genre the user prefers.
• the received broadcast wave may be any of a wired broadcast wave and a terrestrial wave in addition to the digital satellite broadcast wave. Further, depending on whether the received broadcast wave is an analog signal or a digital signal, the internal configuration of the tuner unit and each functional circuit unit described below will be appropriately changed.
• the tuner 71 tunes the radio wave of a predetermined channel, that is, selects a channel based on the control of the CPU 81, and outputs the received data to the demodulator 72.
• the demodulator 72 demodulates the digitally modulated received data and outputs the demodulated data to the decoder 73.
• digital data received by a tuner 71 from a broadcast wave and demodulated by a demodulator 72 is an MPEG2 system.
• This is a transport stream in which AV data and data broadcast data compressed in are multiplexed.
• the AV data overnight is video information and audio information constituting the broadcast content main body
• the data for broadcast overnight is data accompanying the broadcast main body, that is, for example, the above-mentioned EPG data.
• the decoder 73 separates the transport stream supplied from the demodulator 72 into AV data and data broadcast data compressed by the MPSG2 system.
• the decoder 73 also separates the real-time AV data compressed by the MPEG2 method into compressed video data and compressed audio data.
• the separated audio data is decoded by PCM (Pulse Code Modulation), then combined with the additional sound, and output to the speaker 93 through the mixer (MUX) 75.
• PCM Pulse Code Modulation
• the separated video data is output to the display 94 via the composer 77 after being decompressed.
• the RAM 74 can store these work data by the decoder 73.
• the speaker 93 outputs the audio signal supplied from the mixer 75.
• the display 94 displays (reproduces) the video signal supplied from the composer 77.
• the decoder 73 also supplies data for data broadcasting (EPG data overnight) separated from the transport stream to the CPU 81 via the bus 79.
• EPG data data broadcasting
• the CPU 81 can execute a predetermined process according to a predetermined application and use it for creating an EPG-list or a playback schedule table.
• the user interface control unit 76 is a module that processes an input operation from the user. For example, the user operates the operation button or the switch by the user.
• a remote commander 91 composed of a remote controller is operated, an operation signal (IR signal) emitted from an infrared light emitting unit (not shown) is received by a light receiving unit 76a, and the signal is transmitted as an electric signal. Convert to input operation signal and output to CPU81.
• an operation switch or the like may be formed on the device housing panel so that the user can operate the operation switch on such a panel.
• the operation using the operation switch on the panel is performed by a user interface.
• the power control unit 76 detects it and supplies it to the CPU 81 as operation information.
• the graphics processing controller 78 is a dedicated controller that generates a screen based on the control of the CPU 81.
• S VGA Super Video Graphic Array
• XGA Extended Graphic
• the graphic processing controller 78 is, for example, a GU I
• drawing screen data are combined with the broadcast video or the like in the combo 77 or are switched and output to the display 94 to be displayed on the user.
• the communication control unit 80 controls wired communication using a telephone line, a cable, or the like. By communicating with an external server system via the communication control unit 80, broadcast contents, EPG data, or recommended recorded program data is exchanged. In addition, data communication is performed by communicating with an external device via the communication control unit 80.
• the CPU 81 is a main controller that controls the entire operation of the recording / reproducing device 11, and executes various applications on a platform provided by an operating system (OS).
• the CPU 81 uses, for example, broadcast reception and output, content recording / playback, and EPG data based on operation signals input via the remote commander 91 and the user interface control unit 76. It performs the necessary control for the management of the broadcast program, the content recorded on the HDD 85, and the generation of the screen display data by the graphic processing controller 78.
• OS operating system
• the RAM 82 is a writable volatile memory used for loading the execution program of the CPU 81 and writing work data of the execution program.
• the ROM 83 is a read-only memory for storing a self-diagnosis / initialization program executed when the recording / reproducing device 11 is turned on, a control code for hardware operation, and the like.
• Interface 84 is a serial high-speed interface that can transmit and receive data of several lOMBps.
• a device compatible with IEEE1394, for example, a video camera 92, can be connected to the 13394 port 84a, and data communication can be performed with these connected devices.
• the hard disk drive (HDD) 85 is a randomly accessible storage device that can store programs and data in a file format of a predetermined format.
• HDD 85 is also bused via hard disk interface 86
• the recording / reproduction of data or control information supplied from the decoder 73 or the communication control unit 80 is performed based on the control of the CPU 81.
• EPG data For example, EPG data, broadcast content, content status, recommendations Recorded program guides, recording of content age and erasure prohibition information, etc.7 Playback is performed.
• the stored video database 50, EPG database 43, and content status database 56 described later in FIG. Built on HDD85.
• Video data such as broadcast content reproduced from the HDD 85 is supplied to the display 94 via the composer 77 and output as video.
• the reproduced audio data is supplied to the speaker 93 via the mixer 75 and output as audio.
• FIG. 2 shows the operation of the present embodiment in the recording / reproducing apparatus 11 having the above-described hardware configuration, that is, mainly for realizing recording of a broadcast program (contents overnight) and management of the recorded contents data. It shows the functional blocks that are configured.
• the broadcast wave receiving section 41 receives the broadcast content and the EPG data received by the antenna 3a, and performs predetermined processing such as demodulation processing and error correction processing on the data. That is, the functions executed by the tuner 71, the demodulator 72, and the decoder 73 in FIG. 1 based on the control of the CPU 81 are shown.
• the EPG extracting section 42 extracts EPG data from the data received by the broadcast wave receiving section 41 and stores it in the EPG data base 43. That is, the EPG data is extracted by the decoder 73 in FIG. 1, transferred to the CPU 81, and controlled by the CPU 81 to write the EPG data to the EPG database constructed in the HDD 85. .
• the EPG extraction unit 42 uses the EPG data as information obtained by the communication unit 58 (the communication control unit 80 in FIG. 1). Extract.
• the EPG data includes the title, genre, channel, broadcast date and time (start / end time and the length of time (data size)), performers, commentary, and various other information for each broadcast program (content). Contains information.
• the EPG database 43 stores EPG data such as title and genre for each content as shown in FIG. 3.
• the EPG data of each content is stored in the content database.
• Content IDs (ID 1, ID 2 ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ ) given every evening should be managed based on the content ID. This content ID is used for association with the stored video database 50 and the content state database 56 described later.
• the recording reservation section 44 registers (reserves) desired broadcast content in advance so that the content to be broadcast in the future is recorded in the recording processing section 45.
• an EPG—list is presented to the user, and a reservation is executed in response to the user selecting a program to be recorded from the EPG—list by an operation input. Recording registration) or reservation registration for automatic recording based on the user's preference or habit (registration of automatic recording without user operation) is performed. In some cases, a recommended program provided by the service is registered through the communication unit 58.
• the function of the recording reservation section 44 is realized by the processing of the CPU 81.
• the information of the reservation registration is stored in the HDD 85. Or CPU 81 If a nonvolatile memory such as an accessible flash memory is provided, the registration information may be stored in the flash memory or the like.
• the recording processing unit 45 has a function of recording the content on the HDD 85 when the broadcast content reserved for recording by the recording reservation unit 44 is broadcast.
• the recording processing unit 45 can also manually or automatically record the content currently being broadcast. At that time, contents are automatically deleted to secure the free space required for recording.
• the functions of the recording processing unit 45 are realized by the operations of the CPU 81, the HDD interface 86, and the HDD 85.
• the content to be recorded on the HDD 85 by the function of the recording processing unit 45 is recorded on the HDD 85 as a data file of the stored video database 50.
• the accumulated video database 50 accumulates each content recorded by the recording processing unit 45 as shown in FIG.
• the video data stored in the stored video data base 50 is associated with, for example, a broadcast channel, a broadcast date and time (recording date and time), or a content ID obtained from EPG data, and is stored in the MPEG 2 ( Moving Picture Experts).
• the content management unit 46 associates each piece of content information (EPG data content) stored in the EPG database 43 with each piece of video data stored in the stored video database 50.
• a content ID is used. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the same content is previously stored in both the EPG database 43 and the stored video database 50. The ID is recorded. For example, FIG. 4 shows a state in which the contents of ID1, ID3, and ID4 in the EPG data base 43 are recorded as the content IDs. Since the content ID is attached to the file, the content of the EPG data corresponding to each actually recorded content (compressed content file) is linked.
• the corresponding content of the EPG data may be recorded in the compressed content file.
• status data of the content is notified from the recording reservation section 44 or the recording processing section 45 to the content management section 46.
• the content information (EPG data) and video data (compressed content file) associated as described above are collectively managed together with content status data such as “recording reservation” and “recorded”.
• the “content age” information, the “storage capacity” of the content, and the “record date and time” are also stored.
• a content status database 56 as shown in FIG.
• Each content is registered in the content status database 56 by the content management unit 46.
• the content reserved for recording and the recorded content are managed based on the content ID, and information of “recording reserved / recorded” is recorded as the content status for each content. Is done. As will be described later, deletion prohibition information is recorded according to the user's deletion prohibition designation.
• the age of the content is updated and kept by the age management unit 57.
• the content capacity (data size and time length) is recorded.
• date and time information is recorded.
• the date and time information includes, for example, the date and time when the content was recorded on the HDD 85 (scheduled recording date and time), and the date and time when the information on the content status database 56 was updated, such as information on the content status, deletion prohibition information and content age. Is updated.
• the content management unit 46 manages the content status database 56 as described above, and stores the “storage capacity” and “recording date and time” of the content, the “deletion prohibition” information of the content, and “ Age information is provided to the recording processing unit 45.
• the recording processing unit 45 refers to these pieces of information at the time of automatic deletion processing described later.
• the function of the content management unit 46 is realized by the processing of the CPU 81.
• the age management unit 57 performs an aging process on the recorded content and adds the age of the content, as described later in FIG. Then, the information of the content age in the content state data base 56 is updated.
• the age management unit 57 generates a content state data based on the content ID supplied from the user interface control unit 52 for the processing shown in FIG. 9 and other processing described later. With reference to 6, the age data corresponding to the content is read out and returned to the user interface control unit 52.
• the function of the age management unit 57 is realized by the processing of the CPU 81.
• the content table management unit 47 creates an EPG—list, recorded content list, and playback schedule table.
• the content list display section 48 displays the EPG—list, recorded content list table, or playback schedule table input from the content table management section 47 via the user interface control section 52. To be displayed.
• the functions of the content table management unit 47 and the content list display unit 48 are realized by the processing of the CPU 81, the graphic processing controller 78, the composer 77, and the like.
• the content selection unit 49 specifies the content selected by a cursor operation by the user in the recorded title list displayed on the display 94 by the content list display unit 48.
• the video data corresponding to the specified (selected) content is read out from the stored video data 50 overnight and output to the playback processing unit 51.
• the playback processing unit 51 reads out the video data (compressed content file) stored in the stored video database 50, separates it into video and audio, and decompresses them in the MPEG format.
• the content selection section 49 and the reproduction processing section 51 are functions for reproducing and outputting the recorded content.
• the CPU 81, the user interface control section 76, the decoder 73, and the composer shown in FIG. It is realized by the processing of 77, mixer 75, etc.
• the user interface control unit 52 controls a method of presenting a list of video data or content information (for example, a program name) to the user.
• the user interface control unit 52 asks the age management unit 57 the content ID of the content selected by the content selection unit 49. Get the age of the corresponding content, and change the method of presenting content based on the age. As a result, for example, the size and color of the title character for each content and the mark to be deleted displayed near the title are changed.
• the user interface control unit 52 allows the user to input a “deletion prohibition” mark for each content. Content with this mark is not subject to automatic deletion.
• deletion prohibition information is recorded in the content state database 56, that is, the content is managed as deletion prohibition content.
• the video display unit 53 displays (reproduces) the video input from the reproduction processing unit 51 via the user interface control unit 52.
• the audio reproduction unit 54 outputs (reproduces) the audio input from the reproduction processing unit 51 via the user interface control unit 52.
• the communication unit 58 controls wired communication using a telephone line, a cable, or the like. By communicating with a server system that provides a service via the communication unit 58, EPG data, a list of recommended recorded programs, and the like are obtained. Using this list, the recording reservation section 44 can make reservation registration for automatic recording.
• the user information management unit 59 enables input or change of user information (for example, user ID, password, name, address, and preference). By transmitting such information to the server system that provides the service, a list of recommended recorded programs according to the user can be distributed.
• user information for example, user ID, password, name, address, and preference.
• the user information registration unit 60 registers user information (for example, user ID, password, name, address, and preference) input by the user.
• the registered user information is transmitted to the server system via the user information management unit 59 and the communication unit 58.
• an entry or change of an entry of user information is made on an overnight basis in the server system.
• the EPG data for each broadcast program (content) is stored in the EPG database.
• each compressed content file is associated with each EPG data, for example, by content ID.
• various information is managed in the content status database 56 in association with the recorded content or the content reserved for recording by the content ID.
• the content age is used as an index for selecting the content to be deleted in the automatic deletion.
• the content age is recorded in the content status database 56, and is aged by the age management unit 57.
• this content age is a value calculated according to the elapsed time from the recording date and time of the content and the genre of the content. That is, the age management unit 57 uses the content state data base 56 For each content that has been recorded in step 6, the aging update process of the content age is performed sequentially, and this process is shown in Fig. 6.
• the age management unit 57 updates the age of each content that has been recorded in the content state database 56 by an algorithm as shown in FIG.
• the age management unit 57 inquires the content management unit 46 as a step F101 in the processing of FIG. 6 and searches for a category to which each content belongs.
• the age management unit 57 performs a content age update process on all content whose content status information is “recorded” in the content status database 56, but in step F101, the content is updated. Search for a category by specifying one of its contents. In this case, the content management unit 46 searches the EPG database based on the content ID, obtains genre information of the content, and notifies the age management unit 57 of the category (genre) of the content.
• the age management unit 57 holds an addition coefficient for aging processing for each category.
• Broadcast program categories include genres such as news, drama, variety sports, music, and movies. Coefficients for age addition are set according to these genres. For example, in a genre with high immediacy such as news, the importance of the content decreases as the date and time elapse. On the other hand, in music etc., the user repeatedly watched For example, music videos of the user's favorite taste do not become less important over time.
• a high coefficient value is set for two uses and a low coefficient value is set for music contents.
• the coefficient value for each genre may be set in advance, or the user can set or change the coefficient value, so that the user can lower the addition coefficient value for the genre that the user wants to save for as long as possible. It is suitable.
• step F102 the age management unit 57 extracts an addition coefficient value corresponding to the category of the content.
• step F103 the elapsed time from the date and time when the content age was last updated is calculated for the current date and time. That is, by referring to the information on the update date and time in the content state database 56, the elapsed time from the update date and time is calculated.
• step F104 the calculated elapsed time is multiplied by the extracted addition coefficient value to determine an age value to be added. Then, the age value to be added is added to the value of the content age recorded in the content state database 56 to obtain a new content age, and the content age value in the content state database 56 is calculated. Update. At this time, the update date and time information is also updated to the current time.
• step F105 it is determined whether or not the above content age update has been completed for all the content data recorded on the HDD 85, and if not completed, the process proceeds to step F101. Return to perform the aging process for the next content data.
• the process is started from step F105. Finish.
• the genre that the user wants to save for a long time and the genre that can be deleted quickly can be used to determine the age of the content. You can set the progress.
• the recording processing unit 45 stores the broadcast program in the recording reservation (recording reservation by user operation or automatic recording reservation) in the recording reservation unit 44 or the HDD 85 according to the manual recording operation by the user. To perform recording.
• the recording is performed, if the remaining recordable capacity of the HDD 85 is not sufficient, the content already recorded on the HDD 85 is also automatically deleted.
• the recording processing section 45 performs the processing shown in FIG. 7 when performing recording in accordance with reservation registration or operation.
• step F201 it is confirmed whether or not the storage capacity required for recording the current content is left in the HDD 85.
• HDD 85 if the storage capacity required for recording can be ensured, the process proceeds to step F204 to start the recording process.
• step F202 the contents that have been recorded in the content state database 56 are extracted, and among the recorded contents, the contents that are not prohibited from being deleted are extracted.
• Deletion prohibition management refers to managing content designated as deletion prohibition by adding deletion prohibition information in the content status database 56. The deletion prohibition management will be described later.
• step F202 when the content that has been recorded and is not subject to the deletion prohibition management is extracted, automatic deletion is executed in step F203.
• the content age is checked for all the extracted contents that are not subject to deletion prohibition management, and the contents are deleted from the HDD 85 in descending order of the content age until the storage capacity necessary for recording can be secured.
• the processing is repeated (step F203).
• the content with the oldest content is deleted, and the recordable capacity of the HDD 85 is checked in the deleted state, and it is determined whether or not the current recording is possible. If the space for recording can be secured, the automatic deletion is completed with this. If the space cannot be secured, the next-oldest content is deleted, and it is checked whether the space for recording has been secured again. Confirm. In this way, the content is automatically deleted in descending order of the content age, and the space for the current recording is secured.
• the recording processing unit 45 performs automatic deletion as needed, so that recording can always be executed.
• the user interface control section 52 presents the recorded content list created by the content table management section 47 to the user through the content list display section 48 as step F301, and prohibits deletion of the content. Let the user choose
• GUI graphical user interface
• the user interface control unit 52 When the user performs an input for designating the content whose deletion is to be prohibited, the user interface control unit 52 notifies the content management unit 46 of the input information. In step F302, the content management unit 46 determines whether or not the total amount of the content to be prohibited from being deleted exceeds the upper limit.
• the upper limit value for example, a certain percentage value with respect to the total capacity prepared for recording of the content data in the HDD 85, for example, 50% of the total capacity is set.
• the content management unit 46 can calculate the total capacity of the content that is already prohibited from deletion management by calculating the total capacity of the content that is currently prohibited from being deleted in the content state database 56. Therefore, the content capacity (data size) newly specified by the user this time is added to the total capacity, and it is determined whether or not the added capacity value exceeds the capacity value as the upper limit. I do.
• step F303 write the delete prohibition information in the content status database 56 for the content.
• step F304 the deletion prohibition management is disabled and the process proceeds to step F304. That is, the content management unit 46 notifies the user interface control unit 52 that deletion prohibition management is not possible, and the user interface control unit 52 issues a message to the user. A message is displayed to the effect that deletion can no longer be prohibited.
• the user can prevent the content that he does not want to be deleted from being automatically deleted by designating deletion prohibition as long as the content is within the upper limit. This is because, in step F202 of FIG. 7 described above, the content whose deletion prohibition has been managed is excluded from the subject of automatic deletion.
• the total capacity of content that is prohibited from being deleted is set to an upper limit, for example, 50% of the total capacity of HDD 85 for recording content.
• an upper limit for example, 50% of the total capacity of HDD 85 for recording content.
• the user can release the deletion prohibition for a certain content. For example, if the content that the user tried to prohibit deletion cannot be prohibited from being deleted in step F304 of FIG. 8 above, the user can delete the content that has already been managed for deletion prohibition. By selecting good content and canceling the deletion prohibition management, there is room for the upper limit, and it becomes possible to newly perform deletion prohibition management.
• the content age is based on the elapsed time from the recording date and time and the genre, but in some cases, the content that the user does not want to delete may be automatically deleted. For example, as described above, the content age of news and the like progresses earlier, but the user
• the content table management unit 47 the user interface control In part 52, the processing as shown in FIG. 9 is performed.
• steps F401 and F402 show processing for creating data of a recorded content list in the content table management unit 47. That is, in step F401, all content whose content status is "recorded" is extracted with reference to the content status database 56.
• step F402 the information recorded in the content status database 56 or the information recorded in the EPG database 43 is used to determine, for example, the program name and the like. Create list data including information such as broadcast date and time. This is transferred to the user interface control unit 52.
• step F403 the user interface control unit 52 checks the content age of the content listed in the list. For example the user interface control section 5 2 for age management unit 5 7, from t and the result to query content age of each Konten' listed in table, the higher content age order, some near point Tsu Sort out.
• step F404 a mark to be deleted is added on the list data for the selected one or more contents, that is, the contents having a high content age.
• step F405 the list data to which the mark to be deleted is added is output and displayed on the content list display section 48.
• the user can know the content that is likely to be deleted soon. If there is any content that is not to be deleted as the content that is scheduled to be deleted, it can be handled by, for example, inputting a deletion prohibition at that time.
• step F403 When extracting the contents to be deleted in step F403, if the number of contents to be deleted is set according to the recording reservation status, the remaining capacity of the HDD 85, etc., more accurate schedule information and Become.
• the capacity that requires automatic deletion is calculated from the current recordable capacity of the HDD 85 and the data size of the next scheduled recording content. Only the content that needs to be deleted in order to obtain the capacity should be automatically deleted.
• deletion prohibition management In addition to performing deletion prohibition management, those not subject to deletion prohibition management are automatically deleted based on the content age.
• the present invention can be realized as a recording / reproducing apparatus that employs one of these processes.
• a recording / reproducing device that performs content deletion prohibition management within the upper limit value range according to the user's deletion prohibition designation
• automatic deletion is performed based on, for example, only the recording date and time from those that are not deletion prohibition management. Conceivable.
• deletion prohibition is not specified and the content is managed according to the age of the content.
• all the content may reach the maximum age at one time, but for example, if the user does not want to be deleted, the age can be reset or the addition process can be canceled. It is also possible to do.
• the automatic deletion is performed if necessary when executing the recording.
• the execution timing of the automatic deletion may be variously considered. For example, when the capacity of the HDD 85 is reduced to a certain level or less, automatic deletion may be performed. Furthermore, a method is also conceivable in which automatic deletion is performed periodically or in response to a user operation, regardless of the HDD capacity or recording operation.
• the upper limit of the content capacity to be deleted-prohibited is set to, for example, 50% of the total recording capacity of the HDD 85, but this upper limit can be set in various ways. The user may be allowed to set the upper limit arbitrarily.
• necessary information is managed in association with the content status database 56 and the EPG database 43, but the database configuration is not limited to this. .
• EPG data, content status, deletion prohibition information, etc. may be recorded in the file of the content itself or in the management file of the content file.
• the present invention can be applied not only to recording of broadcast program contents but also to multimedia contents, that is, moving image, still image, sound, text, program, and other various data recording / reproducing devices.
• the digital satellite broadcast tuner is provided with a recording / reproducing unit.
• the content data recorded on the recording medium is prioritized in descending order of the age of the content that has been aged according to the elapsed time from the recording execution date and time and the genre.
• Automatically deleted For content such as broadcast programs, it can be distinguished to some extent whether it should be saved or deleted depending on the genre, so the elapsed time and the content age based on the genre are appropriate indicators for automatic deletion. Value, that is, there is an effect that appropriate automatic deletion can be executed.
• automatic deletion is necessary when necessary, as priority is given to deleting older content data based on the remaining recordable capacity of the recording medium and the capacity required for the content data to be recorded on the recording medium. Automatic deletion is performed by a certain amount.
• the user does not happen that the content required by the user is likely to be easily lost due to inappropriate or excessive automatic deletion.
• the schedule for automatic deletion based on the age of the content, and by outputting display data that includes a notification that the automatic deletion is scheduled, the user is notified of the possibility of automatic deletion. be able to. For example, if a user does not want to delete the content data that is scheduled to be automatically deleted, the user can take appropriate action by controlling the deletion of the content data.
• deletion prohibition management on content data recorded on a recording medium.
• the user can perform an operation input to instruct deletion prohibition on the content data that the user does not want to delete, and can manage deletion prohibition. Then, content data that is managed to be prohibited from being deleted is excluded from the subject of automatic deletion, so that automatic deletion of content data required by the user can be prevented. That is, automatic deletion that is inappropriate for the user is prevented.
• the content data is not deleted unintentionally by the user, but is automatically deleted based on the content age, so that optimal content management can be realized.
• an upper limit is set to prevent unnecessary deletion management of a large amount of content overnight, so that a recording area for automatic recording can be secured.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Management Or Editing Of Information On Record Carriers (AREA)
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• Information Retrieval, Db Structures And Fs Structures Therefor (AREA)
• Signal Processing For Digital Recording And Reproducing (AREA)

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• 2002
  • 2002-08-23 JP JP2002243192A patent/JP3979226B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2003
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  • 2003-08-20 US US10/493,190 patent/US7325094B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-08-20 WO PCT/JP2003/010524 patent/WO2004019212A1/ja not_active Ceased

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