Recording random data having a first data rate on a digital video recorder at an independent second data rate
AssigneeGeneral Instrument Corporation
InventorAnthony M. Radice
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Interface apparatus is provided for enabling a digital video recorder to function as a universal data recorder. A random input data stream provided at a first data rate is converted to a format that emulates a video signal. The converted input data is input, at a video signal data rate, to a digital video recorder for storage. The stored converted data is played back from the video recorder at the video signal data rate. The retrieved data is then converted back to the original format of the input data stream at the first data rate.
Claims18
Interface apparatus for enabling a digital video recorder to function as a universal data recorder comprising:
- means for receiving an input digital data stream in a first format at a first data rate that is independent of a video signal data rate;
- first means for providing data from said input data stream in a second format that emulates video portions of a video signal, said second format comprising a plurality of video levels, each video level representative of a group of at least two bits of said input data stream, wherein successive groups of said input data stream are bit mapped to bytes corresponding to video levels of the second format, each group being uniquely identified by a corresponding video level within a range of at least four video levels extending from black to white IRE levels;
- means for outputting the data in said second format, at said video signal data rate, to a digital video recorder for storage;
- means for retrieving the stored data in said second format from said video recorder at said video signal data rate;
- and
- second means for providing the stored data retrieved from said video recorder in said second format as a data stream in said first format at said first data rate.
A method for using a digital video recorder to record random data, comprising the steps of:
- converting an input data stream, provided at a first data rate in a first format and carrying digital data that is not part of a television program signal, into a recorder input signal having a second format that emulates video portions of a video signal, said second format comprising a plurality of video levels, each video level representative of a group of at least two bits of said input data stream, wherein successive groups of said input data stream are bit mapped to bytes corresponding to video levels of the second format, each group being uniquely identified by a corresponding video level within a range of at least four video levels extending from black to white IRE levels;
- and
- inputting the recorder input signal to a digital video recorder at a second data rate independent of said first data rate and used by said recorder to record video data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.