US20080163327A1 - Method and device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast - Google Patents

Method and device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20080163327A1
US20080163327A1 US12/071,940 US7194008A US2008163327A1 US 20080163327 A1 US20080163327 A1 US 20080163327A1 US 7194008 A US7194008 A US 7194008A US 2008163327 A1 US2008163327 A1 US 2008163327A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
broadcast
storage medium
storage
ensuring
time
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US12/071,940
Inventor
Eiji Miyagoshi
Akihiro Watabe
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Panasonic Holdings Corp
Original Assignee
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd filed Critical Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd
Priority to US12/071,940 priority Critical patent/US20080163327A1/en
Publication of US20080163327A1 publication Critical patent/US20080163327A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/442—Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk
    • H04N21/4424—Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/00007—Time or data compression or expansion
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/10—Digital recording or reproducing
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/02—Editing, e.g. varying the order of information signals recorded on, or reproduced from, record carriers
    • G11B27/031—Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
    • G11B27/034—Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals on discs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/36—Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N19/00—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
    • H04N19/10—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using adaptive coding
    • H04N19/102—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using adaptive coding characterised by the element, parameter or selection affected or controlled by the adaptive coding
    • H04N19/132—Sampling, masking or truncation of coding units, e.g. adaptive resampling, frame skipping, frame interpolation or high-frequency transform coefficient masking
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N19/00—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
    • H04N19/10—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using adaptive coding
    • H04N19/134—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using adaptive coding characterised by the element, parameter or criterion affecting or controlling the adaptive coding
    • H04N19/146—Data rate or code amount at the encoder output
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N19/00—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
    • H04N19/10—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using adaptive coding
    • H04N19/134—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using adaptive coding characterised by the element, parameter or criterion affecting or controlling the adaptive coding
    • H04N19/146—Data rate or code amount at the encoder output
    • H04N19/15—Data rate or code amount at the encoder output by monitoring actual compressed data size at the memory before deciding storage at the transmission buffer
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N19/00—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
    • H04N19/46—Embedding additional information in the video signal during the compression process
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N19/00—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
    • H04N19/50—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using predictive coding
    • H04N19/587—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using predictive coding involving temporal sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. decimation or subsequent interpolation of pictures in a video sequence
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N19/00—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
    • H04N19/50—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using predictive coding
    • H04N19/59—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using predictive coding involving spatial sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. alteration of picture size or resolution
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N19/00—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
    • H04N19/60—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using transform coding
    • H04N19/61—Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using transform coding in combination with predictive coding
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/20—Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/23—Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
    • H04N21/234—Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams, manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
    • H04N21/2343—Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams, manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements
    • H04N21/234363—Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams, manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/426—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/76—Television signal recording
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
    • G11B20/00007—Time or data compression or expansion
    • G11B2020/00079—Time or data compression or expansion the compression ratio or quality level being adapted to circumstances, e.g. to the available recording space
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/20—Disc-shaped record carriers
    • G11B2220/21—Disc-shaped record carriers characterised in that the disc is of read-only, rewritable, or recordable type
    • G11B2220/215—Recordable discs
    • G11B2220/216—Rewritable discs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/20—Disc-shaped record carriers
    • G11B2220/21—Disc-shaped record carriers characterised in that the disc is of read-only, rewritable, or recordable type
    • G11B2220/215—Recordable discs
    • G11B2220/218—Write-once discs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/20—Disc-shaped record carriers
    • G11B2220/25—Disc-shaped record carriers characterised in that the disc is based on a specific recording technology
    • G11B2220/2537—Optical discs
    • G11B2220/2541—Blu-ray discs; Blue laser DVR discs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/20—Disc-shaped record carriers
    • G11B2220/25—Disc-shaped record carriers characterised in that the disc is based on a specific recording technology
    • G11B2220/2537—Optical discs
    • G11B2220/2562—DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/20—Disc-shaped record carriers
    • G11B2220/25—Disc-shaped record carriers characterised in that the disc is based on a specific recording technology
    • G11B2220/2537—Optical discs
    • G11B2220/2562—DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
    • G11B2220/2575—DVD-RAMs
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/76—Television signal recording
    • H04N5/78—Television signal recording using magnetic recording
    • H04N5/781—Television signal recording using magnetic recording on disks or drums
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/76—Television signal recording
    • H04N5/84—Television signal recording using optical recording
    • H04N5/85—Television signal recording using optical recording on discs or drums
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N9/00—Details of colour television systems
    • H04N9/79—Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
    • H04N9/80—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback
    • H04N9/804—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components
    • H04N9/8042—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components involving data reduction

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method and a device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast that can ensure recording time required when a digital broadcast compressed by MPEG or the like is stored and recorded in a recording medium such as an optical disk, an optomagnetic disk or a hard disk.
  • a record-and-playback device for recording in a disk-shaped storage medium that is capable of freely recording/playing back a video or voice digital signal, such as a DVD-RAM or a hard disk has been developed.
  • JP-A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
  • JP-A No. 8-17137 there has been known a method that a target bit-rate is calculated on the basis of the storage capacity of the storage medium and a predetermined recording time and then the data is encoded so as to be contained in the storage medium. Namely, because the recording capacity for the storage medium and the recording time for an analog broadcast to be stored are known, a bit-rate can be determined by the expression, recording capacity ⁇ recording time. Then, control is performed so that the analog broadcast is compressed and recorded at this resultant bit-rate.
  • sources for the digital broadcast are for a standard television in current CS broadcasting performed in Japan.
  • BS digital broadcasting a standard television and high-definition television are supported.
  • a bit-rate of broadcast is different for each program.
  • ground wave digital broadcasting that will be started in 2003 or later, a standard television, a high-definition television and a level lower than MPEG4 Simple Profile Level 3 will be provided.
  • MPEG4 Simple Profile Level 3 an image size is CIF (1 ⁇ 4 of current vertical and horizontal sizes, respectively) and a bit-rate is equal to or less than 384 kbit/s.
  • a storage time may be varied for each of the bit-rates for these broadcasts even in the case of storing the same broadcast program, unlike a conventional analog VHS VTR which can simply define the storage time in a 120 min tape as two hours in a standard mode and six hours in a triple-mode. Accordingly, a problem exists in the method for ensuring a storing and recording time.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device for ensuring the time for digital broadcasts transmitted at various bit-rates to be recorded in a storage medium.
  • the capacity of a storage medium required for storing the broadcast is calculated. Then, the required capacity is compared to an actual empty area in the storage medium, a bit-rate of the broadcast to be stored is appropriately converted, and the resultant broadcast is stored.
  • a method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast at the time of storing data for a digitized and then transmitted broadcast comprises the steps of: monitoring a predetermined recording time for the broadcast and a bit-rate of the broadcast and calculating, in real time, a required capacity of a storage medium; determining whether or not the calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained within an empty area or a freely limited area of the storage medium; if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained as the result of the determination, converting, in real time, the bit-rate of the broadcast into a smaller one; and storing the converted broadcast in the storage medium.
  • the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast further comprises the steps of: if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained as the result of the determination, determining whether or not the empty area or freely limited area of the storage medium remains; if the empty area or freely limited area remains, converting, in real time, the bit-rate of the broadcast into a larger one; and storing the converted broadcast into the storage medium.
  • the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast further comprises the step of: if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained as the result of the determination, storing the broadcast in the storage medium without converting the bit-rate.
  • the step of converting the bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is an operation of missing a part of the broadcast data.
  • the step of converting the bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is an operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again for the broadcast.
  • the operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again for the broadcast is performed by utilizing a system for compressing an analog broadcast, decoding the compressed digital data and then playing back the resultant data.
  • the step of converting the bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is an operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband, then performing image resolution conversion or image frame rate conversion upon the broadcast and performing the compression processing again upon the resultant broadcast.
  • the step of converting the bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is performed by selecting one from three kinds of operations, i.e., the operation of missing a part of the broadcast data, the operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again upon the broadcast and the operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband, then performing image resolution conversion or image frame rate conversion upon the broadcast and performing the compression processing again upon the resultant broadcast.
  • the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention further comprises the step of: if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained, deleting a broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium to ensure the required capacity of the storage medium.
  • the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention further comprises the step of: if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained, re-compressing the broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium to ensure the required capacity of the storage medium.
  • the step of re-compressing the broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium is performed by the operation of missing a part of the stored broadcast data, the operation of returning the stored broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again upon the broadcast or the operation of returning the stored broadcast in a baseband, then performing image resolution conversion or image frame rate conversion and performing a compression processing again upon the broadcast.
  • a broadcast that a set period of time or longer has passed since its storage a broadcast which has been decoded at least once since its storage, a broadcast which is stored in the storage medium and then copied in other storage medium or a broadcast which was stored at the earliest date will be deleted, and these broadcasts are selected in accordance with a predetermined priority.
  • a device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast at the time of storing a digitized and then transmitted broadcast comprises a required capacity calculation circuit for monitoring a predetermined recording time of the broadcast and a bit-rate of the broadcast and calculating, in real time, a required capacity of the storage medium; a determination circuit for determining whether or not the required capacity of the storage medium calculated in the required capacity calculation circuit can be contained within an empty or freely limited area in the storage medium; and a bit-rate conversion circuit for, if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained as the result of the determination by the determination circuit, converting, in real time, the bit-rate of the broadcast into a smaller one and storing the converted broadcast in the storage medium.
  • the determination circuit further determines, if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained, whether or not the empty or freely limited area of the storage medium remains.
  • the device further comprises a second bit-rate changing circuit for, if the empty or freely limited area remains as the result of the determination by the determination circuit, converting, in real time, the bit-rate of the broadcast into a larger one and storing the converted broadcast in the storage medium.
  • the required capacity calculation circuit comprises a determination circuit for writing an inputted broadcast stream in a storage memory and determining the bit-rate of the broadcast on the basis of its storage time and storage amount.
  • the device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention further comprises a deletion circuit for, if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained as the result of determination by the determination circuit, deleting a broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium.
  • the device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention further comprises a re-compression circuit for, if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained as the result of determination by the determination circuit, re-compressing a broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium.
  • the required capacity calculation circuit, the determination circuit and the bit-rate conversion circuit are integrated onto a chip.
  • a required capacity of a storage medium at an original bit-rate of the broadcast is successively calculated. If the required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained within an empty or freely limited area in the storage medium, the bit-rate of the broadcast is converted into a smaller one. Thus, the capacity of the storage medium required for the broadcast can be contained within the remaining storage capacity and the broadcast can be reliably stored and recorded in the storage medium.
  • the transmission bit-rate of the broadcast is converted into a larger one and the resultant broadcast is stored in the storage medium.
  • the broadcast can be stored and recorded with high image quality.
  • the present invention can be provided inexpensively because a re-compression processing is performed for a broadcast to be newly stored by utilizing existing devices in a storage-and-playback system.
  • the required capacity of the storage medium is ensured in an empty area therein by deleting or re-compressing a broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium.
  • the broadcast to be newly stored can be reliably stored and recorded in the storage medium.
  • a broadcast that a set period of time has passed since its storage or a broadcast that is at least decoded or copied is preferentially deleted or re-compressed. As a result, the already stored broadcast can be deleted or re-compressed depending on a degree of necessity.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast relating to embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the detail of a method for ensuring the storage time performed by the device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast.
  • FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the algorithm for establishing the priority of a broadcast to be deleted or re-compressed.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the specific structure of a device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast relating to the embodiments of the present invention.
  • the device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast illustrated in FIG. 1 is mainly configured by an input section 1 , an MPEG transport decoder 17 , a stream controller 6 , an MPEG decoder 10 , an image resolution/frame rate converter 9 , an MPEG encoder 11 , a drive section 16 and a microcomputer 14 for entirely controlling these elements.
  • Inputted to the input section 1 is a broadcast signal MPEG-TS 2 obtained by multiplexing at least one broadcast program inputted from a tuner section of a satellite, cable television or ground wave digital broadcasting, such as an MPEG-TS signal.
  • the input section 1 outputs the multiplexed TS bit stream 3 to the MPEG transport decoder 17 .
  • the MPEG transport decoder 17 selects only a broadcast program selected in accordance with information about the selected program designated in advance by the microcomputer 14 , and outputs the TS bit stream 4 of the selected program.
  • the total storage time for the TS bit stream 4 of the selected broadcast program is inputted in advance by various methods including G-Code, EPG, and user's time setting and the like, and thus is known by the microcomputer 14 prior to storing and recording of the broadcast program.
  • the TS bit stream 4 of the selected broadcast program outputted from the MPEG transport decoder 17 is inputted to the stream controller 6 .
  • This stream controller 6 stores and records the inputted TS bit stream 4 of the broadcast program in a storage medium driven by the drive section 16 such as DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, Blu-Ray disk or contained hard disk.
  • This stream controller 6 has the function of determining a bit-rate of the TS bit stream 4 of the broadcast program to be stored prior to the broadcast program being stored in the storage medium. In order to exhibit this function, the stream controller 6 has an inputted bit-rate determiner (determination circuit) 19 therein, and an external buffer memory 5 is connected thereto.
  • the stream controller 6 starts to store the inputted TS bit stream 4 of the selected broadcast program in the external buffer memory (storage memory) 5 before outputting the same to the drive section 16 .
  • the inputted bit-rate determiner (determination circuit) 19 monitors, in real time, the bit-rate of the TS bit stream 4 of the selected broadcast program on the basis of a storage time and storage amount in the external buffer memory 5 , and outputs the determined bit-rate to the microcomputer 14 .
  • the microcomputer 14 determines a required capacity of the storage medium on the basis of the determined bit-rate and the storing and recording time for the broadcast program to be stored, compares the required capacity of the storage medium to an empty area in the storage medium in the drive section 16 or a freely limited area determined in the microcomputer 14 by a user (which will be referred to as a remaining storage capacity hereinafter), and determines whether or not the broadcast program to be stored can be stored and recorded in the storage medium. The specific example of such determination will be described with reference to FIG. 2 .
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of the determination and processings after the determination.
  • step S 0 the storage time for the broadcast program to be stored is multiplied by the bit-rate monitored in real time by the bit-rate determiner 19 in order to calculate a required capacity of the storage medium for the digitized broadcast program.
  • a required capacity calculation circuit 50 is configured by step S 0 .
  • step S 1 the calculated required capacity of the storage medium (result of multiplication) is compared with the remaining storage capacity of the storage medium to determine the magnitude relationship between the required capacity of the storage medium and the remaining storage capacity thereof. Namely, it is determined whether or not the required capacity of the storage medium is smaller than the remaining storage capacity and thus the broadcast program to be stored can be stored in the storage medium.
  • a determination circuit 51 is configured by step S 1 .
  • step S 2 a determination is made as to whether the broadcast program to be stored is re-encoded at smaller bit-rate. If the re-encoding processing is performed, this re-encoding processing is performed by two kinds of methods. In accordance with one method, the broadcast to be stored is decoded in a compressed database band and then encoded again. In accordance with the other method, a part of bit stream of the broadcast is deleted in order to obtain a predetermined small bit-rate. Specifically explaining, in step S 4 , a determination is made as to whether the broadcast is subjected to the decoding processing to be returned in a baseband.
  • step S 5 a part of bits of the broadcast program to be stored is deleted so as to be missed therefrom.
  • Various methods are provided for this deletion and may include, e.g., a method for deleting bits subjected to padding processing for controlling a fixed rate.
  • step S 6 whether or not a resolution conversion/frame rate decimation is performed is determined.
  • step S 7 the broadcast program returned in a baseband is subjected to the re-encoding processing so as to obtain a bit-rate which enables storing and recording within the remaining storage capacity, and the resultant re-encoded broadcast program is stored and recorded.
  • step S 8 the frame rate decimation and pixel reduction are performed, and the re-encoding processing is performed upon the broadcast program to be stored in order to convert the bit-rate thereof into a predetermined small bit-rate so that the broadcast program can be stored within the remaining storage capacity of the storage medium. In this way, the required storage capacity of the storage medium is compressed.
  • the re-encoded broadcast program is stored in the storage medium in the drive section 16 .
  • the resolution conversion processing may include a method for converting the number of horizontal pixels from 720 to 544 or 720 to 352 by using a filter and a method for converting the number of vertical pixels. In the latter case, for example, a method for converting 480 vertical pixels into 240 pixels is known. The most simple method is to drop any field of pixels formed of Top Bottom.
  • a bit-rate conversion circuit 52 is configured by steps S 4 to S 8 .
  • step S 3 a broadcast program which has already been stored in the storage medium is deleted.
  • the stored broadcast program is re-encoded to be compressed again in order to ensure a larger remaining storage capacity of the storage medium.
  • a deletion circuit 54 and a re-compression circuit 55 are configured by step S 3 .
  • step S 3 if two or more broadcast programs have been already stored in the storage medium, priority is established in order to determine which of these broadcast programs should be deleted or re-compressed.
  • a broadcast program which is temporarily stored in the storage medium and then copied in other storage medium is set as the first priority for deletion/re-compression processing.
  • a broadcast program which is stored in the storage medium but is not played back at all even after a predetermined period of time freely set by a user is determined as the second priority.
  • a broadcast program which is stored in the storage medium and then played back by a user is set as the third priority.
  • a broadcast program which was stored in the storage medium at the earliest date is set as the fourth priority. If a broadcast program satisfying these settings exists, the priority is established in an even further detailed manner.
  • step S 20 a determination is made in step S 20 as to whether or not two or more stored broadcast programs are provided. If a plurality of stored broadcast programs do not exist and only one broadcast program exists, in step S 21 , this broadcast program is deleted or re-compressed. If there provided a plurality of broadcast programs, in step S 22 , whether or not two or more broadcast programs that are copied in other storage medium exist is determined. If only one broadcast program is copied in the other storage medium, in step S 23 , the copied broadcast program is deleted or re-compressed.
  • step S 24 a determination is made in step S 24 as to whether or not two or more broadcast programs recorded earlier than a date freely set by a user exist. If there is provided only one broadcast program recorded earlier than the date, in step S 25 , this broadcast program is deleted or re-compressed. If there are provided two or more broadcast programs recorded earlier than the set date, in step S 26 , a determination is made as to whether or not there exist two or more broadcast programs that have been once decoded and played back by a user since their storage. If there is provided only one broadcast program that has been decoded and played back since its storage, in step S 27 , this played back broadcast program is deleted or re-compressed. If there exist two or more broadcast programs that have been played back once, in step S 28 , a broadcast program which was stored in the storage medium at the earliest date is deleted or re-compressed.
  • step S 9 a determination is made as to whether or not the broadcast program is stored and recorded with its original bit-rate, i.e., without converting the bit-rate of the broadcast program to be stored. If it is determined that the broadcast program is stored and recorded with its original bit-rate, in step S 10 , this broadcast program is recorded.
  • step S 11 opposite to the processing in step S 8 a frame interpolation and pixel interpolation processings are performed in order to convert the bit-rate into a larger bit-rate, so that high image quality is accomplished. Then, the resultant broadcast program is stored and recorded in the storage medium.
  • a second bit-rate changing circuit 53 is configured by step S 11 . This processing may be performed with the highest possibility when an MPEG4 image is recorded as an MPEG2 image.
  • REC656 (30 Frame/sec, 720 horizontal pixels and 480 vertical pixels) serving as a format obtained by digitizing a general NTSC image
  • QCIF and CIF are provided as an image size and 15 Frame/sec is provided as a frame rate.
  • image size and frame rate are converted by a filter into REC656 size, and then the MPEG4 image is re-encoded.
  • the MPEG decoder 10 is a decoder for returning a compressed MPEG1, MPEG2 or MPEG4 broadcast in a baseband.
  • This decoder 10 may utilize, in addition to MPEG, JPEG, Motion JPEG or a compression system which is not defined by ISO.
  • the MPEG decoder 10 has the function of deleting padding bits described in step S 5 in FIG. 2 as well as the function of decoding the broadcast program stored in the storage medium in a baseband at the time of playing back the same.
  • the image resolution/frame rate converter 9 illustrated in FIG. 1 performs, as well as the reduction and interpolation processings for horizontal resolution and the conversion of vertical resolution, the frame rate decimation and interpolation.
  • An NTSC/PAL/SECAM encoder 8 is used to convert digital broadcast data into an analog signal in order to output to a television monitor, and converts, in order to correspond to broadcasting systems for all over the world, an NTSC system used in the United States and Japan, a PAL system used in European countries and China and an SECAM system used in the former USSR into the respective analog systems. In the case of not standard broadcasting but broadcasting with high resolution, an encoder corresponding to such broadcasting is required.
  • An NTSC/PAL/SECAM decoder 7 converts an analog signal from an analog tuner 15 into a digital signal, and corresponds to the NTSC system, the PAL system and the SECAM broadcasting.
  • the analog broadcast is usually disturbed in a weak electric field, and a vertical or horizontal retrace line interval becomes long or short. This phenomenon may be occurred by a line input such as an input from VTR as well as an input from the analog tuner 15 .
  • a TBC circuit 18 corrects this phenomenon.
  • the TBC circuit 18 usually accomplishes the correction by writing a once disturbed signal in a frame memory and reading out the signal. Depending on the range of correction, the correction can be realized simply by writing in a line memory.
  • the output from the TBC circuit 18 is compressed and encoded in the MPEG encoder 11 .
  • the compression system in the MPEG encoder 11 may be, in addition to MPEG1, MPEG2 and MPEG4, JPEG, Motion JPEG and a compression system which is not defined by ISO.
  • the compressed stream is written via the stream controller 6 into the storage medium on the drive 16 .
  • the stream controller 6 , the image resolution/frame rate converter 9 , the MPEG decoder 10 , the MPEG encoder 11 and the microcomputer 14 are integrated into one chip.
  • the MPEG encoder 11 and the MPEG decoder 10 are existing devices required for recording/playing back an analog broadcast or an analog line input.
  • a record/play-back system for existing devices including such devices is utilized for the decoding and encoding processings in steps S 3 , S 7 , S 8 and S 11 illustrated in FIG. 2 .
  • existing devices can be shared and thus the present invention can be provided inexpensively.

Abstract

When a digitized broadcast is recorded in a storage medium, a required capacity of the storage medium is firstly calculated on the basis of a bit-rate of digitized broadcast data and a recording time which is known in advance. If the remaining capacity of the storage medium is smaller than the required capacity of the storage medium, for example, a frame rate decimation and pixel reduction are performed upon a broadcast to be newly stored, a re-encoding processing is performed for the broadcast and then the resultant broadcast is stored in the storage medium. If the remaining storage capacity of the storage medium is larger than the required capacity of the storage medium and thus remains, a frame interpolation and pixel interpolation are performed for the broadcast to be stored and then a re-encoding processing is performed for the resultant broadcast in order to improve its image quality. As a result, recording of the broadcast data in the storage medium can be ensured.

Description

    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention relates to a method and a device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast that can ensure recording time required when a digital broadcast compressed by MPEG or the like is stored and recorded in a recording medium such as an optical disk, an optomagnetic disk or a hard disk.
  • Recently, in accordance with improvement of image signal processing techniques, a record-and-playback device for recording in a disk-shaped storage medium that is capable of freely recording/playing back a video or voice digital signal, such as a DVD-RAM or a hard disk has been developed.
  • As a method for storing and recording analog broadcast data in such a storage medium, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 8-17137, there has been known a method that a target bit-rate is calculated on the basis of the storage capacity of the storage medium and a predetermined recording time and then the data is encoded so as to be contained in the storage medium. Namely, because the recording capacity for the storage medium and the recording time for an analog broadcast to be stored are known, a bit-rate can be determined by the expression, recording capacity÷recording time. Then, control is performed so that the analog broadcast is compressed and recorded at this resultant bit-rate.
  • In the case of storing and recording not analog broadcast data but digital broadcast data, however, sources for the digital broadcast are for a standard television in current CS broadcasting performed in Japan. In BS digital broadcasting, a standard television and high-definition television are supported. Further, even in the same standard television or high-definition television, a bit-rate of broadcast is different for each program. In ground wave digital broadcasting that will be started in 2003 or later, a standard television, a high-definition television and a level lower than MPEG4 Simple Profile Level 3 will be provided. In accordance with MPEG4 Simple Profile Level 3, an image size is CIF (¼ of current vertical and horizontal sizes, respectively) and a bit-rate is equal to or less than 384 kbit/s. Thus, when these three kinds of broadcasts are stored and recorded in a digital form, a storage time may be varied for each of the bit-rates for these broadcasts even in the case of storing the same broadcast program, unlike a conventional analog VHS VTR which can simply define the storage time in a 120 min tape as two hours in a standard mode and six hours in a triple-mode. Accordingly, a problem exists in the method for ensuring a storing and recording time.
    • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device for ensuring the time for digital broadcasts transmitted at various bit-rates to be recorded in a storage medium.
  • In order to accomplish the aforementioned object, in accordance with the present invention, when a digitized and then transmitted broadcast is stored and recorded, the capacity of a storage medium required for storing the broadcast is calculated. Then, the required capacity is compared to an actual empty area in the storage medium, a bit-rate of the broadcast to be stored is appropriately converted, and the resultant broadcast is stored.
  • According to the present invention, a method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast at the time of storing data for a digitized and then transmitted broadcast comprises the steps of: monitoring a predetermined recording time for the broadcast and a bit-rate of the broadcast and calculating, in real time, a required capacity of a storage medium; determining whether or not the calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained within an empty area or a freely limited area of the storage medium; if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained as the result of the determination, converting, in real time, the bit-rate of the broadcast into a smaller one; and storing the converted broadcast in the storage medium.
  • In accordance with the present invention, the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast further comprises the steps of: if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained as the result of the determination, determining whether or not the empty area or freely limited area of the storage medium remains; if the empty area or freely limited area remains, converting, in real time, the bit-rate of the broadcast into a larger one; and storing the converted broadcast into the storage medium.
  • According to the present invention, the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast further comprises the step of: if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained as the result of the determination, storing the broadcast in the storage medium without converting the bit-rate.
  • According to the present invention, in the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast, the step of converting the bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is an operation of missing a part of the broadcast data.
  • In accordance with the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention, the step of converting the bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is an operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again for the broadcast.
  • In accordance with the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention, the operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again for the broadcast is performed by utilizing a system for compressing an analog broadcast, decoding the compressed digital data and then playing back the resultant data.
  • According to the present invention, in the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast, the step of converting the bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is an operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband, then performing image resolution conversion or image frame rate conversion upon the broadcast and performing the compression processing again upon the resultant broadcast.
  • According to the present invention, in the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast, the step of converting the bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is performed by selecting one from three kinds of operations, i.e., the operation of missing a part of the broadcast data, the operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again upon the broadcast and the operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband, then performing image resolution conversion or image frame rate conversion upon the broadcast and performing the compression processing again upon the resultant broadcast.
  • The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention further comprises the step of: if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained, deleting a broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium to ensure the required capacity of the storage medium.
  • The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention further comprises the step of: if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained, re-compressing the broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium to ensure the required capacity of the storage medium.
  • In accordance with the present invention, in the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast, the step of re-compressing the broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium is performed by the operation of missing a part of the stored broadcast data, the operation of returning the stored broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again upon the broadcast or the operation of returning the stored broadcast in a baseband, then performing image resolution conversion or image frame rate conversion and performing a compression processing again upon the broadcast.
  • In accordance with the present invention, in the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast, when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast that a set period of time or longer has passed since its storage will be deleted.
  • In accordance with the present invention, in the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast, when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast which has been decoded at least once since its storage will be deleted.
  • In accordance with the present invention, in the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast, when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast which is stored in the storage medium and then copied in other storage medium will be deleted.
  • In accordance with the present invention, in the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast, when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast which was stored at the earliest date will be deleted.
  • In accordance with the present invention, in the method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast, when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast that a set period of time or longer has passed since its storage, a broadcast which has been decoded at least once since its storage, a broadcast which is stored in the storage medium and then copied in other storage medium or a broadcast which was stored at the earliest date will be deleted, and these broadcasts are selected in accordance with a predetermined priority.
  • According to the present invention, a device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast at the time of storing a digitized and then transmitted broadcast comprises a required capacity calculation circuit for monitoring a predetermined recording time of the broadcast and a bit-rate of the broadcast and calculating, in real time, a required capacity of the storage medium; a determination circuit for determining whether or not the required capacity of the storage medium calculated in the required capacity calculation circuit can be contained within an empty or freely limited area in the storage medium; and a bit-rate conversion circuit for, if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained as the result of the determination by the determination circuit, converting, in real time, the bit-rate of the broadcast into a smaller one and storing the converted broadcast in the storage medium.
  • According to the present invention, in the device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast, the determination circuit further determines, if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained, whether or not the empty or freely limited area of the storage medium remains. The device further comprises a second bit-rate changing circuit for, if the empty or freely limited area remains as the result of the determination by the determination circuit, converting, in real time, the bit-rate of the broadcast into a larger one and storing the converted broadcast in the storage medium.
  • In the device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention, the required capacity calculation circuit comprises a determination circuit for writing an inputted broadcast stream in a storage memory and determining the bit-rate of the broadcast on the basis of its storage time and storage amount.
  • The device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention further comprises a deletion circuit for, if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained as the result of determination by the determination circuit, deleting a broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium.
  • The device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention further comprises a re-compression circuit for, if the calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained as the result of determination by the determination circuit, re-compressing a broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium.
  • In the device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of the present invention, the required capacity calculation circuit, the determination circuit and the bit-rate conversion circuit are integrated onto a chip.
  • As described above, in accordance with the present invention, even if the bit-rate of a digitized broadcast is varied, a required capacity of a storage medium at an original bit-rate of the broadcast is successively calculated. If the required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained within an empty or freely limited area in the storage medium, the bit-rate of the broadcast is converted into a smaller one. Thus, the capacity of the storage medium required for the broadcast can be contained within the remaining storage capacity and the broadcast can be reliably stored and recorded in the storage medium.
  • Especially in the present invention, if the required capacity of the storage medium can be successfully contained within the remaining storage capacity, the transmission bit-rate of the broadcast is converted into a larger one and the resultant broadcast is stored in the storage medium. Thus, the broadcast can be stored and recorded with high image quality.
  • The present invention can be provided inexpensively because a re-compression processing is performed for a broadcast to be newly stored by utilizing existing devices in a storage-and-playback system.
  • Further, in accordance with the present invention, the required capacity of the storage medium is ensured in an empty area therein by deleting or re-compressing a broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium. Thus, while maintaining at a bit-rate required for successfully maintaining a played back image, the broadcast to be newly stored can be reliably stored and recorded in the storage medium. In accordance with the present invention, among a plurality of already stored broadcasts, a broadcast that a set period of time has passed since its storage or a broadcast that is at least decoded or copied is preferentially deleted or re-compressed. As a result, the already stored broadcast can be deleted or re-compressed depending on a degree of necessity.
    • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast relating to embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the detail of a method for ensuring the storage time performed by the device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast.
  • FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the algorithm for establishing the priority of a broadcast to be deleted or re-compressed.
    •  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  • Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the specific structure of a device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast relating to the embodiments of the present invention.
  • The device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast illustrated in FIG. 1 is mainly configured by an input section 1, an MPEG transport decoder 17, a stream controller 6, an MPEG decoder 10, an image resolution/frame rate converter 9, an MPEG encoder 11, a drive section 16 and a microcomputer 14 for entirely controlling these elements.
  • Inputted to the input section 1 is a broadcast signal MPEG-TS 2 obtained by multiplexing at least one broadcast program inputted from a tuner section of a satellite, cable television or ground wave digital broadcasting, such as an MPEG-TS signal. The input section 1 outputs the multiplexed TS bit stream 3 to the MPEG transport decoder 17. The MPEG transport decoder 17 selects only a broadcast program selected in accordance with information about the selected program designated in advance by the microcomputer 14, and outputs the TS bit stream 4 of the selected program. The total storage time for the TS bit stream 4 of the selected broadcast program is inputted in advance by various methods including G-Code, EPG, and user's time setting and the like, and thus is known by the microcomputer 14 prior to storing and recording of the broadcast program.
  • The TS bit stream 4 of the selected broadcast program outputted from the MPEG transport decoder 17 is inputted to the stream controller 6. This stream controller 6 stores and records the inputted TS bit stream 4 of the broadcast program in a storage medium driven by the drive section 16 such as DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, Blu-Ray disk or contained hard disk. This stream controller 6 has the function of determining a bit-rate of the TS bit stream 4 of the broadcast program to be stored prior to the broadcast program being stored in the storage medium. In order to exhibit this function, the stream controller 6 has an inputted bit-rate determiner (determination circuit) 19 therein, and an external buffer memory 5 is connected thereto. The stream controller 6 starts to store the inputted TS bit stream 4 of the selected broadcast program in the external buffer memory (storage memory) 5 before outputting the same to the drive section 16. Under this state, the inputted bit-rate determiner (determination circuit) 19 monitors, in real time, the bit-rate of the TS bit stream 4 of the selected broadcast program on the basis of a storage time and storage amount in the external buffer memory 5, and outputs the determined bit-rate to the microcomputer 14.
  • The microcomputer 14 determines a required capacity of the storage medium on the basis of the determined bit-rate and the storing and recording time for the broadcast program to be stored, compares the required capacity of the storage medium to an empty area in the storage medium in the drive section 16 or a freely limited area determined in the microcomputer 14 by a user (which will be referred to as a remaining storage capacity hereinafter), and determines whether or not the broadcast program to be stored can be stored and recorded in the storage medium. The specific example of such determination will be described with reference to FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of the determination and processings after the determination. Referring to FIG. 2, firstly in step S0, the storage time for the broadcast program to be stored is multiplied by the bit-rate monitored in real time by the bit-rate determiner 19 in order to calculate a required capacity of the storage medium for the digitized broadcast program. A required capacity calculation circuit 50 is configured by step S0.
  • Next, in step S1, the calculated required capacity of the storage medium (result of multiplication) is compared with the remaining storage capacity of the storage medium to determine the magnitude relationship between the required capacity of the storage medium and the remaining storage capacity thereof. Namely, it is determined whether or not the required capacity of the storage medium is smaller than the remaining storage capacity and thus the broadcast program to be stored can be stored in the storage medium. A determination circuit 51 is configured by step S1.
  • If the remaining capacity of the storage medium is smaller as the result of comparison of magnitude, the process proceeds to step S2. In step S2, a determination is made as to whether the broadcast program to be stored is re-encoded at smaller bit-rate. If the re-encoding processing is performed, this re-encoding processing is performed by two kinds of methods. In accordance with one method, the broadcast to be stored is decoded in a compressed database band and then encoded again. In accordance with the other method, a part of bit stream of the broadcast is deleted in order to obtain a predetermined small bit-rate. Specifically explaining, in step S4, a determination is made as to whether the broadcast is subjected to the decoding processing to be returned in a baseband. If the answer to the determination in step S4 is NO., in step S5, a part of bits of the broadcast program to be stored is deleted so as to be missed therefrom. Various methods are provided for this deletion and may include, e.g., a method for deleting bits subjected to padding processing for controlling a fixed rate. If the answer to the determination as to whether the broadcast is returned in a baseband is YES, in step S6, whether or not a resolution conversion/frame rate decimation is performed is determined. If the answer to the determination in step S6 is NO, in step S7, the broadcast program returned in a baseband is subjected to the re-encoding processing so as to obtain a bit-rate which enables storing and recording within the remaining storage capacity, and the resultant re-encoded broadcast program is stored and recorded. If the answer to the determination as to whether the resolution conversion/frame rate decimation is performed is YES, in step S8, the frame rate decimation and pixel reduction are performed, and the re-encoding processing is performed upon the broadcast program to be stored in order to convert the bit-rate thereof into a predetermined small bit-rate so that the broadcast program can be stored within the remaining storage capacity of the storage medium. In this way, the required storage capacity of the storage medium is compressed. Then, the re-encoded broadcast program is stored in the storage medium in the drive section 16. Examples of the resolution conversion processing may include a method for converting the number of horizontal pixels from 720 to 544 or 720 to 352 by using a filter and a method for converting the number of vertical pixels. In the latter case, for example, a method for converting 480 vertical pixels into 240 pixels is known. The most simple method is to drop any field of pixels formed of Top Bottom. A bit-rate conversion circuit 52 is configured by steps S4 to S8.
  • If it is determined in step S2 that the re-encoding processing is not performed, in step S3, a broadcast program which has already been stored in the storage medium is deleted. Alternatively, the stored broadcast program is re-encoded to be compressed again in order to ensure a larger remaining storage capacity of the storage medium. A deletion circuit 54 and a re-compression circuit 55 are configured by step S3.
  • In the deletion or re-compression processing in step S3, if two or more broadcast programs have been already stored in the storage medium, priority is established in order to determine which of these broadcast programs should be deleted or re-compressed.
  • In accordance with the method for establishing priority, a broadcast program which is temporarily stored in the storage medium and then copied in other storage medium is set as the first priority for deletion/re-compression processing. A broadcast program which is stored in the storage medium but is not played back at all even after a predetermined period of time freely set by a user is determined as the second priority. A broadcast program which is stored in the storage medium and then played back by a user is set as the third priority. A broadcast program which was stored in the storage medium at the earliest date is set as the fourth priority. If a broadcast program satisfying these settings exists, the priority is established in an even further detailed manner.
  • Although various methods for establishing the priority exist, an example of them will be illustrated in FIG. 3 in this embodiment. Referring to FIG. 3, a determination is made in step S20 as to whether or not two or more stored broadcast programs are provided. If a plurality of stored broadcast programs do not exist and only one broadcast program exists, in step S21, this broadcast program is deleted or re-compressed. If there provided a plurality of broadcast programs, in step S22, whether or not two or more broadcast programs that are copied in other storage medium exist is determined. If only one broadcast program is copied in the other storage medium, in step S23, the copied broadcast program is deleted or re-compressed. If there provided a plurality of copied broadcast programs, a determination is made in step S24 as to whether or not two or more broadcast programs recorded earlier than a date freely set by a user exist. If there is provided only one broadcast program recorded earlier than the date, in step S25, this broadcast program is deleted or re-compressed. If there are provided two or more broadcast programs recorded earlier than the set date, in step S26, a determination is made as to whether or not there exist two or more broadcast programs that have been once decoded and played back by a user since their storage. If there is provided only one broadcast program that has been decoded and played back since its storage, in step S27, this played back broadcast program is deleted or re-compressed. If there exist two or more broadcast programs that have been played back once, in step S28, a broadcast program which was stored in the storage medium at the earliest date is deleted or re-compressed.
  • Then, returning to step S1 in FIG. 2, if the answer to the determination in step S1 is NO, i.e., if the broadcast program to be stored can be successfully stored in the storage medium and the remaining storage capacity is larger than the required capacity of the storage medium and thus remains, in step S9, a determination is made as to whether or not the broadcast program is stored and recorded with its original bit-rate, i.e., without converting the bit-rate of the broadcast program to be stored. If it is determined that the broadcast program is stored and recorded with its original bit-rate, in step S10, this broadcast program is recorded. If it is determined that the broadcast program is not recorded with its original bit-rate, in step S11, opposite to the processing in step S8 a frame interpolation and pixel interpolation processings are performed in order to convert the bit-rate into a larger bit-rate, so that high image quality is accomplished. Then, the resultant broadcast program is stored and recorded in the storage medium. A second bit-rate changing circuit 53 is configured by step S11. This processing may be performed with the highest possibility when an MPEG4 image is recorded as an MPEG2 image. In accordance with the MPEG4 image, unlike REC656 (30 Frame/sec, 720 horizontal pixels and 480 vertical pixels) serving as a format obtained by digitizing a general NTSC image, QCIF and CIF are provided as an image size and 15 Frame/sec is provided as a frame rate. Such image size and frame rate are converted by a filter into REC656 size, and then the MPEG4 image is re-encoded.
  • Returning to FIG. 1, the structure of the device for ensuring the storage time for digital broadcast is continuously described. The MPEG decoder 10 is a decoder for returning a compressed MPEG1, MPEG2 or MPEG4 broadcast in a baseband. This decoder 10 may utilize, in addition to MPEG, JPEG, Motion JPEG or a compression system which is not defined by ISO. The MPEG decoder 10 has the function of deleting padding bits described in step S5 in FIG. 2 as well as the function of decoding the broadcast program stored in the storage medium in a baseband at the time of playing back the same.
  • The image resolution/frame rate converter 9 illustrated in FIG. 1 performs, as well as the reduction and interpolation processings for horizontal resolution and the conversion of vertical resolution, the frame rate decimation and interpolation. An NTSC/PAL/SECAM encoder 8 is used to convert digital broadcast data into an analog signal in order to output to a television monitor, and converts, in order to correspond to broadcasting systems for all over the world, an NTSC system used in the United States and Japan, a PAL system used in European countries and China and an SECAM system used in the former USSR into the respective analog systems. In the case of not standard broadcasting but broadcasting with high resolution, an encoder corresponding to such broadcasting is required.
  • An NTSC/PAL/SECAM decoder 7 converts an analog signal from an analog tuner 15 into a digital signal, and corresponds to the NTSC system, the PAL system and the SECAM broadcasting. The analog broadcast is usually disturbed in a weak electric field, and a vertical or horizontal retrace line interval becomes long or short. This phenomenon may be occurred by a line input such as an input from VTR as well as an input from the analog tuner 15. A TBC circuit 18 corrects this phenomenon. The TBC circuit 18 usually accomplishes the correction by writing a once disturbed signal in a frame memory and reading out the signal. Depending on the range of correction, the correction can be realized simply by writing in a line memory. The output from the TBC circuit 18 is compressed and encoded in the MPEG encoder 11. The compression system in the MPEG encoder 11 may be, in addition to MPEG1, MPEG2 and MPEG4, JPEG, Motion JPEG and a compression system which is not defined by ISO. The compressed stream is written via the stream controller 6 into the storage medium on the drive 16.
  • The stream controller 6, the image resolution/frame rate converter 9, the MPEG decoder 10, the MPEG encoder 11 and the microcomputer 14 are integrated into one chip.
  • The MPEG encoder 11 and the MPEG decoder 10 are existing devices required for recording/playing back an analog broadcast or an analog line input. In accordance with this embodiment, a record/play-back system for existing devices including such devices is utilized for the decoding and encoding processings in steps S3, S7, S8 and S11 illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus, in accordance with this embodiment, existing devices can be shared and thus the present invention can be provided inexpensively.

Claims (27)

1. A method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast at the time of storing broadcast data transmitted in a state of being digitized and compressed, comprising the steps of:
monitoring a predetermined recording time for the broadcast and a bit-rate of the broadcast in the compressed state and calculating a required capacity of a storage medium;
determining whether or not said calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained within an empty area or a freely limited area of the storage medium;
if said calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained as the result of said determination, converting, in real time, said bit-rate of the broadcast into a smaller one by decoding and then re-compressing the broadcast data in the compressed state; and
storing said converted broadcast in said storage medium.
2. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
if said calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained as the result of said determination, determining whether or not said empty area or freely limited area of the storage medium remains;
if said empty area or freely limited area remains, converting, in real time, said bit-rate of the broadcast into a larger one; and
storing said converted broadcast into said storage medium.
3. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
if said calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained as the result of said determination, storing said broadcast in said storage medium without converting the bit-rate.
4. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 1, wherein said step of converting said bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is an operation of missing a part of said broadcast data.
5. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 1, wherein said step of converting said bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is an operation of returning said broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again for the broadcast.
6. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 5, wherein said operation of returning said broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again for the broadcast is performed by utilizing a system for compressing an analog broadcast, decoding the compressed digital data and then playing back the resultant data.
7. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 5, wherein said step of converting said bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is an operation of returning said broadcast in a baseband, then performing image resolution conversion or image frame rate conversion upon the broadcast and performing the compression processing again upon the resultant broadcast.
8. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 1, wherein said step of converting said bit-rate of the digitized broadcast into a smaller one is performed by selecting one from three kinds of operations, i.e., the operation of missing a part of the broadcast data, the operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again upon the broadcast and the operation of returning the broadcast in a baseband, then performing image resolution conversion or image frame rate conversion upon the broadcast and performing the compression processing again upon the resultant broadcast.
9. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
if said calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained, deleting a broadcast which has been already stored in said storage medium to ensure the required capacity of the storage medium.
10. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
if said calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained, re-compressing said broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium to ensure the required capacity of the storage medium.
11. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 10, wherein said step of re-compressing said broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium is performed by the operation of missing a part of the stored broadcast data, the operation of returning the stored broadcast in a baseband and performing a compression processing again upon the broadcast or the operation of returning said stored broadcast in a baseband, then performing image resolution conversion or image frame rate conversion and performing a compression processing again upon the broadcast.
12. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 9, wherein when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast that a set period of time or longer has passed since its storage will be deleted.
13. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 9, wherein when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast which has been decoded at least once since its storage will be deleted.
14. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 9, wherein when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast which is stored in the storage medium and then copied in other storage medium will be deleted.
15. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 9, wherein when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast which was stored at the earliest date will be deleted.
16. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 9, wherein when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast that a set period of time or longer has passed since its storage, a broadcast which has been decoded at least once since its storage, a broadcast which is stored in the storage medium and then copied in other storage medium or a broadcast which was stored at the earliest date will be deleted, and these broadcasts are selected in accordance with a predetermined priority.
17. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 10, wherein when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast that a set period of time or longer has passed since its storage will be re-compressed.
18. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 10, wherein when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast which has been decoded at least once since its storage will be re-compressed.
19. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 10, wherein when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast which is stored in the storage medium and then copied in other storage medium will be re-compressed.
20. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 10, wherein when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast which was stored at the earliest date will be re-compressed.
21. The method for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 10, wherein when a plurality of already stored broadcasts exist in the storage medium, a broadcast that a set period of time or longer has passed since its storage, a broadcast which has been decoded at least once since its storage, a broadcast which is stored in the storage medium and then copied in other storage medium or a broadcast which was stored at the earliest date will be re-compressed, and these broadcasts are selected in accordance with a predetermined priority.
22. A device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast at the time of storing a digitized and then transmitted broadcast comprising:
a required capacity calculation circuit for monitoring a predetermined recording time of the broadcast and a bit-rate of the broadcast and calculating, in real time, a required capacity of the storage medium;
a determination circuit for determining whether or not the required capacity of the storage medium calculated in said required capacity calculation circuit can be contained within an empty or freely limited area in the storage medium; and
a bit-rate conversion circuit for, if said calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained as the result of said determination by said determination circuit, converting, in real time, said bit-rate of the broadcast into a smaller one and storing the converted broadcast in said storage medium.
23. The device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 22, wherein said determination circuit further determines, if said calculated required capacity of the storage medium can be contained, whether or not said empty or freely limited area of the storage medium remains, and said device further comprising:
a second bit-rate changing circuit for, if the empty or freely limited area remains as the result of said determination by said determination circuit, converting, in real time, said bit-rate of the broadcast into a larger one and storing the converted broadcast in said storage medium.
24. The device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 22, wherein said required capacity calculation circuit comprising:
a determination circuit for writing an inputted broadcast stream in a storage memory and determining said bit-rate of the broadcast on the basis of its storage time and storage amount.
25. The device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 22 further comprising:
a deletion circuit for, if said calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot, be contained as the result of determination by said determination circuit, deleting a broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium.
26. The device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 22 further comprising:
a re-compression circuit for, if said calculated required capacity of the storage medium cannot be contained as the result of determination by said determination circuit, re-compressing a broadcast which has been already stored in the storage medium.
27. The device for ensuring a storage time for digital broadcast of claim 22, wherein said required capacity calculation circuit, said determination circuit and said bit-rate conversion circuit are integrated onto a chip.
US12/071,940 2003-01-22 2008-02-28 Method and device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast Abandoned US20080163327A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US12/071,940 US20080163327A1 (en) 2003-01-22 2008-02-28 Method and device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2003-013181 2003-01-22
JP2003013181A JP2004228837A (en) 2003-01-22 2003-01-22 Storage time ensuring method and apparatus for digital broadcasting
US10/692,804 US7359615B2 (en) 2003-01-22 2003-10-27 Method and device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast
US12/071,940 US20080163327A1 (en) 2003-01-22 2008-02-28 Method and device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/692,804 Division US7359615B2 (en) 2003-01-22 2003-10-27 Method and device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20080163327A1 true US20080163327A1 (en) 2008-07-03

