U.S. patent application number 13/244660 was filed with the patent office on 2012-01-19 for method and apparatus for recording manufacturer information on a recording medium and for determining whether the manufacturer information is effective.
Invention is credited to Tae-yun Chung, Jung-suk Kang, Seong-jin Moon, Young-nam Oh, Pan-gie Park.
Application Number | 20120014236 13/244660 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36216154 |
Filed Date | 2012-01-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120014236 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moon; Seong-jin ; et
al. |
January 19, 2012 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECORDING MANUFACTURER INFORMATION ON A
RECORDING MEDIUM AND FOR DETERMINING WHETHER THE MANUFACTURER
INFORMATION IS EFFECTIVE
Abstract
A recording medium and a recording apparatus for storing
manufacturer information for supporting specific functions for each
manufacturer and a method therefor. A reproducing apparatus for
reproducing manufacturer information for supporting specific
functions and a method therefor is also provided. If a recording
apparatus modifies the contents of the recording medium, then it
should record its manufacturer's identification code. A recording
apparatus/reproducing apparatus should check the identification
code on the recording medium before using its own manufacture
information item for some specific function. Also, it is possible
to reduce the time required to determine whether the manufacturer
information items are effective.
Inventors: |
Moon; Seong-jin; (Seoul,
KR) ; Oh; Young-nam; (Sungnam-city, KR) ;
Chung; Tae-yun; (Gwachun-city, KR) ; Kang;
Jung-suk; (Seoul, KR) ; Park; Pan-gie;
(Suwon-city, KR) |
Family ID: |
36216154 |
Appl. No.: |
13/244660 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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|
11761599 |
Jun 12, 2007 |
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13244660 |
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|
10143930 |
May 14, 2002 |
7245823 |
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11761599 |
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09337253 |
Jun 22, 1999 |
7039295 |
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10143930 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
369/47.15 ;
G9B/7.029 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 5/85 20130101; G11B
2020/1287 20130101; H04N 9/8205 20130101; G11B 19/12 20130101; G11B
2020/1265 20130101; G11B 27/322 20130101; G11B 27/36 20130101; H04N
5/76 20130101; G11B 20/00086 20130101; G11B 27/036 20130101; G11B
20/1217 20130101; G11B 27/326 20130101; G11B 27/329 20130101; G11B
2220/20 20130101; G11B 2220/2537 20130101; H04N 5/781 20130101;
G11B 27/034 20130101; G11B 19/122 20130101; H04N 5/9201
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
369/47.15 ;
G9B/7.029 |
International
Class: |
G11B 7/007 20060101
G11B007/007 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 22, 1998 |
KR |
98-23487 |
Jul 29, 1998 |
KR |
98-30753 |
Claims
1. A reproducing apparatus comprising: a pickup unit; and a
controller to: control the pickup to reproduce, from an optical
data storage medium, formatted information for contents on the
optical data storage medium, the formatted information enabling the
reproducing apparatus to perform a common function while
reproducing the contents from the optical data storage medium, the
common function being performable by every different reproducing
apparatus capable of reproducing the contents regardless of a
manufacturer of the reproducing apparatus; control the pickup to
reproduce, from the optical data storage medium, manufacturer's
information comprising: manufacturer identification information
identifying a manufacturer of a recording apparatus that recorded
or modified the contents; and order information indicating an order
in which the recording apparatus recorded or modified the contents
relative to any other recording or modification of the contents
performed by any recording apparatus manufactured by a different
manufacturer; and determine, based on the manufacturer
identification information and the order information, whether the
reproducing apparatus is capable of performing a specific function
while reproducing the contents from the optical data storage
medium, the specific function being performable only by a
reproducing apparatus manufactured by the manufacturer of the
recording apparatus that recorded or modified the contents.
2. The reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manufacturer
identification information comprises a manufacturer information
code that is unique to the manufacturer of the recording
apparatus.
