Recording apparatus, reproducing apparatus, and recording and/or reproducing apparatus

• US 6,311,092 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1997
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US08/925,126
• Time in Patent Office: 1,513 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 381/61, 381/124, 704/270, 704/272, 704/278, 704/500, 340/692, 340/384.7, 360/32, 360/55, 360/57, 369/31, 369/63
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10546 specifically adapted for audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/60 Solid state media details of solid state memory devices G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/02 with automatic musical instruments
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/023 Multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals multicarrier modulation H04L27/2601

Abstract

An apparatus having a microphone, an analog to digital converting circuit, a semiconductor memory an, input device, and a controller. Wherein the analog to digital converting circuit converts an output signal from the microphone into a digital signal. The semiconductor memory stores the output signal from the analog to digital converting circuit, and the input device carries out input of a record start and a record end. The controller, according to the input from the input device, carries out control to start and stop writing into the semiconductor memory a digital signal from the analog to digital converting circuit. When the input device is operated and a predetermined time interval has passed, the controller starts writing the digital signal from the analog/digital conversion circuit into the semiconductor memory.

Claims

1. A recording apparatus comprising:

a microphone;

an analog to digital converting circuit for converting an output signal from said microphone into a digital output signal;

a storage device for storing said digital output signal from said analog to digital converting circuit;

an input device for causing a recording start operation and a recording end operation; and

a controller for starting and stopping a writing into said storage device of said digital output signal from said analog to digital converting circuit, said controller starting said writing of said digital output signal from said analog to digital converting circuit into said storage device upon a lapse of a predetermined time interval after said input device is operated, wherein said predetermined time interval is equal to or longer than a time interval required for attenuation to an unhearable level of a noise generated upon operation of said input device.

2. The recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a cabinet in which said microphone and said input device are arranged.

3. The recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said storage device includes at least two files and said output signal from said microphone having been converted into said digital output signal by said analog to digital converting circuit is written into one of said at least two files as specified by said input device as audio data, wherein each of said at least two files can be written to by a plurality of audio data.

4. The reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

display means for displaying an identification identified said stored digital signal,

wherein the reproducing includes a notched portion arranged on an upper left of a surface of said cabinet having said display means mounted thereon.

5. The reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein input device includes a button for entering a reproducing start mode, said button is arranged in said notched portion.

6. The reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cabinet has a hand strap to be used when said user carries said reproducing apparatus.

7. A recording apparatus comprising:

a microphone;

an analog to digital converting circuit for converting an output signal from said microphone into a digital output signal;

a storage device for storing said digital output signal from said analog to digital converting circuit;

an input device for causing a recording start operation and a recording end operation;

a controller for starting and stopping a writing into said storage device of said digital output signal from said analog to digital converting circuit, said controller starting said writing of said digital output signal from analog to digital converting circuit into said storage device upon a lapse of a predetermined time interval after said input device is operated,

wherein said predetermined time interval is equal to or longer than a time interval required for attenuation to an unhearable level of a noise generated upon operation of said input device; and

a cabinet in which said microphone and said input device are arranged,

wherein said controller starts writing into said storage device when said predetermined time interval has lapsed after said input device is first-half operated, and stops writing of said digital output signal into said storage device during a lapse of the predetermined time interval after said input device is second-half operated.

8. A recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising:

a microphone;

an analog to digital converting circuit for converting an output signal from said microphone into a digital output signal;

a semiconductor memory for storing said digital output signal from said analog to digital converting circuit;

a digital to analog converting circuit for converting a digital signal read from said semiconductor memory into an analog output signal;

an input device operable by a user of said apparatus for entering at least a recording start mode;

a controller for controlling in response to an input from said input device a writing of said digital output signal from said analog to digital converting circuit into said semiconductor memory and a reading of a stored digital signal from said semiconductor memory; and

a cabinet in which said microphone, said analog/digital converting circuit, said digital/analog converting circuit, and said input device are arranged,

wherein said semiconductor memory includes at least two files and said output signal from said microphone converted by said analog to digital converting circuit into said digital output signal is written in one of said two files as specified by said input device as audio data and each of said at least two files can be written to by a plurality of audio data,

wherein said controller includes a switch for entering a recording start mode, and

said controller starts writing into said storage device when said predetermined time interval has lapsed after said input device is first-half operated, and stops writing of said digital output signal into said storage device during a lapse of a predetermined time interval after said input device is second-half operated.