Continuous recording apparatus for surveillance

• US 6,556,769 B1
• Filed: 06/02/1998
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagasawa, Fumihiro, Akahane, Shigeru, Nishijima, Takeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Christensen, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIEU, PO LIN
• Application Number:
  US09/089,202
• Time in Patent Office: 1,792 Days
• Field of Search: 386/1, 386/45, 386/46, 386/117, 386/125, 386/126, 360/7, 348/231-233
• US Class Current: 386/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9264 using transform coding

Abstract

Another operation such as searching for information recorded is achieved without interrupting recording of input information. A CPU controls a VCR block so that input information is recorded on a video tape when the video tape is ready for recording. When the video tape is not ready for recording, such as when searching for information recorded on the video tape is performed, the CPU controls a RAM block so that input information is temporarily recorded in RAM. When the video tape shifts from a state of not ready for recording to a state of ready for recording, the CPU controls the VCR block and the RAM block so that the information recorded in the RAM is transferred to the video tape for recording.

Claims

1. A recording apparatus for continuous digital recording of input information, comprising:

a converter for converting and compressing an analog input signal into digital data;

a first recording means for recording digital data on a tape medium;

said first recording means automatically rewinding the tape medium to a start thereof if digital data of a video program is recorded as far as an end of the tape medium and restarting recording of said video program;

a second recording means for temporarily recording digital data in a random access memory;

a control means for controlling the first recording means so that digital data is recorded directly from said converter onto the tape medium when the tape medium is ready for recording, controlling the second recording means so that digital data is temporarily recorded directly from said converter into the random access memory when the tape medium is not ready for recording, and controlling the first and second recording means so that information recorded in the random access memory is transferred to the tape medium to be recorded thereon when the tape medium shifts from a state of not ready for recording to a state of ready for recording;

the control means directing the digital data of said video program to be temporarily recorded in the random access memory while the first recording means is automatically rewinding the tape medium; and

a bus for transferring digital data between said converter, said first recording means, and said second recording means in response to commands from said control means.

2. A recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controls means includes a function of searching for information recorded as digital data on the tape medium and directs digital data to be temporarily recorded in the random access memory while the searching is carried out.

3. A recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second recording means transfers digital data recorded in the random access memory to the tape medium in the order in which the digital data was recorded.

4. A recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means calculates a maximum time for recording digital data in the random access memory and shifts recording from said second recording means to said first recording means before said maximum time is reached.

5. A recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tape medium is a removable medium;

and the control means directs digital data to be temporarily recorded in the random access memory while the tape medium is removed.

6. A recording apparatus for continuous digital recording of input information, comprising:

a converter for converting and compressing an analog input signal into digital data;

a first recording means for recording digital data on a tape medium;

said first recording means automatically rewinding the tape medium to a start thereof if digital data of a video program is recorded as far as an end of the tape medium and restarting recording of said video program;

a second recording means for temporarily recording digital data on a disk medium;

a third recording means for temporarily recording digital data in a random access memory;

a control means for controlling the first recording means so that digital data is recorded directly from said converter onto the tape medium when the tape medium is ready for recording, controlling the second recording means so that digital data is temporarily recorded directly from said converter onto the disk medium when the tape medium is not ready for recording, controlling the first and second recording means so that digital data recorded on the disk medium is transferred to the tape medium to be recorded thereon and controlling the third recording means so that digital data is temporarily recorded directly from said converter into the random access memory during the transfer and recording of the digital data on the disk medium when the tape medium shifts from a state of not ready for recording to a state of ready for recording, and controlling the first and third recording means so that digital data recorded in the random access memory is transferred to the tape medium to be recorded thereon when recording of the digital data recorded on the disk medium onto the tape medium is completed;

the control means directing the digital data of said video program to be temporarily recorded on the disk medium while the first recording means is automatically rewinding the tape medium; and

a bus for transferring digital data between said converter, said first recording means, said second recording means, and said third recording means in response to commands from said control means.

7. A recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controls means includes a function of searching for information recorded as digital data on the tape medium and directs digital data to be temporarily recorded on the disk medium while the searching is carried out.

8. A recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second recording means transfers digital data recorded on the disk medium to the tape medium in the order in which the digital data was recorded.

9. A recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control means calculates a maximum time for recording digital data on the disk medium and shifts recording from said second recording means to said first recording means before said maximum time is reached.

10. A recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the tape medium is a removable medium;

and the control means directs digital data to be temporarily recorded on the disk medium while the tape medium is removed.

11. A method for continuous digital recording of input information using a tape medium for recording digital data and a random access memory for temporarily recording digital data, comprising the steps of:

converting and compressing an analog input signal into digital data;

recording digital data directly onto the tape medium when the tape medium is ready for recording;

automatically rewinding the tape medium to a start thereof if digital data of a video program is recorded as far as an end of the tape medium and restarting recording of said video program;

recording digital data temporarily directly onto the random access memory when the tape medium is automatically rewinding; and

transferring digital data recorded on the random access memory to the tape medium to be recorded thereon when the tape medium shifts from automatically rewinding to a state of ready for recording.

12. A method for continuous digital recording of input information using a tape medium for recording digital data, a disk medium for temporarily recording digital data, and a random access memory for temporarily recording digital data, comprising the steps of:

converting and compressing an analog input signal into digital data;

recording digital data directly onto the tape medium when the tape medium is ready for recording;

automatically rewinding the tape medium to a start thereof if digital data of a video program is recorded as far as an end of the tape medium and restarting recording of said video program;

recording digital data temporarily directly onto the disk medium when the tape medium is automatically rewinding;

transferring digital data recorded on the disk medium to the tape medium to be recorded thereon while recording input information temporarily in the random access memory when the tape medium shifts from automatically rewinding to a state of ready for recording; and

transferring digital data recorded on the random access memory to the tape medium to be recorded thereon when recording of the information recorded on the disk medium onto the tape medium is completed.