3. The reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the order
information comprises information indicating that the recording
apparatus is a recording apparatus that last recorded or modified
the contents.
4. The reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the order
information comprises information indicating a sequential order in
which recording apparatus generated or modified the contents
relative to any other recording or modification of the contents
performed by any recording apparatus manufactured by a different
manufacturer.
5. The reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manufacturer
identification information comprises at least two pieces of
information about the recording apparatus.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
11/761,599 filed on Jun. 12, 2007, currently pending, which is a
continuation of application Ser. No. 10/143,930 filed on May 14,
2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,245,823, which is a division of
application Ser. No. 09/337,253 filed on Jun. 22, 1999, now U.S.
Pat. No. 7,039,295, which claims the benefit of Korean Application
Nos. 98-23487 filed on Jun. 22, 1998, and 98-30753 filed on Jul.
29, 1998, in the Korean Industrial Property Office. The disclosures
of application Ser. Nos. 11/761,599, 10/143,930, and 09/337,253 and
Korean Application Nos. 98-23487 and 98-30753 are incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to optical recording and
reproduction (recording/reproduction) of video and/or audio data.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a recording
medium for storing identification information of a manufacturer of
a recorder which modifies the contents of the recording medium, and
a recorder and/or a player which have the manufacturer specific
information and a method therefor.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] FIG. 1 shows a one dimensional structure of a general
recording medium. As shown in FIG. 1, a volume space, which is the
entire recording medium, is comprised of a volume and file
structure area and areas in which real data is recorded (used
blocks #1, #2, and #3). Real data can be recorded in a physically
scattered state by editing in a predetermined unit, such as a
program or a title. General information on the disc and information
on the structures of a file and a directory, as shown in FIG. 2,
are recorded in the volume and file structure area.
[0006] FIG. 2 shows files existing on a file system used for an
apparatus for recording and reproducing audio and/or video (A/V)
data on a rewritable recording medium. A bitstream file is a file
in which real A/V data is recorded. An information file is a file
containing information on the bitstream file. The file system may
also include a resource file.
[0007] FIG. 3 shows the contents of the information file shown in
FIG. 2. The contents can be classified into formatted bitstream
information having a common format among manufacturers, and
manufacturer (specific) information having an individual format
which is not compatible between manufacturers. The formatted
information, which includes information for having a common
function regardless of the manufacturer, is necessary to maintain
compatibility. For example, the formatted information includes
information on the starting position of a specific title in the
bitstream file and information on a position corresponding to a
specific time interval. The recorder and/or player obtains
information on which position in the bitstream file is to be
recorded and which position is to be reproduced through the
formatted information and records/reproduces the bitstream file on
the basis of the obtained information.
[0008] The manufacturer information that is used by each
manufacturer to support specific functions of the respective
manufacturer does not need to be compatible. For example, a
function of recording information on the finally reproduced
position in the bitstream file as the manufacturer information item
and automatically reproducing from a position next to the finally
reproduced position when the recording medium is reproduced later
is an example of a specific function using manufacturer
information. The specific function is supported only in the
recording medium recorder/player which can support the manufacturer
information.
[0009] In detail, as shown in FIG. 3, the contents of the
manufacturer information are comprised of a manufacturer
information header, for example, having information on the number
of items (n) of the manufacturer information; the same number (n)
of manufacturer information search pointers having information on
the positions of the respective item of the manufacturer
information (manufacturer information search pointer #1, . . . ,
manufacturer information search pointer #n); and the respective
manufacturer information items (manufacturer information item #1, .
. . , manufacturer information item #n). A recorder/player of each
manufacturer is expected to have at least one manufacturer
information item.
[0010] The contents of the manufacturer information items can be
understood and utilized only in the recorder/player of the specific
manufacturer which generated the manufacturer information items,
and are not compatible with the recorders/players of other
manufacturers.
[0011] As described above, since the information for the specific
function of the individual manufacturer is not compatible with
information of other manufacturers, if additional
recording/deleting processes are performed by a recorder/editor
manufactured by a manufacturer B on a recording medium having the
manufacturer information generated by a manufacturer A, the
manufacturer information of the manufacturer A may not be effective
any longer. Since the manufacturer information is unique to the
manufacturer A, only the manufacturer A can analyze and modify the
information. Thus, the manufacturer B cannot modify or manage
manufacturer A's information. When a recording medium of which the
contents are modified is returned to the recorder/player of the
manufacturer A for more recording or reproducing, a mis-operation
can occur since the information item containing the information for
the specific function set by the manufacturer A may no longer be
effective. Therefore, a check should always be made as to whether
the manufacturer information is effective before using the
manufacturer information made by the manufacturer A when a
recording medium is newly loaded into a recorder/player of the
manufacturer A. Verification processes are complicated and it can
take a long time to perform the processes when there is a large
amount of recorded A/V data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] It is a first object of the present invention to provide a
recording medium for storing manufacturer information for a
specific function of recorders/players of different
manufacturers.
[0013] It is a second object of the present invention to provide a
recording medium for storing identification information of the
manufacturer of a recorder/editor which last performed
recording/deleting on the recording medium.
[0014] It is a third object of the present invention to provide a
recorder/editor for and method of storing on a recording medium
manufacturer information for a specific function of the
recorder/editor of each different manufacturer.
[0015] It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a
recorder/editor for and a method of storing on a recording medium
identification information of a manufacturer of the recorder/editor
which performs recording/deleting.
[0016] It is a fifth object of the present invention to provide a
recorder/player for and method of using the manufacturer
information stored on the recording medium for the specific
function of the recorders/players of each different
manufacturer.
[0017] It is a sixth object of the present invention to provide a
recorder/player for and method of checking whether the
identification information of the manufacturer of a recorder/editor
which last performs recording/deleting on the recording medium is
the same as the identification information of the manufacturer of
the recorder/player to determine whether or not the manufacturer
information is effective. That is, if the respective identification
information is the same, then the manufacturer information item is
effective. If not, the manufacturer information item may be not
effective, thus requiring complete verification.
[0018] The above objects are achieved in accordance with the
present invention with a rewritable recording medium to store
audio/video (A/V) contents, including formatted information for the
A/V contents, and manufacturer information to support the
manufacturer's specific function, wherein the manufacturer
information comprises an identification code of a manufacturer of a
recording apparatus that last modified the contents of the
recording medium.
[0019] The above objects are achieved in accordance with the
present invention with a recording apparatus for recording and/or
editing audio, video, and/or information data on a rewritable
recording medium, comprising a recording controller to produce A/V
contents and formatted information for the A/V contents and
manufacturer information to support the manufacturer's specific
function, wherein the manufacturer information comprises an
identification code of the manufacturer of a recording apparatus
that last modified the contents of the recording medium.
[0020] The above objects are achieved in accordance with the
present invention with a reproducing apparatus for reproducing
audio, video, and/or information data on a rewritable recording
medium, comprising a reproducing controller to reproduce A/V
contents and formatted information for the A/V contents and
manufacturer information to support a manufacturer's specific
function, wherein the manufacturer information comprises an
identification code of the manufacturer of the recording apparatus
that last modified the contents of the recording medium.
[0021] The above objects are achieved in accordance with the
present invention with a method of recording and/or editing audio,
video, and/or information data on a rewritable recording medium,
comprising recording an identification code of the manufacturer of
a recording apparatus which last modified the contents of the
recording medium by performing recording/editing on the recording
medium.
[0022] The above objects are achieved in accordance with the
present invention with a method of recording/reproducing audio,
video, and/or information data on a rewritable recording medium
with a recording/reproducing apparatus using manufacturer
information recorded on the recording medium, comprising verifying
a coincidence of an identification code of a manufacturer which
last modified the contents of the recording medium and its own
manufacturer identification code to determine whether its
manufacturer specific information is effective.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The above objects and advantages of the present invention
will become more apparent by describing in detail a preferred
embodiment thereof with reference to the attached drawings in
which:
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a one-dimensional structure of a general
recording medium;
[0025] FIG. 2 shows the file structure of the recording medium
shown in FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 3 shows the contents of the information file shown in
FIG. 2;
[0027] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an optical recording and
reproducing apparatus according to the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 5 is a table showing an example of detailed contents of
a manufacturer information header for supporting a manufacturer
specific function according to the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 6 is a table showing another example of detailed
contents of a manufacturer information header according to the
present invention;
[0030] FIG. 7 is a table showing the contents of a manufacturer
information search pointer according to the present invention;
and
[0031] FIG. 8 is a table showing the contents of a manufacturer
information item according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a recording medium and
a recorder/editor for storing manufacturer information for
supporting specific functions of the manufacturer and a
recorder/player for using manufacturer information for supporting
specific functions of the manufacturer according to the present
invention and preferred embodiments of a method therefor will be
described.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an optical recording and
reproducing apparatus in accordance with the present invention. The
function of an apparatus for recording A/V data on and reproducing
A/V data from a recordable and rewritable recording medium is
divided into recording and reproducing.
[0034] During recording, an A/V codec 110 compression-codes an A/V
signal input by a predetermined compression coding scheme. A
digital signal processor (DSP) 120 receives A/V data supplied from
the A/V codec 110, adds parity data for an error correction code
(ECC) process, and performs modulation by a predetermined
modulation scheme. A radio-frequency amplifier (RF AMP) 130
converts data supplied from the DSP 120 into an RF signal. A
pick-up unit 140 drives a recording medium, records data
corresponding to the RF signal from the RF AMP 130 on a recording
medium, and includes an actuator for performing focusing and
tracking. A servo unit 150 receives information required for
controlling the actuator of the pick-up unit 140 from the RF AMP
130 and a system controller 160 and performs a stable servo
operation. The system controller 160 controls the entire system,
controls the A/V data to be recorded on the recording medium, and
records information including information on the size and the
position of the compressed data as well as manufacturer information
on the recorder/editor performing the specific function, the
recording/editing. Also, the system controller 160 determines
whether the manufacturer information recorded on the recording
medium is effective using the identification information on the
recorder/editor performing the recording/editing functions by
finally accessing the recording medium, and controls
recording/editing operations using the determined manufacturer
information.
[0035] During reproduction, the pick-up unit 140 provides an
optical signal picked up from the recording medium in which data is
stored. The RF AMP 130 converts the optical signal into an
electrical signal and extracts the servo signal for performing the
servo and extracts the modulated data. The DSP 120 demodulates the
modulated data supplied from the RF AMP 130 corresponding to the
modulation scheme used upon modulation, corrects errors by
performing ECC, and removes the parity data. The servo unit 150
receives information required for controlling the actuator of the
pick-up unit 140 from the RF AMP 130 and the system controller 160
and performs a stable servo operation. The A/V codec 110 decodes
the compressed A/V data supplied from the DSP 120 and outputs an
A/V signal. The system controller 160 controls the entire system to
reproduce data using the information recorded on the recording
medium, performing a user interface, i.e., processing the key input
of the user. Also, the system controller 160 determines whether the
manufacturer information recorded on the recording medium is
effective using the identification information on the
recorder/editor performing the recording/editing functions by
finally accessing the recording medium, and controls reproducing
operations using the determined manufacturer information.
[0036] FIG. 5 is a table showing an example of detailed contents
included in a manufacturer information header for a manufacturer
specific function according to the present invention. The table
shown in FIG. 5 can be comprised of MNFI_Ns which is information on
the number of manufacturer information items, a manufacturer
identification code (LAST_MN) indicating the manufacturer of the
recorder/editor which last modified the contents of the recording
medium. Moreover, the table shown in FIG. 5 can include a product
code (LAST_PROD) indicating the product model of the
recorder/editor which last modified the recording medium, and an
operation code (OP_CD) expressed by a predetermined code indicating
information on an operation performed by the recorder/editor, for
example, an operation of modifying A/V bitstream data on the
recording medium by recording, editing, erasing, and a specific
function other than simple reproduction.
[0037] The manufacturer identification code is for classifying
different manufacturers, in which the respective manufacturers are
expected to have unique values. Simple text data of the
manufacturer's name can be used because it is very difficult to
imagine that different manufacturers have the same name.
[0038] The operation code has compatibility since it must be
understood by different manufacturers. The information on the
recorder/editor performing the recording/editing by finally
accessing the recording medium and the information on the performed
operation are provided by recording such information in the
manufacturer information header in each recorder/editor performing
the recording/editing by accessing the recording medium. When only
simple reproduction is performed, manufacturer identification
information of the reproducing apparatus is not recorded in the
manufacturer information header because there is no change in the
contents of the recording medium.
[0039] Examples of using the manufacturer information using the
above data structure are as follows. When the manufacturer A
generates a manufacturer information item and records information
on the recording medium and the manufacturer B edits the recording
medium in the recorder/editor, the recorder/editor of the
manufacturer B records the identification code of the manufacturer
B, the product code of the recorder/editor and the operation code
indicating information including that an editing operation has been
performed on the manufacturer information header as shown in FIG.
5, before ejecting the recording medium.
[0040] When the data recorded on the recording medium is
overwritten, edited, and reproduced using the manufacturer
information item by the recorder, editor, and player of the
manufacturer A, the identification information on the manufacturer
which last used the recording medium, product information of the
recorder/editor, and information on the operation performed in the
manufacturer information header, it is determined whether the
manufacturer information items to be used during recording,
editing, and reproducing are effective.
[0041] If the manufacturer identification code recorded in the
recording medium which identifies the manufacturer that last
modified the recording medium is consistent with the concerned
recorder/editor/player's manufacturer identification code, it is
determined that the concerned manufacturer information item is
effective. If the manufacturer identification code recorded in the
recording medium is not consistent with the concerned manufacturer
identification code, it must be determined whether the manufacturer
information items to be used are effective by analyzing the entire
contents of the recording medium. When the manufacturer information
items are effective, they can be used.
[0042] Also, when the recorder/editor which last modified the
recording medium is the current recorder/editor and the editing
operation is finally performed, it is easily judged that the
manufacturer information item for the manufacturer is effective
since it is possible to update the manufacturer information item
according to the recording/editing operation by analyzing the
contents of the manufacturer information item corresponding to the
modified contents. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the time
required to determine whether the manufacturer information items
are effective. When the manufacturer information items are
effective, it is possible to perform the recording, the editing,
and/or reproduction using the manufacturer information items.
[0043] FIG. 6 is another example of a manufacturer information
header according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6,
MNFI_Ns indicates the number of manufacturer information items,
MNFIT_EA indicates the last address of a manufacturer information,
LAST_MN indicates an identification code of a manufacturer of a
recorder/editor which last modified A/V contents. LAST_PROD
indicates a code of a product which last modified the A/V contents.
MN_CD indicates the manufacturer code corresponding to the number
of manufacturer information items, and PROD_CD indicates the
product codes of the respective manufacturer information items.
FILE_NAME indicates the file name of an additional file for
individual information, and REC_TM indicates the time in which
individual information was recorded. The MN_CD and/or PROD_CD
and/or FILE_NAME and/or REC_TM can be recorded in the beginning
part of the respective manufacturer information items.
