WO2021235489A1 - Video recording device and video recording method - Google Patents

Abstract

A video recording device (1) stores video data in a storage region formed in a storage medium (3). A storage control unit (41) stores video files containing the video data by overwriting the video files onto a plurality of recording files which are stored in each of a predetermined plurality of data regions. By referring to address information indicating the locations of the plurality of data regions in the storage region, a determination unit (42) determines whether the recording files exist in each of the plurality of data regions. A generation unit (43) regenerates new recording-use files and stores them in the data region where it has been determined by the determination unit that the recording files do not exist.

Description

Recording device and recording method Cross-reference of related applications

This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-089924 filed with the Japan Patent Office on May 22, 2020, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-089924. The entire contents are incorporated in this international application by reference.

This disclosure relates to a recording device that controls the storage of video data taken by a camera.

When data is repeatedly written and deleted on a storage medium such as an SD card (registered trademark), a small free area gradually increases in the storage area. Then, when a large file is saved, the data divided little by little is stored in a scattered manner over a plurality of areas, and the file becomes fragmented. As a result, performance degradation such as a decrease in data writing / reading speed occurs.

There is a problem that fragmentation is likely to occur in a recording device such as a drive recorder in which data is frequently stored. In the following Patent Document 1, by dividing the storage area of the memory card to secure a plurality of areas for recording video data, it is possible to suppress securing the writing area each time data is written and fragment the data. A technique has been proposed to suppress the problem.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-134526

The technique of Patent Document 1 avoids fragmentation by preparing a file for video recording in advance and overwriting the data area in which the file is stored. However, as a result of detailed examination by the inventor, in the technique of Patent Document 1, when a user manually deletes a data file on a memory card using an external device such as a PC, a data area prepared in advance by a drive recorder is used. Can no longer be recognized. As a result, it has been found that the area that can be used for storing video data is reduced.

One aspect of the present disclosure is preferably that the decrease in the pre-allocated storage area can be suppressed even if the file is manually deleted by the user.

One aspect of the present disclosure is a recording device that stores video data in a storage area configured as a storage medium, and includes a storage control unit, a determination unit, and a generation unit. The storage control unit is configured to store the video file by overwriting the video file containing the video data on the plurality of recording files stored in each of the predetermined plurality of data areas. The determination unit is configured to determine whether or not a recording file exists in each of the plurality of data areas by referring to the address information indicating the positions of the plurality of data areas in the storage area. The generation unit is configured to generate and store a new recording file in the data area where the determination unit determines that the recording file does not exist.

According to such a configuration, if the recording file does not exist in any one or more data areas, the recording file is generated and stored in the data area. That is, the recording file secures a storage area for storing the video file. Then, for example, even if the recording file is deleted by the user using an external personal computer or the like, a new recording file is generated in the one or more data areas. The video file can be stored. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the storage area allocated in advance for storing the video file from being reduced.

In the above-mentioned recording device, the recording file may include a video file showing video data and a dummy file generated by the generation unit. According to such a configuration, the video file can be stored in the data area where the video file or the dummy file exists.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is a recording method for storing video data in a storage area configured as a storage medium, with reference to address information indicating the position of each of a plurality of predetermined data areas in the storage area. , Determines if a recording file exists in each of the plurality of data areas. A new recording file is generated and stored in the data area where it is determined that the recording file does not exist. The video file is stored by overwriting the video file containing the video data on the plurality of recording files stored in each of the plurality of data areas.

According to such a method, similarly to the recording device of one aspect of the present disclosure described above, even if the recording file is deleted, a new recording file is generated and stored, so that the video file is stored. It is possible to prevent the storage area allocated in advance from being reduced.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a drive recorder. It is a figure explaining the outline of the storage control of a video file. It is a figure explaining the division of a storage area. This is an example of a file management table. It is a flowchart of a data area allocation process.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[1. Embodiment]
[1-1. composition]
The drive recorder 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that stores video data shot by a shooting device in a storage area configured in a memory card 3. This drive recorder 1 corresponds to a recording device. The memory card 3 is a storage device configured to be detachably attached to the drive recorder 1, and may include, for example, a flash memory.

The drive recorder 1 includes a control unit 11. The drive recorder 1 includes a memory card interface 12, a G sensor 21, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 22, a camera 23, a volatile memory 24, a non-volatile memory 25, a display 26, an LED lamp 27, a speaker 28, and a microphone. 29 and an operation button 30 may be provided.

