Recording/reproducing apparatus using an IC memory

• US 6,615,294 B1
• Filed: 10/30/1998
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamanoi, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/182,792
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 710/52, 710/53, 710/56, 710/57, 704/200, 704/201, 704/278, 369/25, 369/47, 369/25.01, 369/30.01, 369/47.1, 379/67, 379/68, 379/67.1, 340/7.52, 386/46, 455/412
• US Class Current: 710/52
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10666 Ring buffers, e.g. buffers wherein an iteratively progressing read or write pointer moves back to the beginning of the buffer when reaching the last storage cell
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10675 aspects of buffer control
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content storing computer data in solid state memories G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2207/16 Solid state audio deprecated, only for historical reasons, G06F3/16, G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/16 Storage of analogue signals in digital stores using an arrangement comprising analogue/digital [A/D] converters, digital memories and digital/analogue [D/A] converters

Abstract

A recording/reproducing apparatus using an IC memory includes an IC memory to/from which writing/reading of an audio signal is performed; and a control circuit for controlling writing/reading of the audio signal to/from this IC memory, and its address, and for controlling, on writing and reading the audio signal to and from the IC memory, so that its address becomes ring-shaped, writing, of when a recording key is pressed, the audio signal from contiguous address to an area, within the IC memory where the writing, which has never been read is performed, and reading, of when a reproduction key is pressed, the audio signal from the head of an area within the IC memory where the writing, which has never been read, is performed.

Claims

1. A recording/reproducing apparatus, comprising:

a first IC memory wherein operations for writing/reading of an audio signal are performed;

a control circuit for controlling said writing/reading of said audio signal to/from respective addresses within said first IC memory, wherein said addresses are arranged in a ring shape;

system controlling means for automatically writing, when a recording key thereof is pressed by a user of the apparatus, a first audio signal starting at an address succeeding an area within said first IC memory wherein a newest and unread audio signal has been stored, and for automatically reading, when a reproduction key is pressed by the user, a second audio signal from a head address of a predetermined area wherein an oldest and unread audio signal has been stored within said first IC memory, wherein a nonvolatile memory is included in said first IC memory to preserve said audio signal written therein, and said system controlling means stops said reading of said second audio signal when said reading of said second audio signal from said predetermined area within said first IC memory is completed, and said system controlling means sets said predetermined area to a read area; and

a second IC memory for storing a management table for managing said memory addresses within said first IC memory at respective divided areas, wherein said management table includes for each of said respective divided areas a head address of said divided area, a head flag for indicating that said divided area is a first area for said writing of said audio signal, and an unreproduced flag for indicating whether said divided area has been reproduced.