U.S. patent application number 13/919647 was filed with the patent office on 2016-06-02 for information recording/play-backing apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to HITACHI, MAXELL, LTD. The applicant listed for this patent is HITACHI MAXELL, LTD. Invention is credited to Osamu Komoda, Hiroaki ONO.
Application Number | 20160156895 13/919647 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37070592 |
Filed Date | 2016-06-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160156895 |
Kind Code |
A9 |
ONO; Hiroaki ; et
al. |
June 2, 2016 |
INFORMATION RECORDING/PLAY-BACKING APPARATUS
Abstract
Portable information recording/play-back arrangements, wherein a
controller judges whether a mode, controlling a first
recording/play-back module and second recording/play-back module,
is an imaging mode or a dubbing mode, and wherein when the
controller judges that the mode is the imaging mode, the controller
controls so that the imaging module and the first or second
recording/play-back module operate on battery or a power supply
from an external power source; and when the controller judges that
the mode is the dubbing mode and the first and second
recording/play-back module operate on the power supply from the
external power source, the controller controls so that the dubbing
operation is permitted.
Inventors: |
ONO; Hiroaki; (Fujisawa,
JP) ; Komoda; Osamu; (Yokohama, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HITACHI MAXELL, LTD |
OSAKA |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
HITACHI, MAXELL, LTD
OSAKA
JP
|
Prior
Publication: |
|
Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20130279873 A1 |
October 24, 2013 |
|
|
Family ID: |
37070592 |
Appl. No.: |
13/919647 |
Filed: |
June 17, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
12692898 |
Jan 25, 2010 |
8478102 |
|
|
13919647 |
|
|
|
|
11367382 |
Mar 6, 2006 |
7664368 |
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|
12692898 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
386/224 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 5/772 20130101;
H04N 5/781 20130101; G11B 27/034 20130101; H04N 9/87 20130101; G11B
2220/455 20130101; H04N 5/85 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04N 9/87 20060101
H04N009/87 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 31, 2005 |
JP |
2005-100501 |
Claims
1. A portable information recording/play-back apparatus comprising:
an imaging module which images video information; a first
recording/play-back module which records the video information into
a first recording medium, or plays-back the video information from
the first recording medium; a second recording/play-back module
which records the video information into a second recording medium,
or plays-back the video information from the second recording
medium; a battery; and a controller which controls at least the
imaging module, the first and second recording/play-back module.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.
12/692,898, filed Jan. 25, 2010, which is a continuation of U.S.
application Ser. No. 11/367,382, filed Mar. 6, 2006, now U.S. Pat.
No. 7,664,368. This application relates to and claims priority from
Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-100501, filed on Mar. 31,
2005. The entirety of the contents and subject matter of all of the
above is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an information
recording/play-backing apparatus. The conventional technique
provides, for example, a method for simultaneously recording video
or audio data in a plurality of channels on an HDD (Hard Disk
Drive) in an HDD recorder or a method for recording still image
information by two compression methods in a digital camera or the
like. For example, there is JP-A-09-284715.
[0003] Moreover, JP-A-2004-159225 discloses a method for performing
dubbing by a recorder for a combination of a HDD and a DVD (Digital
Video Disc) or stopping drive one of the HDD or the DVD by power
saving.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Recently, video and audio in the world of video and audio
information is digitized and the compression technique of the video
and audio data has been significantly improved. A tape recording
such as VTR (Video Tape Recorder) or VCR (Video Cassette Recorder)
is being transferred to a disc recording such as a DVD and an HDD.
As a representative of this transfer, there is an HDD & DVD
hybrid recorder in which HDD and a DVD drive are mixed. For
example, video or audio information from a broadcast station or an
external input terminal is temporarily recorded on an HDD and after
this recorded onto a DVD disc by backup when a user wants to store
it. That is, so called dubbing is performed.
[0005] The hybrid recorder has been introduced onto a market by
various companies and the market is expected to develop into a
large size.
