Enhancing operations of video tape cassette players

• US 20020012525A1
• Filed: 03/21/2001
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1991
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl Hindman, Daniel S. Kwoh, Elsie Y. Leung, Henry C. Yuen, Hing Y. Ngai, Roy J. Mankovitz, Yee Kong Ng
• Original Assignee: Carl Hindman, Daniel S. Kwoh, Elsie Y. Leung, Henry C. Yuen, Hing Y. Ngai, Roy J. Mankovitz, Yee Kong Ng
• Inventors: Ng, Yee Kong, Mankovitz, Roy J., Kwoh, Daniel S., Yuen, Henry C., Leung, Elsie Y., Hindman, Carl, Ngai, Hing Y.
• Granted Patent: US 6,701,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/69
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/00 Driving, starting or stopping record carriers of filamentary or web form; Driving both such record carriers and heads; Guiding such record carriers or containers therefor; Control thereof; Control of operating function driving or guiding heads G11B3/00 - G11B7/00, G11B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/023 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/026 by using processor, e.g. microcomputer
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/07 on containers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/087 by sensing recorded signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/1816 Programmed access in sequence to indexed parts of operating tapes cooperating with rotating heads see provisional also G11B15/005
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/655 Memory in cassette [MIC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/80 Indexing information stored in optical or magnetic or other strip attached to cassette or disc, e.g. barcodes attached to a recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/91 Helical scan format, wherein tracks are slightly tilted with respect to tape direction, e.g. VHS, DAT, DVC, AIT or exabyte
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/08714 Auxiliary features sensing such features G11B15/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/30 with provision for auxiliary signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/36 Signals on record carriers or on containers and recorded by the same method as the main recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/029 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 : of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 : by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/13 : the information being derived from movement of the record carrier, e.g. using tachometer
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 : by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3054 : Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/309 : Table of contents
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/324 : Duty cycle modulation of control pulses, e.g. VHS-CTL-coding systems, RAPID-time code, VASS- or VISS-cue signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/328 : on a tape [TTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 : Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 : Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 : Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/10 : Indicating arrangements; Warning arrangements G11B15/04, G11B19/04, G11B27/34, G11B27/36 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/0086 : using cyclically driven heads providing segmented tracks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/86 : Re-recording, i.e. transcribing information from one magnetisable record carrier on to one or more similar or dissimilar record carriers by varying the order of the information G11B27/029, G11B27/036
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 : Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 : using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 : the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/78263 : for recording on tracks inclined relative to the direction of movement of the tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9206 : the additional signal being a character code signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0888 : Subscription systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 : Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

Operation of a video cassette player is facilitated by providing a VBI decoder which decodes information, such as title, channel, date, time and length of broadcast programs and utilizing the information in providing directory of the programs as well as control of the VCR. The video cassette player is also provided with a VBI encoder for inserting control as well as directory information into the tape, either in the VBI portions of the video track or in the control track.

Claims

1. A method of indexing a program being recorded on a video tape by a VCR comprising the steps of:

periodically calculating absolute addresses in time from one end of the video tape while the program is being recorded, including a starting address at the beginning of the program;

storing the absolute addresses on the video tape concurrently with the calculating step so the absolute addresses represent their position along the tape; and

storing the starting address in a memory resident in the VCR.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the calculating step calculates absolute addresses in time from the beginning of the video tape.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the calculating step also calculates an ending address at the end of the program, the method additionally comprising the step of storing the ending address in the memory.

4. A method of indexing a program being recorded on a video tape by a video cassette recorder (VCR) comprising the steps of:

recording a video program on the tape between a start time and an end time;

determining a first absolute address of the tape near the start time;

determining a second absolute address of the tape near the end time;

repeatedly determining current absolute addresses of the tape in the interval between the start time and the end time;

storing the current absolute addresses along the tape during the recording step; and

after the recording step, storing the first and second absolute addresses in a directory of the video programs recorded on the tape.

5. The method of claim 4, in which the VCR has a RAM for storage of video program directories and the step of storing the first and second absolute addresses stores the directory in the RAM.

6. The method of claim 4, in which the step of storing the first and second absolute addresses stores the directory on the tape.

7. The method of claim 4, in which the step of determining the first absolute address comprises measuring tape transport parameters and calculating the first absolute address from the measured parameters.

8. The method of claim 7,in which the step of determining the second absolute address comprises measuring tape transport parameters and calculating the second absolute address from the measured parameters.

9. The method of claim 8, in which the step of repeatedly determining the current absolute addresses comprises measuring tape transport parameters and calculating the current absolute addresses from the measured parameters.

10. The method of claim 4, in which the tape has a control track and the step of storing the current absolute addresses along the tape during the recording step stores the current absolute addresses in the control track of the video program being recorded.

11. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising the step of repeatedly storing a unique tape identification (TID) in the control track during the recording step with the current absolute addresses.

12. The method of claim 11, additionally comprising the step of storing a VISS mark in the control track at the beginning of each recorded video program.

13. The method of claim 12, in which the VISS mark is recorded during the step of recording a video program.

14. The method of claim 4, in which the video program being recorded has a VBI and the step of storing the current absolute addresses along the tape during the recording step stores the current absolute addresses in the VBI of the video program being recorded.

15. The method of claim 4, additionally comprising the step of repeatedly storing a unique tape identification (TID) along the tape during the recording step with the current absolute addresses.

16. The method of claim 15, additionally comprising the step of repeatedly storing a video program identification along the tape during the recording step with the current absolute addresses.

17. The method of claim 4, additionally comprising the step of repeatedly storing a video program identification along the tape during the recording step with the current absolute addresses.

18. The method of claim 4, in which the determining steps determine the respective absolute addresses in time.

19. The method of claim 4, additionally comprising the steps of inserting a recorded video tape in the VCR, displaying the directory of the inserted tape, and selecting a video program from the directory for playback.

20. The method of claim 19, additionally comprising the steps of determining the absolute address of the tape when inserted in the VCR, reading the first absolute address for the selected video program from the directory, calculating the difference between the absolute addresses, using the calculated difference to position the tape to the beginning of the selected program, and playing back the selected program on the VCR.

21. The method of claim 20, in which the determining step comprises reading the current absolute address of the tape when inserted in the VCR.

22. The method of claim 20, in which the determining step comprises measuring tape transport parameters and calculating the absolute address from the measured parameters.

23. The method of claim 20, in which the calculating step calculates a difference representative of a tape transport time and the using step comprises transporting the tape for said time at a constant speed.

24. The method of claim 20, in which the tape has a control track on which VISS marks are recorded at the beginning of each recorded program and the using step additionally comprises searching for a VISS mark after the transporting step.

25. A method of indexing a program being recorded on a video tape by a video cassette recorder comprising the steps of:

calculating a starting address of the program and an ending address of the program in time from the beginning of the video tape;

calculating an absolute address in time of a current position of the video tape from the beginning of the video tape;

storing the absolute address on the video tape;

periodically repeating the calculating and storing steps while recording is occurring; and

storing the starting address and the ending address in a directory for the video tape resident in a memory in the video cassette recorder.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of storing the absolute address on the video tape further comprises the step of storing an identifier of the video tape and an identifier of the program on the video tape.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of storing the starting and ending addresses in a directory further comprises the step of storing the program identifier in a directory for the video tape resident in a memory in the video cassette recorder.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the video tape identifier, program identifier, and absolute address are stored in a vertical blanking interval line of the video tape.

29. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of writing a mark on the video tape at the start of recording the program.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the mark is a VISS mark written on the control track of the video tape.

31. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a video tape by a video cassette recorder, the video cassette recorder having a memory storing at least one directory of programs recorded on the video tape, the method comprising the steps of:

reading a video tape identifier from the video tape;

accessing a selected directory corresponding to the read video tape identifier from the memory;

obtaining an identifier of a selected program to be addressed;

reading a starting address of the selected program from the selected directory according to the selected program identifier;

obtaining a current address in time from the beginning of the video tape;

calculating a difference between the current address in time and the starting address of the selected program; and

rewinding the video tape for the difference in time when the difference is positive or forwarding the video tape for the difference in time when the difference is negative.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

reading a current absolute address from the tape;

calculating a difference between the current absolute address from the tape and the starting address of the selected program from the selected directory; and

rewinding the video tape for the difference in time when the difference is positive or forwarding the video tape for the difference in time when the difference is negative.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

searching for a mark denoting the start of a program;

reading a program identifier from the video tape when the mark is found;

comparing the read program identifier to the identifier of the selected program; and

repeating the searching, reading a program identifier, and comparing steps when the read program identifier does not match the identifier of the selected program until a match is found.

34. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a video tape by a video cassette recorder, the video tape being wound around a reel, the start of the program designated by a mark written on the video tape, the video cassette recorder having a memory storing at least one directory of programs recorded on the video tape, the method comprising the steps of:

reading a video tape identifier from the video tape;

accessing a selected directory corresponding to the read video tape identifier;

obtaining an identifier of a selected program to be addressed;

reading a starting address of the selected program from the selected directory according to the selected program identifier;

obtaining an absolute address from the video tape and calculating a single rotational period of the video tape at the absolute address when the absolute address is found on the video tape;

measuring a rotational period of a current address of the video tape by averaging a plurality of turns of the video tape reel when the absolute address is not found on the video tape;

calculating a rotational period of the video tape at the starting address;

calculating a differential number of revolutions of the video tape reel between the absolute address, when the absolute address is found, or the current address, when the absolute address is not found, and the starting address; and

rewinding the video tape for less than the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is greater than zero or forwarding the video tape for more than the absolute value of the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is less than or equal to zero.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the steps of:

searching for a mark denoting the start of a program;

reading a program identifier from the video tape when the mark is found;

comparing the read program identifier to the identifier of the selected program;

rewinding the video tape when the read program identifier is greater than the identifier of the selected program or forwarding the video tape when the read program identifier is less than the identifier of the selected program.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the video tape identifier is the Uniform Product Code (UPC) identifier for the pre-recorded video tape.

36. A method of indexing a program on a pre-recorded video tape by a video cassette recorder comprising the steps of:

obtaining a starting address of the program and an ending address of the program in time from the beginning of the pre-recorded video tape;

calculating an absolute address in time of a current position of the pre-recorded video tape from the beginning of the pre-recorded video tape;

storing an identifier of the pre-recorded video tape, an identifier of the program, and the absolute address on the pre-recorded video tape;

storing the program identifier, the starting address and the ending address in a directory for the pre-recorded video tape resident in a vertical blanking line of the pre-recorded video tape; and

periodically repeating the steps of calculating the absolute address, storing an identifier of the pre-recorded video tape, an identifier of the program, and the absolute address, and storing the program identifier, the starting address and the ending address, while playback of the pre-recorded video tape is occurring.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the video tape identifier, program identifier, and absolute address are stored in a second vertical blanking interval line of the pre-recorded video tape.

38. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a pre-recorded video tape, the pre-recorded video tape having at least one directory of recorded programs, comprising the steps of:

reading a video tape identifier from the pre-recorded video tape;

accessing a selected directory from the pre-recorded video tape corresponding to the read video tape identifier to obtain an identifier and a starting address of a selected program;

reading an absolute address in time from the pre-recorded video tape;

calculating a difference between the absolute address in time and the starting address of the selected program; and

rewinding the pre-recorded video tape for the difference in time when the difference is positive or forwarding the pre-recorded video tape for the difference in time when the difference is negative.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the video tape identifier and absolute address are read from a vertical blanking interval line of the pre-recorded video tape.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein a mark was written on the pre-recorded video tape at the start of each program during recording of the pre-recorded video tape, and further comprising the steps of:

searching for a mark denoting the start of a program;

reading a program identifier from the pre-recorded video tape when the mark is found;

comparing the read program identifier to the identifier of the selected program; and

repeating the searching, reading a program identifier, and comparing steps when the read program identifier does not match the identifier of the selected program until a match is found.

42. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a pre-recorded video tape by a video cassette recorder, the pre-recorded video tape being wound around a reel, the start of the program designated by a mark written on the pre-recorded video tape, the video cassette recorder having a memory storing at least one directory of programs recorded on the pre-recorded video tape, the method comprising the steps of:

reading a video tape identifier from the pre-recorded video tape;

accessing a selected directory corresponding to the read video tape identifier from the video tape;

obtaining an identifier of a selected program to be addressed;

reading a starting address of the selected program from the selected directory according to the selected program identifier;

obtaining an absolute address from the pre-recorded video tape and calculating a single rotational period of the pre-recorded video tape at the absolute address;

calculating a rotational period of the pre-recorded video tape at the starting address;

calculating a differential number of revolutions of the video tape reel between the starting address and the absolute address; and

rewinding the pre-recorded video tape for less than the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is greater than zero or forwarding the pre-recorded video tape for more than the absolute value of the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is less than or equal to zero.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the steps of:

searching for a mark denoting the start of a program;

reading a program identifier from the video tape when the mark is found;

comparing the read program identifier to the identifier of the selected program;

rewinding the video tape when the read program identifier is greater than the identifier of the selected program or forwarding the video tape when the read program identifier is less than the identifier of the selected program.

44. The method of retroactively indexing programs previously recorded on a video tape by a video cassette recorder comprising the steps of:

positioning the video tape at the beginning of a program to be indexed;

inserting a mark on the video tape;

calculating a starting address of the program in time from the beginning of the video tape;

entering a title of the program and a video tape identifier into the video cassette recorder; and

storing the title and the starting address of the program and the video tape identifier in a directory in a memory resident in the video cassette recorder.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising the steps of:

forwarding the video tape to the end of the program;

calculating an ending address of the program in time from the beginning of the video tape; and

storing the ending address in the directory with the title and the starting address of the program.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein the mark is a VISS mark written on the control track of the video tape.

47. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a retroactively indexed video tape by a video cassette recorder, the video cassette recorder having a memory storing at least one directory of programs recorded on the retroactively indexed video tape, comprising the steps of:

entering a video tape identifier of the retroactively indexed video tape;

accessing a selected directory corresponding to the entered video tape identifier;

obtaining an identifier of a selected program to be addressed;

reading a starting address of the selected program from the selected directory according to the selected program identifier;

calculating a current address in time from the beginning of the retroactively indexed video tape;

calculating a difference between the current address in time and the starting address of the selected program; and

rewinding the retroactively indexed video tape for the difference in time when the difference is positive or forwarding the retroactively indexed video tape for the difference in time when the difference is negative.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising the step of:

searching for a mark denoting the start of a program.

49. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a retroactively indexed video tape by a video cassette recorder, the video cassette recorder having a memory storing at least one directory of programs recorded on the retroactively indexed video tape, the retroactively indexed video tape being wound around a reel, comprising the steps of:

reading a video tape identifier from the retroactively indexed video tape;

accessing a selected directory corresponding to the read video tape identifier;

obtaining an identifier of a selected program to be addressed;

reading a starting address of the selected program from the selected directory according to the selected program identifier;

measuring a rotational period of a current address of the retroactively indexed video tape by averaging a plurality of turns of the video tape reel;

calculating a rotational period of the retroactively indexed video tape at the starting address;

calculating a differential number of revolutions of the video tape reel between the starting address and the current address; and

rewinding the retroactively indexed video tape for less than the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is greater than zero or forwarding the retroactively indexed video tape for more than the absolute value of the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is less than or equal to zero.