Digital recording and playback

Abstract

Apparatus and corresponding methods for storing video information. The apparatus includes a means for receiving video information, a means for converting the received video information into digital video information, and a means for storing the digital video information. Converting the received video information into digital video information can include converting it into an MPEG-compatible digital format. The apparatus can include an MPEG-compatible digital encoder, which can include separate audio and video MPEG encoders. The digital video information can be stored on an electromagnetically writable disk drive with an optimized MPEG file system (OMFS) configured to receive the digital video information and store the digital video information on the disk drive, where the OMFS is configured to divide the received digital video information into one or more packets, each packet having the same number of bytes as a sector on a disk in the disk drive. The OMFS can first accumulate one of the packets of digital video information in a cache memory. The OMFS, upon filling the cache memory with a completed packet of digital video information, then stores the completed packet on a single one of the sectors of the disk drive.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for storing video information comprising: 
 a means for receiving video information;    a means for converting the received video information into digital video information; and    a means for storing the digital video information.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the means for converting the received video information into digital video information further comprises an MPEG-compatible digital encoder.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the MPEG-compatible digital encoder further comprises separate audio and video MPEG encoders.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the means for storing the digital video information further comprises: 
 an electromagnetically writable disk drive; and  
 an optimized MPEG file system (OMFS), the OMFS configured to receive the digital video information and store the digital video information on the disk drive.  
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein: 
 the disk drive further comprises one or more electromagnetic disks, each electromagnetic disk divided into one or more sectors having a fixed number of bytes storable on each sector; and  
 the OMFS is configured to divide the received digital video information into one or more packets, each packet having the same number of bytes as a sector on a disk in the disk drive.  
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the OMFS first accumulates one of the packets of digital video information in a cache memory.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the OMFS, upon filling the cache memory with a completed packet of digital video information, then stores the completed packet on a single one of the sectors of the disk drive.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the means for converting the received video information into digital video information further comprises an MPEG-compatible software encoder streamer which couples to the MPEG-compatible digital encoder to convert the received video information.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a means for reading the stored the digital video information.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the means for reading further comprises an MPEG-compatible digital decoder.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the MPEG-compatible digital decoder further comprises separate audio and video MPEG decoders.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the means for reading further comprises an MPEG-compatible software decoder streamer which couples to the MPEG-compatible digital decoder to convert the stored digital video information into video information suitable for being displayed on a television monitor.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the OMFS is configured to defragment the disk drive periodically.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the OMFS is configured to determine periodically poor sectors on the disk drive and prevent writing to the poor sectors.  
     
     
         15 . A method for storing video information comprising the steps of: 
 a step for receiving video information;    a step for converting the received video information into digital video information; and    a step for storing the digital video information.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step for converting the received video information into digital video information further comprises encoding the received video information into an MPEG-compatible format.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step for converting further comprises the steps of converting the audio information and the video information separately in MPEG-compatible formats.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the digital video information is stored using an optimized MPEG file system (OMFS), the OMFS receiving the digital video information and storing the digital video information on an electromagnetically writable disk drive.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the disk drive further comprises one or more electromagnetic disks, each electromagnetic disk divided into one or more sectors having a fixed number of bytes storable on each sector; and 
 the OMFS divides the received digital video information into one or more packets, each packet having the same number of bytes as a sector on a disk in the disk drive.  
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the OMFS first accumulates one of the packets of digital video information in a cache memory.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the OMFS, upon filling the cache memory with a completed packet of digital video information, then stores the completed packet on a single one of the sectors of the disk drive.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step for converting the received video information into digital video information further comprises using an MPEG-compatible software encoder streamer coupled to an MPEG-compatible digital encoder to convert the received video information.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step for reading the stored the digital video information.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the step for reading further comprises using an MPEG-compatible digital decoder to decode the stored digital video information.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein step for reading further comprises separately decoding audio and video signals using separate MPEG-compatible audio and video decoders.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the step for reading further comprises using an MPEG-compatible software decoder streamer coupled to an MPEG-compatible digital decoder to convert the stored digital video information into video information suitable for being displayed on a television monitor.