System for recording video information on a record card

• US 4,398,223 A
• Filed: 04/24/1981
• Issued: 08/09/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1955
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Original Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Inventors: Lemelson, Jerome H.
• Primary Examiner(s): CARDILLO JR, RAYMOND
• Application Number:
  US06/257,376
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 358/127-132, 360/2, 360/10, 360/35, 360/106, 365/120, 365/234, 365/235, 365/124, 365/126-128, 235/470, 235/471, 369/30-33, 369/41
• US Class Current: 386/224
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/18 Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks applying data to information carriers G06K1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/126 by photographic or thermographic registration recording apparatus for measuring instruments G01D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/084 sensing magnetic material by relative movement detecting flux changes without altering its magnetised state
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/6875 wherein the recorder or player is moved towards a selected cassette in the magazine
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/6895 Automatic tape changing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/10 by sensing presence or absence of record in accessible stored position or on turntable
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• 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 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• 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 7/0033 with cards or other card-like flat carriers, e.g. flat sheets of optical film
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2175 with local image input

Abstract

A record system and method for recording and reproducing information relative to record cards is provided wherein the information is in the form of optically scannable parallel tracks containing recordings therein which are defined by variations in the surface topography of the record tracks. A narrow beam of radiation such as that generated by a laser or an electron beam gun is modulated with information such as a video picture signal or digital information and is caused to scan the surface of a record card to generate either a variable topography represented by variations in the widths and/or depths of the narrow recording area of a record track caused by variations in the intensity of the beam of radiation as the beam is deflected to scan the recording track or the card is automatically moved to effect scanning by the beam. The beam may be operable to vaporize or otherwise variably erode and cause a groove or a series of cavities to be formed along the record track wherein the shape and/or depth of the cavities or separations therein represent electro-optically scannable information such as full-frame video picture signals, digital information and the like. In another form, the card may be coated with an erodable material which is vaporized or otherwise eroded to effect information recordings therein.

Claims

1. A system for recording video information on a record card comprising:

first means operable to generate video picture signals, each of which video picture signals defines at least one full frame of video information,

first control means for controlling said first means to generate frame video picture signals, and

second means including radiation beam generating means operable for generating a narrow beam of recording radiation of sufficient intensity to vary the topography of recording material intersected by said beam and means for receiving a frame video picture signal from said first means and modulating said narrow beam in accordance with said video picture signal received to permit the beam to selectively vary the topography of the recording material of a record member,

third means in operative location with respect to said second means for prepositioning a record card containing a plurality of parallel narrow record tracks with respect to said second means so as to permit said second means to record video signal information along selected record tracks of said card,

fourth means for effecting lateral relative positioning of a record card and said second means to dispose the scanning axis of said narrow beam of recording radiation in alignment with a selected narrow record track of said card,

fifth means for effecting relative movement between said card and said narrow beam of recording radiation so as to cause said narrow beam to scan said selected track, and

sixth means for activating said first control means to cause said first means to generate an output signal representative of the information contained in the field scanned when said fourth means is operated to effect the relative positioning of said scanning axis of said narrow beam of recording radiation with respect to a selected card track wherein the signal generated is employed to modulate said recording beam as it scans said selected track and said recording beam records the information defined by said signal along an area of the selected track of the card scanned by said beam.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first means includes a television camera and means for controlling said camera to effect a full-frame scan of the image field of the camera and to generate a full-frame video picture signal defining said full frame of video information for application to said second means.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second means is operable to generate a beam of recording radiation of sufficient intensity to variably erode material from selected record tracks of said card.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second means is operable to generate pulsed radiation for forming information defining cavities in the recording area of a record card intersected by said beam.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said sixth means includes means for detecting a lateral edge of a record card fed to said third means and generating a control signal when such lateral edge is detected and means for applying said control signal to activate said first control means to cause said first means to generate said video picture signals.

6. A system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said first means includes an electronic memory having a read-out control means connected to receive said first control means output signal activated by said sixth means to cause information recorded in said memory to be generated as electrical signals and to be applied to said second means for variably controlling the operation of said radiation beam generating means to effect control of said beam to record such information along a selected track of the card.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first means includes a memory containing recorded therein a full frame of video information in the form of digital signals for application to said second means to vary the topography of a recording material by intermittently intersecting and eroding cavities in said recording material.