Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing – Local trick play processing – With randomly accessible medium
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-31
2002-08-27
Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2615)
Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing
Local trick play processing
With randomly accessible medium
C386S349000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06442327
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for recording digital video data. In addition, this invention relates to an apparatus for reproducing digital video data. Also, this invention relates to an apparatus for recording and reproducing digital video data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, traffic-condition monitoring systems, automatic-cash dispenser monitoring systems, and other monitoring systems include television cameras for converting scenes of interest into corresponding video signals. The video signals generated by the television cameras are recorded on suitable recording mediums such as magnetic tapes, magnetic discs, or magneto-optical discs.
In some monitoring systems, recording mediums are required to continuously record a video signal for 24 hours. Usual magnetic discs and magneto-optical discs have relatively-small recording capacities so that they are unsuited to such long-time continuously recording of video signals.
Japanese published unexamined patent application 8-237600 discloses a monitoring system in which an original video signal is deteriorated into a lower-data-rate video signal, and a hard disc drive (HDD) records the lower-data-rate video signal on a magnetic disc. The deterioration of the original video signal into the lower-data-rate video signal enables a longer recording time.
There are time-lapse VTR's (video tape recorders) which intermittently execute recording for 24 hours. It is known to use such a time-lapse VTR in recording a video signal generated by a monitoring system. In the time-lapse VTR, a search for a desired scene represented by the video signal on a magnetic tape tends to take a relatively long access time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for recording digital video data.
It is a second object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for reproducing digital video data.
It is a third object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for recording and reproducing digital video data.
A first aspect of this invention provides a digital data recording and reproducing apparatus comprising a first recording medium having a first recording capacity; a second recording medium having a second recording capacity greater than the first recording capacity; first means for recording an input digital video signal on the first recording medium as an inward-flow signal; second means for transferring the inward-flow signal from the first recording medium to the second recording medium each time an amount of the inward-flow signal on the first recording medium reaches a first predetermined amount; third means for transferring the digital video signal from the second recording medium to the first recording medium as an outward-flow signal; fourth means for reading out the outward-flow signal from the first recording medium as an output digital video signal; fifth means for, during a search, reading out the outward-flow signal from the first recording medium; sixth means for, during the search, monitoring an amount of the outward-flow signal on the first recording medium which has not yet been read out by the fifth means; and seventh means for, during the search, transferring the digital video signal from the second recording medium to the first recording medium when the amount monitored by the sixth means decreases to a second predetermined amount.
A second aspect of this invention provides a digital data reproducing apparatus comprising a first recording medium having a first recording capacity and storing a digital video signal; a second recording medium having a second recording capacity smaller than the first recording capacity; first means for transferring the digital video signal from the first recording medium to the second recording medium; second means for reading out the digital video signal from the second recording medium as an output digital video signal; third means for, during a search, reading out the digital video signal from the second recording medium; fourth means for, during the search, monitoring an amount of the digital video signal on the second recording medium which has not yet been read out by the third means; and fifth means for, during the search, transferring the digital video signal from the first recording medium to the second recording medium when the amount monitored by the fourth means decreases to a second predetermined amount.
A third aspect of this invention is based on the second aspect thereof, and provides a digital data reproducing apparatus wherein the fifth means comprises means for writing the digital video signal on the second recording medium on an overwrite basis.
A fourth aspect of this invention is based on the second aspect thereof, and provides a digital data reproducing apparatus wherein the second predetermined amount corresponds to about one third of a given recording area of the second recording medium.
A fifth aspect of this invention provides a digital data recording apparatus comprising a first recording medium having a first recording capacity; a second recording medium having a second recording capacity greater than the first recording capacity; first means for recording a digital video signal on the first recording medium; second means for detecting an amount of the digital video signal on the first recording medium; and third means for transferring the digital video signal from the first recording medium to the second recording medium each time the amount detected by the second means reaches a predetermined amount; wherein the recording of the digital signal on the first recording medium by the first means and the transfer of the digital video signal from the first recording medium by the third means are implemented on a time sharing basis.
A sixth aspect of this invention is based on the fifth aspect thereof, and provides a digital data recording apparatus further comprising a signal compressor for compressing an input video signal into a compression-resultant video signal, and for outputting the compression-resultant video signal to the first means as the digital video signal.
A seventh aspect of this invention is based on the sixth aspect thereof, and provides a digital data recording apparatus wherein a data rate related to the transfer of the digital video signal to the second recording medium by the third means is greater than a data rate related to the digital video signal outputted by the signal compressor.
An eighth aspect of this invention is based on the fifth aspect thereof, and provides a digital data recording apparatus wherein the second recording medium comprises a magnetic tape.
A ninth aspect of this invention provides a digital data recording and reproducing apparatus comprising a first recording medium having a first recording capacity; a second recording medium having a second recording capacity greater than the first recording capacity; first means for recording an input digital video signal on the first recording medium as an inward-flow signal; second means for transferring the inward-flow signal from the first recording medium to the second recording medium each time an amount of the inward-flow signal on the first recording medium reaches a predetermined amount; third means for transferring the digital video signal from the second recording medium to the first recording medium as an outward-flow signal; and fourth means for reading out the outward-flow signal from the first recording medium as an output digital video signal.
A tenth aspect of this invention is based on the ninth aspect thereof, and provides a digital data recording and reproducing apparatus wherein a data rate related to the transfer of the digital video signal to the second recording medium by the second means is greater than a data rate related to the input digital video signal.
An eleventh aspect of this invention is based on the ninth aspect thereof, and provides a digital data recording and reproducing apparatus further comprising fifth me
Akasaka Hironori
Kitamura Hiroyuki
Okauchi Takeshi
Suzuki Koji
Yamada Hiroshi
Chieu Po-lin
Garber Wendy R.
Israel Gopstein
Victor Company of Japan Ltd.
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