Compressed video data processing with conversion of image compression format

• US 6,516,135 B1
• Filed: 11/21/1997
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Higuchi, Masataka, Asada, Seigo, Asari, Shigeatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCCIO, VINCENT F
• Application Number:
  US08/945,923
• Time in Patent Office: 1,901 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5917, 386/131, 386/46, 386/52, 386/68, 386/112, 386/124, 225/89, 225/91, 225/115, 225/95, 225/134, 225/98, 225/94, 225/92, 348/453-459, 725/115, 725/92
• US Class Current: 386/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234309 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9261 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A local server records compressed digital video data according to a first image compression format at normal and four times speeds, while a main server records compressed digital video data according to a second image compression format at normal speed. An image format converter is provided between the local and main servers. The image format converter converts compressed digital video data according to the first image compression format output at normal speed from the local server to compressed digital video data according to the second image compression format to be sent to the main server. The image format converter also converts compressed digital video data according to the second image compression format output at normal speed from the main server to compressed digital video data according to the first image compression format to be sent to the local server. Then, compressed digital video data can be input and output at a high speed when digital video data compressed are recorded after the image conversion format is changed and compressed digital video data are output for reproduction after the image conversion format is changed.

Claims

1. A compressed video data processing system comprising:

a digital video cassette recorder operable to record and reproduce compressed digital video data according to a first image compression format;

a first recording and reproducing device, including a storage device, operable to record and reproduce compressed digital video data according to a second image compression format that is different from the first image compression format;

an image format converter, connected between said digital video cassette recorder and said first recording and reproducing device, operable to convert compressed digital video data between the first image compression format of said digital video cassette recorder and the second image compression format of said first recording and reproducing device;

a second recording and reproducing device, including a storage device and being connected to said first recording and reproducing device, operable to record and reproduce compressed digital video data according to the second image compression format; and

a controller operable to control said first recording and reproducing device, said second recording and reproducing device, and said digital video cassette recorder;

wherein compressed video data is transferred between said digital video cassette recorder and said first recording and reproducing device through said image format converter at a first transfer speed, and compressed digital video data is transferred between said first and second recording and reproducing devices at a second transfer speed.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second recording and reproducing device is operable to be connected through a network to an external processor, and wherein the second image compression format is a network transmission format.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said first recording and reproducing device is operable to edit the digital video data stored in said storage device of said first recording and reproducing device.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said controller comprises:

a first unit operable to control said first recording and reproducing device;

a second unit operable to control said second recording and reproducing device; and

a main unit operable to control said digital video cassette recorder and said first and second units.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein the network transmission format is one of an ATM format and an SDDI format.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first recording and reproducing device is operable to edit the digital video data stored in said storage device of said first recording and reproducing device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises:

a first unit operable to control said first recording and reproducing device;

a second unit operable to control said second recording and reproducing device; and

a main unit operable to control said digital video cassette recorder and said first and second units.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second non-zero transfer speeds are different.

9. A compressed video data processing system comprising:

a digital video cassette recorder operable to record and reproduce video data according to a first image compression format;

a first recording and reproducing device, including a storage device and being connected to said digital video cassette recorder, operable to record and reproduce compressed digital video data according to the first image compression format wherein said first recording and reproducing device transfers the digital video data at a first transfer speed with said digital video cassette recorder;

a second recording and reproducing device, including a storage device, operable to record and reproduce compressed digital video data according to a second image compression format that is different from the first image compression format at a second transfer speed determined independently from the first transfer speed;

an image format converter, connected between said first and second recording and reproducing devices, operable to convert compressed digital video data between the first image compression format of said first recording and reproducing device and the second image compression format of said second recording and reproducing device, wherein said first and second recording and reproducing devices transfer the digital video data between them through said image format converter at the second transfer speed; and

a controller operable to control said first recording and reproducing device, said second recording and reproducing device, and said digital video cassette recorder.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first transfer speed is faster than the second transfer speed.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said second recording and reproducing device is operable to be connected through a network to an external processor, and wherein the second image compression format is a network transmission format.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said first recording and reproducing device is operable to edit the digital video data stored in said storage device of said first recording and reproducing device.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said controller comprises:

a first unit operable to control said first recording and reproducing device;

a second unit operable to control said second recording and reproducing device; and

a main unit operable to control said digital video cassette recorder and said first and second units.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the network transmission format is one of an ATM format and an SDDI format.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein said image format converter is operable to support a plurality of conversion processes between the first image compression format and one of a plurality of the second image compression formats, and wherein said image format converter comprises a format detector operable to detect the second image compression format of said second recording and reproducing device and to select one of the conversion processes according to the second image compression format detected by said image format converter.

16. The system according to claim 9, wherein said first recording and reproducing device is operable to edit the digital video data stored in said storage device of said first recording and reproducing device.

17. The system according to claim 9, wherein said controller comprises:

a first unit operable to control said first recording and reproducing device;

a second unit operable to control said second recording and reproducing device; and

a main unit operable to control said digital video cassette recorder and said first and second units.

18. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first and second non-zero transfer speeds are different.