Apparatus and method for automatically deleting selected program intervals from recorded television broadcasts

• US 4,750,052 A
• Filed: 02/13/1981
• Issued: 06/07/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Samelson, Quentin B., Poppy, Dwight J.
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHARDSON, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US06/234,131
• Time in Patent Office: 2,671 Days
• Field of Search: 360/33, 360/9-11, 360/14, 360/35, 360/69, 360/71, 358/127, 358/10, 358/139, 358/160, 358/165-167, 358/185, 358/188, 358/198, 358/908, 358/335, 369/50
• US Class Current: 386/278
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• 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: Y10S 358/908 Pause control, i.e. "commercial killers"

Abstract

A commercial eliminator and method for use with a video cassette recorder enables recording of the program content of a broadcast television signal while automatically eliminating all commercial intervals therefrom. The commercial eliminator comprises a detector for identifying the beginning and end of each commercial interval of the television signal and apparatus responsive thereto for operating the video recorder for advancing the video tape for recording the program content together with each commercial interval of the television signal and for rewinding the video tape substantially immediately after each of the commercial intervals has been recorded such that the next occurring commercial interval or program material is recorded thereover.

Claims

1. For use with a video recorder operable for recording a television signal on a video tape, said television signal defining a series of first program intervals each having a duration exceeding a predetermined duration and separated from each other by one or more (commercial) second program intervals each having a duration less than said predetermined duration, the method comprising:

responsive to said television signal, developing a control signal defining each transition between adjacent ones of said program (detecting the beginning and end of each of said commercial) intervals; and

responsive to said control signal (detecting), advancing said video tape for recording each of said first and second program (and commercial) intervals, and rewinding said video tape substantially immediately after each of said second program (commercial) intervals have been recorded such that the next occurring first and second (commercial or) program interval is recorded thereover.

2. For use with a video recorder operable for recording a television signal on a video tape, said television signal defining a series of first program intervals each having a duration exceeding a predetermined duration and separated from each other by one or more (commercial) second program intervals each having a duration less than said predetermined duration, the method comprising:

responsive to said television signal, developing a control (detection) signal defining each transition between adjacent ones of said program (identifying the beginning and end of each of said commercial) intervals;

defining a reference position of said video tape in response to a (representing) first one of said control (detection) signals defining a transition between adjacent first and second program intervals (developed in response to a consecutively occurring group of one or more of said commercial intervals);

advancing said video tape for recording (each of said) the program (and commercial intervals) interval occurring immediately after said first control signal; and

rewinding said video tape to said reference position only if the recorded program interval comprises one of said second program intervals (in response to each of the detection signals developed in response to said consecutively occurring group of commercial intervals other than said first detection signal).

3. For use with a video recorder operable for recording a television signal on a video tape, said television signal defining a series of first program intervals each having a duration exceeding a predetermined duration and separated from each other by one or more (commercial) second program intervals each having a duration less than said predetermined duration, the method comprising:

responsive to said television signal, developing a control (detection) signal defining each transition between adjacent ones of said program (identifying the beginning and end of each of said commercial) intervals;

defining in response to each of said control signals a predetermined timing interval corresponding to said predetermined duration;

generating a tape rewind signal in response to each of said control (detection) signals which occurs (occurring) within the (said) predetermined timing (time) interval defined by (after) the immediately preceding one of said control (detection) signals;

defining a reference position of said video tape in response to (representing) each of said control (detection) signals which occurs (occurring) outside the (said) predetermined timing (time) interval defined by (after) the immediately preceding one of said control (detection) signals;

advancing said video tape for recording each of said first and second program (and commercial) intervals; and

rewinding said video tape to said reference position in response to each of said tape rewind signals.

4. In a video recorder operable for recording a television signal on a video tape, said television signal defining a series of first program intervals each having a duration exceeding a predetermined duration and separated from each other by one or more (commercial) second program intervals each having a duration less than said predetermined duration, the improvement comprising:

means responsive to said television signal for developing a control signal defining each transition between adjacent ones of said program (detecting the beginning and end of each of said commercial) intervals; and

means responsive to said control signal (detecting means) for operating said video recorder for advancing said video tape for recording each of said first and second program (and commercial) intervals and for rewinding said video tape substantially immediately after each of said second program (commercial) intervals have been recorded such that the next occurring first or second (commercial or) program interval is recorded thereover.

5. In a video recorder operable for recording a television signal on a video tape, said television signal defining a series of first program intervals each having a duration exceeding a predetermined duration and separated from each other by one or more (commercial) second program intervals each having a duration less than said predetermined duration, the improvement comprising:

means responsive to said television signal for developing a control signal defining each transition between adjacent ones of said program (detecting the beginning and end of each of said commercial) intervals;

means defining a reference position of said video tape (representing the) in response to a first one of said (detection) control signals defining a transition between adjacent first and second program intervals (developed in response to a consecutively occurring group of one or more of said commercial intervals); and

means operating said video recorder for advancing said video tape for recording (each of said) the program (and commercial intervals) interval occurring immediately after said first control signal and for thereafter rewinding said video tape to said reference position only if the recorded program interval comprises one of said second program intervals (in response to each of the detection signals developed in response to said consecutively occurring group of commercial intervals other than said first detection signal).

