JP2006195632A - Record reproduction device, management information control method thereof, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a record reproduction device, capable of reproducing a readable image file or voice file, even if the file is present in a storage medium but not entered in a management file recording management information, a management information control method therefor and a program. <P>SOLUTION: An image record reproduction part 214 comprises a storage medium 205 recording image data, a microcomputer 206 including a file management part 214 and controlling the whole body of the image record reproduction part 213, and an external I/F 212 connectable to a personal computer 216 connectable to the image record reproduction part 213 through a USB cable. In a case that files with file information present on a file system 217 include an unentered file, and this file is reproducible by a display 209 when disconnection of the USB cable is detected, the file management part 214 enters this file to the management file 215. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording / reproducing apparatus, a management information control method thereof, and a program, and more particularly, to use management information for an image file or an audio file on a medium that can be reproduced by a reproducing apparatus capable of detaching a randomly accessible recording medium. The present invention relates to a recording / reproducing apparatus to be managed, a management information control method thereof, and a program.

  Conventionally, various recording / reproducing apparatuses for recording image and audio information on a recording medium such as a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, and a memory card and reproducing the image and audio information on the recording medium have been proposed.

  In these recording / playback apparatuses, a management file for recording management information for managing the image file or audio information recorded on the recording medium in order to improve the convenience of management of the image file or audio information on the recording medium. Has been proposed. For example, if the image information on the recording medium is a moving image, the relationship between the actual moving image file and the thumbnail image, the compression format and bit rate of the moving image, or a moving image file that should be played continuously during playback And the relationship between the video files and the order of the video files are information managed by the management file. In such a recording / reproducing apparatus, information on a recording medium is collectively managed based on image file or audio file information entered in the management file.

  Furthermore, these recording / playback apparatuses have only a playback application that controls only the playback of image or audio information using a management file in the recording medium, and newly add image or audio information to the recording medium. A general-purpose application that performs control, or a dedicated application that performs control for entering the added image or audio information in a management file after the image or audio information is added to the recording medium is an interface (for example, USB (Universal Serial Bus)) ) Through a personal computer connected to the recording / reproducing apparatus.

In this case, if the computer is adding new image or audio information to the recording medium using a general-purpose application, the interface is disconnected and the image or audio information cannot be sent or received normally. Has been proposed to restore the image or sound information in the recording medium to the state before the information is added by the personal computer (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-229829 A

  However, the management file format for improving the convenience of management has not been unified, and the management file format differs depending on the manufacturer and model of the recording / reproducing apparatus. Therefore, an image or audio file is recorded on the recording medium by the recording / reproducing apparatus A that manages the image file or audio information on the recording medium using a certain management file format, and the recording file is recorded on the recording medium using a different management file format. When the recording / reproducing apparatus B that manages the image file or audio information of the recording medium reproduces the image or audio file on the recording medium, the image or audio recorded by the recording / reproducing apparatus A on the management file for the recording / reproducing apparatus B Since the file is not entered, there is a problem that even if the file can be played back by the recording / playback apparatus B, it cannot be selected as a playback target (FIG. 4).

  In addition, in the recording / reproducing apparatus connected to the personal computer via the above-described interface, the addition of a new image or audio information to the recording medium by the general-purpose application has been completed. If the interface is disconnected before the audio information is entered, the image or audio information that can be played back by the recording / playback device has been added to the recording medium, but saved in the recording medium without being entered in the management file Therefore, there is a problem that the image or audio information cannot be reproduced (FIG. 5).

  An object of the present invention is to read an image file or an audio file that is not entered in the management file for recording management information even though there is a readable image file or audio file on the recording medium. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording / reproducing apparatus capable of reproducing an audio file, a management information control method thereof, and a program.

