Method and apparatus for optimizing data buffering

• US 7,539,791 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2006
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Tsai, Ping-Tsai, Liu, Pin-Chou, Wu, Sung-Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin; Christopher B
• Application Number:
  US11/383,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20070070762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 365/189.05, 710 52- 57, 710 33- 35, 710/310
• 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 2020/10537 Audio or video recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10629 the buffer having a specific structure
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10694 output interface, i.e. the way data leave the buffer, e.g. by adjusting the clock rate
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1074 involving a specific threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10814 involving specific measures to prevent a buffer underrun

Abstract

A method for storing data in a first buffer and a second buffer is disclosed. The method includes: sequentially storing an incoming data into the first buffer and the second buffer according to a first threshold; transferring data stored in the second buffer to the first buffer when an amount of data stored in the second buffer reaches a second threshold; and driving the first buffer to output data stored therein when an amount of data stored in the first buffer exceeds the first threshold after transferred data is received from the second buffer.

Claims

1. A method for storing data in a first buffer and a second buffer, the method comprising:

sequentially storing an incoming data into the first buffer and the second buffer according to a first threshold;

transferring data stored in the second buffer to the first buffer when an amount of data stored in the second buffer reaches a second threshold; and

when an amount of data stored in the first buffer exceeds the first threshold after transferred data is received from the second buffer, driving the first buffer to output data stored therein.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the first threshold;

wherein the step of sequentially storing an incoming data into the first buffer and the second buffer according to a first threshold further comprises;

storing the incoming data into the first buffer until an amount of data stored in the first buffer reaches the first threshold; and

storing the incoming data into the second buffer after an amount of data stored in the first buffer reaches the first threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing the second threshold referring to the first threshold;

wherein the step of transferring data stored in the second buffer to the first buffer is performed when an amount of data stored in the second buffer reaches the second threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the incoming data is multimedia data.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining the first threshold and the second threshold according to the quality of multimedia data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first buffer outputs data therein to an optical storage apparatus.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a speed of data outputting of the first buffer is different from a speed of data incoming of the second buffer.

8. An apparatus for storing data in a first buffer and a second buffer, the apparatus comprising:

a data storing control unit, coupled to the first buffer and the second buffer, for controlling storing an incoming data into the first buffer and the second buffer according to a first threshold; and

a data transferring control unit, coupled to the first buffer and the second buffer, for controlling transferring data stored in the second buffer to the first buffer, and driving the first buffer to output data stored therein when an amount of data stored in the first buffer exceeds the first threshold after transferred data is received from the second buffer.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a threshold value provider, for providing a first threshold;

wherein the data storing control unit controls the incoming data to be stored into the first buffer until an amount of data stored in the first buffer reaches the first threshold; and

stores the incoming data into the second buffer after an amount of data stored in the first buffer reaches the first threshold.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the threshold value provider further provides a second threshold and the data transferring control unit controls data transferring from the second buffer to the first buffer and drives the first buffer to output data stored therein when an amount of data stored in the second buffer reaches the second threshold.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the incoming data is multimedia data.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a threshold value provider, for determining the first threshold and the second threshold according to the quality of multimedia data.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first buffer outputs data therein to an optical storage apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a speed of data outputting of the first buffer is different from a speed of data incoming of the second buffer.

15. A system, comprising:

a first buffer;

a second buffer;

a multimedia data generating apparatus, for generating an incoming data;

a data buffer controlling apparatus, coupled to the multimedia data generating apparatus, the data buffer controlling apparatus comprising;

a data storing control unit, coupled to the first buffer and the second buffer, for controlling the incoming data to be stored into the first buffer and the second buffer; and

a data transferring control unit, coupled to the first buffer and the second buffer, for controlling transferring data stored in the second buffer to the first buffer, and driving the first buffer to output data stored therein when an amount of data stored in the first buffer exceeds the first threshold after transferred data is received from the second buffer; and

an optical storage apparatus, coupled to the first buffer, for recording data outputted from the first buffer to an optical disc.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a threshold value provider, for providing a first threshold;

wherein the data storing control unit controls the incoming data to be stored into the first buffer until an amount of data stored in the first buffer reaches the first threshold; and

stores the incoming data into the second buffer after an amount of data stored in the first buffer reaches the first threshold.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the threshold value provider further provides a second threshold and the data transferring control unit controls data transferring from the second buffer to the first buffer and drives the first buffer to output data stored therein when an amount of data stored in the second buffer reaches the second threshold.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a threshold value provider, for determining the first threshold and the second threshold according to the quality of multimedia data.

19. The system of claim 15, where a speed of data outputting of the first buffer is different from a speed of data incoming of the second buffer.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the first buffer is integrated in the optical storage apparatus and the second buffer is integrated in the multimedia data generating apparatus.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the optical storage apparatus is a DVD recorder.

22. A method for storing data in a first buffer and a second buffer, the method comprising:

sequentially storing an incoming data into the first buffer and the second buffer; and

when a total amount of data stored in the first buffer and the second buffer reaches a specific threshold, transferring data stored in the second buffer to the first buffer, and driving the first buffer to output data stored therein.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

providing a first threshold;

wherein the step of sequentially storing the input data into the first buffer and the second buffer further comprises;

storing the input data into the first buffer until an amount of data stored in the first buffer reaches the first threshold; and

when the first threshold is reached, storing the input data into the second buffer.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

providing a second threshold to the second buffer, the specific threshold being a sum of the first threshold and the second threshold;

wherein the step of transferring data stored in the second buffer to the first buffer and driving the first buffer to output data stored therein is performed when an amount of data stored in the second buffer reaches the second threshold.

25. An apparatus for storing data in a first buffer and a second buffer, the apparatus comprising:

a data storing control unit, coupled to the first buffer and the second buffer, for controlling storing an incoming data into the first buffer and the second buffer; and

a data transferring control unit, coupled to the first buffer and the second buffer, for controlling transferring data stored in the second buffer to the first buffer, and driving the first buffer to output data stored therein when a total amount of buffered data stored in the first buffer and the second buffer reaches a specific threshold.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a threshold value provider, for providing a first threshold;

wherein the data storing control unit controls the incoming data to be stored into the first buffer until an amount of data stored in the first buffer reaches the first threshold; and

stores the incoming data into the second buffer when the first threshold is reached.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the threshold value provider further provides a second threshold, the specific threshold is a sum of the first threshold and the second threshold, and the data transferring control unit controls data transferring from the second buffer to the first buffer and drives the first buffer to output data stored therein when an amount of data stored in the second buffer reaches the second threshold.

28. A system with data buffering, comprising:

a first buffer;

a second buffer;

a multimedia data generating apparatus, for generating an incoming data;

a data buffering controlling apparatus, coupled to the multimedia data generating apparatus, the data buffer controlling apparatus comprising;

a data storing control unit, coupled to the first buffer and the second buffer, for controlling the incoming data to be stored into the first buffer and the second buffer; and

a data transferring control unit, coupled to the first buffer and the second buffer, for controlling transferring data stored in the second buffer to the first buffer, and driving the first buffer to output data stored therein when a total amount of buffered data stored in the first buffer and the second buffer reaches a specific threshold; and

an optical storage apparatus, coupled to the first buffer, for recording data outputted from the first buffer to an optical disc.