Cassette adapter for signal playback apparatus

• US 5,307,326 A
• Filed: 04/21/1992
• Issued: 04/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Osawa, Shoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, TAN X
• Application Number:
  US07/871,683
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 369/2, 369/11, 369/289, 369/137, 369/1, 369/4, 369/5, 369/3, 369/292
• US Class Current: 369/2
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/049 Cassettes for special applications not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/20 for coupling gramophone pick-up, recorder output, or microphone to receiver

Abstract

A cassette adapter has a cassette which is inserted into a cassette insertion portion of a signal playback device. The cassette is provided with an operation state detection means and a control signal output means. An acoustic device is controlled corresponding to an operation state on the basis of the signal detected with the control signal output means, thereby controlling the operation of the acoustic device in synchronization with the playback device.

Claims

1. A cassette adapter for use with a cassette player and an audio signal playback apparatus provided with an audio signal output terminal and an external control terminal comprising:

coupling means for coupling said audio signal playback apparatus with said cassette player and for transferring audio signal therebetween;

signal transferring means for transferring signals between the audio signal playback apparatus and the cassette player;

operation detecting means, including a rotatable hub, for detecting the operation mode of the cassette player; and

control signal generating means, operatively coupled with said operation detecting means, for generating a control signal which is supplied by way of said signal transferring means to the external control terminal of said audio playback apparatus for automatically controlling the operation of said audio signal playback apparatus in synchronization with the operation of said cassette player.

2. The cassette adapter according to claim 1, wherein said operation detecting means generates a signal when said hub is rotated in conjunction with the operation of said cassette player.

3. The cassette adapter according to claim 1, wherein said control signal stops said audio signal playback apparatus when said cassette player is inactive.

4. The cassette adapter according to claim 1, wherein said control signal switches off said audio signal playback apparatus when said cassette player is inactive.

5. The cassette adapter according to claim 1, wherein said transferring means comprises a cable which extends from said cassette adapter body and a connector to connect with the audio signal output terminal and the external control terminal of said audio signal playback apparatus.

6. The cassette adapter according to claim 1, wherein said coupling means further comprises transducing means for establishing a magnetic coupling with a magnetic head of said cassette player.

7. An adapter arrangement for operatively interconnecting a cassette player and a separate source of audio signal, comprising:

a cassette-shaped body which can be inserted into the cassette player in lieu of a cassette;

transducer means, disposed in said cassette shaped body, for establishing an operative connection with a play head of the cassette player;

control signal generating means, disposed in said cassette shaped body and responsive to the operation of said cassette player, for generating a control signal which is indicative of the mode of operation of the cassette player and which is used for controlling the mode of operation of the separate source of audio signal so that the mode of operation of the separate source of audio signal changes synchronously with a change in cassette player mode; and

cable means, including a connector which can be plugged into the separate source of audio signal, for transferring an audio signal from the separate source of audio signal to said transducer means and for transferring said control signal from said signal generating means to the separate source of audio signal.

8. An adapter arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said control signal generating means comprises:

first and second hubs which are rotatably supported in said cassette-shaped body and which are operatively connected so as to rotate synchronously with another;

a rotatable member which is operatively connected with said first and second hubs; and

electrode means coupled with said rotatable member for producing pulses in response to the rotation of said rotatable member.

9. An adapter arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said connector includes first and second essentially parallel pins which are arranged to be received in an audio signal output terminal and an external control terminal, respectively, of the separate source of audio signal.

10. An adapter arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the separate source of audio signal comprises a compact disc player.