Patent ID: 7788236

Claim:
A system for storing video data, comprising: at least one file; wherein the at least one file comprises: a data cluster including a plurality of data blocks, each data block storing at least some of the video data; and a plurality of first pointers sequentially arranged and respectively indicating the plurality of data blocks; wherein the at least one file is used for both a time-shifting function and a recording function, wherein the at least one file further comprises: a start attribute; and a size attribute; wherein when a time-shifting file used for the time-shifting function is converted into a recording file used for the recording function, the start attribute is fixed, wherein the size attribute indicates a number of first pointers actually indicating the data blocks from among the plurality of first pointers, and wherein if the at least one file is used for the time-shifting function, the system deletes contents of the plurality of first pointers in a circular manner so that: the system sequentially deletes the contents of at least some of the plurality of first pointers; and if the system sequentially deletes the contents of a first pointer that is located last in the sequential arrangement, the next first pointer whose contents are to be sequentially deleted is a first pointer that is located first in the sequential arrangement.