Data transfer apparatus and method of the same and data input and output controlling apparatus and method of same

• US 6,275,896 B1
• Filed: 11/26/1997
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kojima, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THAN VINH
• Application Number:
  US08/979,755
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 711/111, 711/112, 711/154, 711/156, 709/232, 709/233, 710/52, 710/57, 710/60
• US Class Current: 711/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2205/061 Adapt frequency, i.e. clock frequency at one side is adapted to clock frequency, or average clock frequency, at the other side; Not pulse stuffing only
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 5/06 for changing the speed of data flow, i.e. speed regularising or timing, e.g. delay lines, FIFO buffers; over- or underrun control therefor G06F7/78 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier

Abstract

A data transfer apparatus for transferring data between a first storage medium and a second storage medium capable of non-linear access, comprising a temporary storing means for temporarily storing at least one of data reproduced from the first storage medium and data reproduced from the second storage medium; a storage state monitoring means for monitoring the state of storage of the temporary storing means; and a transfer rate controlling means for controlling a transfer rate of at least one of the data reproduced from the first storage medium and the data reproduced from the second storage medium based on a signal indicating the state of storage input from the storage state monitoring means, a method of the same, a data input and output controlling apparatus, and a method of the same.

Claims

1. A data transfer/recording apparatus for transferring, in a first mode, first data reproduced from a first storage medium and recording the transferred data to a second, local storage medium that is capable of non-linear access, and for transferring, in a second mode, second data reproduced from the second storage medium and recording the transferred second data in the first storage medium, said apparatus comprising:

a temporary storing means for temporarily storing the first data reproduced from the first storage medium during the first mode, and for temporarily storing the second data reproduced from the second storage medium during the second mode;

a storage state monitoring means for monitoring the state of storage of the temporary storing means in both said first and second modes, and outputting a storable data signal indicating the amount of data which can be stored in said temporary storing means;

a transfer rate controlling means for controlling a transfer rate of the first data reproduced from the first storage medium in the first mode, and a transfer rate of the second data reproduced from the second storage medium in the second mode, based on the storable data signal output by the storage state monitoring means;

recording means for recording the transferred first data to said second, local storage medium in the first mode, and for recording the transferred second data to said first storage medium in the second mode;

wherein said second storage medium is selected from the group consisting of a hard disk that forms a part of said apparatus, and a portable storage medium that is insertable into and removable from said apparatus.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transfer rate controlling means increases the transfer rate of the data reproduced from said first storage medium when said amount of data which can be stored is larger than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said first storage medium to said second storage medium.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein

further provision is made of a processing means for reproducing data from said first storage medium and transferring the reproduced data, wherein

said transfer rate controlling means outputs a transfer rate signal for controlling said processing means so as to increase the transfer rate of the data reproduced from said first storage medium when the amount of the data which can be stored is larger than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said first storage medium to said second storage medium, and

said processing means increases the transfer rate of the data stored on said first storage medium on the basis of said transfer rate signal.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transfer rate controlling means decreases the transfer rate of the data reproduced from said first storage medium when the amount for the data which can be stored is smaller than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said first storage medium to said second storage medium.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein

further provision is made of a processing means for reproducing data from said first storage medium and transferring the reproduced data,

said transfer rate controlling means outputs a transfer rate signal for controlling said processing means so as to decrease the transfer rate of the data reproduced from said first storage medium when said amount of the data which can be stored is smaller than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said first storage medium to said second storage medium, and

said processing means decreases the transfer rate of the data stored on said first storage medium on the basis of said transfer rate signal.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transfer rate controlling means decreases the transfer rate of the data reproduced from said second storage medium when said amount of the data which can be stored is larger than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said second storage medium to said first storage medium.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein

further provision is made of a read controlling means for controlling the reading of the data stored on said temporary storing means,

said transfer rate controlling means outputs a control signal instructing a decrease of the reading rate to said read controlling means when the amount of said data which can be stored is larger than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said second storage medium to said first storage medium, and

said read controlling means decreases the reading rate of the data stored in said temporary storing means on the basis of said control signal.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transfer rate controlling means outputs a control signal instructing an increase of the transfer rate of the data reproduced from said second storage medium when said the amount of the data which can be stored is smaller than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said second storage medium.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein

further provision is made of a read controlling means for controlling the reading of the data stored on said temporary storing means,

said transfer rate controlling means outputs a control signal instructing an increase of the reading rate to said read controlling means when the amount of the data which can be stored is smaller than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said second storage medium to said first storage medium, and

said read controlling means increases the reading rate of the data stored in said temporary storing means on the basis of said control signal.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said apparatus is a video recorder.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the data reproduced from said first storage medium and the data reproduced from the second storage medium are video data and/or audio data.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said recording means comprises a SCSI controlling unit.

