Video tape editing system

• US 4,272,790 A
• Filed: 03/26/1979
• Issued: 06/09/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paltex International Limited
• Original Assignee: Convergence Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bates, George W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Konick, Bernard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Faber, Alan
• Application Number:
  US06/023,759
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 360/14, 360/10, 360/73
• US Class Current: 386/278
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• 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

Abstract

A modular expandable, microprocessor controlled, editing control system is provided for on-line or off-line editing of a cassette or open-reel helical scan-type video tape recorder, or the like. Tape-to-tape editing is carried out by transferring selected video information from a "source" video tape recorder (VTR) to a "record" video tape recorder (VTR). The system includes microprocessor controlled solid state electronic control circuitry for the source and record video tape recorders, with a manually operated joystick which permits forward and reverse motion of the tapes in the recorders for the precise selection of the edit frames. The system is designed to control one source video tape recorder and one record video tape recorder, in its basic configuration, using standard control track pulses for edit cycle accuracy. The system, however, may be expanded by plugging in modules and replacing front panel components so as to provide more complex edit control systems capable of controlling multiple video tape recorder sources, as well as alternate sources, special effects, interactive cathode-ray tube displays, multiple edit point storage, decision list print-outs, and so on.

Claims

1. An editing control system for transferring selected video information from a video source to a record video tape recorder, said editing control system including:

a plurality of solid state electronic circuit boards for controlling the transfer of video information from the source to the record video tape recorder;

a microprocessor circuit board connected to said first-named circuit boards for cyclically and successively transmitting signals to and receiving signals from different ones of said circuit boards;

a first control panel including a plurality of manually-operated control switches connected to respective ones of said circuit boards to activate control circuits thereon and to establish operating modes therein;

a second control panel including a plurality of manually-operated remote controll switches adapted to be connected to said record video tape recorder to control the operation of said record video tape recorder;

a third control panel including a plurality of manually-operated control switches connected to one of said circuit boards to establish selected operating modes in the editing control system, said third control panel further including manually-controllable potentiometer means connected to one of said circuit boards for effectuating forward and reverse motion of the record video tape recorder under manual control from a still-frame position and at a speed determined by the setting of the potentiometer means on either side of a neutral position, and a manually-operated cruise switch connected to one of said circuit boards to cause the record video tape recorder to be driven at a speed selected by said potentiometer means independent of subsequent settings of said potentiometer means.

2. An editing control system for transferring selected video information from a source video tape recorder to a record video tape recorder, said editing control system including:

a plurality of solid state electronic circuit boards for controlling the transfer of video information from the source video tape recorder to the record video tape recorder;

a microprocessor circuit board connected to said first-named circuit boards for cyclically and successively transmitting signals to and receiving signals from different ones of said circuit boards;

a first control panel including a plurality of manually-operated control switches connected to respective ones of said circuit boards to activate control circuits thereon and to establish operating modes therein;

a second control panel including a plurality of manually-operated remote control switches adapted to be connected to said record video tape recorder to control the operation of said record video tape recorder;

a third control panel including a plurality of manually-operated control switches connected to one of said circuit boards to establish selective operating modes in the editing control system, said third control panel further including manually-controllable potentiometer means connected to one of said circuit boards for effectuating forward and reverse motion of the source and record video tape recorders under manual control from a still-frame position and at a speed determined by the setting of the potentiometer means on either side of a neutral position, said potentiometer means including a pivotally mounted joystick control member, switching means connected to one of the circuit boards for selecting the source video tape recorder for control by the potentiometer means when the joystick member is momentarily set to a first position, and for selecting the record video tape recorder by the potentiometer means when the joystick member is momentarily set to a second position, and a manually-operated cruise switch connected to one of said circuit boards to cause said record and source video tape recorders to be driven at speeds selected by said potentiometer means and independent of subsequent settings of said potentiometer means.

3. An editing control system for transferring selecting video information from a video source to a record video tape recorder, said record video tape recorder including a drive motor, said editing control system including:

a plurality of solid state electronic circuit boards for controlling the transfer of video information from the source to the record video tape recorder;

a microprocessor circuit board connected to said first-named circuit boards for cyclically and successively transmitting signals to and receiving signals from different ones of said circuit boards, manually-controllable potentiometer means connected to one of said circuit boards for effectuating forward and reverse motion of the record video tape recorder at continuously variable speeds; and

a manually-operated cruise switch, and in which said last-named circuit board includes a sample and hold circuit connected to said cruise switch to cause the record video tape recorder to be driven at a speed selected by said potentiometer means independent of subsequent settings thereof.

4. An editing control system for transferring selected video information from a video source to a record video tape recorder, said record video tape recorder including a drive motor, said editing control system including:

a plurality of solid state electronic circuit boards for controlling the transfer of video information from the source to the record video tape recorder;

a microprocessor circuit board connected to said first-named circuit boards for cyclically and successively transmitting signals to and receiving signals from different ones of said circuit boards;

manually-controllable potentiometer means connected to one of said circuit boards for effectuating forward and reverse motion of the record video tape recorder at continuously variable speeds; and

a manually-operated cruise switch connected to one of said circuit boards to cause the record video tape recorder to be driven at a speed selected by said potentiometer means independent of subsequent settings of said potentiometer means.

5. An editing control system for transferring selected video information from a source video tape recorder to a record video tape recorder, said record video tape recorder including a drive motor, said editing control system including:

a plurality of solid state electronic circuit boards for controlling the transfer of video information from the source video tape recorder to the record video tape recorder;

a microprocessor circuit board connected to said first-named circuit boards for cyclically and successively transmitting signals to and receiving signals from different ones of said circuit boards;

manually-controllable potentiometer means connected to one of said circuit boards for effectuating forward and reverse motion of the source video tape recorder and of the record video tape recorder at continuously variable speeds;

said potentiometer means including a pivotally mounted joystick control member, switching means connected to one of the circuit boards for selecting the source video tape recorder for control by the potentiometer means when the joystick member is momentarily set to a first position, and for selecting the record video tape recorder for control by the potentiometer means when the joystick member is momentarily set to a second position, and a manually-operated cruise switch connection to one of said circuit boards to cause said record and source video tape recorders to be driven at speeds selected by said potentiometer means and independent of subsequent settings of said potentiometer means.