Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Control of storage or retrieval operation by a control... – For copying
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-27
2003-05-06
Hindi, Nabil (Department: 2655)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Control of storage or retrieval operation by a control...
For copying
C369S084000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06560174
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information recording apparatus and information recording method, and more particularly relates to the apparatus and the method for recording record information, such as music information or the like, which is comprised of a plurality of information units and whose entire time length necessary for recording is longer than a recordable time length of an information recording medium, such as a MD or the like, on each of a plurality of information recording mediums.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cassette tape is a general medium as a conventional information recording medium used for recording and reproducing record information, such as music information or the like.
In case that record information having a long recording time or a plurality of record information is recorded, so called double cassette deck having two cassette decks is generally used.
On the other hand, in recent years, so called MD (Mini Disc) is be in widespread use as a recordable information recording medium for simple and easy use, as is the case with the cassette tape. In the MD, the record information is recorded by magneto optic recording, and has features of a compact and light weight. Further, the record information can be promptly searched at the time of reproduction. Moreover, an information reproducing device for reproducing the record information of the MD has a built-in memory so that dropout of sound is hardly occurred even if vibration is caused by external factors. In the MD, development of the function putting the features to good use continues to grow in demand.
Recently, the need for a system player including two recording/reproducing devices (hereinafter referred to decks), which can record the information on the MD and reproduce the information recorded on the MD, as is the case with the double cassette deck, is constantly increasing.
In the system player it is desirable that the recording and reproducing on the MD is performed by using the two decks effectively.
However, for example, in case that music information, etc. including a plurality of tunes is consecutively recorded on two MDs in the conventional MD system player, or a playing time of each tune is not accurately known as so called off-the-air (air check) recording in which the music information, etc. is obtained through airwave, it is necessary for a user to replace one MD with another MD and record the music information on the two MDs by a manual operation with the greatest care in order to prevent one tune from being divided and recorded consecutively on the two MDs. Accordingly, the conventional MD system player has problems of lacking of user-friendliness and of flexibility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information recording apparatus and an information recording method which can record the record information consecutively on a plurality of MDs by simple processing without a break halfway through a recording of one tune, even if the record information is the music information, etc. having the number of tunes that can not be recorded on one MD or having an entire time length necessary to record in which it can not be recorded on one MD.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by an information recording apparatus for recording record information, which is comprised of a plurality of information units and whose entire time length necessary for recording is longer than a recordable time length of an information recording medium, on a plurality of information recording mediums consecutively. The apparatus is provided with: a plurality of recording devices for recording each of the information units on each of a plurality of information recording mediums on the basis of a control signal; a recording control device for outputting the control signal to each of a plurality of recording devices so that the same information units are recorded on each of a plurality of information recording mediums concurrently; a free space setting device for outputting the control signal to each of a plurality of recording devices so that at least part of an area of one information recording medium where the same information units as those recorded on another information recording medium are recorded is set as a free space which can be overwritten with different information units; and an overwriting control device for outputting the control signal to each of a plurality of recording devices so that the free space is overwritten with rest of the information units which are not recorded on the one information recording medium because of no capacity.
According to the apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of recording devices records each of the information units on each of a plurality of information recording mediums on the basis of a control signal as follows. First, a recording control device outputs the control signal to each of a plurality of recording devices. As a result, the same information units are recorded on each of a plurality of information recording mediums concurrently. Next, a free space setting device outputs the control signal to each of a plurality of recording devices. As a result, at least part of an area of one information recording medium where the same information units as those recorded on another information recording medium are recorded is set as a free space which can be overwritten with different information units. Then, an overwriting control device outputs the control signal to each of a plurality of recording devices. As a result, the free space is overwritten with rest of the information units which are not recorded on the one information recording medium because of no capacity.
Therefore, according to the apparatus of the present invention, if an information unit is not recorded on one information recording medium because of no capacity, the rest of the information units including the information unit not recorded on the one information recording medium are recorded on the other information recording medium. Consequently, each of information units can be recorded on either information recording medium without a break halfway through a recording of each of information units.
Further, according to the apparatus of the present invention, the same information units are recorded on each of a plurality of information recording mediums concurrently. If one information recording medium becomes full, at least part of an area of the other information recording medium where the same information units are recorded is set as a free space. Then the free space is overwritten with rest of the information units which are not recorded on the one information recording medium. Consequently, the control processing of the apparatus can be more simplified than a control processing that a plurality of information units are consecutively recorded on the one information recording medium and at the same time a recording area of the other information recording medium is repeatedly overwritten with each of information unit comprised the same information units.
In one aspect of the information recording apparatus, a break point detecting device detects a break point of the last information unit which are being recorded on the one information recording medium before the one information recording medium becomes full. Then the overwriting control device outputs the control signal to each of a plurality of recording devices. As a result, the overwriting of the free space starts after the break point is detected by the detecting device.
Therefore, according to the apparatus, if one information recording medium becomes full halfway through a recording of one information unit, each of information units can be recorded on either information recording medium without a break halfway through a recording of each of information units.
In another aspect of the information recording apparatus, a duplicate unit detecting device detects the same information unit recorded on the one infor
Hindi Nabil
Pioneer Corporation
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