Audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus and method

Abstract

An audio and video recording and reproduction apparatus and method is described, which uses a movable storage memory such as a memory card, so that audio and video signals are easily accessed without separate editing devices. The apparatus uses a separable memory so that a deck is unnecessary, allowing small, lightweight constructions, and a compression algorithm results in longer playing time, while read/write operations robust to noise are achieved. Also, data desired by the user is easily accessible, and applications as a substitute for magnetic or disk media are also possible.

1. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus comprising:
 a data recording unit for recording audio and video signals;   a data reproduction unit for reproducing audio and video signals; and   a separable storage unit for storing data by said data recording unit and outputting stored data through said data reproduction unit;   
       wherein said data reproduction unit comprises:
 a keyed input unit for selecting a mode according to the function of a keyed input; 
 a microcomputer for encoding and decoding an input signal according to the output of said keyed input unit; 
 a filter unit for filtering audio signals output from said microcomputer; and 
 a data display for displaying data searched according to the output of said microcomputer. 
 
     
     
       2. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said data recording unit comprises:
 a data selector for selecting a mode and data according to the control of said microcomputer;   a system control for generating clock and control signals according to output of said data selector;   a data compressor for converting an input analog signal to a digital signal and compressing the resulting digital signal according to the control of said system control;   a memory control for generating memory control signals and addresses according to the control of said system control;   a memory for storing compressed data output by said data compressor according to the control of said memory control; and   an interface unit for performing data input/output operations between said memory and separable storage unit according to the control of said system control.   
     
     
       3. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said data reproduction unit additionally comprises:
 a video signal Digital/Analog converter for Digital/Analog converting video data output from said microcomputer; and   a display for displaying video data output from said video signal Digital/Analog converter.   
     
     
       4. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said filter unit comprises:
 a first low pass filter for filtering an audio left channel signal output from said microcomputer; and   a second low pass filter for filtering an audio right channel signal output from said microcomputer.   
     
     
       5. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus comprising:
 a data recording unit for recording audio and video signals;   a data reproduction unit for reproducing audio and video signals; and   a separable storage unit for storing data by said data recording unit and outputting stored data through said data reproduction unit;   
       wherein said separable storage unit comprises:
 a memory array for storing data; 
 an address generator for generating addresses for specifying regions of said memory array; 
 a data interface unit for performing input/output operations on data stored in said memory array; and 
 a control unit for controlling said address generator and data interface unit. 
 
     
     
       6. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction method comprising the steps of:
 reading a keyed signal when the keyed signal is input;   processing data when the input key signal is a record signal and storing the result in a separable storage unit;   reproducing and outputting data stored in said separable storage unit if the keyed input is determined as a reproduction signal; and   reading and displaying a content table of data stored in the separable storage unit if the keyed input is determined as a search signal;   
       wherein said processing step comprises the steps of:
 Analog/Digital converting input data; 
 encoding said Analog/Digital converted data; and 
 storing said encoded data in a separable storage unit. 
 
     
     
       7. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction method according to  claim 6 , wherein said encoding step comprises the steps of:
 encoding any audio data; and   encoding any video data.   
     
     
       8. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction method according to  claim 7 , wherein said step of encoding audio data comprises the steps of:
 subband-sampling said audio data;   quantizing and coding said subband-sampled data; and   packing said coded data.   
     
     
       9. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction method according to  claim 7 , wherein said step of encoding video data comprises the steps of:
 restructuring the frame of said video data;   detecting motion components of said restructured data;   motion estimating the data to form motion estimated data; and   transforming and coding said motion estimated data into data of specified frequencies.   
     
     
       10. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction method according to  claim 6 , wherein said data reproducing step comprises the steps of:
 memory accessing said stored data in a separable storage unit;   decoding said accessed data stored in a separable storage unit;   Digital/Analog converting said decoded data; and   outputting said Digital/Analog converted data.   
     
     
       11. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction method according to  claim 10 , wherein said decoding step comprises the steps of:
 decoding any audio data stored in a separable storage unit; and   decoding any video data stored in a separable storage unit.   
     
     
       12. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction method according to  claim 11 , wherein said step of decoding audio data comprises the steps of:
 unpacking any accessed compressed audio data stored in a separable storage unit;   restructuring said unpacked data to form restructured data; and   inverse-subband-sampling said restructured data.   
     
     
       13. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction method according to  claim 11 , wherein said step of decoding video data comprises the steps of:
 inverse-transforming and decoding said accessed compressed video data stored in a separable storage unit into a time domain data; and   storing and restructuring the frame of said decoded data.   
     
     
       14. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus, comprising:
 a data recording unit configured to record at least one of audio and video data;   a data reproduction unit configured to reproduce at least one of audio and video data; and   a memory card configured to store data by said data recording unit and output stored data through said data reproduction unit,   wherein said data reproduction unit comprises:
 a keyed input unit configured to select a mode according to the function of a keyed input; 
 a microcomputer configured to encode and decode an input signal according to the output of said keyed input unit; 
 a filter unit configured to filter audio signals output from said microcomputer; and 
 a data display configured to display data searched according to the output of said microcomputer, 
   wherein the data reproduction unit and the data recording unit are self-contained units that are separate from each other and in which the keyed input unit, the microcomputer, the filter unit and the data display in the data reproduction unit are not included within the data recording unit,   wherein the data recording unit is further configured to only record said at least one of the audio and video data and is not configured to reproduce said at least one of audio and video data,   wherein the memory card is disposed between the self-contained data recording unit and the self-contained data reproduction unit, and   wherein the self-contained data reproduction and recording units are directly connected via a bus connection.   
     
     
       15. The audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said data recording unit comprises:
 a data selector configured to select a mode and data according to the control of said microcomputer;   a system control configured to generate clock and control signals according to an output of said data selector;   a data compressor configured to convert an input analog signal to a digital signal and compress the resulting digital signal according to the control of said system control;   a memory control configured to generate memory control signals and addresses according to the control of said system control;   a memory configured to store compressed data output by said data compressor according to the control of said memory control; and   an interface unit configured to perform data input/output operations between said memory and memory card according to the control of said system control.   
     
     
       16. The audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the memory card is disposed directly between the interface unit of the data recording unit and the microcomputer of the data reproduction unit. 
     
     
       17. The audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said data reproduction unit further comprises:
 a video signal Digital/Analog converter configured to Digital/Analog convert video data output from said microcomputer; and   a display configured to display video data output from said video signal Digital/Analog converter.   
     
     
       18. The audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said filter unit comprises:
 a first low pass filter configured to filter an audio left channel signal output from said microcomputer; and   a second low pass filter configured to filter an audio right channel signal output from said microcomputer.   
     
     
       19. The audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the memory card is disposed directly between the data recording unit and the data reproduction unit. 
     
     
       20. The audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the direct connection of the data recording unit and the data recording unit is a direct connection between the microcomputer of the data reproduction unit and a data selector of the data recording unit. 
     
     
       21. An audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus, comprising:
 a data recording unit configured to record at least one of audio and video data;   a data reproduction unit configured to reproduce at least one of audio and video data; and   a memory card configured to store data by said data recording unit and output stored data through said data reproduction unit,   wherein said memory card comprises:
 a memory array configured to store data; 
 an address generator configured to generate addresses for specifying regions of said memory array; 
 a data interface unit configured to perform input/output operations on data stored in said memory array; and 
 a control unit configured to control said address generator and data interface unit, 
   wherein the data reproduction unit and the data recording unit are self-contained units that are separate from each other and in which the keyed input unit, the microcomputer, the filter unit and the data display in the data reproduction unit are not included within the data recording unit,   wherein the data recording unit is further configured to only record said at least one of the audio and video data and is not configured to reproduce said at least one of audio and video data,   wherein the memory card is disposed between the self-contained data recording unit and the self-contained data reproduction unit, and   wherein the self-contained data reproduction and recording units are directly connected via a bus connection.   
     
     
       22. The audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the memory card is disposed directly between the data recording unit and the data reproduction unit. 
     
     
       23. The audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the memory card is disposed directly between an interface unit of the data recording unit and a microcomputer of the data reproduction unit. 
     
     
       24. The audio and video signal recording and reproduction apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the direct connection of the data recording unit and the data recording unit is a direct connection between a microcomputer of the data reproduction unit and a data selector of the data recording unit.