[0006] Here, a HDD has a capacity of 80 GB to several hundreds of
GB. However, a DVD disc has a capacity of about 4.7 GB. The DVD may
be, for example, a DVD-Video as an optical disc for video such as a
movie and a DVD-ROM applied for recording application software,
game software, various data for use by a computer. Alternatively,
there is a rewritable optical recording medium using an optical
disc such as a DVD-RAM, DVD.+-.RW, DVD.+-.R, and the like for
backup-recording personal information or for a DVD recorder to
replace the VTR. The aforementioned recorder temporarily records
the video or audio data transmitted from outside on a hard disc and
after this records it on a DVD disc for backup, thereby performing
the so-called dubbing.
[0007] On the other hand, in the market of home camera, medium
change from a tape recording to a disc recording has been started.
A DVD camera using an 8-cm DVD disc or an HDD camera using a
small-size HDD as a recording medium are introduced to the market
by various manufactures.
[0008] However, the disc cameras have merits and demerits. For
example, the DVD camera uses a removable medium and a recorded
object can be kept as it is but the recording time is limited. For
example, in the case of 8-cm DVD disc, the recording time is about
one hour at the most per disc and a long-time recording cannot be
performed. As for the HDD camera, an HDD depends on the capacity
but it generally has a capacity greater than the 8-cm DVD disc by
several times or several tens of times and can perform a long-time
recording.
[0009] However, the capacity is limited and the recorded data
should be re-recorded onto another medium to be stored, which
lowers user-friendliness. Moreover, in either case of the DVD
camera and the HDD camera, it is difficult to edit by using only
one medium. In relation to this, like the HDD & DVD combination
recorder, a small-size HDD may be put into the DVD camera. However,
basically in the camera driven by a battery, if both of the HDD and
the DVD are driven, the battery consumption becomes great and this
is not realistic.
[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a video or audio information recording/play-backing
apparatus having both of an HDD which can be driven by a battery
even when a small HDD is mounted on a DVD camera and an optical
drive (for example, DVD or Blu-ray drive).
[0011] The aforementioned object may be achieved by the invention
disclosed in claims.
[0012] The video or audio information recording/play-backing
apparatus according to the present invention performs control to
save power of the LCD for performing display and an HDD and an
optical drive for performing recording which consume great power
and stops power supply when there is no necessity.
[0013] The present invention can provide an information
recording/play-backing device requiring a smaller power
consumption.
[0014] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will
become apparent from the following description of the embodiments
of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a power supply method
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 3 shows a sequence of an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 shows a sequence of an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 shows a sequence of an embodiment of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Description will now be directed to an embodiment of the
present invention with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.
Embodiment 1
[0021] FIG. 1 shows an outline of the video or audio
recording/play-backing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of
the present invention.
[0022] In FIG. 1, the imaging device 5 is formed by an imaging
optical system 2, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device; imaging element),
and an A/D converter 4. An object is image-formed on the CCD 3 by
the imaging optical system 2. A video signal is obtained by the CCD
3 and digitized by the A/D converter 4 for output. A reference
numeral 6 denotes a video signal processor for converting a video
signal from the imaging device 5 to image data. The video signal
processor 6 also processes an audio information signal from a
microphone (not depicted) as audio information signal input
device.
[0023] Moreover, during play-back, the video signal processor 6
converts the image data from recording/play-back signal processor 7
which will be detailed later into an image information signal for
display output. Furthermore, the video signal processor 6 converts
the audio data from the recording/play-back signal processor 7 into
an audio information signal for audio output. In the case of a
video camera, image data and audio data are continuously processed
by the video signal processor 6. Here, the image quality and the
audio quality are determined by the processing capability of the
video signal processor 6. The processing capability determines the
transfer rate of the data transmitted from the video signal
processor 6 to the recording/play-back signal processor 7.
[0024] The recording/play-back signal processor 7 performs
encode/decode processing, modulation/demodulation processing, ECC
(Error Correction Code) addition/error correction processing, and
the like in order to convert video data (including audio data) from
the video signal processor 6 into recording data based on the
recording format for recording onto an optical drive (ODD) 11 for
recording onto an HDD 10 or a DVD as a disc-shaped recording device
or a Blu-ray disc; or in order to convert the recording data
reproduced from the ODD into the video data (including the audio
data).
[0025] The transfer rate of recording or play-back onto/from the
disc-shaped recording device is determined by the processing
capability of the recording/play-back signal processor 7 and the
disc-shaped recording devices 10 and 11. Numeral 9 denotes a memory
for temporarily storing the video data (including audio data) from
the video signal processor 7. Accumulation in the memory is
performed when the transfer rate of the video data or the audio
data transferred from the video signal processor 7 is faster than
the speed of recording in the disc-shaped recording devices 10 and
11. Accordingly, recording in the disc-shaped recording devices 10
and 11 should be performed before the accumulation memory in the
memory exceeds the memory capacity.
