Patent Publication Number: US-2006002264-A1

Title: Recording/reproducing apparatus and method of copying digital contents

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-192881, filed on Jun. 30, 2004; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a recording/reproducing apparatus capable of recording and reproducing the contents in a form of digital data on/from a recording medium and a method of copying the digital contents, and more particularly, to a recording/reproducing apparatus and a method of copying the digital contents which allow copying between apparatuses.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Apparatuses capable of recording and reproducing the contents of video software and the like in digital format are getting more and more popular. Among them, better accepted on the market are apparatuses having a plurality of attached or built-in recording media and thus having a function of dubbing (copying) the contents thereamong. A hard disc is one of the typical recording media used in such apparatuses, and a DVD is another typical recording medium. The following patent document 1 describes one of known examples of an apparatus capable of recording on a hard disc and a DVD. This patent document mentions that, generally, these recording media greatly differ in recording capacity and poor usability ascribable to the difference is to be improved.  
      [Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 2004-55010  
      In the aforesaid known example, a dubbing destination is a recording medium mounted in or attached to the same apparatus. Generally, however, a dubbing destination is not necessarily a recording medium in the same apparatus. The aforesaid document does not deal with such a case.  
     SUMMARY  
      The present invention was devised in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a recording/reproducing apparatus capable of recording and reproducing the contents in a form of digital data on/from a recording medium and a method of copying the digital contents, and more particularly, to a recording/reproducing apparatus and a method of copying the digital contents which enable copying between apparatuses with easiness and good operability.  
      A recording/reproducing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a first requesting unit which requests, via a network, other recording/reproducing apparatuses connected via the network to transmit information regarding lineups of recording media that the other recording/reproducing apparatuses have; a display unit/operation input unit which notifies the information transmitted in response to the request, thereby prompting a user to select an arbitrary recording medium; a second requesting unit which requests, via the network, the recording/reproducing apparatus having the selected recording medium, out of the other recording/reproducing apparatuses, to transmit information regarding an own status; a judging unit which judges whether or not the selected recording medium is allowed to be a dubbing destination of digital contents, based on the information regarding the status transmitted in response to the request; and a communication/output unit which transmits, via the network, the digital contents to the other recording/reproducing apparatus having the selected recording medium when it is judged that the selected recording medium is allowed to be the dubbing destination.  
      Therefore, the plural recording/reproducing apparatuses are connected via the network, thereby enabling dubbing between the apparatuses. In this event, the recording/reproducing apparatus as a dubbing source makes two-stage requests in advance to the other recording/reproducing apparatus(es) to transmit the predetermined information. In the first stage, the recording/reproducing apparatus requests a plurality of the other recording/reproducing apparatuses to transmit the information regarding the lineups of their recoding media, not designating any particular recording/reproducing apparatus. In the second stage, a particular one of the other recording/reproducing apparatuses and one of its recording media are designated, and the information regarding the status thereof is requested. Then, it is judged based on the status whether or not the designated recording medium is allowed to be a dubbing destination. When the judgment result is affirmative, the procedure shifts to a dubbing operation. The application of such network utilization and of two-stage information collection makes it possible to select the dubbing destination and shift to the dubbing operation efficiently. Consequently, copying between apparatuses can be performed with easiness and good operability.  
      A recording/reproducing apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention includes: a first information transmitting unit which outputs, to a network, information regarding a lineup of own recording media when being requested to transmit the information regarding the lineup of the own recording media, the request being transmitted via the network by another recording/reproducing apparatus connected via the network; and a second information transmitting unit which outputs, to the network, information regarding a status when being requested to transmit the information regarding the status, the request being transmitted via the network by the other recording/reproducing apparatus connected via the network.  
      This recording/reproducing apparatus is a recording/reproducing apparatus as “the other recording/reproducing apparatus” mentioned in the aforesaid “recording/reproducing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention”. When receiving a transmission request of predetermined information, it outputs corresponding information to the network.  
