Abstract:
A multi-function digital video optical disc player includes a housing; an optical disc drive installed inside the housing for reading a first video data from an optical disc; a tape drive installed inside the housing for reading a DV tape to retrieve a second video data complying with a first data format; a video data format converter installed inside the housing for converting the second video data into a third video data complying with a second data format and for outputting the third video data; a decoder installed in the housing for decoding the first or the third video data to generate a fourth video data; and a display controller installed inside the housing for outputting display data to an external monitor according to the fourth video data.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention relates to a digital video optical disc player, and more particularly, to a digital video optical disc player which is also capable of playing tapes.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     Playing (i.e. viewing) a digital camera tape utilizing traditional video optical disc players requires that a digital camera be connected to a digital video optical disc player through an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers 1394 (IEEE 1394) port, other wire transmissions, or other wireless transmissions. After the digital camera and digital video optical disc player are connected, the data from the digital camera tape can be transferred to the digital video optical disc player. In this way, the digital video optical disc player can play the received data from the tape. Furthermore, if the digital video optical disc player supports the function of recording onto an optical disc, then the tape data can be recorded onto a digital video optical disc such as a multi-function digital disc or DVD.  
         [0005]     However, such an operation is inconvenient. For instance, when playing or recording the tape&#39;s data, the digital camera must be connected to the digital video optical disc player during the entire operation of playing or recording the tape. Therefore, the digital camera cannot be utilized by other users or for other purposes during these operations.  
         [0006]     Furthermore, in order to connect the prior art digital camera to the prior art digital video optical disc player, a cable (e.g. an IEEE 1394 cable) and a related interface (e.g. an IEEE 1394 interface) must be provided. Establishing the connection often causes additional complexity.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention provides a multi-function digital video optical disc player, which is also capable of reading digital camera tape data directly, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems.  
         [0008]     By way of an example embodiment of the claimed invention, a multi-function digital video optical disc player is disclosed. The multi-function digital video optical disc player includes: a housing; an optical disc accessing device installed in the housing for reading a first video data from an optical disc; a first decoder installed in the housing for decoding the first video data to generate a second video data; a tape drive installed in the housing for reading a third video data from a digital camera tape; a second decoder installed in the housing for decoding the third video data to generate a fourth video data; and a display controller installed in the housing for outputting display data to an external display according to the second video data or the fourth video data; wherein the first video data complies with the first data format and the second video data complies with the second data format.  
         [0009]     Furthermore, a multi-function optical disc player is disclosed. The multi-function video optical disc player includes: a housing; an optical disc accessing device installed in the housing for reading a first video data from an optical disc; a tape drive installed in the housing for reading a second video data from a digital camera tape, the second video data complying with the first data format; a video data format transformer installed in the housing for transforming the second video data into a third video data and outputting the third video data, the third video data complying with a second data format; a decoder installed in the housing for decoding the first video data or the third video data to generate a fourth video data; and a display controller installed in the housing for outputting the display data to an external display according to the fourth video data.  
         [0010]     The present invention digital video optical disc player can read digital camera tape data with minimal hardware cost and can record digital camera tape data to an optical disc without the need for a digital camera. Therefore, the digital camera can be utilized for other purposes. Furthermore, a cable is no longer required. Therefore, the present invention multi-function video optical disc player provides a new function for the users, allowing them to utilize the digital camera freely.  
         [0011]     These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a multi-function digital optical disc player according to the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the multi-function digital optical disc player shown in  FIG. 1  of a first embodiment according to the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the multi-function digital optical disc player shown in  FIG. 1  of a second embodiment according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which is a diagram of a multi-function digital optical disc player  100  according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the multi-function digital optical disc player  100  is connected to an external display  160  through a cable  101 , for example, an audiovisual cable (AV cable) or a composite cable. The multi-function digital optical disc player  100  includes a recordable optical disc accessing device  110  and a Mini-DV tape drive  120 , wherein the recordable optical disc accessing device  110  and the Mini-DV tape drive  120  are both installed in the same housing  180 . The recordable optical disc accessing device  110  can be utilized to read video data from an optical disc  112 . Therefore, the multi-function digital optical disc player  100  can output display data, corresponding to the read video data, to an external display  160 . The external display  160  can then display video corresponding to the video data. Additionally, the recordable optical disc accessing device  110  can be utilized to burn data (for example, a TV program) to the optical disc  112 . The Mini-DV tape drive  120  is embedded in the multi-function digital video optical disc player  100  for reading video data from a DV tape  122 . Therefore, the multi-function digital video optical disc player  100  can output display data, corresponding to the read video data, to the external display  160 . The external display  160  can then display video, corresponding to the video data, or the read video data can be transferred to the recordable optical disc accessing device  110  to be burned.  
         [0016]     Please refer to  FIG. 2  in conjunction with  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the multi-function digital optical disc player  100  shown in  FIG. 1  of a first embodiment according to the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the multi-function digital video optical disc player  100  includes a recordable optical disc accessing device  110 , a Mini-DV tape drive  120 , a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) decoder  130  coupled to the recordable optical disc accessing device  110 , a DV-25/MPEG format transformer  140  coupled to the Mini-DV tape drive  120  and the MPEG decoder  130 , and a display controller  150  coupled to the MPEG decoder  130 . Please note that the above-mentioned devices are all installed in the housing  180 . The function and the operation of the multi-function digital video optical disc player  100  are illustrated as follows.  
         [0017]     When the multi-function video optical disc player  100  has to play video data from the optical disc  112 , the recordable optical disc accessing device  110  first reads video data DATA 1 , which complies with the MPEG data format, from the optical disc  112  and outputs the video data DATA 1  to the MPEG decoder  130 . Next, the MPEG decoder  130  decodes the video data DATA 1  to generate another video data DATA 4  and output the video data DATA 4  to the display controller  150 . Finally, the display controller  150  generates display data according to the video data DATA 4  for the external display  160  such that the external display  160  can display read video data. Please note that the external display  160  can be a TV or other device capable of displaying corresponding images when receiving display data.  
         [0018]     When the multi-function video optical disc player  100  plays a digital camera tape  122 , the Mini-DV tape drive  120  reads video data DATA 2 , which complies with the DV- 25  data format, from the digital camera tape  122  and outputs the video data DATA 2  to the DV-25/MPEG format transformer  140 . Please note that it is well known that the DV-25 data format is very similar to the MPEG data format. Therefore, the video data DATA 2 , complying with the DV-25 data format, can be easily transformed into video data DATA 3 , complying with the MPEG data format. Here, the DV-25/MPEG format transformer  140  transforms the video data DATA 2 , complying with the DV-25 data format, into the video data DATA 3 , complying with the MPEG data format, and outputs the video data DATA 3  to the MPEG decoder  130 . As mentioned above, the MPEG decoder  130  decodes the video data DATA 3  to generate another video data DATA 4  and outputs the video data DATA 4  to the display controller  150 . The display controller  150  generates display data for the external display  160  according to the video data DATA 4 . The external display  160  displays corresponding images according to the display data.  
         [0019]     Additionally, in this embodiment, the multi-function digital video optical disc player  100  can directly burn the data from the digital camera tape  122  utilizing the optical disc  112  (for example, a CD-R/RW, a DVD-R/RW, or a DVD+R/RW optical disc) without a connected external digital camera. The related operation is illustrated as follows. First, the Mini-DV tape drive  120  reads the video data DATA 2 , complying with the DV-25 data format, from the digital camera tape  122  and outputs the video data DATA 2  to the DV-25/MPEG format transformer  140 . Next, the DV-25/MPEG format transformer  140  transforms the video data DATA 2  into video data DATA 3 , complying with the MPEG data format. Since the video data DATA 3  complies with the MPEG data format, the video data DATA 3  can be burned to a normal video optical disc. Therefore, the DV-25/MPEG format transformer  140  outputs the video data DATA 3  to the recordable optical disc accessing device  110 . Finally, the recordable optical disc accessing device  110  can burn the video data DATA 3  to the optical disc  112 .  
         [0020]     Please refer to  FIG. 3  in conjunction with  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the multi-function digital optical disc player  200  shown in  FIG. 1  of a second embodiment according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the multi-function video optical disc player  200  includes a recordable optical disc accessing device  210 , a Mini-DV tape drive  220 , a MPEG decoder  230  coupled to the recordable optical disc accessing device  210 , a DV-25 decoder  240  coupled to the Mini-DV tape drive  220 , a display controller  250  coupled to the MPEG decoder  230  and the DV-25 decoder  240 , and a MPEG encoder  270  coupled to the DV-25 decoder  240  and the recordable optical disc accessing device  210 . Similar to the first embodiment, the above-mentioned devices are all installed in the same housing  180 . The operations and functions of devices having the same name and number are identical to those in the first embodiment and thus, their descriptions are omitted here. The function and the operation of the multi-function digital video optical disc player  200  are illustrated as follows.  
         [0021]     When the multi-function digital video optical disc player  200  plays the optical disc  112 , the recordable optical disc accessing device  210  reads video data DATA 1 , complying with the MPEG data format, from the optical disc  112  and outputs the video data DATA 1  to the MPEG decoder  230 . Next, the MPEG decoder  230  decodes the video data DATA 1  to generate another video data DATA 2  and outputs the video data DATA 2  to the display controller  250 . Finally, the display controller  250  generates display data for the external display  260  according to the video data DATA 2 .  
         [0022]     Additionally, when the multi-function digital video optical disc player  200  plays the digital camera tape  122 , the Mini-DV tape drive  220  reads video data DATA 3  complying with the DV-25 data format from the digital camera tape  122  and outputs the video data DATA 3  to the DV-25 decoder  240 . Please note that in the first embodiment, the video data DATA 2 , complying with the DV-25 data format, is transformed into video data complying with the MPEG data format. However, in this embodiment, the DV-25 decoder  240  is installed for direct decoding of the video data DATA 3 . Therefore, the DV-25 decoder decodes the video data DATA 3  to generate video data DATA 4  and outputs the video data DATA 4  to the display controller  250 . Finally, the display controller  250  generates display data to the external display  260  according to the video data DATA 4 . Similarly, the external display  260  can display corresponding images according to the display data.  
         [0023]     Furthermore, in this embodiment, the multi-function digital optical disc player  200  can directly record the data from the digital camera tape  122  to the optical disc  122  without being connected to an external digital camera. First, the Mini-DV tape drive  220  reads video data DATA 3 , complying with the DV-25 data format, from the digital camera tape  122  and outputs the video data DATA 3  to the DV-25 decoder  240 . Second, the DV-25 decoder  240  decodes the video data DATA 3  to generate video data DATA 4  and outputs the video data DATA 4  to the MPEG encoder  270 . Next, the MPEG encoder  270  encodes the decoded video data DATA 4  to generate video data DATA 5 , complying with the MPEG data format. Similarly, because the video data DATA 5  complies with the MPEG data format, the MPEG encoder  270  outputs the video data DATA 5  to the recordable optical disc accessing device  210 . Finally, the recordable optical disc accessing device burns the video data DATA 5  to the optical disc  212 .  
         [0024]     Please note that in the above disclosure, the DV-25 data format is only utilized as an example and is not a limitation. The present invention digital video optical disc player  100  can support additional data formats (for example, DV-50 and DV-100). A DV-50/MPEG or DV-100/MPEG format transformer can replace the DV-25/MPEG format transformer  140  in the first embodiment, or utilize a DV-50 or DV-100 decoder to replace the DV-25 decoder in the second embodiment, such that the present invention multi-function video digital optical disc player  100  and  200  can support the DV-50 or DV-100 data formats.  
         [0025]     Please note that, as mentioned in the first embodiment, the DV-25/MPEG format transformer  140  can directly transform the video data complying with the DV-25 data format into video data complying with the MPEG video data. Furthermore, because the DV-25 data format is very similar to the MPEG data format, the present invention requires minimal hardware cost to implement the DV-25/MPEG format transformer  140 .  
         [0026]     Additionally, the present invention multi-function digital video optical disc player  100  and  200  can include a memory buffer for temporarily storing a tape&#39;s video data, while that data is burned to an optical disc. As known by those skilled in this field, the memory buffer can prevent an interrupt when the video data is being burned.  
         [0027]     Additionally, if another function of recording data from the optical disc to the tape is required, the present invention digital video optical disc player  100  can further include an MPEG/DV-25 format transformer to transform video data from the optical disc  112  into video data complying with the DV-25 data format, so that the video data complying with the DV-25 data format can be recorded onto the tape  122  smoothly. Similarly, the present invention multi-function video optical disc player  200  can further include a DV-25 encoder. The decoded video data can be further encoded into video data complying with the DV-25 data format such that the video data complying with the DV-25 data format can be recorded onto the tape  122 . As mentioned above, the further related operations are already well known, and thus omitted here.  
         [0028]     In contrast to the prior art, the present invention digital video optical disc player can read data directly from a digital camera tape and record the data from the digital camera tape directly to an optical disc with minimal hardware cost. Therefore, the digital camera is no longer required to be continuously connected to the optical disc player and can be utilized for other purposes. Furthermore, the cable utilized for the connection is no longer required. Therefore, the present invention digital video optical disc player provides users with a new function, which is, the users can utilize the digital camera freely.  
         [0029]     Those skilled in this field will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the original concept of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.