Reserved recording method and apparatus for grouping programs based on content

• US 5,291,301 A
• Filed: 07/08/1992
• Issued: 03/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Dong-gil
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Khoi
• Application Number:
  US07/910,396
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 358/335, 358/310, 358/311, 360/5, 360/13, 360/14.1, 360/33.1, 360/69, 360/71, 360/72.1, 360/72.2, 360/74.1, 360/74.4
• US Class Current: 386/292
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/023 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/026 by using processor, e.g. microcomputer
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier

Abstract

A reserved recording method and apparatus performs reserved recording based upon the contents of programs. When program information is reserved, a block number denoting the class of the program is stored in a memory. Then, after receiving current time information through a timer, when the current time is the pre-programmed recording time, the initial program is recorded and the existence of program information having the same block number is checked. If a program of the same block number exists, the pre-programmed time of this program is compared with those of programs having other block numbers, so that a fast-forward operation is performed for as long as the predetermined tape length of the program of the same block number when a program of another block number is earlier. Then, a program of another block number is recorded at the corresponding pre-programmed time. Also, if the program of another block number is already recorded at the current position on the tape, a rewind operation is performed to the corresponding position, thereby recording the program at the corresponding pre-programmed time. Since the locations of respective programs recorded on the tape are linked based upon the content thereof, the recorded programs having a desired content can be easily selected for viewing during playback.

Claims

1. A reserved recording method in a recording/reproducing apparatus wherein reservation data which includes time information, relating to the times of programs to be recorded on a recording medium, and block numbers which represent the contents of said programs, are inputted for each of said programs, said reservation data being stored in an internal memory, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving current time information, and recording a current program of said programs whose pre-programmed time is the earliest among said programs;

comparing the time information of a next program of said programs having the same block number as said current program with time information of said programs having other block numbers to determine if said next program is the earliest of said programs;

waiting until reaching time corresponding to the time information of said next program when said time information of said next program having the same block number as said current program is the earliest among those of said programs having other block numbers, recording said next program, and repeating said comparing step;

calculating a length of a reserved section of said recording medium to be reserved for recording said next program when time information of a corresponding program of said programs having another block number is earlier than that of said next program, and shifting to the recording position of said corresponding program by advancing said recording medium through a fast forward function for a period of time corresponding to a duration of said reserved section;

recording said corresponding program in another section of said recording medium which corresponds to the block number of said corresponding program;

analyzing each pre-programmed time of said next program having the same block number as said corresponding program recording in said recording step and said programs having other block numbers to determine if said next program is the earliest of said programs;

repeating said comparing step when a program having the earliest time information as determined in said analyzing step does not have the same block number as said corresponding program recorded in said recording step; and

performing a rewind function for a duration corresponding to sections of said recording medium where said recording and said fast forward operations have already been carried out, when the time information of said next program is earlier than that of said programs having other block numbers, and then performing said recording step of said corresponding program.

2. A reserved recording method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in said calculating step, the rotational frequency signal of a capstan wheel is counted until reaching the starting point of the recording of said corresponding program when the time information of said corresponding program having another block number is earlier than that of said next

3. A reserved recording method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in said performing step, said duration corresponds to said sections where said recording and said fast forward operations have already been carried out, and is calculated by counting the pulses of a control signal having a predetermined frequency, said control signal being representative of movement of said recording medium.

4. A reserved recording method in a video recording/reproducing apparatus comprising the steps of:

receiving a pre-programmed time and block number, which represents contents of programs, for each program to be recorded on a recording medium and storing said times and block numbers;

receiving current time information from a timer, and checking said pre-programmed times of said programs;

recording one of said programs corresponding to said current time when said current time is the pre-programmed time of said one of said programs;

checking for the existence of another program having the same block number as said one of said programs;

comparing the pre-programmed time of other programs having other block numbers with said another program, when said another program having the same block number exists in said checking step;

proceeding to said recording step after recording said another program, when the pre-programmed time of said program having the same block number is the earliest among other programs having other block numbers in said comparing step;

performing a fast forward function through a recording section of said recording medium corresponding to said another program having the same block number, and shifting to a position of said recording medium corresponding to a next of said programs having another block number, and proceeding to said recording step, when the pre-programmed time of a next of said programs having another block number is earlier than that of said another program having the same block number in said comparing step;

reading time information of the earliest of said programs having another block number when there is no reserved program having the same block number in said checking step; and

moving to the recording position of said next of said programs by performing a fast forward function, and proceeding to said recording step.

5. A reserved recording method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said shifting step comprises the steps of:

checking whether or not the next of said programs has a block number corresponding to a program which has already been recorded;

shifting to the recording position of said next program by performing a fast forward operation, when said block number of said next program does not have a block number corresponding to a program which has already been recorded; and

shifting to the recording position of said next program by performing a rewind operation, when said next program has a block number corresponding to a program which has already been recorded.