      A method of copying digital contents according to still another aspect of the present invention includes: requesting, via a network, other recording/reproducing apparatuses connected via the network to transmit information regarding lineups of recording media that the other recording/reproducing apparatuses have; notifying the information transmitted in response to the request, thereby prompting a user to select an arbitrary recording medium; requesting, via the network, the recording/reproducing apparatus having the selected recording medium, out of the other recording/reproducing apparatuses, to transmit information regarding an own status; judging whether or not the selected recording medium is allowed to be a dubbing destination of digital contents, based on the information regarding the status transmitted in response to the request; and transmitting, via the network, the digital contents to the recording/reproducing apparatus having the selected recording medium when it is judged that the selected recording medium is allowed to be the dubbing destination.  
      This method of copying the digital contents is a method corresponding to the aforesaid “recording/reproducing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention”.  
      According to the present invention, copying between apparatuses with easiness and good operability is enabled in a recording/reproducing apparatus capable of recording and reproducing the contents on/from a recording medium in a form of digital data and in a method of copying the digital contents. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the configuration of a recording/reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing an operational flow of network dubbing in the recording/reproducing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram showing how the recording/reproducing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  collects information regarding lineups of recording media via a network.  
       FIG. 4  is a view showing an example of a screen for displaying the information regarding the lineups of the recording media (=a screen for selection/designation of a recording medium as a dubbing destination) that is collected and displayed by the recording/reproducing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing Step  22  in the flowchart shown in  FIG. 2  in little more detail.  
       FIG. 6  is an explanatory diagram showing an example of how the recording/reproducing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  collects status information via the network.  
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing Step  25  in the flowchart shown in  FIG. 2  in little more detail.  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart showing another operational flow of network dubbing in the recording/reproducing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 9  is a view showing an example of a screen displayed at Step  82  in the flow shown in  FIG. 8  in the recording/reproducing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     EXPLANATION OF EMBODIMENT  
      Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but these drawings are presented only for an illustrative purpose and in no respect, are intended to limit the present invention.  
      As a form of an embodiment of the present invention, the information regarding the status requested by the second requesting unit can include at least one of information on whether recording prohibition is set, information on whether there remains a predetermined amount of area or larger available for recording, information on whether a current status is recording/reproducing, information on whether there is a predetermined length of time or longer before reserved time for recording, information on whether a graphical user interface (GUI) screen is on display, and information on whether operation lock is set. In consideration of conditions that should be satisfied as the dubbing destination, these pieces of information regarding the status are listed. “Information on whether a GUI screen is on display” is listed because it can be imagined that a user is currently operating the apparatus (that is, the apparatus may possibly start recording itself). “Information on whether operation lock is set” is listed because the setting by the user not to accept any operation is given the highest priority.  
      As another form, the recording/reproducing apparatus can further include a second display unit/operation input unit which displays a list of digital contents that the own apparatus has, thereby prompting the user to select digital contents to be dubbed when it is judged that the selected recording medium is allowed to be the dubbing destination, and the communication/output unit can transmit, via the network, the selected digital contents to the other recording/reproducing apparatus having the selected recording medium when it is judged that the selected recording medium is allowed to be the dubbing destination. This enables collective dubbing of a plurality of contents, resulting in further improved operability.  
      As still another form, the digital contents transmitted by the communication/output unit can be data in information-compression format. The information-compression format reduces a transmission amount, resulting in higher dubbing efficiency.  
      Based on the foregoing, an embodiment of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the drawings.  FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the configuration of a recording/reproducing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  has an AV (audio visual) input interface  11 , a TV tuner  12 , an encoder  13 , a storage device  14 , a decoder  15 , an AV output interface  16 , a control unit  17 , an operation input unit  18 , a display unit  19 , and a communication control unit  20 . The storage device  14  has a disc driving part  14   a  and a temporary storage part  14   b.    
