Realtime data recording method

A real-time data recording method for recording data in a real-time manner on a random-accessible data recording medium, comprising:

• before recording of file data, generating initial management data for said file data to be recorded, then recording said initial management data on said data recording medium, and recording said file data on said data recording medium;
• during the recording of said file data on said data recording medium, at least intermittently generating real-time management data corresponding substantially to a real-time file data recorded on said data recording medium, and recording said real-time management data in a non-volatile recording medium;
• and
• upon restarting a use of said data recording medium after occurrence of a fault, reading said initial management data, and reading said real-time management data from said non-volatile recording medium to update said initial management data and updating said initial management data, and recording said updated management data onto said data recording medium;
• wherein a message indicative of occurrence of said fault is provided to a user, so as to poll a user as to whether to delete said file data recorded prior to said fault or to use said real-time management data to generate said updated management data and record said updated management data onto said data recording medium.

A real-time data recording apparatus for recording data in a real-time manner on a random-accessible data recording medium, comprising:

• an initial management data generator/recorder to generate, before recording of file data, initial management data for said file data to be recorded, then to record said initial management data on said data recording medium, and to record said file data on said data recording medium;
• a real-time management data generator/recorder to at least intermittently generate, during the recording of said file data on said data recording medium, real-time management data corresponding substantially to a real-time said file data recorded on said data recording medium, and to record said real-time management data in a non-volatile recording medium;
• and
• a fault detector/recoverer to operate upon restarting a use of said data recording medium after occurrence of a fault, to read said initial management data, and to read said real-time management data from said non-volatile recording medium to update said initial management data, and to record said updated management data onto said data recording medium;
• wherein if a different said data recording medium is loaded when restarting the apparatus, said fault detector/recoverer is adapted to effect a message indicative of occurrence of a fault, and at least one of a message advising a user to exchange said data recording medium and a message asking whether or not information in said non-volatile recording medium should be deleted.