Recording system of variable length picture information

• US 4,445,195 A
• Filed: 10/29/1981
• Issued: 04/24/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Niessen, William G.
• Application Number:
  US06/316,484
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/ 900 MS File, 364/514, 364/518, 364/523, 360/13, 360/48, 360/48.1, 360/50, 358/127, 358/256, 358/280, 358/310, 358/311, 355/3 R, 355/133
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/00817 on longitudinal tracks only, e.g. for serpentine format recording
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99957 Garbage collection

Abstract

A recording system is provided for a picture information file device having a keyboard, a 2-dimension scanning device, a magnetic tape device, a display device, and a microprocessor. When registering new picture information, a retrieval title to which a delete mark is attached is searched. The length of the picture information recorded at the position represented by this retrieval title is compared with the length of the new picture information to be recorded. If the new picture information to be recorded is shorter, the new picture information is recorded in the deleted picture information area. If the new picture information is longer, another retrieval title with a delete mark attached thereto is searched and the same comparison is made. If all the retrieval titles are searched and there is not retrieval title with a delete mark, or if the new picture information is longer than the deleted picture information of the respective retriveal titles with the delete mark, the new picture information is recorded in the picture information recording area next to the area which records the final picture information.

Claims

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.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said recording means comprises a disk unit.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said recording means comprises a magnetic tape device.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said recording means comprises a floppy disk unit.

5. A recording system for variable length picture information according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, further comprising compandor means for performing compression and expansion of the picture information stored in said buffer storage means by modified Hoffman conversion or modified Hoffman inverse conversion.

6. A recording system for variable length picture information according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, further comprising a printer for producing a hard copy of the picture information stored in said buffer storage means.

7. A system according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein said read-only memory means comprises a floppy disk unit.

8. A recording system for variable length picture information which stores picture information in records having associated retrieval titles, each of said titles including a retrieval code for retrieving the title, a length field indicating the length of the record, and a delete mark field which represents that the record has been deleted when said delete mark is present, said system outputting picture information corresponding to an input retrieval code, said system including:

interface means for permitting a user to issue commands to said system and to input said input retrieval code;

picture information input means for converting picture information to electrical signals;

storage means for storing said electrical signals in records retrievable by said retrievable codes;

display means for displaying the picture information; and

control means for receiving commands and input retrieval codes from said interface means, and for retrieving titles of records with a delete mark, comparing the length of new picture information to be recorded with the length of a record stored on said storage means having a title with a mark in said delete mark field, and, if the record is not shorter than the new picture information, storing the new picture information to be recorded in that space of said storage means occupied by said record with said delete mark.