      The AV input interface  11  is an interface to which a video information signal and an audio information signal are externally inputted. The inputted signals are sent to the encoder  13 . Both analog signals and digital signals are conceivable as the signals inputted to the AV input interface  11 . The signals, if they are analog signals, are digital-converted in the AV input interface  11  or in an initial stage of the subsequent-stage encoder  13 . The TV tuner  12  takes out the visual information signal and the audio information signal in tune to a radiated and transmitted broadcast wave. The video information signal and audio information signal taken out are sent to the encoder  13 . Both an analog output and a digital output are conceivable as an output of the TV tuner  12 . The output, if it is an analog output, is digital-converted in an initial stage of the subsequent-stage encoder  13 .  
      The encoder  13  encodes (encoding; including information compression) the sent video information signal and audio information signal to digital signals in order to record the signals on a subsequent-stage recording medium. The encoded signals are sent to the storage device  14 . The storage device  14  is capable of having various kinds of recording media attached thereto or built therein. The storage device  14  records the sent signals on the recording media, and reads and outputs the signals recorded on the recording media. The storage device  14  can have as the disc driving part  14   a  a hard disc driving part (HDD) and/or a DVD driving part. If it is the hard disc driving part, the recording medium is a magnetic disc while if it is the DVD driving part, the recording medium is a DVD which is a removable medium. The temporary storage part  14   b  buffers the signals when the signals are recorded and read on/from these media, and it is constituted of, for example, a semiconductor memory.  
      The decoder  15  decodes (decoding; including information expansion) the signals read by the storage device  14 . The decoded signals are sent to the AV output interface  16 . The AV output interface  16  outputs the signals sent from the decoder  15  as a reproduced video signal and a reproduced audio signal to an external part. Both analog outputs and digital outputs are conceivable as the output signals. The output signals, if they are to be outputted in analog format, are analog-converted in the final stage of the decoder  15  or in the AV output interface  16 .  
      The foregoing is mostly description of the structure as a typical recording/reproducing apparatus. The description below includes the structure having characteristics as the embodiment of the present invention. The control unit  17  centrally controls the operation of the recording/reproducing apparatus  10 , and it includes hardware such as an MPU (microprocessing unit) and a memory, and software operating on the hardware. The control unit  17  controls the operations of the encoder  13 , the storage device  14 , the decoder  15 , and so on, and in addition, based on a signal from the operation input unit  18 , it requests, via the communication control unit  20  and a network, other recording/reproducing apparatuses, which are connected thereto via the network, to transmits information regarding lineups of recording media that the other recording/reproducing apparatuses have (as a first requesting unit).  
      Further, based on a signal from the operation input unit  18 , the control unit  17  requests, via the communication control unit  20  and the network, the other recording/reproducing apparatus, which is connected thereto via the network, to transmit information regarding its status (as a second requesting unit). Further, based on the information regarding the status sent via the network and the communication control unit  20 , the control unit  17  judges whether or not a recording medium of the other recording/reproducing apparatus is allowed to be a dubbing destination (copying destination) of the digital contents (as a judging unit).  
      The operation input unit  18  is a typical input unit through which a user operates the recording/reproducing apparatus  10 , and is used, in particular, for accepting the selection of the recording medium as the dubbing destination. The accepted selection is notified to the control unit  17  by means of a signal. The display unit  19  is a typical notifying unit for displaying the information regarding the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  to a user, and it displays, in particular, the information regarding the lineups of the recording media that the other recording/reproducing apparatuses have, the information being sent via the communication control unit  20  and the control unit  17  in response to the aforesaid request by the first requesting unit.  
      The communication control unit  20  functions as a communication/output unit outputting to the network a request signal that is inputted thereto from the control unit  17  and as an input unit receiving return signals and digital contents signals outputted to the network from the other recording/reproducing apparatuses. The request signals and the return signals are exchanged with the control unit  17 , and the digital contents signal is exchanged with the storage device  14 . Note that the communication control unit  20  functions as the communication/output unit of the digital contents signal when this recording/reproducing apparatus  10  corresponds to “the other recording/reproducing apparatus”.  
