Abstract:
A method of recording image files to CD. The real-time method of recording digital image files to CD establishes ISO file parameters of a waiting recordable CD, and determines the files&#39; recording location accordingly, with no need for additional hard drive or computer support.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for recording, and in particular to a method and apparatus for recording digital image data to optical disks. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   With the progress of the Internet and digital image input hardware, more users are utilizing multimedia web pages, thereby causing the rapid development of editing and recording of digital image data, such as JPEG and GIF files. Conventionally, users transfer imagines that obtained from scanner to files, and store them on hard disk. Generally speaking, the size of a digital image file ranges from hundreds of KB to MB (depending on resolution), such that plurality of digital photos are difficult to access by floppy disk or transmit through the internet. Users normally save digital image files on the hard disk and write the image files to an optical disk for backup or viewing. 
   Recently, digital cameras and digital video recorders are more popular than before, and the capacity of non-volatile memory cards (such as CF card, Smart Media card) and portable drives are significantly increased. Digital photos stored directly to non-volatile memory cards are considerably more popular. There are, however, various formats of non-volatile memory cards. Thus, although there exists disk readers for the different formats, the most popular and convenient data storage medium is the optical disk. 
   Currently, videoCD players support VCD 2.0 specifications, allowing video and static graphics to be viewed at high resolutions (704×480 Full color) Also, because prices of non-volatile memory cards are still high, users must conserve occupied capacity in digital devices by deleting photos or uploading photos frequently. If a computer is not available, users must delete photos to conserve occupied memory capacity, presenting inconvenience and possible loss of desired data. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a method for recording digital image data to an optical disk. The method requires no hard disk, and can record the digital image data to the optical disk in real time. 
   Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for recording digital image data to an optical disk. The apparatus is standalone, and provides real-time recording of digital image files to the optical disk without computer or hard disk. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of apparatus for recording digital image data to an optical disk according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart of the method of recording digital image data to the optical disk of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart of another embodiment of the method of recording digital image data to the optical disk according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an apparatus for recording digital image data to an optical disk according to the present invention. The apparatus  1  comprises an interface unit  10 , a recording unit  20 , a memory unit  30 , a controller unit  40 , and a user interface  50 . The apparatus  1  utilizes the interface unit  10  to read digital image files of a non-volatile memory card (not illustrated). The recording unit  20  is functionally similar to a standard CD-RW drives, but is not controlled by a host computer. The recording unit  20  is controlled by the control unit  40  to execute real-time and specific format recording. The memory unit  30  may include a RAM portion  32  and a non-volatile memory portion  34 . The RAM portion  32  temporarily stores recording programs and files, and the non-volatile memory portion  34  stores a specific recording program (details described subsequently). The controller unit  40 , such as a microprocessor, executes specific and real-time recording operations according to the specific recording program stored in the non-volatile memory portion  34 . The user interface  50 , for example, can be a record command key. Users can record digital image files of the non-volatile memory card by executing the record command after the non-volatile memory card is connected to the apparatus  1  by the interface unit  10 . 
     FIG. 2  shows the processing steps of the specific recording operation. 
   In step S 100 , the interface unit  10  reads a memory medium, and the image files are temporarily stored in the RAM portion  32 . The memory medium can be a portable non-volatile memory card, such as CF card, Smart Media card, thumbnail drive, or an optical disk. Processing then proceeds to step S 102 . 
   In step S 102 , the ISO file parameters of a recordable optical disk are set. Because video CDs comply with the ISO 9660 MODE 2 file system, the first track stores an ISO content list, static graphics, interactive CD applications and Help documents, and the other tracks store MPEG files. The method according to the present invention takes place in real time and is standalone (requiring no hard disk), thus the number and format of image files can be directly read to establish the ISO content list. For instance, ISO 9660 MODE 2 possesses fixed static image file formats (details described subsequently), and the ISO file parameters can be established beforehand in accordance with the fixed file formats. Processing then proceeds to step S 104 . 
   In step S 104 , the recording programs stored in the non-volatile memory portion  34  sequentially read all of the digital image files that temporarily stored in the RAM portion  32 . The digital image files are read from the memory medium in step S 102 . Processing then proceeds to step S 106 . 
   In step S 106 , all of digital image files stored in the RAM portion  32  are sequentially decompressed into bitmap format image files to comply with the ISO 9660 MODE 2 format standard from the existing compressed image file format (JPEG, GIF). Processing then proceeds to step S 108 . 
   In step S 108 , the bitmap format image files are converted to TV system format image files. Because ISO 9660 MODE 2 supports image resolutions up to 704×480 (NTSC), 704×576 (PAL), and 352×240 (NTSC), 352×288 (PAL) in low resolution mode, in step S 108 , it is necessary to convert bitmap format into the specific format supported by ISO 9660 MODE 2. Processing then proceeds to step S 110 . 
   In step S 110 , the converted TV system format image files are compressed into MPEG files for subsequent recording process. Processing then proceeds to step S 112 . 
   In step S 112 , the compressed MPEG files are recorded to the location indicated by the ISO file parameters. Because the number and format of image files have been set previously in step S 102 , all of the image files can be recorded to the optical disk according to the set result in this step. Thus, all compressed MPEG files stored in the RAM portion  32  are recorded to the optical disk by the recording unit  20 . Besides, the recording unit  20  is equipped with SMART-BURN technologies (or BURN Proof, Just Link etc) to avoid write failure due to BURN problem. The aforementioned technology such as SMART-BURN must be activated when recording image files to the optical disk. Processing then proceeds to step S 120 . 
   In Step S 120 , the control unit  40  is used to determine whether any digital image files are left in the memory medium. If yes, then processing returns to step S 104 . If no, then processing proceeds to step S 122 . 
   Finally, in step S 122 , the recording operation is completed and the lead out portion of the recordable optical disk is written to complete the video CD recording process. 
     FIG. 3  is a flowchart of another embodiment of the method of recording digital image data to the optical disk according to the present invention. 
   In step S 200 , the interface unit  10  reads a memory medium, and one image file is temporarily stored in the RAM portion  32 . The memory medium can be a portable non-volatile memory card, such as CF card, Smart Media card, thumbnail drive or an optical disk. Processing then proceeds to step S 202 . 
   In step S 202 , the recording program stored in the non-volatile memory portion  34  reads the image file stored in RAM portion  32 . Processing then proceeds to step S 204 . 
   In step S 204 , the digital image file stored in the RAM portion  32  is decompressed into bitmap format image files to comply with the ISO 9660 MODE 2 format standard from the existing compressed image file format (JPEG, GIF). Processing then proceeds to step S 206 . 
   In step S 206 , the bitmap format image file is converted to TV system format image file. Because ISO 9660 MODE 2 supports image resolution up to 704×480 (NTSC), 704×576 (PAL), and 352×240 (NTSC), 352×288 (PAL) in low resolution mode, in step S 108 , it is necessary to convert bitmap format into the specific format supported by ISO 9660 MODE 2. Processing then proceeds to step S 208 . 
   In step S 208 , the converted TV system format image file is compressed into MPEG file for subsequent recording process. Processing then proceeds to step S 210 . 
   In step S 210 , the ISO file parameters of a recordable optical disk are set. Because video CDs comply with the ISO 9660 MODE 2 file system, the first track stores an ISO content list, static graphics, interactive CD applications and Help documents, and the other tracks store MPEG files. The method according to the present invention takes place in real time and is standalone (requiring no hard disk), thus the format of the image file can be directly read to establish the ISO content list. For instance, ISO 9660 MODE 2 possesses fixed static image file formats, and the ISO file parameters can be established beforehand in accordance with the fixed file formats. Processing then proceeds to step S 212 . 
   In step S 212 , the compressed MPEG file is recorded to the location indicated by the ISO file parameters. Because format of the image file has been set previously in step S 210 , the image file can be recorded to optical disks according to the set result in this step. Thus, compressed MPEG file stored in the RAM portion  32  is recorded to the optical disk by the recording unit  20 . Besides, the recording unit  20  is equipped with SMART-BURN technologies (or BURN Proof, Just Link etc) to avoid write failure due to BURN problem. The aforementioned technology such as SMART-BURN must be activated when recording image files to the optical disk. Processing then proceeds to step S 220 . 
   In Step S 220 , the control unit  40  is used to determine whether any digital image files are left in the recording medium. If yes, then processing returns to step S 202 . If no, then processing proceeds to step S 222 . 
   Finally, in step S 222 , the recording operation is completed and the lead out portion of the recordable optical disk is written to complete the video CD recording process. 
   The processing steps of the embodiment are similar to steps of  FIG. 2 . Obviously, the difference is that, in the latter embodiment, the video CD content list is produced after compressing the converted TV system format image file into MPEG file, thus the assignment of ISO file parameters is more accurate. 
   Thus, the invention discloses a method and apparatus for recording image data to the optical disks. The apparatus operates without host computer or a hard disk. Users record digital image files from non-volatile memory cards in real time by executing the record command after connecting the non-volatile memory cards to the apparatus. Practically, the standalone apparatus can be established in public areas, such that digital camera users can back up photos and free storage space at their convenience without a computer. 
   While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.