Video cassette selection machine

• US 4,647,989 A
• Filed: 03/18/1983
• Issued: 03/03/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric J. Geddes
• Original Assignee: Eric J. Geddes
• Inventors: Geddes, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richardson, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US06/476,729
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 358/335, 358/115, 360/69, 360/71, 360/55, 360/92, 369/30, 369/176, 369/178, 369/34, 369/69, 235/381
• US Class Current: 360/55
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/305 for record players
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/689 Control of the cassette changing arrangement
• 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 27/002 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: Y10S 194/906 Video cassette vendor

Abstract

The disclosure being made by the Video Cassette Selection Machine is that of an automated library retrieval system of video tape cassettes combined with the additional features of a complete playback system which include: a cassette player, T.V. unit(s), and speaker system(s). Additional features provided are the ability to exchange the contents of the cassette library with new cassettes in order to expand the scope of the cassette library. A machine memory allows the storage of a number of input selections to be recorded with the machine. The inclusion of a currency monitor requires a monitary compensation.

The complete system is, therefore, one that upon receiving monitary compensation, the selection of one or more video tape cassettes is made from a library of video cassettes. The selected cassettes is then automatically obtained from the cassette library and placed into a cassette player which then communicates the information contained on the cassette to appropriate T.V. and speaker units for the consumption of the selector of the cassette.

Claims

1. An automatic coin operated video cassette library retrieval and playback system for user controlled retrieval and playback of pre-recorded video cassettes comprising:

an enclosure housing a group of video cassettes which comprise said video cassette library, each of said cassettes being individually identifiable by a unique ordinate selection code that defines the location of each cassette,

a coin unit means for receiving, screening, and tabulating coins deposited by the library user,

selection notification means for alerting the user that selection may proceed,

keyboard entry means for enabling the specification and entry of video cassette title selections and transmitting them to a system control selection memory in four bit binary data blocks comprising the said ordinate selection code, said data blocks serving to identify every cassette in the library by row and column position,

motor and solenoid actuated cassette retrieval means for retrieving cassettes specified by said binary data blocks,

central control and processing means for effecting said coin tabulation, notifying the user of the number of selections paid for, receiving said binary data blocks, and activating the cassette retrieval means in response to receipt of said data blocks to retrieve selected video cassettes in serial fashion, and to rewind and return said video cassettes to the cassette library upon completion of playback,

and audio and video reproducing means to facilitate the presentation to the user of sound and video information derived from said video cassettes during playback.