[0044] To restrict the size of manufacturer information, there is a
maximum number of MNFI_Ns (for example, up to 5). When the number
of manufacturer information items exceeds the maximum number, the
oldest records can be deleted. If the manufacturer information item
has an additional file when the manufacturer information item is
deleted, this file is also deleted. When a recorder/editor modifies
the recording medium contents and it has its own manufacturer
information item, only the concerned manufacturer information item
is updated and other manufacturer information items should remain
unchanged. When a recorder/editor modifies the recording medium
contents but it does not have its own manufacturer information
item, even in this case, the identification code of the
manufacturer which modifies the recording medium should be
recorded.
[0045] MNFIT_EA is the last address of a manufacturer information,
for example, having a relative block number (RBN) from the first
byte position of the manufacturer information header. LAST_MN
denotes a manufacturer identification code which last modified the
A/V contents. It is mandatory to have this recorded when the A/V
contents are modified by the recorder/editor even if the
recorder/editor does not have the manufacturer information item
therefor. LAST_PROD denotes a product code of the product which
last modified the A/V contents. It must be recorded when the
recorder/editor modifies the A/V contents even if the
recorder/editor does not have the manufacturer information item
therefor. Since the manufacturer identification codes must be
classified according to the respective manufacturers, they
preferably have unique values according to the respective
manufacturers. Also, since a manufacturer may have various
products, it is recommended that the manufacturer manage the
product codes.
[0046] Namely, a set in which the A/V contents are modified in
order to make the information in relation to real A/V contents
identical to A/V contents must record the manufacturer
identification information in the manufacturer identification code
field (LAST_MN) of the manufacturer information header even if
there is no manufacturer information item of its own. Also, when
the recording medium is inserted into a set, it must be checked
whether the real A/V contents are identical to the manufacturer's
information item which is specific to the manufacturer in relation
to the A/V contents of the recording medium. The first and easiest
way is to check the identification code of the manufacturer which
last modified the A/V contents of the recording medium. When the
A/V contents are modified by another manufacturer's equipment, a
concerned set must modify or update the information in relation to
A/V contents.
[0047] MN_CD and PROD_CD are manufacturer codes and the product
codes, as many as stored manufacturer information items, to
indicate that each manufacturer information item belongs to which
manufacturer and product. When the information for the manufacturer
products exists in an additional file, FILE_NAME is the name of the
file. If there is no file, the FILE_NAME is filled with a special
value. REC_TM denotes the time when the information is recorded.
MN_CD, REC_TM, PROD_CD, FILE_NAME can be recorded in the beginning
part of the respective manufacturer information items.
[0048] FIG. 7 is a table showing the contents of a manufacturer
information search pointer according to the present invention. FIG.
7 includes MNFI_SA which denotes the starting address of the
manufacturer information item. The MNFI_SA is the starting address
of the manufacturer information item, for example, having RBN from
the first byte of the manufacturer information header.
[0049] FIG. 8 is a table showing the contents of the manufacturer
information items according to the present invention, which has
bytes of variable length. The maximum size of the information is,
for example, 10 Kilobytes (KB). When the size of the information
exceeds 10 KB, the additional information file of the manufacturer
can be used.
[0050] As described above, according to the present invention, a
recording medium is provided, which contains A/V data and formatted
information to use the A/V data for recording and reproducing, and
manufacturer information to support manufacturer specific functions
which cannot be implemented using the formatted information.
Moreover, manufacturer information is provided to support multiple
manufacturer information items. Such information also contains the
identification code of the manufacturer which last modified the
contents of the recording medium. This information can be used to
check the effectiveness of its own manufacturer information item
when the recording medium is recorded, edited, and reproduced by
multiple equipment of different manufacturers since the
manufacturer information item which is specific to the manufacturer
cannot be managed by other manufacturers' equipment. Accordingly,
it is possible to reduce the time taken to determine whether the
manufacturer information items are effective.
[0051] Although a few preferred embodiments of the present
invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by
those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this
embodiment without departing from the principles and spirit of the
invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *