JP2001136487A - Information recorder and method for setting its recording mode - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information recorder that enables a user to set a recording mode in the case of recording a video program with easy operations and to provide a method for setting its recording mode. SOLUTION: In response to selection of an optional video program among video programs recorded on a recording disk, the recording mode according to the attribute of the video program is set.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information recording apparatus for recording a video program comprising a video signal and an audio signal on a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Currently, write-once DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) -R and rewritable DVD-RW products are planned as recordable optical recording media. In these DVD-Rs and DVD-RWs (hereinafter simply referred to as DVDs), when compressing and recording a video signal and an audio signal carrying a video program, the user can set any recording mode. It has become. Attributes that determine the recording mode include the compression method,
There are image resolution, aspect ratio, and the like. For example, as a compression method, MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group
p) Either 1 or MPEG2 can be specified. The aspect ratio is 4: 3 or 16: 9.
Either can be specified. Before recording the desired video program on the DVD, the user sets the recording mode of the DVD recorder by specifying each of these attributes, and then starts the recording operation.

In addition, a DV for reproducing recorded information from a DVD
The D player is provided with a function called playlist playback for continuously playing back a plurality of recorded video programs in an arbitrary order set by the user. When using this playlist playback function, the user must
Playlist data in which the program numbers of a plurality of video programs recorded in D are arranged in the order of reproduction is created, and this is written in the management information area of the DVD. The DVD player reads the playlist data from the management information area of the DVD in response to the playlist playback command, and sequentially reproduces each video program according to the playback order indicated in the playlist data.

However, if the attributes of successive video programs are different from each other, the DVD player cannot immediately shift to reproduction of the next video program. This is D
This is because it takes time for the decoder provided in the VD player to set an algorithm for performing a decoding process corresponding to the attribute of each video program. Therefore, at this time, the video and the audio are interrupted at the joint portion of the video program, and there is a problem that it is unsightly.

Therefore, when newly recording a video program to be played back on a DVD on a DVD, the user needs to specify each attribute of the video program to be played back on a playlist already recorded on the DVD. Check out. Then, it is conceivable to set the recording mode by manually inputting each attribute item, such as a compression method, a video resolution, an aspect ratio, etc., one by one so as to have the same attribute. As a result, the attributes of all the video programs to be played back in the playlist are unified, so that the problem that the video is interrupted at the joint of the video programs during the playback operation is solved.

However, there are various attribute items that must be manually set by the user when setting the recording mode, in addition to the above-described compression method, video resolution, and aspect ratio. There is a problem that it is cumbersome to set with.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an information recording apparatus and a recording apparatus capable of easily setting a recording mode when recording a video program. An object is to provide a mode setting method.

[0008]

An information recording apparatus according to the present invention is an information recording apparatus for additionally recording a new video program on a recording medium on which at least one video program and attribute information indicating the attribute of the video program are recorded. An attribute information reproducing means for reproducing the attribute information from the recording medium to obtain reproduction attribute information; and a code corresponding to the reproduction attribute information for a video signal and an audio signal carrying the new video program. An encoder for performing a conversion process;
Recording means for recording a signal obtained by performing the code conversion processing by the encoder on the recording medium.

Further, in the method of setting a recording mode in an information recording apparatus according to the present invention, a new video program is additionally recorded on a recording medium in which at least one video program and attribute information indicating the attribute of the video program are recorded. A method for setting a recording mode in an information recording device, comprising: a step of reproducing the attribute information from the recording medium to obtain reproduction attribute information; and performing a code conversion process on a video signal and an audio signal carrying the new video program. And setting a recording mode for performing a code conversion process on the encoder in accordance with the reproduction attribute information.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an information recording device according to the present invention. In Figure 1, a video encoder 11 first setting of the recording mode is made in accordance with supplied video attribute setting signal ZE _V from the system control circuit 30. At this time, the video attribute setting signal ZE _V indicates the content set in each of the video compression mode, the TV system, the aspect ratio, the video resolution, the video average bit rate, and the number of sub-picture streams as shown in FIG. It is. Here, the video encoder 11 performs code conversion of the input video signal into a form indicated by attributes such as a TV system, an aspect ratio, a video resolution, a video average bit rate, and the number of sub-picture streams as shown in FIG. Obtain a converted video signal. Then, the converted video signal is subjected to a compression code conversion process shown in a video compression mode as shown in FIG. 2, and the obtained compressed video signal is supplied to the multiplexer 12. As a result, the converted video signal is subjected to compression code conversion by one of the compression methods of MPEG1 and MPEG2 as shown in FIG.

The audio encoder 13 first receives the audio attribute setting signal ZE supplied from the system control circuit 30.
_The recording mode is set according to _A. At this time, the audio attribute setting signal ZE _A indicates the contents set in each of the audio encoding mode, the number of audio streams, the number of audio channels, and the audio bit rate as shown in FIG. Here, the audio encoder 13 transcodes the input audio signal into a form indicated by attributes such as the number of audio streams, the number of audio channels, and the audio bit rate as shown in FIG. 2 to obtain a converted audio signal. Then, the converted audio signal is subjected to a compression code conversion process shown in the audio encoding mode as shown in FIG. 2, and the obtained compressed video signal is supplied to the multiplexer 12.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the converted audio signal is subjected to code conversion by any one of Dolby AC-3, linear PCM, MPEG1, and MPEG2 compression code conversion processing.

The multiplexer 12 is connected to the video encoder.
Supplied from each of the encoder 11 and the audio encoder 13.
Time-division multiplexing of the compressed video signal and compressed audio signal
Then, the obtained audio-video multiplexed signal D_AVThe selector
14 to the first input. The second selector 14
The input terminal is provided with the management supplied from the system control circuit 30.
Information signal D_CIs supplied. The selector 14 receives the sound
Video multiplexed signal D_AVAnd the management information signal D_CInside
Select the recording signal supplied from the system control circuit 30
The one corresponding to the signal S is selected and the recording modulation circuit is selected.
Supply to road 15. The recording modulation circuit 15 uses this selector
14, the audio-video multiplexed signal D supplied from_AVOr
The management information signal D_CSpecified recording modulation processing
The modulated recording signal obtained at this time is read and
6 The recording / reproducing head 16 is controlled by a system control circuit.
When the recording command signal is supplied from the road 30, the spin
A recording disk rotated by a dollar motor 17
Recording on the recording surface of the disk 18 according to the modulated recording signal.
Irradiate beam light. Irradiation of such recording beam light
The recording information corresponding to the modulated recording signal is
It is recorded on disk 18. Meanwhile, the system control circuit
30 when a reproduction command signal is supplied from
The head 16 reads the recording surface of the recording disk 18
Beam light is emitted, and the reflected light is received.
The recorded information is read. At this time, the recording and reproducing head
No. 16 was obtained by photoelectrically converting the reflected light received as described above.
The read signal is supplied to the information demodulation circuit 20. Servo circuit 2
Reference numeral 1 denotes various services supplied from the system control circuit 30.
The slider mechanism 19 and the slider mechanism 19 in accordance with the servo control signal.
And the drive voltage to drive each of the spindle motors 17
Is generated and supplied to both. The slider mechanism 19
The recording / reproducing head 16 is turned on and off according to the drive voltage
The disk 18 is moved in the disk radial direction. Information demodulation times
The path 20 is for reading data supplied from the recording / reproducing head 16.
After binarizing the signal, a predetermined demodulation process is performed.
Obtain an information signal and use this as a reproduced information signal RI.
Supply to each of the system control circuit 30 and the demultiplexer 22
I do. The demultiplexer 22 outputs the reproduced information signal R
By performing time division demultiplexing on I,
From the reproduction information signal RI, the compressed video signal and compressed audio signal
Separate and extract each of the issues. The audio decoder 23
Audio attribute setting signal supplied from system control circuit 30
ZC _ATo the compressed audio signal
To perform a decoding process, and convert the obtained audio signal into a reproduced sound.
Output as voice signal. The video decoder 24
Attribute setting signal ZC supplied from the system control circuit 30_V
The compressed video signal is decoded using an algorithm according to
Signal processing, and the video signal obtained at this time is reproduced video signal
Output as

The system control circuit 30 includes an operation device 31 for receiving various command operations by a user, and a display device 3 for displaying various information during a recording or reproducing operation.
2 are connected. Furthermore, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 33 and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 34 in which software for controlling the operation of the information recording apparatus is stored in advance are connected to the system control circuit 30. The system control circuit 30 executes various recording / reproduction controls and control at the time of setting a recording mode described below according to the software.

A description will now be given of a recording mode setting which is performed in advance when a desired video program is recorded on the recording disk 18. When the user issues a menu screen display command by operating the operation device 31, the system control circuit 30 displays a menu screen video signal for displaying a menu as shown in FIG. To supply. Here, the user operates the operation device 31 to select “recording mode setting” from the menu display. In response to the selection of "recording mode setting", the system control circuit 30 shifts to execution of a recording mode setting subroutine as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, first, the system control circuit 3
0 indicates “attribute manual setting” and “as shown in FIG.
A video signal for controlling the attribute setting method selection display for asking the user which one of "attribute copy" is to be performed is supplied to the display device 32 (step S1).
To select either the "manual attribute setting" or "copy attribute". Here, the system control circuit 30 determines whether the user has selected "attribute copy" (step S2). If it is determined in step S2 that "attribute copy" has not been selected, then the system control circuit 30 determines whether the user has selected "attribute manual setting". (Step S3). If it is determined in step S3 that "manual attribute setting" has not been selected, the system control circuit 30 returns to the execution of step S2, and performs the above-described determination until one of them is selected. Repeat the operation. If it is determined in step S3 that "manual attribute setting" has been selected, the system control circuit 30 outputs a video signal for displaying a setting item for each attribute as shown in FIG. It is supplied to the display device 32 (step S4). At this time, the user operates the operation device 31 to sequentially select the setting items for each of the above attributes and input attribute information indicating the contents of the attribute. The operating device 31 sequentially supplies the attribute information for each attribute to the system control circuit 30. Each time such attribute information is supplied, the system control circuit 30 sequentially stores the attribute information in the built-in register R (not shown) (step S5). Next, the system control circuit 30
It is determined whether or not the supply of the attribute information from 1 has been completed (step S6). If it is determined in step S6 that the supply of the attribute information has not been completely completed, the system control circuit 30 returns to the execution of step S5, and repeatedly executes the above-described operation. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S6 that the supply of the attribute information has been completed, the system control circuit 30
Generates a sound attribute setting signal ZE _A and video attribute setting signal ZE _V to be set in each attribute the same attribute indicated by the attribute information stored in the built-in register R (step S7). By executing the step S7, each of the video encoder 11 and the audio encoder 13 causes the audio attribute setting signal ZE _A and the video attribute setting signal ZE _V
Is set to the recording mode according to. That is, each of the video encoder 11 and the audio encoder 13
The algorithm is switched to an algorithm for performing a compression code conversion process according to the audio attribute setting signal ZE _A and the video attribute setting signal ZE _V. Next, the system control circuit 30 generates a management information signal Dc including the attribute information stored in the internal register R in the disk management information, and supplies this to the selector 14 (step S8). Next, the system control circuit 30 performs various controls to record the management information signal Dc in the management information area of the recording disk 18 (step S9). That is, first, the system control circuit 30 supplies the servo circuit 21 with a slider servo control signal for moving the recording / reproducing head 16 to the management information area of the recording disk 18. Here, when the recording / reproducing head 16 is transferred to the management information area, the system control circuit 30
Supplies a recording signal selection signal S for selecting the management information signal Dc to the selector 14, and further supplies a recording command signal to the recording / reproducing head 16. On the other hand, when it is determined in step S2 that "attribute copy" has been selected, the system control circuit 30 performs various controls for reproducing the management information from the management information area of the recording disk 18 ( Step S10). That is, first, the system control circuit 30 supplies the servo circuit 21 with a slider servo control signal for moving the recording / reproducing head 16 to the management information area of the recording disk 18. here,
When the recording / reproducing head 16 is transferred to the management information area, the system control circuit 30 supplies a reproducing command signal to the recording / reproducing head 16. In response, the information demodulation circuit 20 outputs a reproduction information signal RI corresponding to the management information. The system control circuit 30 takes in the reproduction information signal RI corresponding to this management information and stores it in a predetermined area of the RAM 33 (step S11). Next, the system control circuit 30 uses the management information stored in the predetermined area of the
The program information (program number, recording content, recording date, etc.) corresponding to each video program recorded in 8 is extracted. Then, a video signal for displaying each program information as shown in FIG. 3D is supplied to the display device 32 (step S12). Here, the user selects, from the program numbers corresponding to the displayed video programs, the program number of the video program from which the attribute copy is to be copied, using the operation device 31. During this time, the system control circuit 30 determines whether or not such a program number has been selected until the selection is made (step S13). When the program number is selected, the system control circuit 30 stores the attribute of the selected video program (hereinafter, referred to as a selected program) in the RAM 3
An attribute detection subroutine for detecting from the management information stored in the third predetermined area is executed (step S14).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the attribute detection subroutine flow. In FIG. 5, the system control circuit 3
0 first reads the PGC shared information PGC_GI from the original PGC information ORG_PGCI in the video management information RTR_VMG having the file structure as shown in FIG. 6 from among the management information stored in the RAM 33 (step S41). Next, the system control circuit 30 sends the PGC shared information PG
It is determined whether or not the number of recorded programs described in C_GI is 0 (step S42). Such step S
If it is determined in 42 that the number of recorded programs is not 0, the system control circuit 30 stores "1" indicating the initial cell number in the internal register T (not shown) (step S43). Next, the system control circuit 30
The cell information retrieval pointer CI_SRP is read from the original PGC information ORG_PGCI shown in FIG. 7, and the start position where the cell information CI relating to the cell indicated by the cell number stored in the internal register T is described is read based on the contents. (Step S44). Next, the system control circuit 30 reads the cell information CI described at this start position from the original PGC information ORG_PGCI shown in FIG. 6, and reads out the cell type information C_TY described in the cell information CI. It is determined whether or not this cell is a moving image (step S45). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a part of the information content of the cell information CI. When it is determined in step S45 that the cell indicated by the cell number stored in the internal register T is a moving image cell,
The system control circuit 30 reads out the moving image VOB search pointer number M_VOBI_SRPN from the cell information CI as shown in FIG. 7 (step S46). Next, the system control circuit 30
Is based on the video AV file information M_AVFI in the video AV file information table M_AVFIT as shown in FIG.
The moving picture VOB stream information number M_VOB_STIN indicated by the moving picture VOB search pointer number M_VOBI_SRPN read in step S46 is stored in the moving picture AV file information table.
It is read from within M_AVFIT (step S47). Next, the system control circuit 30 checks each moving picture VOB stream information M_VOB_STI # 1 in the moving picture AV file information table M_AVFIT.
The moving image VOB read out in step S47 from #n
The one indicated by the stream information number M_VOB_STIN is read (step S48). FIG. 8 is a diagram showing information contents described in each moving image VOB stream information M_VOB_STI. Next, the system control circuit 30 reads, from the read video VOB stream information M_VOB_STI, video attribute information V_ATR describing the video attribute of this cell, and audio attribute information A_ATR0 describing the audio attribute, A_ATR1 is read out, and the combined attribute information is stored as cell attribute information in the cell attribute information area of the RAM 33 (step S49). At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the setting contents of the attribute are described for each attribute item in the video attribute information V_ATR and the audio attribute information A_ATR. Next, the system control circuit 30 determines whether or not the cell number stored in the internal register T is the last number in the video program (step S50). If it is determined in step S50 that the cell number stored in the internal register T is not the last number, the system control circuit 30 adds "1" to the cell number stored in the internal register T. This is overwritten and stored in the built-in register T as a new cell number (step S51). Step S51 is also executed when it is determined in step S45 that the cell indicated by the cell number is not a moving image cell. After the end of step S51, the system control circuit 30
Returning to the execution of step S44, the above-described operation is repeatedly executed.

By this repetitive operation, the attribute information of each of the plurality of cells constituting the video program selected in the steps S12 and S13 shown in FIG. 4 is sequentially stored in the cell attribute information area of the RAM 33. It is. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S50 that the cell number stored in the internal register T is the last number, the system control circuit 30
The attribute information of each cell stored in the cell attribute information area of M33 is compared with each other (step S52), and it is determined whether or not all are the same (step S53). If it is determined in step S53 that all are the same, the system control circuit 30 reads the attribute information of one cell stored in the cell attribute information area of the RAM 33 as the attribute information of the video program (step S53). S5
4). On the other hand, if it is determined in step S52 that all are not the same, the system control circuit 30
From the cell attribute information stored in the cell attribute information area of the RAM 33, the cell attribute information having the largest number of cells having the same attribute is selected and read out as the attribute information of the video program (step S55).

After the execution of steps S54 and S55,
Alternatively, if it is determined in step S42 that the number of recorded programs is 0, the system control circuit 30
Exits the attribute detection subroutine and proceeds to the execution of step S15 shown in FIG. That is, the system control circuit 30 stores the attribute information read in step S53 or S54 in the attribute detection subroutine in the built-in register R (step S15).

After the execution of step S15, the system control circuit 30 sequentially executes steps S7 to S9 as described above. Thus, the system control circuit 30 sets the recording mode for the video encoder 11 and the audio encoder 13 in accordance with the attribute information stored in the built-in register R. As described above, in the recording mode setting shown in FIG. 4, the attributes are manually set.
(Steps S4 to S9) In addition to the function, the attributes of the already recorded video program are copied (S10 to S15,
S7 to S9) function is realized. That is, the user first specifies the item of “attribute copy” from the attribute setting method selection display screen as shown in FIG.
From the program display screen as shown in (D), a video program as a copy source of the attribute is selected. In response to the selection of the video program, the attribute of the selected video program is detected based on the management information reproduced from the recording disk (step S14). Then, the recording mode of the video encoder 11 and the audio encoder 13 is set according to the detected attribute.

In step S7 shown in FIG. 4, the recording mode of each of the video encoder 11 and the audio encoder 13 is set so as to correspond to the attribute of the selected video program. However, the video encoder 11 and the audio encoder 13 may not have a processing algorithm corresponding to the attribute of the selected video program.
At this time, the recording mode of both encoders is set using the attribute closest to the attribute of the selected video program within the range that the video encoder 11 and the audio encoder 13 can handle.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the information recording apparatus is constructed by hardware has been described as an example.
However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and a part of the configuration in FIG. 1 and the control in FIGS. 4 and 5 are realized by a computer program, and this is implemented by an electronic device equipped with a microprocessor (for example, (A personal computer or the like). As a result, a function equivalent to that of the information recording device having the hardware configuration as described above is realized.

For example, a display device and a DVD-
Personal computer with RW drive
PC) is prepared. In addition, it runs on the operating system of the PC and the DVD-
A DVD-ROM disk as a recording medium storing a computer program for performing the recording / reproduction control for the RW drive and the control shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is also prepared. Then, the computer program stored in the DVD-ROM is installed on a PC, and the computer program is set up so that the computer program can be executed on the PC. After that, the recording medium to be added is set in the DVD-RW drive, and
The same control as in the above embodiment is performed. In this example, the computer program is installed on the PC via the DVD-ROM. However, the computer program can be installed on the PC by another method. For example, a network such as the Internet
(Including telephone line, LAN, etc., or wireless)
C is connected, and a computer program as described above is transmitted (downloaded) from another information device (for example, a computer server) via this network, and set up in the PC.

As described above, the computer program that controls the operation of the present invention is recorded on a recording medium such as a DVD-ROM and executed, thereby achieving the same function as that of the above-described embodiment. It becomes possible.

[0024]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, according to the selection of an arbitrary video program from each video program already recorded on the recording disk, the recording mode is set according to the attribute of the video program. Is performed. For example, when a video program to be played back in a playlist is added to a recording disk, simply selecting one of the video programs to be played back in the playlist, and selecting the selected video program The recording mode corresponding to each of the attributes is automatically set.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the user can set the recording mode by an easy operation when the program to be played back by the playlist is additionally recorded on the recording disk.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an information recording device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing attributes when recording video and audio signals.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed by the display device 32.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a recording mode setting subroutine flow.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of an attribute detection subroutine.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a file structure of video management information.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a part of information content described in cell information CI.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a part of information content described in M_VOB_STI.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 11 video encoder 13 audio encoder 18 recording disk 30 system control circuit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page F-term (reference) 5C053 FA14 FA24 GB01 GB38 HA40 JA03 5C059 KK36 MA00 RB02 RC11 RC32 SS13 SS30 TA17 TB01 TC45 TD11 UA02 UA34 UA38 5D044 AB06 AB07 BC05 CC04 DE49 GK02

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An information recording apparatus for additionally recording a new video program on a recording medium in which attribute information indicating an attribute of the video program is recorded together with at least one video program, the information recording apparatus comprising: Attribute information reproducing means for obtaining reproduction attribute information by reproducing the information, an encoder for performing a code conversion process on the video signal and the audio signal carrying the new video program according to the reproduction attribute information, and a code conversion by the encoder Recording means for recording a signal obtained by the processing on the recording medium. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the attribute information is MPEG (Moving Pictur).
2. The information recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information recording apparatus is in a video compression mode indicating eExperts Group 1 or MPEG2. 3. A method for setting a recording mode in an information recording apparatus for additionally recording a new video program on a recording medium on which at least one video program and attribute information indicating the attribute of the video program are recorded. A process of reproducing the attribute information from a recording medium to obtain reproduction attribute information; and a code conversion process corresponding to the reproduction attribute information for an encoder that performs a code conversion process on a video signal and an audio signal carrying the new video program. Setting a recording mode in which the recording mode should be applied. 4. The attribute information is MPEG (Moving Pictur).
4. A method for setting a recording mode in an information recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the recording mode is a video compression mode indicating e-Experts Group 1 or MPEG2. 5. A recording medium in which software for additionally recording a new video program is recorded on a recording medium on which at least one video program and attribute information indicating the attribute of the video program are recorded, The software includes a step of reproducing the attribute information from the recording medium to obtain reproduction attribute information; and a step of performing encoding conversion processing on a video signal and an audio signal carrying the new video program. A process for setting a recording mode in which a code conversion process is to be performed in accordance with the instruction and a command for executing the process.