  In order to achieve the above object, a recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1 includes a recording / reproducing unit for recording / reproducing an image file or an audio file on a recording medium, and a management indicating a file state of the recorded image file or audio file. Based on the information, the management means for controlling the recording / reproducing operation of the image file or the audio file with respect to the recording medium, and the file status of the reproducible file among the image file or the audio file recorded on the recording medium is acquired. Acquisition means, and the management means detects a difference between the file state of the image file or the audio file on the recording medium based on the management information and the file state acquired by the acquisition means, and based on the difference And updating the contents of the management information.

  The management information control method according to claim 9 is a recording / reproducing unit for recording / reproducing an image file or an audio file on a recording medium, and a file status of the recorded image file or audio file based on the management information. Management of a recording / reproducing apparatus comprising management means for controlling the recording / reproducing operation of the image file or the audio file, and an obtaining step for acquiring a reproducible file state of the image file or the audio file recorded on the recording medium In the information control method, the management unit detects a difference between the file state of the image file or the audio file on the recording medium based on the management information and the file state acquired by the acquisition unit, and based on the difference And updating the contents of the management information.

  11. The program according to claim 10, wherein recording / reproducing means for recording / reproducing an image file or an audio file on a recording medium, and the image file for the recording medium based on management information on a file state of the recorded image file or audio file. Alternatively, a management information control method for a recording / reproducing apparatus, comprising: management means for controlling a recording / reproducing operation of an audio file; and an acquisition step for obtaining a reproducible file state of the image file or the audio file recorded on the recording medium. The management means detects a difference between the file state of the image file or the audio file on the recording medium based on the management information and the file state acquired by the acquisition means. The content of the management information is updated based on the difference To.

  According to the present invention, a difference between a file state of an image file or an audio file on a recording medium based on management information and a file state of a reproducible file among image files or audio files recorded on the recording medium is detected. However, since the contents of the management information are updated based on this difference, the file is included in the management file for recording the management information even though there is a readable image file or audio file on the recording medium. If no entry is made, the image file or audio file can be played.

  Preferably, when it is detected that at least a part of the image file or the audio file is deleted from the recording medium based on the detected difference, information related to the deleted file is deleted from the management information. When there is a file that is entered in the management file for recording management information but is not actually present on the recording medium, all the reproducible files stored on the recording medium are played based on the management information. The operation can be performed normally.

  Preferably, when it is detected that a new image file or audio file has been added to the recording medium based on the detected difference, information related to the added file is added to the management information. When there is a file that is not entered in the management file for recording the management information but actually exists in the recording medium, all the reproducible files stored in the recording medium are played back based on the management information. Can be done normally.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of an image recording / reproducing unit as a recording / reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, an image recording / playback unit 213 is connected to a video camera 201 that captures an image of a subject 200, and records and plays back image data output from the video camera 201.

  The image recording / playback unit 213 according to the present embodiment is connected to the external video camera 201, but the entire system may be a video camera recorder by incorporating the video camera.

  The image recording / reproducing unit 213 includes a magneto-optical disk such as a memory card or an optical disk, and a recording medium 205 that records image data, and a display 209 (reproducing the image data recorded on the recording medium 205 and displaying a user interface). Reproducing means), a microcomputer 206 having an internal file management unit 214 for controlling the entire image recording / reproducing unit 213, and an image signal from the video camera 201 is compressed and recorded at a compression rate and timing instructed by the microcomputer 206. A compression / decompression unit 202 that expands / contracts image data from the medium 205 into an image signal, and a switch 210 that switches whether an image signal transmitted to the display 209 is a signal from the video camera 201 or a signal from the compression / decompression unit 202; , And any image signal switched and input by the switch 210 An adder circuit 211 that adds instructions from the computer 206, a recording medium I / F 204 that is an interface for connecting the recording medium 205 to the image recording / reproducing unit 213, a personal computer 216 that can be connected to the image recording / reproducing unit 213, and a USB cable. Can be connected via an external I / F 212 (external connection means) with a built-in USB controller, a program memory 207 for storing a control program executed by the microcomputer 206, and a user input based on the display on the display 209 to the microcomputer 206. An operation key 208 for transmission and an image memory 203 for temporarily storing image signals handled by the video camera 201 are provided. Here, the recording medium I / F 204 (recording / reproducing means) does not include only a mechanism for physically mounting the recording medium 205, but actually records / reproduces data to / from the recording medium 205. A microcomputer 206 controls the recording medium I / F 204 to read / write image data recorded on the recording medium 205.

  In addition to the image data, the recording medium 205 stores a management file 215 for storing management information including information related to a management number, a storage position, a file size, a compression format, a bit rate, and the like of a file for storing the image data. A file system 217 that stores information (hereinafter referred to as “file information”) related to a file that stores image data so as to be readable by the application is recorded. The file management unit 214 (management unit) of the microcomputer 206 generates management information in a predetermined file management format (for example, UDF (Universal Disk Format)) when the image data is recorded on the recording medium 205, and generates the management information. The management information of the management file 215 of the recording medium 205 is updated with the management information thus recorded (hereinafter referred to as entry of the file into the management file 215), thereby managing the image data on the recording medium 205.

  When the recording medium 205 does not have the management file 215 having the predetermined file management format described above, the file management unit 214 first generates the management file 215 in the recording medium 205.

  The image recording / reproducing unit 213 having the above-described configuration records image data on the recording medium 205 in the following procedure.

  First, an image signal of the subject 200 photographed by the video camera 201 is input to the addition circuit 211 through the switch 210 and also to the compression / decompression unit 202. The compression / decompression unit 202 compresses the input image signal at the compression rate and timing instructed from the microcomputer 206 to create image data. Thereafter, the image data is transmitted to the recording medium 205 via the recording medium I / F 204 and recorded in the recording medium 205. At this time, the file management unit 214 enters the additionally recorded image data file into the management file 215 of the recording medium 205.

  The image recording / reproducing unit 213 reproduces the recorded image recorded on the recording medium 205 by the above-described procedure according to the following procedure.

  First, the recording medium I / F 204 detects whether or not the recording medium 205 is attached to the image recording / reproducing unit 213. As a result of the detection, when the recording medium 205 is attached to the image recording / reproducing unit 213, the recording medium I / F 204 notifies the microcomputer 206 of the fact. After that, the file management unit 214 in the microcomputer 206 updates the management information in the management file 215 by the information update process in FIG. 2 described later, and then reads the management information and stores it on the recording medium 205 to the display 209. It is confirmed whether there is image data that can be reproduced. When it is confirmed that there is reproducible image data based on the management information read by the file management unit 214, this reproducible image data list is displayed on the display 209 so as to be user selectable. When the user selects image data from the list displayed on the display 209 with the operation key 208, the file management unit 214 acquires the storage position and the compression format of the image data selected by the user from the read management information. .

  Thereafter, the file management unit 214 acquires the image data at the acquired storage position from the recording medium 205 and inputs the acquired image data to the compression / decompression unit 202. The input image data is decompressed by the compression / decompression unit 202 and then reproduced on the display 209 via the switch 210. After that, when there is a user instruction to delete the displayed image with the operation key 208, the file management unit 214 deletes the image data with the user instruction from the recording medium 205 and at the same time, deletes the image data. The management information of the image data is deleted from the management information of the management file 215.

  Next, the operation of the image recording / reproducing unit 213 when the personal computer 216 connected to the external I / F 212 via the USB cable adds image data to the recording medium 205 attached to the image recording / reproducing unit 213 will be described. . Here, the connection class at the time of USB connection with the personal computer 216 via the external I / F 212 is a mass storage class, and information on this connection class is installed in the microcomputer 206.

  First, the external I / F 212 detects whether or not the personal computer 216 is attached to the image recording / playback unit 213 via a USB cable. When the personal computer 216 is attached to the image recording / reproducing unit 213 as a result of the detection, the external I / F 212 notifies the microcomputer 206 of the fact. Thereafter, the file management unit 214 in the microcomputer 206 performs a negotiation operation using the external I / F 212 and the program memory 207. This negotiation operation is performed based on descriptor information used for negotiation described in Universal Serial Bus Specification and Universal Serial Bus Mass Storage Class Bulk-Only Transport.

  After the negotiation, the personal computer 216 functions as a USB host, and the UDF (Universal Disk Format), which is a file system on the personal computer 216 side, manages overall control of the recording medium 205, and the image recording / playback unit 213 from the personal computer 216. The image data is transferred to the recording medium 205 from the personal computer 216 as a write operation. Specifically, a general-purpose application on the personal computer 216 side drives the USB driver of the personal computer 216 to issue a data write command, and this write command to the external I / F 212 via the USB cable and the recording medium 205 according to this command. The image data to be written is transmitted. When the external I / F 212 receives a write command issued from the personal computer 216, it transfers the received command to the microcomputer 206. Thereafter, when receiving the transferred command, the microcomputer 206 drives the recording medium I / F 204 to access the recording medium 205, and adds the image data transmitted from the personal computer 216 to the recording medium 205.

  Furthermore, when the personal computer 216 transmits image data to be written to the recording medium 205 to the image recording / playback unit 213, the personal computer 216 also transmits a file writing command for writing file information of this image data to the file system 217 in the recording medium 205. When the microcomputer 206 receives this command via the recording medium I / F 204, the microcomputer 206 drives the recording medium I / F 204 to access the recording medium 205, and is transmitted from the personal computer 216 to the file system 217 in the recording medium 205. Add file information about image data. At this time, the file management unit 214 of the microcomputer 206 recognizes that data has been written to the recording medium I / F 204 in response to an instruction from the personal computer 216, but the data writing process by the personal computer 216 Information such as the size and recording position of the file recorded on the recording medium 205 is not recognized, and when the addition of the file information is completed as described above, management information relating to the added image data is entered into the management file 215. Exit without.

  The operation of the image recording / reproducing unit 213 when the personal computer 216 connected to the external I / F 212 via the USB cable deletes the image data in the recording medium 205 attached to the image recording / reproducing unit 213 is as follows. The above-mentioned image data is added only in that the deleted file information is deleted instead of the addition of the file information added to the file system 217, instead of writing the image data to the medium 205. This is different from the operation when Therefore, the processing from the general-purpose application of the personal computer 216 connected to the external I / F 212 via the USB cable until the image data on the recording medium 205 is deleted is basically the same as the operation when adding the above-described image data. Since they are the same, redundant description is omitted.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of information update processing of the recording medium 205 executed by the file management unit 214 in FIG.

  In FIG. 2, first, after the addition of image data to the recording medium 205 by the personal computer 216 is completed, the external I / F 212 detects that the USB cable connected to the personal computer 216 has been disconnected (YES in step S200). Then, the file system 217 and the management file 215 are read from the recording medium 205 via the recording medium I / F 204, and a comparison is made between all files having file information on the read file system 217 and all files already entered in the management file 215. Is determined (step S202, acquisition means, detection means). Here, the processing in step S202 targets all the files having file information on the file system 217, but may target only files existing under a specific directory.

  As a result of the comparison in step S202, when the file information exists on the file system 217, there is a file that has not been entered (hereinafter referred to as “unentry file”) (YES in step S203), the file management unit 214. The extension of the unentry file and the header information are decoded to check the compression format, etc., and it is determined whether or not the unentry file is image data that can be reproduced on the display 209 (step S204).

  As a result of the determination in step S204, when the unentry file can be reproduced on the display 209, the file management unit 214 enters the unentry file in the management file 215 (step S205, update means), and the process from step S202 is performed. The process is repeated, and when the comparison between all files already entered in the management file 215 and all files having file information on the file system 217 is completed (YES in step S202), the present process ends.

  If the result of determination in step S203 is that there is no unentry file on the file system 217 of the recording medium 205, and the result of determination in step S204 is that the unentry file cannot be played back on the main body, step S202 is performed. Returning to the process, the next file having the file information on the file system 217 is compared with the already entered file.

  According to the processing in FIG. 2, when the file management unit 214 detects that the USB cable connected to the personal computer 216 is disconnected by the external I / F 212 (YES in step S200), the file information is stored on the file system 217. If there is an unentry file (YES in step S203) and the unentry file can be played on the display 209 (YES in step S204), the file is entered in the management file 215. Therefore, even if data is added to the recording medium 205 by the personal computer 216, all reproducible image data stored in the recording medium 205 is based on the management file 215. The playback operation must be performed normally. Kill.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a modification of the information update process of FIG.

  In FIG. 3, first, after the deletion of the image data on the recording medium 205 by the personal computer 216 is completed, the external I / F 212 detects that the USB cable connected to the personal computer 216 is disconnected (YES in step S301). Then, the file system 217 and the management file 215 are read from the recording medium 205 via the recording medium I / F 204, and all files having file information on the read file system 217 are compared with the files already entered in the management file 215. It is determined whether or not the processing has been completed (step S303, acquisition unit, detection unit). In the processing of step S303, all files having file information in the file system 217 are targeted, but only files existing under a specific directory may be targeted.

  As a result of the comparison in step S303, when all the file information of the file entered in the management file 215 exists on the file system 217 (NO in step S304), a file that does not exist on the file system 217 is a management file. If it is entered in 215 (YES in step S304), the file management unit 214 deletes the management information of the file from the management file 215 (step S305), and then repeats the processing from step S303.

  Thereafter, when the comparison of all files already entered in the management file 215 and all files having file information on the file system 217 is completed in the process of step S303, this process is terminated.

  According to the processing of FIG. 3, when the file management unit 214 detects that the USB cable connected to the personal computer 216 is disconnected by the external I / F 212 (YES in step S301), it does not exist on the file system 217. When the file is entered in the management file 215 (YES in step S304), the management information of the file is deleted from the management file 215 (step S305), so it is entered in the management file 215 in the recording medium 205. Actually, even if there is a file that has been deleted from the recording medium 205 and does not exist, the reproduction operation based on the management file 215 can be normally performed.

  In this embodiment, the personal computer 216 is attached to the image recording / playback unit 213 by a USB cable. However, if the personal computer 216 can add / delete image data to / from the recording medium 205 as a host, the external I / F 212 is connected to the USB / USB. It is not limited to the interface. The image data reproduced, recorded, and deleted by the image recording / reproducing unit 213 may be either a still image or a moving image.

  The information update process in FIG. 2 and the information update process in FIG. 3 are both file information on the file system 217 when the USB cable is disconnected (step S200 in FIG. 2 and step S301 in FIG. 3). Are compared with all files already entered in the management file 215 (step S202 in FIG. 2 and step S303 in FIG. 3), but when the image recording / reproducing unit 213 is started, The same effect can be obtained by performing the above comparison process at the time of mounting, when reproducing the image data in the recording medium 205 on the display 209, or when updating the management file 215.

  Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium (or recording medium) on which a program code of software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is recorded to a system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or CPU) of the system or apparatus Needless to say, this can also be achieved by the MPU) reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

  Further, by executing the program code read by the computer, not only the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized, but also an operating system (OS) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that a case where the function of the above-described embodiment is realized by performing part or all of the actual processing and the processing is included.

  Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion card inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion is performed based on the instruction of the program code. It goes without saying that the CPU or the like provided in the card or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

  The above-described program only needs to be able to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments by a computer, and the form includes forms such as object code, a program executed by an interpreter, and script data supplied to the OS. But you can.

  As a recording medium for supplying the program, for example, RAM, NV-RAM, floppy (registered trademark) disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, MO, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD + RW), magnetic tape, non-volatile memory card, other ROM, etc. may be used as long as they can store the above programs. Alternatively, the program is supplied by downloading from another computer or database (not shown) connected to the Internet, a commercial network, a local area network, or the like.

It is a block diagram which shows roughly the structure of the image recording / reproducing part as a recording / reproducing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of recording medium information update processing executed by a file management unit in FIG. 1. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the modification of the information update process of FIG. It is a figure used for demonstrating the problem which arises at the time of recording medium removal | desorption in the conventional recording / reproducing apparatus. It is a figure used for demonstrating the problem which arises in the interface in the conventional recording / reproducing apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

200 Subject 201 Video Camera 202 Compression / Expansion Unit 204 Recording Medium I / F
205 Recording medium 206 Microcomputer 208 Operation key 209 Display 212 External I / F
213 Image recording / playback unit 215 Management file 216 Personal computer 217 File system

Claims (10)

Recording / reproducing means for recording / reproducing an image file or an audio file on a recording medium;
Management means for controlling a recording / reproducing operation of the image file or the audio file with respect to the recording medium based on management information indicating a file state of the recorded image file or the audio file;
An acquisition unit that acquires a file state of a reproducible file among the image file or the audio file recorded on the recording medium,
The management unit detects a difference between a file state of an image file or an audio file on the recording medium based on the management information and a file state acquired by the acquisition unit, and the content of the management information based on the difference A recording / reproducing apparatus characterized in that   The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the management information is recorded on the recording medium.   When the management means detects that at least a part of the image file or the audio file is deleted from the recording medium based on the detected difference, information related to the deleted file is extracted from the management information. 3. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording / reproducing apparatus is deleted.   When the management unit detects that the image file or the audio file is newly added to the recording medium based on the detected difference, information related to the added file is used as the management information. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording / reproducing apparatus is added. Comprising external connection means for connecting with an external device;
The recording / reproducing means can record the image data or audio data transmitted from the external device via the external connection means by adding to the recording medium,
The management means, when the connection with the external device is disconnected, between the file status of the image file or the audio file on the recording medium based on the management information and the file status acquired by the acquisition means 5. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a process for detecting a difference and a process for updating the management information accompanying the process are performed.   The management means is a process of detecting a difference between a file state of an image file or an audio file on the recording medium based on the management information and a file state acquired by the acquisition means at startup, and the management information associated therewith The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein update processing is executed.   The management means, when reproducing the image file or audio file from the recording medium, the file status of the image file or audio file on the recording medium based on the management information, and the file status acquired by the acquisition means 5. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a process of detecting a difference between the management information and an update process of the management information associated therewith is executed.   The recording medium is detachable from the main body, and the management means uses the file status of the image file or audio file on the recording medium based on the management information and the acquisition means when the recording medium is loaded. 5. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a process for detecting a difference from the acquired file state and a process for updating the management information associated therewith are executed. Recording / reproducing means for recording / reproducing an image file or audio file on a recording medium, and recording / reproducing operation of the image file or audio file on the recording medium based on management information on a file status of the recorded image file or audio file Management means to control;
A management information control method for a recording / reproducing apparatus, comprising: an acquisition step for obtaining a reproducible file state among image files or audio files recorded on the recording medium,
The management unit detects a difference between the file state of the image file or the audio file on the recording medium based on the management information and the file state acquired by the acquisition unit, and based on the difference, the content of the management information is determined. A management information control method characterized by updating. Recording / reproducing means for recording / reproducing an image file or audio file on a recording medium, and recording / reproducing operation of the image file or audio file on the recording medium based on management information on a file status of the recorded image file or audio file A program for executing a management information control method for a recording / reproducing apparatus by a computer, comprising: a managing unit for controlling; and an acquisition step for obtaining a reproducible file state of an image file or an audio file recorded on the recording medium. And
The management unit detects a difference between the file state of the image file or the audio file on the recording medium based on the management information and the file state acquired by the acquisition unit, and based on the difference, the content of the management information is determined. A program characterized by updating.

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