Video recording system utilizing storage redundancy to transfer non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segments while transferring time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments at a required data transfer rate

A method of storing a non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment on a disk drive, which is responsive to a set of data transfer commands generated by a host processor and which non-redundantly stores time-critical, error-tolerant data segments and which stores non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segments, the method comprising:

• sending a first data transfer command generated by the host processor to the disk drive to write the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment on the disk drive;
• writing the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment at a first storage location;
• and
• writing the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment at a second storage location different from the first storage location.

A method of transferring a non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment stored on a disk drive, which is responsive to a set of data transfer commands generated by a host processor and which is operating in a mode optimized for transferring time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments stored or to be stored on the disk drive, the method comprising:

• sending a sequence of data transfer commands generated by the host processor to the disk drive to transfer a respective sequence of time-critical, non-redundantly-recorded, error-tolerant streaming data segments within a data transfer bandwidth less than a maximum bandwidth for the disk drive;
• selectively interposing a first data transfer command into the sequence of data transfer commands, the first data transfer command initiating a first transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment from a first storage location, the first transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment occurring within a remaining bandwidth that is a difference between the maximum bandwidth and the data transfer bandwidth;
• transmitting a data transfer error signal generated by the disk drive to the host processor, the data transfer error signal having a state that indicates whether any data transfer errors have occurred with respect to the first transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment;
• and
• selectively interposing a second data transfer command into the sequence of data transfer commands, the second data transfer command initiating a second transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment from a second storage location, thereby utilizing storage redundancy to achieve an accuracy required for the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment while maintaining the data transfer bandwidth for the sequence of time-critical, non-redundantly-recorded error-tolerant streaming data segments.

A video recording system to record and playback non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segments and time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments using a disk drive responsive to a set of data transfer commands and optimized for transferring time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments at a required data transfer rate, the video recording system comprising:

• a user interface that receives user input;
• a video input interface that receives an external video data stream for a selected video program segment and that generates time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments;
• a video output interface that is connectable to a display device;
• and
• a data management system that comprises:
• at least one data buffer that receives, non-redundantly stores, and transmits time-critical, error-tolerant streaming data segments;
• and
• a host processor that generates a sequence of data transfer commands sent to the disk drive to transfer a respective sequence of time-critical, non-redundantly-recorded error-tolerant streaming data segments at the required data transfer rate;
• that selectively interposes a first data transfer command into the sequence of data transfer commands, the first data transfer command initiating a first transfer of a non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment from a first storage location;
• that receives a data transfer error signal generated by the disk drive, the data transfer error signal having a state that indicates whether any data transfer errors have occurred in the first transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment;
• and that selectively interposes a second data transfer command into the sequence of data transfer commands, the second data transfer command initiating a second transfer of the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment from a second storage location, thereby utilizing storage redundancy to achieve an accuracy required for the non-time-critical, error-intolerant data segment while maintaining the required data transfer rate of the sequence of time-critical, non-redundantly-recorded, error-tolerant streaming data segments.