Patent ID: 6615294
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: G11B,G11C

Abstract:
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.