System for control of a video storage means by a programmed processor
First Claim
1. A circuit for reading digital data from and for writing digital data to a video cassette tape of a video cassette recorder (VCR) having a plurality of manually operated switches, said circuit comprising:
- means for inputting digital data from a data channel and for outputting digital data to said data channel;
means for decoding said input data into commands and data, said decoding means generating a write command causing digital data from said data channel to be written on said cassette tape, a read command causing digital data from said cassette tape to be read by said data channel, and operational commands causing functional operation of said VCR;
said decoding means including;
a shift register for transforming a serial command into a parallel command word, said shift register inputting said serial command as a plurality of bits from said input data and generating said command word from its outputs;
means for clocking said shift register with a predetermined number of clocking pulses in order to input a serial command of that number of bits, wherein said clocking means is enabled by the first bit of a command and is disabled by a counter means which counts the number of clocking pulses applied to said shift register;
a run monostable which is set by the receipt of input data and generates a run signal to enable said clocking means, said run monostable being continuously retriggered by incoming data until an entire command has been received and then timing out, said run monostable generating a halt signal upon timing out disabling the clocking means, clearing said shift register, and resetting said counter means;
a character decoder for decoding bit positions of said command word into strobe signals on control lines;
said decoding means generating said read command on one of said control lines, said write command on another of said control lines, and said operational commands on other of said control lines;
a plurality of relays, each having a coil and switch contacts;
wherein said control lines generating said operational signals are each coupled to one of said plurality of relays such that each control line drives the coil of a corresponding relay and each relay has its switch contacts connected in parallel across one of said manually operated switches of the VCR;
means for writing said digital input data on said cassette tape in response to said write command;
means for reading said digital output data from said cassette tape in response to said read command;
a read bistable which can be set by the read command and whose output enables said means for reading; and
means for operating said video cassette recorder in response to an operational command.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for control of a video storage device by a programmed processor. A preferred implementation illustrates a tutorial system including a personal computer as the programmed processor, a video cassette recorder as the video storage device, a video monitor, and an interface and control circuit for communication and control among the system elements. Under control of the personal computer audio, video, and digital data can be read from or written to any location on a video tape of the video cassette recorder. The system uses this capability to store a plurality of video segments and audio segments on the video tape relating to a story board. Additionally stored on the tape is a programmed index in digital form indicating the storyboard sequence of the video segments and their locations on the tape. An interactive teaching program run on the personal computer reads the index and plays the video segments in the story board sequence. The teaching program interacts with a student via prompts and questions and is adapted to change the display sequence of the video segments in response to his answers.
386 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A circuit for reading digital data from and for writing digital data to a video cassette tape of a video cassette recorder (VCR) having a plurality of manually operated switches, said circuit comprising:
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means for inputting digital data from a data channel and for outputting digital data to said data channel; means for decoding said input data into commands and data, said decoding means generating a write command causing digital data from said data channel to be written on said cassette tape, a read command causing digital data from said cassette tape to be read by said data channel, and operational commands causing functional operation of said VCR; said decoding means including; a shift register for transforming a serial command into a parallel command word, said shift register inputting said serial command as a plurality of bits from said input data and generating said command word from its outputs; means for clocking said shift register with a predetermined number of clocking pulses in order to input a serial command of that number of bits, wherein said clocking means is enabled by the first bit of a command and is disabled by a counter means which counts the number of clocking pulses applied to said shift register; a run monostable which is set by the receipt of input data and generates a run signal to enable said clocking means, said run monostable being continuously retriggered by incoming data until an entire command has been received and then timing out, said run monostable generating a halt signal upon timing out disabling the clocking means, clearing said shift register, and resetting said counter means; a character decoder for decoding bit positions of said command word into strobe signals on control lines; said decoding means generating said read command on one of said control lines, said write command on another of said control lines, and said operational commands on other of said control lines; a plurality of relays, each having a coil and switch contacts; wherein said control lines generating said operational signals are each coupled to one of said plurality of relays such that each control line drives the coil of a corresponding relay and each relay has its switch contacts connected in parallel across one of said manually operated switches of the VCR; means for writing said digital input data on said cassette tape in response to said write command; means for reading said digital output data from said cassette tape in response to said read command; a read bistable which can be set by the read command and whose output enables said means for reading; and means for operating said video cassette recorder in response to an operational command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification