Recording apparatus

Abstract

A recording apparatus having a reproduction means to play digital data from a recording medium recorded with that digital data and retrieval information, a recording means to write the digital data reproduced by the reproduction means and record the retrieval information on a control table, and a control circuit to search the control table by using the retrieval information when the digital data from the reproduction means is written by the recording means, to permit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording means when the retrieval information is not recorded on the control table, and to prohibit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording means when the retrieval information is already recorded on the control table, and also prevent the mistaken duplicate copying of the digital data with the recording means.

1 . A computer-implemented digital audio recording apparatus comprising: 
 a bus configured to transfer data between devices connected thereto;    a controller configured to execute computer-readable instructions that when executed by a processor implement control operations, said controller being operatively connected to said bus;    an interface configured to receive digital audio data including music data and information data that corresponds with the music data, said interface being operatively coupled to said bus;    a non-volatile memory operatively connected to said bus and configured to store the music data and information data received via said interface;    a display configured to display thereon a description of the information data corresponding to said music data, wherein    said controller is configured to search said information data prior to recording a duplicate copy of said music data, and if said controller determines that said music data would be a duplicate copy of music data already stored in said non-volatile memory, said controller initiates a process for displaying a message on said display inquiring whether the user chooses to continue with the recording.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, the interface connects to an optical disk drive which provides the digital audio data.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the optical disk drive being a CD drive.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the music data is recorded on a track of a CD.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the information data includes a title of the music data.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the information data includes a track number.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the music data includes all tracks of a CD read by the CD drive.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said non-volatile memory being a hard disk drive.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein 
 said music data corresponds to a plurality of tracks,    said controller is configured to search the information data associated with said plurality of tracks, and    said message indicates that the plurality of tracks are already stored in said non-volatile memory.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein 
 said information data includes TOC data.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein 
 said display includes a list of titles corresponding to the plurality of tracks.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the controller is configured to record the music data and the information data in said non-volatile memory when the controller determines that the music data would not be a duplicate copy.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein 
 said controller is configured to record the music data and the information data when a user input indicates that the music data should be stored regardless of whether the music data would be at least one of a duplicate copy and an overwritten copy of the music data already stored on the non-volatile memory.    
   
   
       14 . A computer program product having instructions that when executed by a processor implement at least a portion of a digital audio-recording apparatus comprising: 
 a controller configured to implement control operations between a data source and a non-volatile memory;    an interface mechanism configured to receive digital audio data including music data and information data that corresponds with the music data;    a data storage mechanism configured to store the music data and information data received via said interface mechanism;    a display control mechanism configured to send information data corresponding to the music data to be displayed on a display, wherein    said controller is configured to search said information data prior to recording a duplicate copy of said music data, and if said controller determines that said music data would be a duplicate copy of music data already stored in said non-volatile memory, said controller initiates a process for displaying a message on said display inquiring whether a user chooses to continue with the recording.    
   
   
       15 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein, the interface mechanism is configured to connect to an optical disk drive which provides the digital audio data.  
   
   
       16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the optical disk drive being a CD drive.  
   
   
       17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the music data is recorded on a track of a CD.  
   
   
       18 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the information data includes a title of the music data.  
   
   
       19 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the information data includes a track number.  
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the music data includes all tracks of a CD read by the CD drive.  
   
   
       21 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein said non-volatile memory being a hard disk drive.  
   
   
       22 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein 
 said music data corresponds to a plurality of tracks,    and said controller is configured to search the information data associated with said plurality of tracks, and    said message indicates that the plurality of tracks are already stored in said non-volatile memory.    
   
   
       23 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein 
 said information data includes TOC data.    
   
   
       24 . The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein 
 said display includes a list of titles corresponding to the plurality of tracks.    
   
   
       25 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein 
 the controller is configured to record the music data and the information data in said non-volatile memory when the controller determines that the music data would not be a duplicate copy.    
   
   
       26 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein 
 said controller is configured to record the music data and the information data when a user input indicates that the music data should be stored regardless of whether the music data would be at least one of a duplicate copy and an overwritten copy of the music data already stored on the non-volatile memory.    
   
   
       27 . A computer implemented method comprising steps of: 
 dispatching control operations between a source of data and a non-volatile memory;    receiving digital audio data including music data and information data that corresponds with the music data;    storing the music data and information data received via an interface mechanism on a non-volatile memory;    sending information data corresponding to the music data to be displayed on a display;    searching said information data prior to recording a duplicate copy of said music data;    determining whether said music data would be a duplicate copy of music data already stored in said non-volatile memory, and if so displaying a message on said display inquiring whether a user chooses to continue with the recording, but if not, not displaying said message.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein, the said receiving step includes receiving the digital audio data from an optical disk drive.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the optical disk drive being a CD drive.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the music data is recorded on a track of a CD.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the information data including a title of the music data.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the information data including a track number.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the music data including all tracks of a CD read by the CD drive.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said non-volatile memory being a hard disk drive.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein said music data corresponds to a plurality of tracks, 
 said searching step includes searching the information data associated with said plurality of tracks, and    said message indicates that the plurality of tracks are already stored in said non-volatile memory.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein 
 said information data includes TOC data.    
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein 
 said display includes a list of titles corresponding to the plurality of tracks.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein 
 the storing step includes storing the music data and the information data in said non-volatile memory when a controller determines that the music data would not be a duplicate copy.    
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein 
 the storing step includes storing the music data and the information data when a user input indicates that the music data should be stored regardless of whether the music data would be at least one of a duplicate copy and an overwritten copy of the music data already stored on the non-volatile memory.    
   
   
       40 . A computer implemented method comprising steps for: 
 dispatching control operations between a source of data and a non-volatile memory;    receiving digital audio data including music data and information data that corresponds with the music data;    storing the music data and information data received via an interface mechanism on a non-volatile memory;    sending information data corresponding to the music data to be displayed on a display;    searching said information data prior to recording a duplicate copy of said music data;    determining whether said music data would be a duplicate copy of music data already stored in said non-volatile memory, and if so displaying a message on said display inquiring whether a user chooses to continue with the recording, but if not, not displaying said message.