US6282155B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Recording method and apparatus for continuous playback of fragmented signals
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1998-05-11
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Granted: 2001-08-28
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Expires: 2018-05-11
Abstract
Abstract By reducing the number of seek operations in an operation to play back a signal from a recording medium, the amount of data temporarily stored in a read buffer memory employed in a signal recording/playback apparatus is large enough to be output as a playback signal during a seek operation, allowing a continuous playback operation to be carried out. In order to reduce the number of seek operations, a signal is always recorded onto the recording medium in continuous free areas each having a size equal to or larger than a predetermined recording/playback time length which is typically set at 1 minute. If it is necessary to insert an additional signal having a length smaller than the predetermined recording/playback time length into a point of insertion in an area already occupied by an existing signal, a continuous free area with a size equal to or larger than the predetermined recording/playback time length is newly allocated to the additional signal. The additional signal is then recorded in the free area instead of being inserted into the point of insertion. Since the free area is larger in size than the length of the additional signal, the rest of the free area is filled up with a portion of the existing signal adjacent to the point of insertion.
Inventors
- 👤 Takao Takahashi
- 👤 Masashi Ohta
- 👤 Toshiya Akiba
- 👤 Masami Tomita
- 👤 Taro Suito
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 23:34
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/10; G11B20/10527; H; H04; H04N; H04N9/00; H04N9/79; H04N9/80; H04N9/804; H04N9/8042; H04N9/8045; G11B27/00; G11B27/02; G11B27/031; G11B27/032; G11B27/034; G11B27/036; G11B27/10; G11B27/102; G11B27/105; G11B27/11; G11B27/19; G11B27/28; G11B27/32; G11B27/327; G11B27/329; G11B2020/10537; G11B2020/10592; G11B2020/10916; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/20; G11B2220/21; G11B2220/215; G11B2220/216; G11B2220/25; G11B2220/2525; G11B2220/60; G11B2220/65; G11B2220/90; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/78; H04N5/782; H04N5/783
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
240 words
A signal recording/playback method for inserting an additional signal part into a signal previously recorded as a plurality of signal parts on a recording medium such that continuous playback of said signal with said additional signal part without a playback time break is ensured; said additional signal part having a length less than a predetermined playback time length determined on the basis of read buffer memory availability and required seek time of said recording medium; said method comprising the steps of: locating a non-recorded area on said recording medium having a size of at least said predetermined playback time length; recording said additional signal part in said non-recorded area; re-recording a portion of the next signal part of said signal to be reproduced during playback into the remainder of said non-recorded area; and determining the length of a remaining portion of the next signal part, that was not re-recorded, and if said remaining portion has a length less than said predetermined playback time length, then locating another non-recorded area on said recording medium having a size of at least said predetermined playback time length; recording said remaining portion of the next signal part into the non-recorded area; re-recording a portion of another next signal part of said signal to be reproduced during playback into the remainder of said non-recorded area; and repeating said determining step until said remaining portion has a length of at least said predetermined playback time length.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
240 words
A signal recording/playback method for inserting an additional signal part into a signal previously recorded as a plurality of signal parts on a recording medium such that continuous playback of said signal with said additional signal part without a playback time break is ensured; said additional signal part having a length less than a predetermined playback time length determined on the basis of read buffer memory availability and required seek time of said recording medium; said method comprising the steps of: locating a non-recorded area on said recording medium having a size of at least said predetermined playback time length; recording said additional signal part in said non-recorded area; re-recording a portion of the next signal part of said signal to be reproduced during playback into the remainder of said non-recorded area; and determining the length of a remaining portion of the next signal part, that was not re-recorded, and if said remaining portion has a length less than said predetermined playback time length, then locating another non-recorded area on said recording medium having a size of at least said predetermined playback time length; recording said remaining portion of the next signal part into the non-recorded area; re-recording a portion of another next signal part of said signal to be reproduced during playback into the remainder of said non-recorded area; and repeating said determining step until said remaining portion has a length of at least said predetermined playback time length.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
253 words
A signal recording/playback method for efficiently restructuring a plurality of signal parts of a signal previously recorded on a recording medium, wherein at least one of said plurality of signal parts has a length less than a predetermined playback time length, such that continuous playback of said signal without a playback time break is ensured; said predetermined playback time length having been determined on the basis of read buffer memory availability and required seek time of said recording medium; said method comprising the steps of: locating a non-recorded area on said recording medium having a size of at least said predetermined playback time length; recording a signal part having a length less than a predetermined playback time length in said non-recorded area; re-recording a portion of the next signal part of said signal to be reproduced during playback into the remainder of said non-recorded area; and determining the length of a remaining portion of the next signal part, that was not re-recorded, and if said remaining portion has a length less than said predetermined playback time length, then locating another non-recorded area on said recording medium having a size of at least said predetermined playback time length; recording said remaining portion of the next signal part into the non-recorded area; re-recording a portion of another next signal part of said signal to be reproduced during playback into the remainder of said non-recorded area; and repeating said determining step until said remaining portion has a length of at least said predetermined playback time length.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
253 words
A signal recording/playback method for efficiently restructuring a plurality of signal parts of a signal previously recorded on a recording medium, wherein at least one of said plurality of signal parts has a length less than a predetermined playback time length, such that continuous playback of said signal without a playback time break is ensured; said predetermined playback time length having been determined on the basis of read buffer memory availability and required seek time of said recording medium; said method comprising the steps of: locating a non-recorded area on said recording medium having a size of at least said predetermined playback time length; recording a signal part having a length less than a predetermined playback time length in said non-recorded area; re-recording a portion of the next signal part of said signal to be reproduced during playback into the remainder of said non-recorded area; and determining the length of a remaining portion of the next signal part, that was not re-recorded, and if said remaining portion has a length less than said predetermined playback time length, then locating another non-recorded area on said recording medium having a size of at least said predetermined playback time length; recording said remaining portion of the next signal part into the non-recorded area; re-recording a portion of another next signal part of said signal to be reproduced during playback into the remainder of said non-recorded area; and repeating said determining step until said remaining portion has a length of at least said predetermined playback time length.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-08-27 | 2005-02-26 | 2005-08-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-08-27 | 2009-02-26 | 2009-08-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-08-27 | 2013-02-26 | 2013-08-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |