Abstract:
Apparatus nominally used for recording includes a reproduction section to play digital data from a recording medium recorded with that digital data and retrieval information, a recording section to write the digital data reproduced by the reproduction section and record the retrieval information on a control table, and a control circuit to search the control table by using the retrieval information when the digital data from the reproduction section is written by the recording section, thereby to permit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording section when the retrieval information is not recorded on the control table, and to prohibit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording section when the retrieval information is already recorded on the control table, and also to prevent the mistaken duplicate copying of the digital data with the recording section.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a recording apparatus. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   A HDD (hard disk drive) installed in audio device used for instance while mounted in a vehicle and capable of copying the contents of a CD (compact disc) could search for and play a portion of the CD the user wants to hear, faster than a CD changer, etc. 
   The capacity of a music CD in such cases is approximately 760 megabytes (equal to approximately 44.1 kHz×16 bits×2 channels×60 seconds×74 minutes). The digital audio data of the CD can also be compressed to approximately one-tenth the original size by appropriate use of data compression technology. 
   Therefore, even a CD fully stored with music, can be compressed to approximately 80 megabytes of data, so that if a HDD (hard disk drive) of 8 gigabytes is available, then over 100 CD compact discs can be copied onto that HDD. 
   In other words, if the contents of a CD can be compressed onto a HDD (hard disk drive) then a much greater quantity of CDs could be handled compared for example to a vehicle mounted CD changer that handles about 10 CDs at one time. Furthermore, the desired CD can also be quickly selected and played back. 
   However, when 100 compact discs are copied in a system structured in this way, the same CD is sometimes mistakenly copied twice. In order to avoid such trouble, the user has no other choice but to monitor the copied CDs that requires for instance, making a note of the name of the copied CD. 
   However, managing 100 compact discs is very large task. Consequently, the same CD might still be mistakenly copied twice. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention has the goal of resolving this problem with the related art. 
   This invention is a recording apparatus having a reproduction means to play for example, digital data and retrieval information for that digital data recorded on a medium, a recording means to record written digital data played by the reproduction means and the retrieval information recorded on a control table, and further having a control circuit to search the control table by using the retrieval information when the digital data from the reproduction means is written by the recording means, and to permit writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording means when the results of this search show that the retrieval information is not already recorded on the control table, and to prohibit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording means, when the results of the search show the retrieval information is already recorded on the control table, consequently, the contents of a recording medium already copied on a recording apparatus are prohibited from being recopied onto the recording apparatus. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a system block diagram of the embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing the operation of the invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a drawing showing the control table of the invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a drawing showing a typical display of the invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A typical view of the apparatus of this invention centering mainly on the audio signal line is shown in FIG.  1 . 
   The reference numeral  10  denotes a CD (compact disc) recorded for example with digital audio data for music. When the CD  10  is a compact disc conforming to “CD text” standards, the incidental text (character) information of the CD  10 , such as data recorded with the title and performer of CD  10  for example, is recorded in the R through W channels contained in the tracks of the CD  10  lead-in area. 
   The CD  10  is reproduced by the reproduction means constituted by the CD drive device  21 . Digital audio data for reproduction processing such as demodulation and error correction is extracted from this CD drive device  21 , and this digital audio data is supplied to a bus line  29 . 
   A buffer memory  22  as well as a data compression encoder circuit  23  are connected to the bus line  29 . The encoder circuit  23  is comprised for instance by a DSP, and compresses the digital audio data reproduced from the CD  10  to about one-tenth the original size by ATRAC (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding) processing (ATRAC is a registered commercial trademark). 
   A HDD  24  for instance is connected as a large capacity recording means to the bus line  29 . This HDD  24  is for accumulating the digital audio data (digital audio data after digital compression) of the CD  10 , and for instance has a capacity of 16 gigabytes. The HDD  24  can therefore record and reproduce compressed digital audio data from at least 100 CD (compact discs). 
   At least one control table  24 T such as shown in  FIG. 3  is provided in the HDD  24 . This control table  24 T holds information for specifying the write source in  FIG. 10  when CD  10  digital audio data was compressed and stored or written in the HDD  24 , and also holds the write position (write position per the HDD  24 ) on each track of the CD  10 . 
   For example 100 data boxes from #1 to #100 are provided in the control table  24 T. Each of these data boxes #1 through #100 corresponds to digital audio data for one CD (compact disc) recorded on the HDD  24 . These data boxes #1 to #100 are also used as CD Nos. when the contents of a CD copied onto the HDD  24  are selected. 
   Cells entitled “TOC {Table of Contents} Data”, “Number of Tracks”, “Track 1 Start Position &amp; End Position”, “Track 2 Start Position &amp; End Position” . . . “Final Track Start Position &amp; End Position”, and “CD Title” are provided in the respective data boxes (CD Nos.) #1 to #100. 
   Here, along with the CD  10  containing the time information relating to this track in the TOC, each CD  10  also generally has a different TOC. This TOC data is used as data for searching (retrieving) or for designating a particular CD  10 . This TOC data is written as search (retrieval) information in the “TOC data” cell. 
   All track numbers for the corresponding CD  10  are written in the “Number of Tracks” cell. The respective write start positions and write end positions in the HDD  24  for the respective tracks (tracks in CD  10 ) are written in the “Track 1 Start Position &amp; End Position” . . . “Final Track Start Position &amp; End Position” cells. 
   The text (character) data displayed as the title of CD  10  at times such as during reproduction from HDD  24  is written in the “CD Title” cell. For instance, when the CD  10  is a CD of the appropriate standards, the text (character) information recorded in the R through W channels of that lead-in region can be copied and written. 
   A decoder circuit  25  and an audio output circuit  26  are also connected to the bus line  29 . In this case, the decoder circuit  25  is for instance comprised of a DSP, and performs decode processing complementary to the encoder circuit  23  to decode the compressed digital audio data to return it to digital audio data prior to data compression. 
   The audio output circuit  26  contains a D/A converter circuit. When digital audio data is supplied, the D/A converter circuit converts this digital audio data to analog signals L, R by digital/analog conversion. These audio signals L, R are supplied by way of the output amplifier  27  to the left and right channels of the speakers  28 L and  28 R. 
   Along with a buffer memory  31  and a display control circuit  32  connected to the bus line  29 , a liquid crystal display (LCD)  33  is for instance connected as a display means to the display control circuit  32  to display various kinds of information. 
   A reference numeral  41  denotes a control circuit to control overall operation of the apparatus. This control circuit  41  is for instance comprised of a microcomputer and is connected to the bus line  29 . A routine  100  such as shown for example in  FIG. 2  is provided in the control circuit  41  as a portion of the program to run the CPU. Detailed information on this routine  100  is given later on but  FIG. 2  only shows an excerpt of the routine  100  relating to this invention. 
   An operation key  42  comprised of a non-locking type push button switch as the means for user input operation is also connected to the control circuit  41 . 
   In a structure of this type, by executing the routine  100  with the control circuit  41  microcomputer, [Normal CD reproduction] and [Recording from CD to HDD] are implemented as follows. 
   [Normal CD Reproduction] 
   This operation is reproducing (playing) the CD  10  just the same as a typical CD player and obtaining an audio output. 
   In other words, when the CD  10  is set into the CD drive device  21 , the control circuit  41  CPU starts the processing from step  101  of routine  100 , and next in step  102 , the TOC data is read out from the CD  10  by the CD drive device  21 . This read out (loaded) TOC data is supplied to and stored in the control circuit  41  from the CD drive device  21  by way of the bus line  29  and then is at key input standby in step  103 . 
   The current case is [Normal CD reproduction] so pressing the reproduction key (play) from among the keys  42 , makes the processing precede from step  103  to step  111 , and the key input in step  103  is identified. 
   The reproduction (play) key is pressed in the current case so the processing precedes from step  11  to step  112 . In step  112 , the normal reproduction processing for the CD  10  is implemented. 
   In other words, the digital audio data is reproduced (played) from the CD  10  by the CD drive device  21 , supplied to the audio output circuit  26  from the CD drive device  21  by way of the bus line  29 , and D/A (digital/analog) converted to audio signals L, R. These audio signals L, R are supplied to the speakers  28 L and  28 R by way of the amplifier  27 . 
   In this case, the track is reproduced (played back) from CD  10  according to the user&#39;s instructions and the TOC data stored in the control circuit  41  in step  102  is referred to at this time. Further, information such as the track No. of the track during playback (reproduction) and the elapsed time are displayed on the LCD  33 . 
   Then, when playback of all tracks specified by the user is finished, the process proceeds to step  119  and the routine  100  ends. 
   The apparatus of  FIG. 1  can therefore perform reproduction (playback) of the CD  10  in the same way as a typical CD player. 
   [Recording from CD to HDD] 
   This operation is compressing the CD  10  digital audio data and storing or writing this compressed data in the HDD  24 . 
   In other words, when the CD  10  is set in the CD drive  21 , the TOC data is loaded (readout) from the CD  10  as previously described and stored in the control circuit  41 , and afterwards set to key input standby in step  103 . 
   The current case is [Recording from CD to HDD] so that pressing one of the copy keys  42 , makes the operation processing precede from step  103  to step  111 , and the key input in step  103  is identified. 
   When identified in the current case, the copy key was pressed so the processing proceeds from step  111  to step  121 . In step  121 , the “TOC data” cell of the data in the control table  24 T is searched for as the retrieval text for the TOC data loaded (read out) in step  102 . 
   Then, the subsequent processing of retrieval (search) results is performed in other words, in step S 122 , the search (retrieval) results of step  121  are identified, and when the TOC data loaded in step  102  is not in the “TOC data” cell of control table  24 T, the processing then proceeds from step  122  to step  123 . In step  123 , the CD  10  is copied onto the HDD  24 . 
   In other words, the digital audio data from the CD  10  is reproduced by the CD drive device  21 . This digital audio data, along with being written in the memory  22  from the CD drive  21  by way of the bus line  29 , is also loaded (read out) from the memory  22  at the specified timing. Then, this read-out digital audio data is supplied to the encoder circuit  23  by way of the bus line  29  and data-compressed by ATRAC processing and the now compressed digital audio data is supplied to the HDD  24  by way of the bus line  29 . In this way, the CD  10  digital audio data is written into the HDD  24  while data-compressed. 
   At this time, the information copied from CD  10  and tracks (tracks in CD  10 ) is registered in the control table  24 T of the HDD  24 . In other words, if the copy of CD  10  is the No. nth (n=any of 1 to 100), then the TOC data stored in the control circuit  41  that was loaded from the CD  10  in step  102 , is written in the “TOC data” cell of the CD #n box of control table  24 T. The number of tracks of CD  10  is also written in the “number of tracks” cell of the CD No. #n box. 
   Further, the write start position and write end position when the digital audio data of CD  10  is written into HDD  24 , are written into the corresponding cell from among the “Track 1 Start Position &amp; End Position” . . . “Final Track Start Position &amp; End Position” cells of the CD #n box. 
   When the text (character) information for the CD  10  and tracks is input from the keys  42 , that character data is stored in the memory  31 , and when copying of the CD  10  is complete, that text information that was loaded from the memory  31 , is written in the “Title” cell of the CD #n box of the control table  24 T. When the CD  10  data has CD text, that text (character) information added to CD  10  is also written. 
   In this way, when the contents of the CD  10  are written into HDD  24 , the corresponding portion of the control table  24 T is also rewritten. 
   When the above processing is complete, the processing proceeds from step  123  to step  119 , and routine  100  ends. 
   Therefore, when a CD  10  is not yet copied onto the HDD  24 , information specifying that CD  10  is registered in the control table  24 T along with the copied contents of that CD  10 . 
   In step  122  on the other hand, when the TOC data read out in step  102  is in the “TOC Data” cell of the control table  24 , the processing proceeds from step  122  to step  131 . In step  131 , the specified data is supplied from the control circuit  41  by way of the bus line  29  to the display control circuit  32 . As a result, as shown for instance in  FIG. 4 , a string of characters constituting a caution sentence is displayed to show that the CD  10  whose copy is being attempted, has already been copied onto the HDD  24 . 
   Next, the processing proceeds to step  132  and the CD  10  is ejected from the CD drive device  21  in compliance with instructions from the control circuit  41 . This routine then ends in step  119 . 
