Apparatus and method for recording and reproducing data

Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing – Local trick play processing – With randomly accessible medium

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C386S349000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06233390

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for recording and reproducing video and sound for providing a “time-shift reproduction” function and a “time-shift fast-forward reproduction” function.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the popularization of satellite broadcasting, CATVs and the like has caused a considerable increase in the number of broadcasting channels. As a result, very frequently TV audiences want to watch several TV programs broadcasted in the same time period. Moreover, home-use video apparatuses have also been popularized. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a method for utilizing such apparatuses more efficiently.
FIG. 16
shows an exemplary conventional apparatus for recording and reproducing video and sound, in which a TV set is connected with a video cassette recorder (VCR).
Hereinafter, the respective components shown in
FIG. 16
will be described.
Broadcast receiving sections
1
and
2
receive a broadcast. Typically, the broadcast receiving section
1
is a tuner incorporated into a TV set, and the broadcast receiving section
2
is a tuner incorporated into a VCR.
A video/sound recording section
3
converts the video and the sound output from the broadcast receiving section
2
into a recording signal so as to record the recording signal on a magnetic tape. The magnetic tape is driven by a magnetic tape driving section
4
.
A video/sound reproducing section
5
converts the recording signal recorded on the magnetic tape, thereby reproducing the video and the sound. The video and the sound reproduced by the video/sound reproducing section
5
are supplied to a selective output section
6
.
The selective output section
6
selectively outputs one of the output from the broadcast receiving section
1
and the output from the video/sound reproducing section
5
. The selection in the selective output section
6
is manually determined by a user.
A video display section
7
displays the video selected by the selective output section
6
. A sound output section
8
outputs the sound selected by the selective output section
6
.
However, in order to reproduce a program now being recorded, a conventional apparatus having the above-described configuration is required to suspend the recording operation once, rewind the magnetic tape and then start the reproducing operation. Therefore, such an apparatus has the following problems.
(1) During recording of a program which is now being broadcasted, it is impossible to reproduce the program from the beginning while continuing recording of the program.
(2) In the case where watching and listening of a program now being broadcasted must be suspended, it is impossible to reproduce the program from the point at which watching and listening of the program was suspended while continuing recording of the program.
(3) In the case where watching and listening of a program now being broadcasted must be suspended, it is impossible to fast-forward reproduce the program from the point at which watching and listening of the program was suspended while continuing recording of the program.
In addition, it is impossible for a conventional apparatus to simultaneously record a plurality of programs on one and the same magnetic tape. Therefore, in order to simultaneously record a plurality of programs, it has been necessary to provide the same number of recording and reproducing apparatuses as the number of programs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for recording and reproducing data is provided. The apparatus includes: receiving means for receiving input data; recording means for recording the input data on a recording medium; managing means for managing information indicating a position of the input data recorded on the recording medium; reproducing means for reproducing the data recorded on the recording medium, based on the information managed by the managing means during recording of the input data on the recording medium; and selective output means for selectively outputting at least one of the input data and the data reproduced by the reproducing means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for recording and reproducing data of a plurality of channels is provided. The apparatus includes: receiving means for receiving input data of a N number of channels; first selection means for selecting a M number of channels among the N number of channels; recording means for recording on a recording medium the input data of the M number of channels selected by the first selection means; managing means for managing information indicating a position of the input data of the M number of channels recorded on the recording medium; second selection means for selecting a P number of channels among a plurality of channels recorded on the recording medium; reproducing means for reproducing the data of the P number of channels selected by the second selection means among the plurality of channels recorded on the recording medium, based on the information managed by the managing means, during recording of the input data of the M number of channels on the recording medium; and selective output means for selectively outputting at least one of the input data of the N number of channels and the data of the P number of channels reproduced by the reproducing means, where N, M and P are positive integers and N≧M.
In one embodiment, the apparatus further includes compression means for compressing the input data and expansion means for expanding the data reproduced by the reproducing means.
In another embodiment, the selective output means includes means for applying a priority order to each of the input data and the reproduced data, and the apparatus further includes display means for displaying an output from the selective output means in a predetermined mode, the predetermined mode being changed in accordance with the priority order.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for recording and reproducing data is provided. The apparatus includes: receiving means for receiving input data; time code generating means for generating a time code and applying the time code to the input data; thin-out means for thinning out the input data with the time code at a predetermined ratio; recording means for recording on a recording medium the input data with the time code which have been thinned out by the thin-out means; managing means for managing information indicating a position of the input data with the time code recorded on the recording medium; reproducing means for reproducing the data with the time code recorded on the recording medium, based on the information managed by the managing means, during recording of the input data with the time code on the recording medium; comparing means for comparing the time code of the input data with the time code of the data reproduced by the reproducing means; and selective output means for selectively outputting at least one of the input data and the data reproduced by the reproducing means based on a comparison result obtained by the comparing means.
In one embodiment, the apparatus further includes compression means for compressing the input data with the time code which have been thinned out by the thin-out means and expansion means for expanding the data with the time code which have been reproduced by the reproducing means.
In another embodiment, the selective output means includes means for applying a priority order to each of the input data with the time code and the reproduced data with the time code, and the apparatus further includes display means for displaying an output from the selective output means in a predetermined mode, the predetermined mode being changed in accordance with the priority order.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for recording and reproducing data is provided. The apparatus includes: receiving means for receiving input data; time code generating

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