Family

ID=32652812

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/692,804 Expired - Fee Related US7359615B2 (en) 2003-01-22 2003-10-27 Method and device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast
US12/071,940 Abandoned US20080163327A1 (en) 2003-01-22 2008-02-28 Method and device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/692,804 Expired - Fee Related US7359615B2 (en) 2003-01-22 2003-10-27 Method and device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (2) US7359615B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1443511A2 (en)
JP (1) JP2004228837A (en)
CN (2) CN1518359A (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050180467A1 (en) * 2004-02-04 2005-08-18 Tae-Su Kim Demultiplexer and demultiplexing methods for digital broadcasting receiver
US20130342550A1 (en) * 2012-06-21 2013-12-26 Chin-Jung Yang Method and apparatus for buffering read-only images and/or readable and writable images into buffer device

Families Citing this family (26)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8089941B2 (en) 2004-12-10 2012-01-03 Broadcom Corporation Mobile communication device and system supporting personal media recorder functionality
JP3933167B2 (en) 2004-12-27 2007-06-20 ソニー株式会社 Data recording method, data recording apparatus, and imaging apparatus
EP1681864A1 (en) * 2005-01-12 2006-07-19 Thomson Licensing Method for recording an a/v signal
EP1681867A1 (en) * 2005-01-12 2006-07-19 THOMSON Licensing Method for recording an a/v signal
US7974193B2 (en) 2005-04-08 2011-07-05 Qualcomm Incorporated Methods and systems for resizing multimedia content based on quality and rate information
KR100762652B1 (en) * 2005-07-08 2007-10-01 삼성전자주식회사 Method providing of possible recoding time according to remainder memory of capacity and the terminal therefor
JP4375292B2 (en) * 2005-07-11 2009-12-02 船井電機株式会社 Disc player
US7707485B2 (en) * 2005-09-28 2010-04-27 Vixs Systems, Inc. System and method for dynamic transrating based on content
JP4266218B2 (en) 2005-09-29 2009-05-20 株式会社東芝 Recompression encoding method, apparatus, and program for moving image data
US8582905B2 (en) 2006-01-31 2013-11-12 Qualcomm Incorporated Methods and systems for rate control within an encoding device
KR100833235B1 (en) * 2006-03-18 2008-05-28 삼성전자주식회사 Broadcasting stream recording method and apparatus thereof, and TV capable of recording broadcasting stream
KR101254359B1 (en) * 2006-04-21 2013-04-12 엘지전자 주식회사 Storage device for storing digital multimedia broadcasting program and method thereof
EP1909283A1 (en) * 2006-10-03 2008-04-09 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Methods and devices for receiving and transmitting program data
JP4709127B2 (en) 2006-12-15 2011-06-22 キヤノン株式会社 Video recording / reproducing apparatus and control method thereof
JP2008206060A (en) * 2007-02-22 2008-09-04 Sony Corp Recording apparatus, method, and program
JP2008299610A (en) * 2007-05-31 2008-12-11 Toshiba Corp Multiprocessor
JP5539207B2 (en) * 2007-09-21 2014-07-02 ペルコ，インコーポレイテッド Method and apparatus for setting storage of video data from multiple sources
AU2012227258B2 (en) * 2007-09-21 2015-05-07 Pelco, Inc. Method and apparatus for configuring storage of video data from a plurality of sources
WO2009039455A1 (en) * 2007-09-21 2009-03-26 Pelco, Inc. Method and apparatus for configuring storage of video data from a plurality of sources
US8804044B2 (en) 2008-03-06 2014-08-12 Entropic Communications, Inc. Temporal fallback for high frame rate picture rate conversion
US7911509B2 (en) * 2008-03-12 2011-03-22 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab Adaptive video encode scaling
JP5369636B2 (en) * 2008-11-20 2013-12-18 セイコーエプソン株式会社 Content issuance system and content issuance method
US9009337B2 (en) 2008-12-22 2015-04-14 Netflix, Inc. On-device multiplexing of streaming media content
KR100959284B1 (en) 2009-05-08 2010-05-26 삼성전자주식회사 Display apparatus having display driving unit on the lower part
US8422859B2 (en) * 2010-03-23 2013-04-16 Vixs Systems Inc. Audio-based chapter detection in multimedia stream
FR2993130A1 (en) * 2012-07-03 2014-01-10 Thomson Licensing Device decoder for use with TV to receive and record audio video data on time shift buffer memory, has detection unit to detect mode in which data is decoded, and recording unit to record data only in single decoded mode