The control unit 11 controls the drive recorder 1 in an integrated manner. The control unit 11 includes a microcomputer having a CPU 11a and a semiconductor memory (hereinafter, memory 11b) such as RAM or ROM. Each function of the control unit 11 is realized by the CPU 11a executing a program stored in the non-transitional substantive storage medium. In this example, the memory 11b corresponds to a non-transitional substantive storage medium in which the program is stored. In addition, when this program is executed, the method corresponding to the program is executed. The CPU 11a may be provided with one microcomputer or may be provided with a plurality of microcomputers. Details of the control by the control unit 11 will be described later.

The memory card interface 12 includes an integrated circuit that controls the memory card 3 inserted in the memory card slot 12a. The control unit 11 writes data to the memory card 3, reads data from the memory card 3, formats the memory card 3, and the like via the memory card interface 12.

The G sensor 21 detects an external impact on a vehicle equipped with the drive recorder 1. The G sensor 21 outputs an impact detection signal when it detects an external impact having a size equal to or larger than a predetermined value. The impact detection signal output by the G sensor 21 is sent to the control unit 11.

The GPS receiver 22 receives a GPS signal from a GPS satellite. The GPS signal received by the GPS receiver 22 is sent to the control unit 11. The control unit 11 acquires the current position and the current time of the vehicle based on the GPS signal.

The camera 23 photographs the surroundings of the drive recorder 1. The video data captured by the camera 23 is sent to the control unit 11. The volatile memory 24 is a cache memory that temporarily stores video data captured by the camera 23. The non-volatile memory 25 stores address information described later.

The display 26 displays an image taken by the camera 23, a setting screen of the drive recorder 1, a notification image showing a guide, an alarm, or the like. The LED lamp 27 emits, for example, red light indicating a guide, an alarm, or the like. The speaker 28 outputs a notification voice indicating a guide or an alarm, and an operation sound of the operation button 30. The microphone 29 collects the sound in the vehicle interior in which the drive recorder 1 is mounted. The operation button 30 is one or more buttons for the user to operate the operation of the drive recorder 1.

The control unit 11 includes a memory control unit 41, a determination unit 42, and a generation unit 43 as functional units executed by the program.

The storage control unit 41 stores the video file containing the video data in the storage area configured in the memory card 3. The outline of the storage control of the video file by the storage control unit 41 will be described with reference to FIG.

Among the storage areas configured in the memory card 3, video memory area 61 for storing the image file, previously divided into N data area (i.e., area R _1, R 2 _... R N in FIG. ₂₎ to Has been done. Hereinafter, when these plurality of regions are described, when they are not distinguished from each other, they are simply referred to as region R. The video data acquired from the camera 23 and the audio data collected from the microphone 29 are sequentially stored in the above-mentioned area R as a video file. One video file has a size smaller than the size of the area R, and may be, for example, a file having a predetermined file size or a file containing video data having a predetermined shooting time.

A recording file is stored in this area R. The recording file may include a video file and a dummy file. In other words, the recording file may be either a video file or a dummy file. The dummy file is a file generated by the generation unit 43. The video file to be newly stored is stored in the area R by overwriting the recording file. The order of the areas R in which the video files are newly stored is predetermined. For example, the i-th video file may be overwritten in the _{area R i and stored in the order of the time in which the video files were shot.} Specifically, files generated in one second is stored in the area R _1, generated file into two eyes is stored in the area R _2, files generated to the N th area R _N Is remembered in. The files generated after the N + 1th file are overwritten in order from the area R in which the old file is stored. That, N + 1 th in the generated file is stored in the area R _1, N + 2 th to the generated file is stored in the area R _2.

In this way, the storage control unit 41 overwrites the plurality of recording files stored in each of the predetermined plurality of data areas with the video file containing the newly acquired video data. That is, the storage control unit 41 stores the newly acquired video file in the memory card 3 by overwriting the video file shot in the past and the dummy file generated by the generation unit 43.

The memory control unit 41 may, for example, constantly store the image captured by the camera 23 in the memory card 3. Further, the storage control unit 41 may store images before and after the event occurrence, including images at the time of the event occurrence triggered by the impact detection signal output by the G sensor 21. Further, the control unit 11 may add position information to the created video data after positioning the current position of the vehicle equipped with the drive recorder 1 based on the signal from the GPS receiver 22.

The determination unit 42 is configured to determine whether or not the above-mentioned recording file exists in each of the plurality of data areas. The determination unit 42 acquires the position of the recording file, that is, the position of a plurality of data areas in the storage area configured by the memory card 3 with reference to the address information. The details of the address information will be described later.

The generation unit 43 is configured to newly generate and store a dummy file, which is one of the recording files, in the data area determined by the determination unit 42 that the recording file does not exist. The dummy file may be distinguished from the video file by setting, for example, an extension such as ".tpm". The dummy file may be a newly rewritten file. That is, the newly created data is stored so as to erase the contents of the previously stored file.

After the dummy file is created at the time of initial setting, the video file is usually stored in the area R. The case where the recording file does not exist is, for example, the case where the user manually deletes the video file.

[1-2. process]
<Processing at the time of initial setting>
In the initial setting, the control unit 11 formats the memory card 3 as shown below. The initial setting is started, for example, when the drive recorder 1 is started with the memory card 3 used for the first time in the drive recorder 1 inserted in the memory card slot 12a.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, the CPU 11a divides the video storage area 61 configured in the memory card 3 into a plurality of data areas. For example, it may be divided into N data area from the region R ₁ to the region R _N. The data area referred to here means a group of areas whose positions are not separated, such as a continuous cluster. The file system used in the memory card 3 is not particularly limited. The start position of each data region _{R i} is a "startAddress data area Ri", the end position is "endAddress data area Ri". A recording file is stored in the divided data area. For example, a dummy file is generated and stored in the data area.

For each data area R _i, information of the start and end positions is an address information indicating the position of the data area. The address information obtained by the above-mentioned division is stored as a file management table. The address information may be stored by a method other than the file management table.

In the example of the file management table shown in FIG. 4, information on the file name, the start position, and the end position is stored. The file name, for example, may be set as "recording file i" for a file to be stored in the area R _i. That is, the start position and the end position of the plurality of data areas are stored in association with the file name of the recording file stored in the data area. In other words, the address information is information that associates the start position and the end position of the plurality of data areas with the file name of the recording file stored in the data area. Here, the extension ".avi" or ".tpp" may be added to the file name. By adding the extension in this way, it is possible to determine whether the file is a video file or a dummy file based on the extension.

It should be noted that the start position and the end position do not necessarily have to store both the start position and the end position in each data area if the position of the data area can be specified. For example, if a data area _{R i} and a data area _{R i + 1} are continuously arranged, "endAddress data area Ri" is because it can identify the "startAddress data area R (i + 1)" can be omitted.

The storage destination of the file management table may be the non-volatile memory 25, or may be an area other than the video storage area 61 allocated to the video file in the storage area configured by the memory card 3. In this embodiment, as an example, both are stored.

<Processing at startup>
Next, the data area allocation process executed by the CPU 11a will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in S1, the CPU 11a starts a loop of processing of S2-S5, which will be described later. The loop is executed until the variable i whose initial value is 1 reaches the closing value N. The variable i is incremented by 1 each time S5 ends.

In S2, the CPU 11a acquires information on the start position and end position of the recording file i from the file management table.

In S3, CPU 11a, the data area to the end position from the starting position of the recording file i acquired in S2 (i.e., the region _{R i)} acquires the status of the files in the.

In S4, the CPU 11a determines whether or not the corresponding file exists. For example, it is determined whether or not the “recording file i” is stored in _{the area R i.} If the corresponding file exists, the process shifts to S6. On the other hand, if it is determined in S4 that the corresponding file does not exist, the process shifts to S5. The case where the corresponding file does not exist is, for example, a case where the user connects the memory card 3 to another computer or the like and deletes one or more recording files. It should be noted that, for example, when the video file is deleted as a function of the drive recorder 1 by using the operation button 30, it may be configured to generate a dummy file at the same time.

In S5, CPU 11a, at the data area _{R i} to the end position from the starting position of the recording file i, creating a dummy file. For example, a dummy file with an extension indicating that the file is not a video file may be created, such as "recording file i.tpp". In the present embodiment, after actually rewrite the information stored in the area R _i, creating a dummy file. After this S6, the process shifts to S6.

In S6, if i <N, 1 is added to i and the process returns to S2. Further, in S6, if i = N, that is, if the recording file i exists in all the areas i, this process is terminated.

[1-3. effect]
According to the embodiment described in detail above, the following effects are obtained.

(1a) drive recorder 1 is configured to store the image file over the region R _i where video file or the dummy file exists. Further, it is determined whether the files into a plurality of regions R _i (i.e. recording file) exists. If the recording file does not exist in the _{area R i} , a dummy file is generated and stored in the _{area R i.} Therefore, for example, even if the video file is deleted by the user, by generating a dummy file based on the address information, the video file can be stored in the data area in which the file is stored. In this way, in the drive recorder 1, even if the recording file is lost, the data area can be used for storing the video file, so that the area allocated in advance for storing the video file is reduced. It can be suppressed from being stored.

(1b) The drive recorder 1 creates a dummy file that is not a video file as a recording file. Therefore, it is possible to suppress that the file deleted by the user can be viewed again. The dummy file is created by newly rewriting the data stored in the data area. Therefore, it is possible to suppress viewing of a more highly deleted video file.

(1c) In the drive recorder 1, a file management table showing address information is stored in both the memory card 3 and the non-volatile memory 25. Therefore, even if one of the file management tables is lost, it can operate without any problem. Further, the address information stored in each of the memory card 3 and the non-volatile memory 25 is synchronized when the drive recorder 1 is started or when the memory card 3 is replaced, so that the synchronization pace of the memory card 3 can be reduced. , The processing load of the control unit 11 can be reduced.

[2. Other embodiments]
Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be variously modified and implemented.

(2a) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which a file management table including address information is stored in both the memory card 3 and the non-volatile memory 25 is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the address information may be stored only in the non-volatile memory 25. With this configuration, since the memory is inside the drive recorder 1, the access speed is high, and as a result, the processing speed when updating the address information is high. Further, the rewriting load of the memory card 3 can be reduced. Further, for example, the address information may be stored only in the memory card 3. With this configuration, it is not necessary for the drive recorder 1 to hold information for identifying the memory card 3. The address information may be stored in the cloud.

(2b) When a file other than the recording file is found in S3 of FIG. 2, for example, the data area may be configured so as not to be used for storing a video file.

(2c) In S5 of FIG. 2, a configuration in which a dummy file is generated and stored is illustrated. However, the file stored in the data area in S5 is not particularly limited as long as it is a file of the type set as a recording file and is a file other than a video file.

(2d) The specific configuration of the dummy file is not particularly limited. The dummy file may be a file that does not contain any special information. Further, when a dummy file is generated and stored in the deleted data area, the data may not be rewritten. In other words, the dummy file may be generated in a state where the deleted file may be restored.

(2e) The control unit 11 and methods thereof described in the present disclosure are dedicated provided by configuring a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied by a computer program. It may be realized by a computer. Alternatively, the control unit 11 and its method described in the present disclosure may be realized by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor with one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the control unit 11 and its method described in the present disclosure are a combination of a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions and a processor configured by one or more hardware logic circuits. It may be realized by one or more dedicated computers configured by. The computer program may also be stored in a computer-readable non-transitional tangible storage medium as an instruction executed by the computer.

(2f) A plurality of functions possessed by one component in the above embodiment may be realized by a plurality of components, or one function possessed by one component may be realized by a plurality of components. .. Further, a plurality of functions possessed by the plurality of components may be realized by one component, or one function realized by the plurality of components may be realized by one component. Further, a part of the configuration of the above embodiment may be omitted. Further, at least a part of the configuration of the above embodiment may be added or replaced with the configuration of the other above embodiment.

(2g) In addition to the drive recorder 1 described above, a system having a control unit 11 as a component, a program for operating a computer as the control unit 11, a non-transitional substantive storage medium such as a semiconductor memory storing this program, and the like. The present disclosure can also be realized in various forms such as a recording control method.

Claims (8)

1. A recording device (1) that stores video data in a storage area configured in the storage medium (3).
   A storage control unit (41) configured to store a video file by overwriting a video file containing video data on a plurality of recording files stored in each of a plurality of predetermined data areas.
   A determination unit (42) configured to determine whether or not a recording file exists in each of the plurality of data areas with reference to address information indicating the positions of the plurality of data areas in the storage area. When,
   A recording device including a generation unit (43) configured to generate and store a new recording file in the data area where the determination unit determines that the recording file does not exist.
2. The recording device according to claim 1.
   The generation unit is a recording device that generates a file other than a video file as the recording file.
3. The recording device according to claim 2.
   The generation unit is a recording device that generates a newly rewritten file as the recording file.
4. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
   The address information is stored in the storage medium or the non-volatile memory of the recording device, the recording device.
5. The recording device according to claim 4.
   The address information is stored in the storage medium and the non-volatile memory of the recording device, the recording device.
6. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
   The address information is information that associates a start position and an end position of the plurality of data areas with a file name of the recording file stored in the data area.
7. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
   The recording file is a recording device including a video file showing video data and a dummy file generated by the generation unit.
8. A recording method for storing video data in a storage area configured in the storage medium (3).
   With reference to the address information indicating the position of each of the predetermined plurality of data areas in the storage area, it is determined whether or not there is a recording file in each of the plurality of data areas.
   A new recording file is generated and stored in the data area where it is determined that the recording file does not exist.
   A recording method in which a video file is stored by overwriting a video file containing video data on a plurality of recording files stored in each of the plurality of data areas.

Images