   [Reproducing from HDD] 
   In this operation, the contents of the CD copied onto the HDD  24  are played back (reproduced). The processing routine for this playback is not shown in the drawings. 
   In other words, when playback from the HDD  24  is commanded by way of the keys  42 , the data from the “Title Cell” cell of the data boxes registered from among the data boxes # 1  to # 100  of the control table  24 T is read out. This data and the data for the matching CD #n are supplied to the display control circuit  32 . Consequently, the CD #n and corresponding display with the “Title” are displayed in the LCD  33 . 
   When the keys  42  are operated and the desired CD #m then input, the data written into the cells from among the “Number of Tracks” through “Title” cells of the control table  24 T boxes is read out, and stored in the control circuit  41 . 
   Next, by using the data stored in this control circuit  41  in the same way as the TOC data written on the CD, the digital audio data corresponding to the CD #m in the CD contents, are loaded from HDD  24  and output as audio. 
   In this case, the digital audio data, when loaded from the HDD  24 , is supplied to the decoder circuit  25  and expanded to the original audio data after being buffered by the memory  22 . This now expanded digital audio data is then supplied to the audio output circuit  26 . The playback (or reproduction) audio from the digital audio data loaded from the HDD  24  is therefore output from the speakers  28 L and  28 R. 
   Information such as the track No. and elapsed time of the track (CD track) being played back is displayed on the LCD  33  even during playback (reproduction) from the HDD  24 . 
   [Summary] 
   Thus, in the reproduction device of  FIG. 1 , when the contents of the CD  10  are copied onto the HDD  24 , a check can be made to find whether or not all of that CD  10  was copied, by referring to the control table  24 T, and copy implemented only when the content were found not to have been copied. Therefore, by preventing the same CD from being copied twice, the useless expenditure of the memory capacity for instance of the HDD  24  can be prevented. 
   Furthermore, monitoring by the user is not required for checking whether or not a CD was copied onto the HDD  24  and duplicate copying is automatically prevented. 
   Also, when not known whether copy of a particular CD onto the HDD  24  is finished, that CD can be inserted into the CD drive device  21  and the copy key operated. If not previously copied, a copy of that CD is then made onto the HDD  24 , however if copying has already been completed, then a message showing copy was already completed is displayed and duplicate copying is not implemented. 
   Consequently, the above processing requires no special hardware and is accomplished just by providing the control table  24 T in the HDD  24 . 
   Furthermore, desired text information can be written into the “Title” cell of the control table  24 T so that information such as a special title can be attached to that copy when the CD is copied onto the HDD  24 . 
   [Others] 
   In one case in the routine  100  of  FIG. 5 , when the CD  10  has previously been copied onto the HDD  24 , the process proceeds after step  132  to step  133 , and the contents of the CD  10  whose copy onto the HDD  24  was attempted are reproduced (played back) from the HDD  24 . 
   Therefore, in this case, when the copying of a CD already copied onto the HDD  24  is again attempted, not only is a caution display issued on the LCD  33 , but a check can also be made by playing back the audio. 
   The information written in the “Title” cell of the control table  24 T as described above, can also be collected and written at some other time after copying onto the HDD  24  and in such cases, after copy of the CD contents is complete, information such as the date and time the copy was made can also be written by default. 
   Information written into the “Title” cell can be written into a nonvolatile memory. The CD  10  can also be reproduced (played) and when those contents are copied into the HDD  24 , the reproduction speed can be a higher speed than the standard speed. The control table  24 T may be made to show the corresponding relation of the TOC data with the digital audio data written in the HDD  24 . 
   The invention as described above, renders the effect that mistaken copying of the same CD twice is prevented and that the wasted expenditure of memory capacity for instance of the HDD is eliminated. Further, whether a CD has been copied or not onto the HDD can be known without requiring any monitoring by the user and double copying of the CD can automatically be prevented. 
   This invention renders the further effect that, when not known whether copy of a particular CD is finished or not, the copy of that CD can be attempted, and if not previously copied, then copying of that CD is then executed. However, if the CD was previously copied, then duplicate (two-time) copying of the CD is prevented. Furthermore, the above process is accomplished just by providing a control table in the HDD and no special hardware is required.