[0026] Numeral 8 denotes a video display device formed by an LCD
(Liquid crystal Display) and the like. During play-back, the data
from the disc-shaped recording devices 10 and 11 is temporarily
stored in the memory 9 and converted into the original video data
by the recording/play-back signal processor 7 and displayed by this
video display device 8 via the video signal processor 6.
[0027] Numeral 12 denotes system controller formed by a control
microcomputer supervising the entire device. This system controller
12 performs control of the respective units of the aforementioned
devices and the entire system.
[0028] FIG. 2 shows configuration of power supply to the video or
audio recording/play-backing apparatus 1 according to the present
invention.
[0029] The power supply includes an external power input terminal
20, a charging circuit 21, a battery 22, a power supply circuit 23
(DC-DC converter), and power supply monitor 24. When power is
supplied from the external power input terminal 20, the power
supplied from the external power input terminal 20 is used to
charge the battery 22 via the charging circuit 21.
[0030] While external power is supplied, power is supplied from the
charging circuit 21 via the power supply circuit 23 to each block.
When no external power is connected, power from the battery 22 is
supplied to each block via the power supply circuit 23.
[0031] Here, the power supply monitor 24 serves as means for
judging whether an external power supply is connected and the
device is operated by the external power or by the battery 22 and
transmitting the judgment result to the controller 12. In FIG. 2
the power supply monitor 24 is expressed as independent means. On
hardware, however, when it is clear from which power is inputted
and to which power is outputted such as to the power supply circuit
23 from the charging circuit 21, this can be used as monitoring
means.
[0032] Here, explanation will be given on one embodiment indicating
one feature of the present invention with reference to FIG. 3.
Since this device is basically used outdoors such as a camera,
reduction of power consumption is a significant problem. Depending
on the camera recording mode, it is judged whether recording is
performed on the HDD 10 or the optical drive 11 and according to
the judgment result, power saving is set in each drive. Basically,
the following three modes are available as camera recording
modes.
[0033] That is, an imaging mode for actually imaging an object, an
edition mode for editing the imaged information, and a dubbing mode
for copying information from the HDD existing as a combination
system of HDD & optical drive to the optical drive or from the
optical drive to the HDD.
[0034] In step S1, the controller 12 judges in which state is the
recording mode. Step 2 judges whether the mode is imaging mode. If
Yes, control is passed to step S4, where it is judged whether the
mode is recording onto the HDD or recording onto the optical drive
11. If the mode is recording onto the HDD 10, control is passed to
step S5, where power supply to the optical drive side is suppressed
or control is performed to set the optical drive to power saving
mode.
[0035] When step 4 judges that the mode is recording onto the
optical drive, control is passed to step S6, where power supply to
the HDD is suppressed or control is performed to set the HDD to
power saving mode. After this, actual imaging is performed in step
S9.
[0036] When step 2 judges that the mode is not imaging mode,
control is passed to step S3. In this case, the mode may be the
edition mode or the dubbing mode. In either mode, the HDD 10 and
the optical drive 11 are operating. Accordingly, power supply
cannot be suppressed or setting to power saving mode cannot be
performed. However, it is possible to modify the power supply
method depending on whether the mode is the edition mode or the
dubbing mode. This judgment is performed in step S3.
[0037] In step S3, if the mode is the edition mode, control is
passed to step 7 (processing of FIG. 4) which will be detailed
later. If the mode is judged to be the dubbing mode, control is
passed to step 8 (processing of FIG. 5) which will be detailed
later.
[0038] FIG. 4 shows detailed processing performed when step S3 in
FIG. 3 judges that the mode is the edition mode.
[0039] Here, during an edition, information cut, movement and
re-recording to the optical drive 11 are performed while checking
information recorded, for example, on an HDD to be edited by using
an LCD 8, which requires a large power consumption. Accordingly,
the HDD 10, the optical drive 11, and the LCD 8 which are the three
parts requiring large power consumption operate and accordingly, an
external power source capable of supplying a sufficient power is
basically required. On the contrary, when an edition is performed
by using a battery, the battery consumption amount increases and it
is expected that the battery capacity becomes zero in the middle of
the edition. This is not preferable for the user and this should be
prevented.
[0040] Step S10 in FIG. 4 judges whether the power supply for
operating the device is from the battery 22 or the external power
terminal 20. When step S11 judges that the device is operated by
the external power supply, sufficient power supply can be obtained
and step S12 permits edition processing so that edition can be
performed.
[0041] After this, in step S14, the edition processing is
performed. When the device is operated by the battery 22, step 13
requests the user to modify the power supply. More specifically,
step 13 causes the LCD 8 to display "this operation cannot be
connected to the battery. Connect the operation to external power
supply." so as to prompt the user to input external power supply
and step S15 performs edition inhibit processing, thereby
terminating the processing.
[0042] FIG. 5 shows the detailed processing performed when step S3
in FIG. 3 judges that the mode is dubbing mode.
[0043] Here, for dubbing, information recorded on, for example, an
HDD is simply copied to the optical drive 11. Basically, the LCD 8
need not be operated. Accordingly, only the two parts which
requires a large power consumption are only two, i.e., the HDD 10
and the optical drive 11. Accordingly, when a certain battery
capacity is assured, the recording can be performed.
[0044] Moreover, basically, the dubbing is not continuous dubbing
of a plenty of discs. After recording is performed on a disc, the
disc is replaced with another. The battery remaining amount should
be checked for each of the discs. That is, the power consumption
required for one disc need be considered. Accordingly, when a
certain battery remaining amount is present, the dubbing can be
performed by the battery drive.
[0045] Step 10 in FIG. 5 judges whether the power supply for
operating the device is from the battery 22 or from the external
power terminal 20, i.e., external power supply. When step S11
judges that the device is operated by the external power supply,
sufficient power is supplied and step S17 permits dubbing so that
dubbing can be performed. After this, step S18 performs
dubbing.
[0046] When the power is supplied from the battery 22, step S16
checks the battery remaining amount. When the remaining amount is
not smaller than a threshold value, step S17 permits dubbing
processing so that dubbing is performed. When the remaining amount
is below the threshold value, there is a high possibility that
recording is stopped during the dubbing and step S18 performs
dubbing inhibit processing, thereby terminating the processing. The
battery remaining amount of step S16 may be performed by monitoring
the battery use time or supply voltage from the battery.
[0047] Moreover, the dubbing permission processing of step S17
includes a process for stopping the power to the LCD 8 after the
selection of the dubbing mode until the actual dubbing is started
or the process to perform LCD power saving control. Depending on
the battery remaining amount, the power saving control to reduce
the LCD back light intensity may be performed when operating the
LCD. Especially, when operated by the battery, the LCD back light
intensity is reduced for power saving.
[0048] As has been described above, the video or audio information
recording/play-backing apparatus according to the present invention
performs power saving control of the LCD for performing display,
the HDD and the optical drive for performing recording which
requires a large power consumption and stops power supply when not
required.
[0049] For example, when performing imaging outdoors which requires
battery drive, imaging is performed while looking at the LCD.
Accordingly, only the HDD is operated for recording and the
operation of the optical drive is stopped. Alternatively, only the
optical drive is operated and the operation of the HDD is
stopped.
[0050] For example, during edition, a scene is selected from the
information recorded on the HDD and recorded on the optical drive.
Accordingly, a user usually looks at the display screen such as the
LCD when performing the edition. That is, the LCD of the display
device, the HDD, and the optical drive requiring a large power
consumption are simultaneously operating. When only the battery is
used for power supply, the battery capacity is significantly
reduced. Accordingly, the operation is permitted only by using the
external power supply.
[0051] For example, when play-backing/displaying for the condition
check, i.e., when the LCD display is performed, a large current is
consumed and accordingly, the operation is permitted only by the
external power supply.
[0052] As has been described above, the present invention may be
applied to the video or audio recording/play-backing apparatus such
as a hybrid DVD camera using the combination of the HDD and the DVD
or the Blu-ray camera which will soon be brought into the
market.
[0053] It should be further understood by those skilled in the art
that although the foregoing description has been made on
embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto
and various changes and modifications may be made without departing
from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *