Recording apparatus, reproduction apparatus, and file management method

Abstract

A recording apparatus, a reproduction apparatus, and a file management method are disclosed wherein the operability in management of a large number of files recorded on a recording medium using an index file can be improved significantly further than ever. An index file is formed from a series of entries of extract information from a large number of files. Information indicative of a relationship between the files is set to the index file. The index file is used to manage a large number of files and so forth recorded on a recording medium.

1 . A recording apparatus for recording desired files on a recording medium, comprising: 
 index file generation means for generating an index file of the files recorded on the recording medium in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    said index file generation means setting, as information representative of a mutual relationship between the entries, information indicative of a reproduction order of the entries or the files corresponding to the entries to the index file.    
   
   
       2 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said index file generation means sets the reproduction order within a group of those entries which are selected from among the entries provided in the index file.  
   
   
       3 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the group of entries is a group of those entries which correspond to favorite ones of the files selected by a user.  
   
   
       4 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said index file generation means forms an entry which describes the reproduction order in the form of a table in the index file to set information representative of the reproduction order to the index file.  
   
   
       5 . A recording apparatus for recording desired files on a recording medium, comprising: 
 index file generation means for generating an index file of the files recorded on the recording medium in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    said index file generation means dividing the extract information relating to any of the files to generate the index file, which includes a plurality of entries;    said index file generation means setting, to the entry of the divided extract information, as information representative of a mutual relationship between the entries, information indicative of an entry in which the succeeding divisional extract information is recorded.;    said index file generation means setting, to the entry in which the succeeding divisional extract information is recorded, an identifier indicating that the entry has the succeeding divisional extract information recorded therein.    
   
   
       6 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said index file generation means groups pieces of the extract information for each attribute to generate the index file and sets, to the index file, an identifier indicating to which one of the groups each of the pieces of the divisional extract information belongs.  
   
   
       7 . A recording apparatus for recording desired files on a recording medium, comprising: 
 index file generation means for generating an index file of the files recorded on the recording medium in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    said index file generation means setting, where the files recorded on the recording medium include a plurality of child files generated by dividing one set of contents and a parent file for managing the plural child files, to the entries relating to the child files and the parent file, as information representative of a mutual relationship between the entries, identifiers indicating that the files are the child files and the parent file, respectively.    
   
   
       8 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said index file generation means sets, to the entries relating to the child files, information which indicates the entry relating to the parent file.  
   
   
       9 . A recording apparatus for recording desired files on a recording medium, comprising: 
 index file generation means for generating an index file of the files recorded on the recording medium in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    said index file generation means registering information of file formats of the files into corresponding ones of the entries.    
   
   
       10 . A recording apparatus for recording desired files on a recording medium, comprising: 
 index file generation means for generating an index file of the files recorded on the recording medium in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    said index file generation means registering information regarding decoding of the files into corresponding ones of the entries.    
   
   
       11 . A recording apparatus for recording desired files on a recording medium, comprising: 
 index file generation means for generating an index file of the files recorded on the recording medium in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    said index file generation means registering information unique to processing means for the files and information for specifying the processing means relating to the unique information.    
   
   
       12 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said index file generation means registers the unique information into the index file by setting the unique information to the corresponding entries.  
   
   
       13 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said index file generation means registers the unique information into the index file by setting reference destinations of the unique information to the corresponding entries.  
   
   
       14 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from a data group of the extract information and a management data group for managing the data group.  
   
   
       15 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from different files for the data group of the extract information and the management data group from each other.  
   
   
       16 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said index file generation means groups the data group of the extract information for each attribute and forms the index file from different files for the individual groups of the data group and the management data group from one another.  
   
   
       17 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from a data group of the extract information and a management data group for managing the data group.  
   
   
       18 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from different files for the data group of the extract information and the management data group from each other.  
   
   
       19 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein said index file generation means groups the data group of the extract information for each attribute and forms the index file from different files for the individual groups of the data group and the management data group from one another.  
   
   
       20 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from a data group of the extract information and a management data group for managing the data group.  
   
   
       21 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from different files for the data group of the extract information and the management data group from each other.  
   
   
       22 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein said index file generation means groups the data group of the extract information for each attribute and forms the index file from different files for the individual groups of the data group and the management data group from one another.  
   
   
       23 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from a data group of the extract information and a management data group for managing the data group.  
   
   
       24 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from different files for the data group of the extract information and the management data group from each other.  
   
   
       25 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein said index file generation means groups the data group of the extract information for each attribute and forms the index file from different files for the individual groups of the data group and the management data group from one another.  
   
   
       26 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from a data group of the extract information and a management data group for managing the data group.  
   
   
       27 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from different files for the data group of the extract information and the management data group from each other.  
   
   
       28 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein said index file generation means groups the data group of the extract information for each attribute and forms the index file from different files for the individual groups of the data group and the management data group from one another.  
   
   
       29 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from a data group of the extract information and a management data group for managing the data group.  
   
