Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing – Local trick play processing – With randomly accessible medium
Utility Patent
1998-01-05
2001-01-02
Nguyen, Huy (Department: 2715)
Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing
Local trick play processing
With randomly accessible medium
C386S349000
Utility Patent
active
06169844
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a program recording apparatus which is applicable, for example, to an optical disk apparatus for recording television broadcast programs. More particularly, the invention makes possible simultaneous recording of a plurality of programs in a simple and reliable manner by controlling the switching of data compression ratios of a plurality of sequences of input signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Television broadcasting is accomplished over many broadcast channels conveying a variety of programs to the viewers, each of whom may record such television broadcasts with a video cassette recorder so that he or she can watch the recorded programs some time after they are on the air.
In television broadcasting, however, a plurality of programs the viewer may wish to watch may be broadcast during the same hour or hours.
In such a case, it would be convenient for the viewer if the plurality of programs can be recorded with one recording apparatus. Conceivably, the plurality of programs can be recorded simultaneously by digitizing the received plurality of sequences of video and audio signals and multiplexing the digital signals.
However, if a plurality of programs are simply recorded at the same time, the data used for the recording will correspondingly increase to so enormous a volume that it may become impossible to record the plurality of programs completely, depending on the number of programs to be recorded and the duration of each.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been attempted in view of this problem, and is intended to propose a program recording apparatus capable of simultaneous recording of a plurality of programs in a simple and reliable manner.
In order to solve this problem, a program recording apparatus according to the invention is provided with data compressing means to supply input signals for a plurality of programs at a prescribed compression ratio for each program, multiplexing means for multiplexing the output data of these data compressing means, data recording means for recording the output data of the multiplexing means on a prescribed recording medium, and control means for controlling the switching of the respective data compression ratios of the data compressing means.
If, after the input signals for the plurality of programs are compressed at respectively prescribed compression ratios, they are multiplexed by the multiplexing means and the multiplexed signals are recorded on the prescribed recording medium, the plurality of programs can be recorded simultaneously. If, in this process, the control means controls the data compression ratios of the data compressing means, the plurality of desired programs can be reliably recorded as the data compression ratios are switched according to the transfer rate at which recording is possible and the unused capacity of the recording medium among other factors.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5065259 (1991-11-01), Kubota et al.
patent: 5187589 (1993-02-01), Kono et al.
patent: 5335116 (1994-08-01), Onishi et al.
patent: 5381275 (1995-01-01), Nitta et al.
patent: 5594598 (1997-01-01), Shikakura
Limbach & Limbach L.L.P.
Nguyen Huy
Oh Seong-Kun
Sony Corporation
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