      Further, if there exists on the network an outputted request for the transmission of the information regarding the lineup of its own recording media, the communication control unit  20  receives this transmission request and outputs the corresponding information regarding the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  to the network (as a first information transmitting unit). Further, if there exists on the network an outputted request for the transmission of the information regarding the status, the communication control unit  20  receives this request and outputs the corresponding information regarding the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  to the network (as a second information transmitting unit). Information necessary for the information transmission is obtained from the control unit  17  in charge of the central control, when necessary.  
      Incidentally, examples of the network connectable to the communication control unit  20  are an exclusive LAN (local area network), the Internet (for example, those assigned with IP addresses in which some digits from the uppermost order are identical are targeted), and so on. Hereinafter, the description continues on assumption that the number of the other recording/reproducing apparatuses connected to this network is one or more.  
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing an operational flow of network dubbing in the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . The operation for dubbing using the network will be described, also referring to  FIG. 2 .  
      First, an instruction for network dubbing inputted to the operation input unit  18  by a user&#39;s operation is accepted (Step  21 ). In response to this acceptance, the control unit  17  operates to collect the information regarding the lineups of the recording media that the other recording/reproducing apparatuses connected to the network have (Step  22 ).  FIG. 3  shows the collection state on the network at Step  22 , which will be detailed later ( FIG. 5 ).  FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram showing how the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  shown in  FIG. 1  collects the information regarding the lineups of the recording media via the network. In  FIG. 3 , recording/reproducing apparatuses  40 ,  50 ,  60 , . . . ,  70  having respective recording media as shown in the drawing are connected to a network  31  besides the recording/reproducing apparatus  10 . The recording/reproducing apparatus  10  communicates with each of the recording/reproducing apparatuses  40 ,  50 ,  60 , . . . ,  70 .  
      If the result of the information collection by the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  shows that there is no recording medium to be selected (N at Step  23 ), a warning is displayed on the display unit  19  (Step  30 ) and this process is terminated. If the result of the information collection shows that there is at least one recording medium to be selected (Y at Step  23 ), the lineup of its recording media is displayed on the display unit  19 , and the selection/designation of the recording medium as a dubbing destination, which is inputted to the operation input unit  18  by a user&#39;s operation, is accepted (Step  24 ). A display example on the display unit  19  here is shown in  FIG. 4  (a screen  41  for selection of copying destination apparatus).  FIG. 4  is a view showing an example of a screen for displaying the information regarding the lineups of the recording media (=a screen for selection/destination of the recording medium as the dubbing destination) that is collected and displayed by the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  shown in  FIG. 1 .  
      When the user inputs the selection/designation of the recording medium as a desired dubbing destination to the operation input unit  18  while looking at the screen  41  shown in  FIG. 4 , the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  inputs dubbing reservation to the recording/reproducing apparatus having the selected recording medium (Step  25 ). Then, the information regarding the status of this recording/reproducing apparatus is collected (the same step). The information collection state on the network is shown in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  is an explanatory diagram showing an example of how the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  shown in  FIG. 1  collects the status information via the network. The status means a state as is literally signified and is information based on which permissibility as the dubbing destination is judged. The control unit  17 , when the information regarding the status is sent thereto, judges whether or not dubbing is allowed (the same step). Step  25  will be described again ( FIG. 7 ).  
      At Step  25 , unlike at Step  22 , information is exchanged only with a specific apparatus, for example, the recording/reproducing apparatus  40  as shown in  FIG. 6 , and at and after this instant, the other apparatuses, for example the recording/reproducing apparatuses  50 , . . . will not be involved in the communication via the network  31 . This is preferable in that efficient processing is realized. Further, the other apparatuses, for example, the recording/reproducing apparatuses  50 , . . . are free to communicate with one another and thus are free from the communication between the recording/reproducing apparatuses  10 ,  40 .  
      If the control unit  17  judges that the dubbing is allowed (Y at Step  26 ), dubbing from the storage device  14  to the selected/designated recording medium is conducted via the communication control unit  20  and further through the network  31  (Step  27 ). The contents dubbed at this time are not yet decoded, but are digital contents in information-compression format, but dubbing of signals having processed by the decoder  15  is also theoretically possible.  
      After the completion of the dubbing, the dubbing reservation to the recording/reproducing apparatus (for example, the recording/reproducing apparatus  40 ) having the selected recording medium is lifted (Step  28 ). The lifting of the dubbing reservation frees this recording/reproducing apparatus (for example, the recording/reproducing apparatus  40 ) from the occupied state by the dubbing. If the control unit  17  judges that the dubbing is not allowed (N at Step  26 ), the dubbing reservation is lifted (Step  29 ) and a warning is displayed on the display unit  19  (Step  30 ).  
      The recording/reproducing apparatus  10  shown in  FIG. 1  performs the network dubbing operation in the manner described above. Such network dubbing enables dubbing (copying) between apparatuses with easiness and good operatablity. In particular, dubbing to a DVD which is a removable medium need not intervene each time in dubbing from a HDD of an apparatus to a HDD of another apparatus, resulting in more efficient dubbing.  
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing Step  22  in the flow shown in  FIG. 2  in little more detail. As shown in  FIG. 5 , at Step  22 , the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  first outputs a transmission request signal to the network  31  (Step  22   a ). What is requested here is the transmission of the information regarding the lineups of the recording media that the other recording/reproducing apparatuses  40 , . . . have. The outputted transmission request signal reaches each of the recording/reproducing apparatuses  40  . . . . In response to the transmission request signal, each of the recording/reproducing apparatuses  40  . . . outputs to the network  31  the information regarding the own recording media along with its apparatus name.  
      Next, the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  receives all the pieces of the information outputted to the network  31  (Step  22   b ). The information here is the information regarding the apparatus names and the lineups of their own recording media. When the information is received, the apparatus names and the names of the recording media that the apparatuses have are displayed on the display unit  19  (Step  22   c ). This display is, for example, as in the screen  41  for selection of copying destination apparatus shown in  FIG. 4 , as described above. Specifically, recording/reproducing apparatuses A to N (corresponding to the recording/reproducing apparatuses  40  to  70 ) are displayed as “apparatus name of copying destination”, and HDDs and DVDs are displayed as “copying destination”.  
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing Step  25  in the flow shown in  FIG. 2  in little more detail. As shown in  FIG. 7 , at Step  25 , the dubbing reservation is first inputted via the network  31  to the recording/reproducing apparatus (for example, the recording/reproducing apparatus  40 ) having the selected recording medium (Step  25   a ). Next, the transmission request signal is sent via the network  31  to the recording/reproducing apparatus (for example, the recording/reproducing apparatus  40 ) having the selected recording medium (Step  25   b ). What is requested here is the transmission of the status information. The recording/reproducing apparatus (for example, the recording/reproducing apparatus  40 ) receiving the transmission request signal transmits the information regarding its own status via the network  31  to the recording/reproducing apparatus  10 , in response to the transmission request signal.  
      Next, the recording/reproducing apparatus  10  receives the sent status information (Step  25   c ), and based on the status information, shifts to the judgment on whether dubbing is allowed. The following information is received as the status information in this example as a basis of the judgment on whether dubbing is allowed. Firstly, information on “whether recording prohibition is set for the selected recording medium” is received (Step  25   d ). Since recording prohibition can be generally set for recording media, this setting is checked. Further, information on “whether the selected recording medium has a predetermined capacity of remaining area or larger” is received (Step  25   e ). This information is necessary because dubbing is terminated halfway if the remaining area has a capacity less than the predetermined amount. Further received is information on “whether the selected recording medium is under recording or reproducing”. (Step  25   f ). If the selected recording medium is thus in use, priority is given to such a usage state.  