Citations (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4432009A (en) * 1981-03-24 1984-02-14 Rca Corporation Video pre-filtering in phantom raster generating apparatus
US4825286A (en) * 1988-08-04 1989-04-25 Northern Telecom Limited Digitization of video signals
US5684799A (en) * 1995-03-28 1997-11-04 Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. Full service network having distributed architecture
JPH10276400A (en) * 1997-03-27 1998-10-13 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd Image recording device
US6016507A (en) * 1997-11-21 2000-01-18 International Business Machines Corporation Method and apparatus for deleting a portion of a video or audio file from data storage prior to completion of broadcast or presentation
JP2001043115A (en) * 1999-07-29 2001-02-16 Nec Corp System and method for file management
US20020012530A1 (en) * 1996-04-17 2002-01-31 U.S. Philips Corporation Encoding device for encoding a program and recording device
US6400614B1 (en) * 2001-03-16 2002-06-04 Fujitsu Limited Transmission device and integrated circuit
US20020159348A1 (en) * 2000-02-11 2002-10-31 Kim Hyung Sun Method for recording audio data on a rewritable recording medium
US20020184457A1 (en) * 2000-05-31 2002-12-05 Aki Yuasa Receiving apparatus that receives and accumulates broadcast contents and makes contents available according to user requests
US6529552B1 (en) * 1999-02-16 2003-03-04 Packetvideo Corporation Method and a device for transmission of a variable bit-rate compressed video bitstream over constant and variable capacity networks
US20030099285A1 (en) * 2001-07-31 2003-05-29 Graziano Michael J. Method and system for determining data rate using sub-band capacity
US20030110513A1 (en) * 2001-12-06 2003-06-12 Plourde Harold J. Controlling substantially constant buffer capacity for personal video recording with consistent user interface of available disk space
US20030118243A1 (en) * 2001-09-18 2003-06-26 Ugur Sezer Largest magnitude indices selection for (run, level) encoding of a block coded picture
US6671454B1 (en) * 1998-11-19 2003-12-30 Nec Corporation Program information providing apparatus and record/playback control apparatus
US20050163473A1 (en) * 1997-05-19 2005-07-28 Takao Takahashi Signal reproducing method & apparatus, signal recording/reproducing method & apparatus and signal recording medium
US7136573B2 (en) * 2000-11-08 2006-11-14 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Recording rate automatic setting recording device and recording rate automatic setting recording method
US7177522B2 (en) * 2000-10-10 2007-02-13 Broadcom Corporation System and method for personal video recording

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0817137A (en) 1994-04-28 1996-01-19 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd Method and apparatus for recording, method and apparatus for reproduction, recording medium and its manufacture as well as master disc of recording medium ad its manufacture
JPH11225314A (en) 1998-02-05 1999-08-17 Hitachi Ltd Digital broadcast receiver
JP3528682B2 (en) 1999-05-28 2004-05-17 日本電気株式会社 Video and audio signal recording device
JP2001210017A (en) 2000-01-27 2001-08-03 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Method for managing animation data
JP3807225B2 (en) 2000-11-30 2006-08-09 松下電器産業株式会社 Compressed video signal recording device

Patent Citations (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4432009A (en) * 1981-03-24 1984-02-14 Rca Corporation Video pre-filtering in phantom raster generating apparatus
US4825286A (en) * 1988-08-04 1989-04-25 Northern Telecom Limited Digitization of video signals
US5684799A (en) * 1995-03-28 1997-11-04 Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. Full service network having distributed architecture
US20020012530A1 (en) * 1996-04-17 2002-01-31 U.S. Philips Corporation Encoding device for encoding a program and recording device
JPH10276400A (en) * 1997-03-27 1998-10-13 Sanyo Electric Co Ltd Image recording device
US20050163473A1 (en) * 1997-05-19 2005-07-28 Takao Takahashi Signal reproducing method & apparatus, signal recording/reproducing method & apparatus and signal recording medium
US6016507A (en) * 1997-11-21 2000-01-18 International Business Machines Corporation Method and apparatus for deleting a portion of a video or audio file from data storage prior to completion of broadcast or presentation
US6671454B1 (en) * 1998-11-19 2003-12-30 Nec Corporation Program information providing apparatus and record/playback control apparatus
US6529552B1 (en) * 1999-02-16 2003-03-04 Packetvideo Corporation Method and a device for transmission of a variable bit-rate compressed video bitstream over constant and variable capacity networks
JP2001043115A (en) * 1999-07-29 2001-02-16 Nec Corp System and method for file management
US20020159348A1 (en) * 2000-02-11 2002-10-31 Kim Hyung Sun Method for recording audio data on a rewritable recording medium
US20020184457A1 (en) * 2000-05-31 2002-12-05 Aki Yuasa Receiving apparatus that receives and accumulates broadcast contents and makes contents available according to user requests
US7177522B2 (en) * 2000-10-10 2007-02-13 Broadcom Corporation System and method for personal video recording
US7136573B2 (en) * 2000-11-08 2006-11-14 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Recording rate automatic setting recording device and recording rate automatic setting recording method
US6400614B1 (en) * 2001-03-16 2002-06-04 Fujitsu Limited Transmission device and integrated circuit
US20030099285A1 (en) * 2001-07-31 2003-05-29 Graziano Michael J. Method and system for determining data rate using sub-band capacity
US20030118243A1 (en) * 2001-09-18 2003-06-26 Ugur Sezer Largest magnitude indices selection for (run, level) encoding of a block coded picture
US20030110513A1 (en) * 2001-12-06 2003-06-12 Plourde Harold J. Controlling substantially constant buffer capacity for personal video recording with consistent user interface of available disk space

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050180467A1 (en) * 2004-02-04 2005-08-18 Tae-Su Kim Demultiplexer and demultiplexing methods for digital broadcasting receiver
US7804861B2 (en) * 2004-02-04 2010-09-28 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Demultiplexer and demultiplexing methods for digital broadcasting receiver
US20130342550A1 (en) * 2012-06-21 2013-12-26 Chin-Jung Yang Method and apparatus for buffering read-only images and/or readable and writable images into buffer device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2004228837A (en) 2004-08-12
CN1518359A (en) 2004-08-04
CN101247492A (en) 2008-08-20
EP1443511A2 (en) 2004-08-04
US7359615B2 (en) 2008-04-15
US20040141718A1 (en) 2004-07-22

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7359615B2 (en) Method and device for ensuring storage time for digital broadcast
US7046910B2 (en) Methods and apparatus for transcoding progressive I-slice refreshed MPEG data streams to enable trick play mode features on a television appliance
JP3742432B2 (en) Method for generating a signal representing an MPEG-compatible digital image that facilitates playback at multiple speeds
JP3832567B2 (en) Program recording apparatus and method
US20060133775A1 (en) Method of storage medium management and video recording system and storage system thereof
JP3807225B2 (en) Compressed video signal recording device
US7643724B2 (en) Fast motion trick mode using non-progressive dummy predictive pictures
US20050122430A1 (en) Image storing/replaying apparatus and method therefor
US20080098182A1 (en) Apparatus for information processing
JP3922490B2 (en) Video signal re-encoding device and method and video signal recording and re-encoding device and method
US20100178026A1 (en) Video Recording And Playback Device, Video Recording Device And Video Encoding Device
US20050226320A1 (en) Circuit, apparatus and method for storing audiovisual data
US20050254796A1 (en) AV information processing system supporting trans-rate recording and time-slip playback
US6128435A (en) Good quality video for the internet at very low bandwidth
KR100920697B1 (en) Apparatus and method for transition point detection, recording apparatus and record playback apparatus
US7978961B2 (en) Disk reproducing apparatus
JPH06292133A (en) Video recording device, video reproducing device and video recording and reproducing device
EP0838952A2 (en) Method and apparatus for processing encoded image sequence data
JP3964563B2 (en) Video server device
JP4041006B2 (en) Data recording / reproducing apparatus and control method of data recording / reproducing apparatus
KR100896278B1 (en) Recording Device With Using Hard Disk Drive
EP1467573A2 (en) Video recording
GB2359438A (en) Method of changing bit rate in accordance with user selected storage mode
US20040228408A1 (en) Process and device for decoding and displaying of MPEG pictures in fast forward mode, video driver circuit and decoder box incorporating such a device
JP2005237020A (en) Digital video processing apparatus and method

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION