Recording system of variable length picture information

Claim 1

A recording system for variable length picture information in a picture information file device which stores on a recording medium picture information having associated retrieval titles, each of said titles including a retrieval code for retrieving the title, a track number and a block number indicating the storage area of said recording medium of the associated picture information, a length of the picture information, and a delete mark field for representing that the picture information is deleted when said mark is present, said system outputting picture information corresponding to an input retrieval code, said system including: buffer storage means for storing picture information; a control information input device comprising a keyboard having an abandon key for specifying abandonment of the picture information in said buffer storage means, a record key for specifying recording of the picture information on said recording medium, and a delete key for specifying deletion of picture information stored on said recording medium; picture information input means for photoelectrically converting picture information to electrical signals and outputting said photoelectrically converted picture information to said buffer storage means; recording means for recording on said recording medium the photoelectrically converted picture information stored in said buffer storage means; display means for displaying picture information stored in said buffer storage means; and control means connected to said control information input device, said picture information input means, said recording means and said display means, and including central processing means for receiving input signal for controlling the recording, abandonment and deletion of the picture information; read-only memory means for storing permanent programs; and random access memory means for storing retrieval titles of picture information recorded on said recording medium, said permanent programs defining functions of said central processing means so that said control device may perform specific functions according to the permanent programs, said control means recording new picture information by retrieving titles with a delete mark, storing said retrieved titles in said random access memory means, comparing the length of the new picture information to be recorded with the length in the retrieval title, and, if the recorded picture information is not shorter than the new picture information, storing the new picture information to be recorded in that area of said recording medium which is indicated by the track number and the block number of the retrieval title.