13. A data transfer/recording method for transferring, in a first mode, first data reproduced from a first storage medium and recording the transferred first data to a second, local storage medium that is capable of non-linear access, and for transferring, in a second mode, second data reproduced from the second storage medium and recording the transferred second data in the first storage medium, said method comprising:

a first step of temporarily storing, in a temporary storing means, the first data reproduced from the first storage medium during the first mode, and the second data reproduced from the second storage medium during the second mode;

a second step of monitoring the state of storage of the data stored in the temporary storing means, and determining the amount of data which can be stored in the temporary storing means, in both the first and second modes;

a third step of controlling the transfer rate of at least one of the first data reproduced from the first storage medium in the first mode, and the second data reproduced from the second storage medium in the second mode, according to the state of storage of the temporary storage means monitored in the monitoring step, on the basis of the amount of data which can be stored as determined in the monitoring step; and

recording the transferred first data to the second storage medium in the first mode, and recording the transferred second data to the first storage medium in the second mode;

wherein said second storage medium is selected from the group consisting of a hard disk that forms part of a device within which said monitoring, controlling and recording are performed, and a portable storage medium that is insertable into and removable from said device.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said third step includes a step of increasing the transfer rate of the data reproduced from said first storage medium when the amount of the data which can be stored is larger than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said first storage medium to said second storage medium.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein

further provision is made of a fourth step of reproducing the data from said first storage medium and transferring the reproduced data,

said third step includes a step of outputting a transfer rate signal for controlling said fourth step so as to increase the transfer rate of the data reproduced from said first storage medium when said amount of the data which can be stored is larger than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said first storage medium to said second storage medium, and

the fourth step increases the transfer rate of the data stored on said first storage medium on the basis of the transfer rate signal.

16. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said third step includes a step of controlling the transfer rate of the data reproduced from said first storage medium when the amount of the data which can be stored is smaller than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said first storage medium to said second storage medium.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein

further provision is made of a fourth step of reproducing the data from said first storage medium and transferring the reproduced data,

said third step includes a step of outputting a transfer rate signal for controlling said fourth step so as to decrease the transfer rate of the data reproduced from said first storage medium when the amount of the data which can be stored is smaller than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said first storage medium to said second storage medium, and

the fourth step decreases the transfer rate of the data stored on said first storage medium on the basis of the transfer rate signal.

18. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said third step controls the transfer rate of the data reproduced from said second storage medium so as to decrease the reading rate when the amount of the data which can be stored is larger than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said second storage medium to said first storage medium.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein

said third step outputs a control signal instructing a decrease of the reading rate when the amount of the data which can be stored is larger than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said second storage medium to said first storage medium and

further provision is made of a fourth step of decreasing the reading rate of the data stored in said temporary storing means on the basis of said control signal.

20. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein said third step performs control to increase the transfer rate of the reproduced data from said second storage medium when the amount of the data which can be stored is smaller than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said second storage medium.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20, wherein

said third step outputs a control signal instructing an increase of the reading rate when the amount of the data which can be stored is smaller than a predetermined reference value when transferring data from said second storage medium to said first storage medium and

further provision is made of a fourth step of increasing the reading out rate of the data stored said temporary storing means on the basis of said control signal output in said third step.

22. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said device is a video recorder.

23. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the data reproduced from said first storage medium and the data reproduced from the second storage medium are video data and/or audio data.

24. A data transfer/recording apparatus for transferring, in a first mode, first data reproduced from a first storage medium and recording the transferred data to a second, local storage medium that is capable of non-linear access, and for transferring, in a second mode, second data reproduced from the second storage medium and recording the transferred second data in the first storage medium, said apparatus comprising:

a buffer for temporarily storing the first data reproduced from the first storage medium during the first mode, and for temporarily storing the second data reproduced from the second storage medium during the second mode;

a storage state monitor for monitoring the state of storage of the buffer in both said first and second modes, and outputting a storable data signal indicating the amount of data which can be stored in said buffer;

a transfer rate controller for controlling a transfer rate of the first data reproduced from the first storage medium, and a transfer rate of the second data reproduced from the second storage medium, based on the storable data signal output by the storage state monitor; and

a recording portion for recording the transferred first data to said second, local storage medium in the first mode, and for recording the transferred second data to said first storage medium in the second mode;

wherein said second storage medium is selected from the group consisting of a hard disk that forms a part of said apparatus, and a portable storage medium that is insertable into and removable from said apparatus.

25. The apparatus as set forth is claim 24, wherein said data transfer recording apparatus comprises a SCSI controlling unit.

26. A data transfer/recording method for selectively transferring first data reproduced from a first storage medium and recording the transferred first data to a second, local storage medium that is capable of non-linear access, or second data reproduced from the second storage medium and recording the transferred second data in the first storage medium, said method comprising:

temporarily storing, in a buffer, the first data reproduced from the first storage medium, or the second data reproduced from the second storage medium;

monitoring the state of storage of the first or second data stored in the buffer, and determining the amount of data which can be stored in the buffer;

controlling the transfer rate of the first data reproduced from the first storage medium, or the second data reproduced from the second storage medium, according to the state of storage of the buffer monitored in the monitoring step, on the basis of the amount of data which can be stored as determined in the monitoring step; and

recording the transferred first data to the second storage medium, or the transferred second data to the first storage medium;

wherein said second storage medium is selected from the group consisting of a hard disk that forms part of a device within which said monitoring, controlling and recording are performed, and a portable storage medium that is insertable into and removable from said device.