      Further received is information on “whether there is a predetermined length of time or longer before reserved time for recording in the selected recording medium” (Step  25   g ). This is intended for preventing the mode from shifting to a recording mode due to the reservation in the middle of dubbing and for giving priority to the recording by the reservation. Further received is information on “whether the recording/reproducing apparatus of the selected recording medium is displaying a GUI screen” (Step  25   h ). This information is necessary since the display of the GUI screen indicates that a user is currently operating the apparatus and the apparatus itself may possibly start a recording operation. Further received is information on “whether operation lock is set for the recording/reproducing apparatus of the selected recording medium” (Step  25   i ). This is intended for giving priority to a user&#39;s intentional setting not to accept any operation.  
      The control unit  17  judges that dubbing is allowed only when the judgment at Step  25   i  results in an N side after the above-described information judgment (Step  25   j ). In other cases, it is judged that dubbing is not allowed (Step  25   k ). Incidentally, these pieces of the status information listed here are only examples. Only part thereof can be adopted as required, or other information can be collected as the status information to be added to the basis of the judgment.  
      Next, an operational flow different from the operational flow of the network dubbing shown in  FIG. 2  will be described with reference to  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 8  is a flowchart showing an operational flow, which is different from the operational flow shown in  FIG. 2 , of the network dubbing in the recording/reproducing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 8 , the same reference numerals are used to designate the same and corresponding processing blocks as those shown in  FIG. 2 , and description thereof will not be given.  
      This network dubbing allows a user to select a single or a plurality of digital contents existing in a dubbing source and enables collective dubbing of the selected contents to a recording medium of a specific recording/reproducing apparatus. As shown in  FIG. 8 , an instruction for collective network dubbing inputted by a user&#39;s operation to the operation input unit  18  is first accepted (Step  81 ). Thereafter, the same processes as in  FIG. 2  are performed from Step  22  to Step  26 , and the following process is performed at Step  82 .  
      First, on the display unit  19  (second display unit), the control unit  17  displays a screen showing candidate contents for dubbing that its recording/reproducing apparatus has (=displays a screen for selection of parts to be dubbed). An example of this screen display is a copying candidate display area  91   a  in a collective copying selection screen  91  as shown in  FIG. 9 .  FIG. 9  is a view showing an example of a screen displayed at Step  82  in the flow shown in  FIG. 8 , in the recording/reproducing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . As an example, ten candidates are displayed in the copying candidate display area  91   a  in  FIG. 9 .  
      Further, on the collective copying selection screen  91 , a recording medium already selected is displayed on a lower side as “copying destination capacity”, and its part already occupied by recorded data is indicated by an occupied capacity indicator  91   c  (display of a remaining capacity of the dubbing destination). When the user selects/designates the contents to be dubbed from the copying candidate display area  91   a  by inputting through the operation input unit  18  (second operation input unit), the contents are displayed in a selected part display area  91   b  (=acceptance of the selection/designation of the part to be dubbed). As an example, three contents are displayed in the selected part display area  91   b  in  FIG. 9 . At this time, an expected capacity in the dubbing destination occupied by the selected contents is displayed as an indicator  91   d  of selected part occupying capacity in the “copying destination capacity” (=updating of the display of the remaining capacity of the dubbing destination).  
      Upon pressing of a copy start button  91   e  by a user (corresponding to Y at Step  83 ) after the above-described processes, the contents displayed in the selected part display area  91   b  are collectively and continuously recorded on the selected recording medium (Step  27 ). Before the user presses the copy start button  91   e  (corresponding to N at Step  83 ), the selection/designation of the contents to be dubbed can be changed. Processes at and after Step  27  area the same as in the description in  FIG. 2 .  
      The operational flow of this network dubbing enables collective dubbing of a plurality of contents, resulting in further improved operability.  
      It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described here with reference to the drawings, but it is understood that all changes that come within the range of the following claims are included in the present invention.