Video system and method

• US 4,646,172 A
• Filed: 01/09/1984
• Issued: 02/24/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1955
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Original Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Inventors: Lemelson, Jerome H.
• Primary Examiner(s): McElheny, Jr., Donald
• Application Number:
  US06/569,451
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 360/10.1, 360/10.2, 360/10.3, 360/11.1, 360/14.1, 360/14.2, 360/14.3, 360/35.1, 360/33.1, 360/19.1, 350/310, 350/311, 350/335, 350/342, 350/343, 350/22, 364/900
• US Class Current: 386/337
• 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: B41B 19/14 and presenting a text of more than one line
• CPC Class Codes: B41B 27/00 Control, indicating, or safety devices or systems for composing machines of various kinds or types computers in general G06F
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/153 using cathode-ray tubes
• 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 9/253 visually
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/194 using image scanning and comparing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 1/26 using storage tubes tubes therefor H01J31/58
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/40 characterised by the way in which both a pattern determined by character code and another pattern are displayed simultaneously, or either pattern is displayed selectively, e.g. with character code memory and APA, i.e. all-points-addressable, memory
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/005 Programmed access in sequence to indexed parts of tracks of operating tapes, by driving or guiding the tape access by driving of both record carrier and head G11B15/1816; see prov. also G11B15/602
• 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 27/022 Electronic editing of analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/029 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/326 used signal is a video-frame or a video-field (P.I.P.)
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00358 Type of the scanned marks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00374 : on the same page as at least a part of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0057 : Conveying sheets before or after scanning arrangements for conveying sheets as part of the scanning operation H04N1/04 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/217 : Interfaces allowing access to a single user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2175 : with local image input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 : Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32042 : with reading of job-marks on a page
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/387 : Composing, repositioning or otherwise geometrically modifying originals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7826 : involving helical scanning of the magnetic tape

Abstract

An audio-visual system and method for generating video information in the form of lines of alpha-numeric characters, graphical and certain forms of animation information from recordings thereof together with audio information in the form of speech, music and other sounds associated with the visual or video information. Recordings of such two forms of information are provided on a record member, such as a magnetic tape disposed in a cartridge or cassette, which tape is driven at constant speed past a plurality of pickup transducers including one which is operable to reproduce the audio recordings from a first track of the tape and a second which is operable to reproduce digital video recordings of such lines of characters, graphical and animated cartoon information. In one form, the record member is driven at constant speed while audio recordings and digital video recordings are reproduced continuously from the tape. In another form, the tape is intermittently driven past reproduction transducers under the control of a timer to intermittently generate both audio and video digital signals which signals are recorded in a buffer, such as a rotating disc or drum or other form of memory from which such signals may be repeatedly reproduced at a rate whereby they may be utilized to generate still images on the screen of a cathode ray tube and/or images composed of still picture phenomena and moving phenomena. Where the record member is intermittently operated for reproducing therefrom, digital signals are reproduced at high speed and applied to a buffer memory from which they are reproduced at a lower speed in a manner to generate sounds of words accompanying the generation of video image information.

Claims

1. An audio-visual system comprising in combination:

(a) a record member containing audio and video recordings and a record playback means for reading said audio and video recordings from said record member,

(b) said playback means including means for generating respective audio and video signals from such recordings,

(c) a digital computer and an erasable memory for receiving and recording signals reproduced by said record playback means from said record member,

(d) said digital computer being operable to control said record playback means to cause it to selectively reproduce signals recorded in said record member, and record same in said erasable memory,

(e) a video receiver having a viewing screen and image generating and retention means therefor requiring refresh scanning to maintain images on said viewing screen,

(f) said video receiver being operable for receiving video signals reproduced from said erasable memory for generating still images on said viewing screen which change with time and are defined by a plurality of video signals reproduced from said record member and recorded in said erasable memory,

(g) means for causing signals recorded in said erasable memory to be generated at a fixed frequency and to be applied as they are generated to said video receiver so as to cause said video receiver to generate and retain respective still images on said viewing screen,

(h) means for reproducing audio signals from said record playback reading means and transducing said audio signals to sounds of speech in synchronization with the generation of images generated on said viewing screen of said video receiver as said record playback reading means reproduces signals recorded on said record member,

(i) said digital computer being operatively connected and operable (1) to control the operation of said record playback means so as to cause said record playback means to selectively play back recordings reproduced from said record member and (2) to selectively generate video and audio signals therefrom and control the application of said video signals to cause said viewing screen of said video receiver to sequentially display still images in sequence and to transduce.

2. An audio-visual system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said video recordings on said record member are analog video picture signals derived from the output of a television camera and means for converting said video picture signals to digital form for recording in said erasable memory as digital video signals.