6. In a video recorder operable for recording a television signal on a video tape, said television signal defining a series of first program intervals each having a duration exceeding a predetermined duration and separated from each other by one or more (commercial) second program intervals each having a duration less than said predetermined duration, the improvement comprising:

means responsive to said television signal for developing a control signal defining each transition between adjacent ones of said program (detecting the beginning and end of each of said commercial) intervals;

means responsive to each of said control signals for defining a predetermined timing interval corresponding to said predetermined duration;

means generating a tape rewind signal in response to each of said control (detection) signals which occurs (occurring) within the (said) predetermined (time) timing interval defined by (after) the immediately preceding one of said control (detection) signals;

means defining a reference position of said video tape in response to (representing) each of said control (detection) signals which occurs (occurring) outside (said) the predetermined timing (time) interval defined by (after) the immediately preceding one of said control (detection) signals;

and

means operating said video recorder for advancing said video tape for recording each of said first and second program (and commercial) intervals and for rewinding said video tape to said reference position in response to each of said tape rewind signals.

7. In a video recorder including tape drive means operable for advancing a video tape for recording a television signal and also operable for rewinding the video tape, said television signal defining a series of first program intervals each having a duration exceeding a predetermined duration and separated from each other by one or more second program intervals each having a duration less than said predetermined duration, the improvement comprising:

means responsive to said television signal for developing a control signal defining each transition between adjacent ones of said program intervals;

means responsive to each of said control signals for defining a predetermined timing interval corresponding to said predetermined duration;

means defining a reference position of said video tape in response to each of said control signals which occurs outside the predetermined timing interval defined by the immediately preceding one of said control signals;

control means responsive to said control signals for generating a tape advance signal adapted for operating said video recorder for recording each of said first and second program intervals and for generating a tape rewind signal adapted for operating said video recorder for rewinding said video tape to said reference position in response to each of said control signals which occurs within the predetermined timing interval defined by the immediately preceding one of said control signals; and

conductor means for hard-wire coupling said tape advance and rewind signals to the tape drive means of said video recorder.

8. In a video recorder including tape drive means operable for advancing a video tape for recording a television signal and also operable for rewinding the video tape, said video recorder developing a timing signal comprising a sequence of control pulses representing video tape motion, said television signal defining a series of first program intervals each having a duration exceeding a predetermined duration and separated from each other by one or more second program intervals each having a duration less than said predetermined duration, the improvement comprising:

means responsive to said television signal for developing a control signal defining each transition between adjacent ones of said program intervals;

means responsive to each of said control signals for defining a predetermined timing interval corresponding to said predetermined duration;

counting means for assuming a selected state defining a reference position of said video tape in response to each of said control signals which occurs outside the predetermined timing interval defined by the immediately preceding one of said control signals;

control means responsive to said control signals for generating a tape advance signal adapted for operating said video recorder for recording each of said first and second program intervals while operating said counting means for counting said control pulses in a forward direction and responsive to each of said control signals which occurs within the predetermined timing interval defined by the immediately preceding one of said control signals for generating a tape rewind signal adapted for operating said video recorder for rewinding said video tape while operating said counting means for counting said control pulses in a reverse direction until said selected state defining said reference position of said video tape is achieved; and

conductor means for hard-wire coupling said tape advance and rewind signals to the tape drive of said video recorder.

9. In a video recorder including tape drive means operable for advancing a video tape for recording a television signal and also operable for rewinding the video tape, said television signal defining a series of first program intervals each having a duration exceeding a predetermined duration and separated from each other by one or more second program intervals each having a duration less than said predetermined duration, the improvement comprising:

means responsive to said television signal for developing a control signal defining each transition between adjacent ones of said program intervals;

means responsive to each of said control signals for defining a predetermined timing interval corresponding to said predetermined duration;

means magnetically recording an index signal on said video tape defining a reference position thereof in response to each of said control signals which occurs outside the predetermined timing interval defined by the immediately preceding one of said control signals;

control means responsive to said control signals for generating a tape advance signal adapted for operating said video recorder for recording each of said first and second program intervals and responsive to each of said control signals which occurs within the predetermined timing interval defined by the immediately preceding one of said control signals for generating a tape rewind signal adapted for operating said video recorder for rewinding said video tape while magnetically reading the tape until said index signal is detected; and

conductor means for hard-wire coupling said tape advance and rewind signals to the tape drive means of said video recorder.