Recording Apparatus Data Buffering and Header Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging and recording apparatuses using semiconductor memory cards face inefficiencies in data recording, particularly when data generation rates are low, leading to data loss due to incomplete recording units and inefficient use of recording capacity, especially when power is interrupted or imaging is halted abruptly.
Innovation Solution
A recording apparatus that temporarily stores main and added data in predetermined units and transfers them to recording media when a specific write data unit is reached or a predetermined time has elapsed, ensuring efficient data recording and minimizing loss by maintaining history information for incomplete data units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If video data is recorded in units of predetermined data amount (record units), then the writing speed to semiconductor memory is improved, but data loss occurs when imaging is abruptly halted and the data amount does not reach a complete record unit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by recording a header indicating the expected data amount at the beginning of each record unit before the actual video data is written. This header serves as a placeholder and reference point that remains even if the subsequent data is incomplete due to abrupt power loss or imaging halt, enabling the system to identify and recover partial records later.
2Productivity
If data is accumulated to reach a specific write data unit before transfer, then recording efficiency is improved, but data loss occurs when power is interrupted before the accumulation is complete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by writing a header with the expected data amount indicator at the start of each intended record unit. This header is written immediately when recording begins, before the full data accumulation is complete, establishing a recovery point that protects against power interruption during the accumulation phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary mechanism by introducing a header as a separate data structure that mediates between the incomplete accumulated data and the final recorded unit. The header contains metadata (expected data amount) that acts as a bridge, allowing the system to interpret and recover partial records even when the full data unit is not completed.
3Reliability
If video data is transferred continuously to recording media, then data loss is minimized, but the recording apparatus cannot efficiently handle variable data generation rates from the imaging section
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the recording process adaptive to variable data generation rates. The system dynamically adjusts between continuous transfer and accumulation-based transfer by using the expected data amount indicator in headers to determine when to initiate transfers, allowing efficient handling of both high and low data rate scenarios while preventing data loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a recording apparatus including: an input section configured to input or generate main data and added data thereof; and a recording control section configured such that when the main data and the added data input or generated by the input section have each reached a predetermined data amount, the recording control section temporarily stores the main data and the added data in units of the predetermined data amount, that when the sum of the temporarily stored data has reached a specific write data unit, the recording control section transfers the temporarily stored data to recording media for recording thereto, and that when the amount of the temporarily stored data is less than that of the specific write data unit upon elapse of a predetermined time period since the most recent recording, the recording control section transfers the temporarily stored data to the recording media for recording thereto.