3. An audio-visual system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said video recordings on said record member are slow-scan frame video picture signals derived from the output of a television camera and said record playback means includes a magnetic tape reader and means for driving a magnetic tape during the playback of signals recorded thereon at such a constant speed to permit said audio recordings recorded thereon to be reproduced therefrom, amplified and applied to a speaker for generating said sounds of speech.

4. A system in accordance with claim 2 including digital-to-analog conversion means for receiving digital video signals reproduced from said memory playback means and converting same to analog video signals before applying same to said video receiver.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1 including character signal generating means connected to said computer and control means for controlling said character signal generating means for controlling same to generate selected alpha-numeric character signals, said computer being operable to apply said character signals generated to said erasable memory to record said character signals in said memory in a manner to cause selected characters to be generated on said display screen.

6. A system in accordance with claim 5 wherein said character signal generating means includes a manual keyboard for generating selected character signals when the keys thereof are selectively activated.

7. A system in accordance with claim 1 including human operated means connected to said digital computer for generating display control signals for causing said computer to selectively control the display of image information applied to said display means.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said record member contains recordings of display control signals which are operable to be reproduced at selected times during the operating of said record playback means, means for feeding said control signals to said digital computer to cause said digital computer to control the display of video information on said display screen.

9. A system in accordance with claim 1 including manually controlled interaction means for use by a person viewing said display screen to change image information displayed on said display screen, said manually controlled interaction means being operable to generate variable control signals when manually operated and to apply same to said digital computer in changing the image displayed on said display screen.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said manually controlled interaction means comprises a light pen.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10 including a record member having a plurality of different control codes recorded thereon which are selectively readable by said light pen for generating selected video control signals, and means for applying the signals generated by said light pen to said computer for controlling said computer to effect the display of selected information on said display screen.

12. A system in accordance with claim 1 including a television camera for generating video picture signals of images in its scanning field and means controlled by said digital computer for recording information derived from at least one full frame scan of the image field of said television camera in said erasable memory for application to said video receiver and for varying the image displayed on the display screen thereof.

13. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said record member contains a series of full-frame video picture signals recorded thereon and wherein said means for reading said full frame video recordings is operable to read said frame recordings sequentially to permit the frame video picture signals generated to be applied to said erasable memory and to be applied by said erasable memory a frame at a time to said means for generating a sequence of still images on said viewing screen which are viewable as respective still images by a person looking at said viewing screen, said audio recordings being recorded on said record member and reproducable therefrom as said video recordings are read in a manner to generate a series of words of speech on the output of said audio transducing means.

14. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein certain of said full-frame video recordings define graphical representations of an animated cartoon and means for operating said record playback means in a manner to reproduce said video recordings and present them to said erasable memory to provide the visual effect of an animated cartoon to a person viewing said viewing screen of said video receiver.

15. A method of generating audio-visual effects on a video display viewing screen comprising:

(a) computer controlling the operation of a record playback apparatus to selectively generate a plurality of first video display control signals provided in a record member,

(b) computer controlling the recording of said first video display control signals in an erasable memory,

(c) addressing said erasable memory at a fixed frequency to repeatedly generate and apply video display control signals recorded therein to a video display having a low image retention persistency to control the image generating means of said video display to generate a still image on its display screen,

(d) thereafter controlling the operation of said record playback apparatus to cause it to generate a plurality of second video display control signals and applying said second video display control signals to said erasable memory to modify or replace the first video display control signals recorded in said erasable memory with said second video display control signals,

(e) therafter controlling the operation of said erasable memory to generate and apply the video signals derived from said memory to said video display to generate and retain a second still image on its viewing screen which second still image has an image content which is different from that of the first still image displayed thereon, and

(f) repeating steps (d) and (e) a number of times thereafter with respect to other video control signals recorded on said record member of said record playback apparatus.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15 which includes operating said record playback apparatus continuously and reproducing audio signals therefrom as said record playback apparatus operates and reproduces video display control signals and directly applying said audio signals to a transducer to transduce same to sounds as the video display generates still image on its display screen.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15 which includes manually operating a display control means in a manner to effect selected changes in one or more of the images displayed on said display screen.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17 wherein said display controller comprises a light pen which is operated to vary the signals recorded in said erasable memory to effect such selected changes in said images displayed on said display screen.

19. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said record playback apparatus operates continuously to reproduce video signals from said record member, further including operating a manual controller as said playback apparatus operates to selectively vary the content of signals applied to said video display to vary the information displayed by said display.

20. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said record playback apparatus operates intermittently to reproduce video signals from said record member, further including manually controlling said record playback apparatus to reproduce selected video display control signals recorded in said record member.