File management device and method thereof, and audio visual data recording/reproducing device and method thereof

• US 6,694,339 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2000
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hirose, Masaki, Katsuo, Satoshi, Yoshikawa, Jun, Nakamura, Shouji
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US09/718,537
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200, 707/1, 707/203, 707/204, 360/48, 369/13.35
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/415 Redundant array of inexpensive disks [RAID] systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A recording medium is logically divided to form a cluster. Each cluster records AV (Audio Visual) data. A reference number indicates the number of files which reference AV data. A free space byte map having the reference number is used for determining whether to enable or disable deletion of AV data on a cluster basis. That is, a cluster having the reference number 0 is released as a free area, thus facilitating management of a file and realizing effective use of a recording medium.

Claims

1. A file management device for managing a file in a randomly accessible recording medium, comprising:

storage means for storing file management information composed of file entry information including an identification name for identifying the file and a reference number indicative of the number of other files referring to the file, and record entry information having information for specifying a recording area, wherein the file comprises data continuously recorded in each of a plurality of recording areas dispersedly located on the recording medium and the storage means is operable to increment and decrement the reference number; and

control means for controlling the storage means to store the file management information and for controlling reproduction of a data file containing audio visual data stored in the recording medium on the basis of the file entry information and the record entry information stored in the storage means.

2. The file management device according to claim 1, wherein information in the record entry information for specifying the recording area is information indicating a start position of an area which records the data file, wherein the control means controls the storage means so that the storage means stores the information for specifying the record entry information corresponding to the start position together with the file entry information for each of the data files, and wherein the control means controls the storage means so that the storage means stores information for specifying the record entry information corresponding to a start position in a next contiguous recording area on the recording medium when the data file is dispersedly recorded on the recording medium.

3. A file management device for managing a file in a randomly accessible recording medium, comprising:

storage means for storing file management information composed of file entry information including an identification name for identifying the file and a reference number indicative of the number of other files referring to the file, and record entry information having information for specifying a recording area, wherein the file comprises data continuously recorded in each of a plurality of recording areas dispersedly located on the recording medium; and

control means for controlling the storage means to store the file management information and for controlling reproduction of a data file containing audio visual data stored in the recording medium on the basis of the file entry information and the record entry information stored in the storage means,

wherein the control means controls the storage means so that editing information indicating a start position and an end position of the recording area in the file allows to store file management information of the editing information and increment and store a reference number for the file entry information.

4. The file management device according to claim 3, wherein when an instruction to delete the file is issued, the control means deletes file management information about the file stored in the storage means.

5. The file management device according to claim 3, wherein the control means controls the storage means so as to delete file management information corresponding to the editing information stored in the storage means from the storage means and allow the storage means to decrement and store the reference number for file entry information on a file corresponding to the editing information when an instruction to delete the editing information is issued.

6. The file management device according to claim 5, wherein the control means controls the storage means so as to delete file entry information and record entry information for the file from the storage means when the decremented reference number for the file reaches a specified value.

7. A file management method for managing files on a randomly accessible recording medium, comprising:

a first step of allowing storage means to store file management information comprising file entry information containing an identification name for identifying a file and a reference number indicating the number of other files referencing the file and record entry information for specifying a recording area, wherein the file comprises data continuously recorded in each of a plurality of recording areas dispersedly located on the recording medium and the storage means is operable to increment and decrement the reference number; and

a second step of reproducing a data file containing audio visual data recorded on the recording medium on the basis of the file management information stored at the first step.

8. The file management method according to claim 7, wherein information for specifying the recording area of the record entry information is information indicating a start position of an area which records the data file, and wherein the first step allows the storage means to store information for specifying the record entry information corresponding to the start position together with the file entry information for each of the data files and stores information for specifying the record entry information corresponding to a start position in a next contiguous recording area on the recording medium when the data file is dispersedly recorded on the recording medium.

9. A file management method for managing files on a randomly accessible recording medium, comprising:

a first step of allowing storage means to store file management information comprising file entry information containing an identification name for identifying a file and a reference number indicating the number of other files referencing the file and record entry information for specifying a recording area, wherein the file comprises data continuously recorded in each of a plurality of recording areas dispersedly located on the recording medium;

a second step of reproducing a data file containing audio visual data recorded on the recording medium on the basis of the file management information stored at the first step; and

a third step of allowing the storage means to store file management information for editing information and increment and store a reference number for the file entry information of the file when editing information indicating a start position and an end position of the recording area for the file is input.

10. The file management method according to claim 9 further comprising a fourth step of deleting file management information for the file stored in the storage means when an instruction to delete the file is issued.

11. The file management method according to claim 9 wherein when an instruction to delete the editing information is issued, the third step deletes file management information corresponding to the editing information stored in the storage means from the storage means, and decrements and stores the reference number for file entry information on a file corresponding to the editing information in the storage means.

12. The file management method according to claim 11 wherein the third step deletes file management information for the file from the storage means when the decremented reference number reaches a specified value.

13. An audio visual data recording/reproducing device comprising a randomly accessible recording medium, recording/reproducing means for recording or reproducing data containing audio visual data as a file from the recording medium, and a plurality of input/output means for outputting externally input data to the recording/reproducing means by making an access within a time slot allocated to the recording/reproducing means and inputting the data output from the recording/reproducing means, the device comprising:

storage means for storing file management information comprising file entry information containing an identification name for identifying the file and a reference number indicating the number of other files referencing the file and record entry information for specifying a recording area, wherein the file comprises data continuously recorded in each of a plurality of recording areas dispersedly located on the recording medium and the storage means is operable to increment and decrement the reference number; and

control means for controlling the storage means to store the file management information in the storage means when the recording/reproducing means records the file on the recording medium and for controlling the recording/reproducing means to reproduce the data from the recording medium based on the file management information.

14. The audio visual data recording/reproducing device according to claim 13, wherein information in the record entry information for specifying the recording area is information indicating a start position on the recording medium where the file is recorded, and wherein the control means controls the storage means so that the storage means stores information for specifying the record entry information corresponding to the start position together with the file entry information for each of the data files and so that the storage means stores information for specifying the record entry information corresponding to a start position in a next contiguous recording area on the recording medium when the data file is dispersedly recorded on the recording medium.

15. An audio visual data recording/reproducing device comprising a randomly accessible recording medium, recording/reproducing means for recording or reproducing data containing audio visual data as a file from the recording medium, and a plurality of input/output means for outputting externally input data to the recording/reproducing means by making an access within a time slot allocated to the recording/reproducing means and inputting the data output from the recording/reproducing means, the device comprising:

storage means for storing file management information comprising file entry information containing an identification name for identifying the file and a reference number indicating the number of other files referencing the file and record entry information for specifying a recording area, wherein the file comprises data continuously recorded in each of a plurality of recording areas dispersedly located on the recording medium; and

control means for controlling the storage means to store the file management information in the storage means when the recording/reproducing means records the file on the recording medium and for controlling the recording/reproducing means to reproduce the data from the recording medium based on the file management information,

wherein the storage means is controlled so that the storage means stores file management information for editing information, and increments and stores a reference number for the file entry information of the file when editing information indicating a start position and an end position on the recording area for the file is input.

16. The audio visual data recording/reproducing device according to claim 15, wherein the control means controls the storage means so as to delete the file management information for the file stored in the storage means when an instruction to delete the file is issued.

17. The audio visual data recording/reproducing device according to claim 15, wherein the control means controls the storage means so as to delete file management information corresponding to the editing information stored in the storage means from the storage means, and decrement and store the reference number for file entry information on a file corresponding to the editing information in the storage means when an instruction to delete the editing information is issued.

18. The audio visual data recording/reproducing device according to claim 17, wherein the control means controls the storage means so as to delete file management information for the file from the storage means when the decremented reference number for the file reaches a specified value.

19. An audio visual data recording/reproducing method for recording/reproducing means which records and reproduces data containing audio visual data as a file on a randomly accessible recording medium to output the externally input data by accessing the recording/reproducing means and input the data output from the recording/reproducing means within a time slot period to which a plurality of input/output means is assigned for performing record and reproduction of the data, the method comprising:

a first step of allowing storage means to store file management information comprising file entry information containing an identification name for identifying the file and a reference number indicating the number of other files referencing the file and record entry information for specifying a recording area, wherein the file comprises data continuously recorded in each of a plurality of recording areas dispersedly located on the recording medium and the storage means is operable to increment and decrement the reference number; and

a second step for allowing the recording/reproducing means to reproduce the data recorded on the recording medium on the basis of the file management information stored by the storage means at the first step.

20. The audio visual data recording/reproducing method according to claim 19, wherein information in the record entry information for specifying the recording area is information indicating a start position on the recording medium where the data is recorded, and wherein the first step allows the storage means to store information for specifying the record entry information corresponding to the start position together with the file entry information for each of the data files and to store information for specifying the record entry information corresponding to a start position in a next contiguous recording area on the recording medium when the data is dispersedly recorded on the recording medium.

21. An audio visual data recording/reproducing method for recording/reproducing means which records and reproduces data containing audio visual data as a file on a randomly accessible recording medium to output the externally input data by accessing the recording/reproducing means and input the data output from the recording/reproducing means within a time slot period to which a plurality of input/output means is assigned for performing record and reproduction of the data, the method comprising:

a first step of allowing storage means to store file management information comprising file entry information containing an identification name for identifying the file and a reference number indicating the number of other files referencing the file and record entry information for specifying a recording area, wherein the file comprises data continuously recorded in each of a plurality of recording areas dispersedly located on the recording medium; and

a second step for allowing the recording/reproducing means to reproduce the data recorded on the recording medium on the basis of the file management information stored by the storage means at the first step; and

a third step of allowing the storage means to store the file management information for editing information, and increment and store a reference number for the file entry information when editing information indicating a start position and an end position on the recording area for the file is input.

22. The audio visual data recording/reproducing method according to claim 21 further comprising a fourth step of deleting the file management information for the file stored in the storage means when an instruction to delete the file is issued.

23. The audio visual data recording/reproducing method according to claim 21, wherein when an instruction to delete the editing information is issued, the third step deletes file management information corresponding to the editing information stored in the storage means from the storage means, and decrements and stores the reference number for file entry information on a file corresponding to the editing information in the storage means.

24. The audio visual data recording/reproducing method according to claim 23, wherein the third step deletes file management information for the file from the storage means when the decremented reference number for the file reaches a specified value.