6. A reserved recording method as claimed in claim 4, wherein, in said performing step, said position of said recording medium is located by counting the rotational frequency signal of a capstan wheel in said recording section, when the pre-programmed time of said next program having another block number is earlier than said another program having the same block number.

7. A reserved recording method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, in said shifting step, said recording position of said next program is calculated by counting the pulses of a control signal having a predetermined frequency, said control signal being representative of movement of said recording medium.

8. A reserved recording method in a recording/reproducing apparatus, the apparatus including a recording/reproducing device for recording a plurality of different programs on a recording medium, and for reproducing the recorded programs, an input device for inputting time information representing a time when each of the plurality of programs is to be recorded, and for inputting content information representing a content of each of the programs, and a memory for storing the inputted time and content information, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting time and content information for a plurality of programs to be recorded;

storing the inputted time and content information;

determining, from the stored time information, a sequence in which the plurality of programs are to be recorded, and determining, from the stored content information, a plurality of different groups for the plurality of programs; and

recording the plurality of programs according to the determined sequence at locations on the recording medium such that during reproduction of the recorded programs from the recording medium, programs within a same determined group are consecutively reproduced;

wherein the plurality of programs to be recorded on the recording medium includes a first program, a second program and a third program, the first program has a first time information, the second program has a second time information which is later than the first time information, and the third program has a third time information which is later than the second time information, wherein said determining step determines that the first and third programs are of a first group, and the second program is of a second group which is different from the first group, and wherein said recording step includes recording the first program, performing, after the first program is recorded, a first shifting operation for shifting a present recording location on the recording medium, and recording, after the shifting operation is performed, the second program, said shifting operation is a fast forward operation which is performed for a period of a time not less than a time duration corresponding to the third program.

9. A reserved recording method in a recording/reproducing apparatus, the apparatus including a recording/reproducing device for recording a plurality of different programs on a recording medium, and for reproducing the recorded programs, an input device for inputting time information representing a time when each of the plurality of programs is to be recorded, and for inputting content information representing a content of each of the programs, and a memory for storing the inputted time and content information, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting time and content information for a plurality of programs to be recorded;

storing the inputted time and content information;

determining, from the stored time information, a sequence in which the plurality of programs are to be recorded, and determining, from the stored content information, a plurality of different groups for the plurality of programs; and

recording the plurality of programs according to the determined sequence at locations on the recording medium such that during reproduction of the recorded programs from the recording medium, programs within a same determined group are consecutively reproduced;

wherein the plurality of programs to be recorded on the recording medium includes a first program, a second program and a third program, the first program has a first time information, the second program has a second time information which is later than the first time information, and the third program has a third time information which is later than the second time information, wherein said determining step determines that the first and third programs are of a first group, and the second program is of a second group which is different from the first group, and wherein said recording step includes recording the first program, performing, after the first program is recorded, a first shifting operation for shifting a present recording location on the recording medium, and recording, after the shifting operation is performed, the second program; and

performing a second shifting operation, after the second program is recorded, for shifting the present recording location of the recording medium, and recording the third program on the recording medium after the second shifting operation, said second shifting operation being a rewind operation which is performed for a period of time not less than a sum of a time duration corresponding to the second program and a time duration corresponding to the third program.

10. A reserved recording method in a recording/reproducing apparatus, the apparatus including a recording/reproducing device for recording a plurality of different programs on a recording medium, and for reproducing the recorded programs, an input device for inputting time information representing a time when each of the plurality of programs is to be recorded, and for inputting content information representing a content of each of the programs, and a memory for storing the inputted time and content information, the plurality of programs to be recorded on the recording medium includes a first program, a second program and a third program, the first program has a first time information, the second program has a second time information which is later than the first time information, and the third program has a third time information which is later than the second time information, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting time and content information for a plurality of programs to be recorded;

storing the inputted time and content information;

determining, from the stored time information, a sequence in which the plurality of programs are to be recorded, and determining, from the stored content information, a plurality of different groups for the plurality of programs;

recording the plurality of programs according to the determined sequence at locations on the recording medium such that during reproduction of the recorded programs from the recording medium, programs within a same on of the plurality of groups are consecutively reproduced on the recording medium; and

said determining step determines that the first and third programs are of a first group, and the second program is of a second group which is different from the first group, and wherein said recording step includes recording the first program, performing, after the first program is recorded, a first shifting operation for shifting a present recording location on the recording medium from a first position to a second position through an amount of the recording medium required for recording the third program, and recording, after the shifting operation is performed, the second program.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein said recording step further includes performing a second shifting operation, after the second program is recorded, for shifting the present recording location of the recording medium to said first position, and recording the third program on the recording medium after the second shifting operation.