   
       30 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein said index file generation means forms the index file from different files for the data group of the extract information and the management data group from each other.  
   
   
       31 . The recording apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein said index file generation means groups the data group of the extract information for each attribute and forms the index file from different files for the individual groups of the data group and the management data group from one another.  
   
   
       32 . A file management method for managing a plurality of files retained in a predetermined region, comprising the steps of: 
 generating an index file of the plural files in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files; and    setting, as information representative of a mutual relationship between the entries, information indicative of a reproduction order of the entries or the files corresponding to the entries to the index file.    
   
   
       33 . A file management method for managing a plurality of files retained in a predetermined region, comprising the steps of: 
 generating an index file of the plural files in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    dividing the extract information relating to any of the files to generate the index file, which includes a plurality of entries;    setting, to the entry of the divided extract information, as information representative of a mutual relationship between the entries, information indicative of an entry in which the succeeding divisional extract information is recorded; and    setting, to the entry in which the succeeding divisional extract information is recorded, an identifier indicating that the entry has the succeeding divisional extract information recorded therein.    
   
   
       34 . A file management method for managing a plurality of files retained in a predetermined region, comprising the steps of: 
 generating an index file of the plural files in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files; and    setting, where the files recorded on the recording medium include a plurality of child files generated by dividing one set of contents and a parent file for managing the plural child files, to the entries relating to the child files and the parent file, as information representative of a mutual relationship between the entries, identifiers indicating that the files are the child files and the parent file, respectively.    
   
   
       35 . A file management method for managing a plurality of files retained in a predetermined region, comprising the steps of: 
 generating an index file of the plural files in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files; and    registering information of file formats of the files into corresponding ones of the entries.    
   
   
       36 . A file management method for managing a plurality of files retained in a predetermined region, comprising the steps of: 
 generating an index file of the plural files in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files; and    registering information regarding decoding of the files into corresponding ones of the entries.    
   
   
       37 . A file management method for managing a plurality of files retained in a predetermined region, comprising the steps of: 
 generating an index file of the plural files in the form of a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files; and    registering information unique to processing means for the files and information for specifying the processing means relating to the unique information.    
   
   
       38 . A reproduction apparatus for reproducing files recorded on a predetermined recording medium based on a predetermined index file so as to be provided to a user, comprising: 
 the index file being formed from a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    information indicative of a reproduction order of the entries or the files corresponding to the entries being set, as information representative of a mutual relationship between the entries, to the index file;    means for successively reproducing the files recorded on the recording medium in accordance with the reproduction order set to the index file.    
   
   
       39 . A reproduction apparatus for reproducing files recorded on a predetermined recording medium based on a predetermined index file so as to be provided to a user, comprising: 
 the index file being formed from a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    the extract information relating to any of the files being divided to generate the index file which includes a plurality of entries;    the entry of the divided extract information having set thereto, as information representative of a mutual relationship between the entries, information indicative of an entry in which the succeeding divisional extract information is recorded;    the entry in which the succeeding divisional extract information is recorded having set thereto an identifier indicating that the entry has the succeeding divisional extract information recorded therein;    means for regenerating the divided extract information based on the information indicative of the entry in which the succeeding divisional extract information is recorded and the identifier indicating that the entry has the succeeding divisional extract information recorded therein.    
   
   
       40 . A reproduction apparatus for reproducing files recorded on a predetermined recording medium based on a predetermined index file so as to be provided to a user, comprising: 
 the index file being formed from a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    the entries which relate, where the files recorded on the recording medium include a plurality of child files generated by dividing one set of contents and a parent file for managing the plural child files, to the child files and the parent file having set thereto, as information representative of a mutual relationship between the entries, identifiers indicating that the files are the child files and the parent file, respectively;    means for successively reproducing the plural child files based on the identifiers.    
   
   
       41 . A reproduction apparatus for reproducing files recorded on a predetermined recording medium based on a predetermined index file so as to be provided to a user, comprising: 
 the index file being formed from a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    information of file formats of the files being registered in corresponding ones of the entries;    means for selecting those ones of the files, which can be reproduced based on the information of the file formats of the files and displaying a user interface of the selected files.    
   
   
       42 . A reproduction apparatus for reproducing files recorded on a predetermined recording medium based on a predetermined index file so as to be provided to a user, comprising: 
 the index file being formed from a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    information regarding decoding of the files being registered in corresponding ones of the entries;    means for selecting those ones of the files which can be decoded normally based on the information regarding decoding in the index file and displaying a user interface of the selected files.    
   
   
       43 . A reproduction apparatus for reproducing files recorded on a predetermined recording medium based on a predetermined index file so as to be provided to a user, comprising: 
 the index file being formed from a series of entries each in the form of a block of extract information relating to and coordinated with one of the files;    information unique to processing means for the files and information for specifying the processing means relating to the unique information being registered in the index file;    means for processing the files recorded on the recoding medium based on the unique information relating to the information for specifying the corresponding processing means.