Multiple display presentation system capable of sequencing prerecorded scenes for joint reproduction

• US 5,335,081 A
• Filed: 10/13/1993
• Issued: 08/02/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TEAC Corporation
• Original Assignee: TEAC Corporation
• Inventors: Morioka, Yasuji, Yamaguchi, Hirohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/135,855
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• Field of Search: 358/335, 358/342, 358/341, 358/343, 358/311, 360/14.1, 360/13, 360/15, 360/14.3, 348/36, 348/38
• US Class Current: 386/286
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/937 by assembling picture element blocks in an intermediate store

Abstract

A set of displays are juxtaposed for jointly reproducing, either in still or in continuous motion, successive sets of correlated scenes according to a desired, and readily modifiable, presentation program. The correlated scenes to be reproduced by the displays are retrieved by video disk players from a set of video disks each having a multiplicity of individually addressable record tracks. A system controller is provided which has a rewritable memory for storing a presentation program including the addresses of desired record tracks on each video disks from which the prerecorded scenes are to be retrieved by one associated disk player in a desired sequence, and playback commands indicative of whether the prerecorded scenes on the desired record tracks are to be reproduced in still or in continuous motion. The system controller reads the presentation program on the memory for controlling the disk players according to the presentation program, causing each disk player to retrieve the prerecorded scenes from the desired record tracks on one associated video disk in the desired sequence, for reproduction on one of the displays either in still or in continuous motion as dictated by the presentation program. The presentation program is therefore readily modifiable by rewriting on the memory.

Claims

1. A visual presentation system capable of visually presenting successive sets of correlated scenes according to a desired presentation program, said correlated scenes being recorded on a plurality of record media, comprising:

(a) a plurality of playback devices associated one with each record medium for retrieving prerecorded scenes therefrom, each record medium having a multiplicity of record tracks on which the correlated scenes are prerecorded along with addresses individually identifying the record tracks;

(b) a plurality of displays connected to the playback devices for jointly reproducing successive sets of the prerecorded scenes retrieved from the plurality of record media by the playback devices, the plural displays being disposed in juxtaposition; and

(c) a system controller connected to the playback devices and having a memory for storing a presentation program, the presentation program including the addresses of desired record tracks on each record medium from which the prerecorded scenes are to be retrieved by one associated device in a desired sequence, the system controller reading the presentation program on the memory for controlling the playback devices according to the presentation program so as to cause each playback device to retrieve the prerecorded scenes from the desired record tracks on one associated record medium in the desired sequence;

wherein the presentation program has a series of steps, each step representing addresses and playback commands for one set of correlated scenes jointly reproduced on the displays, wherein the presentation program written on the memory includes data representing moments of time when the successive steps of the presentation program are to be started, and wherein the visual presentation system further comprises a timer connected to the system controller for providing a time signal, the system controller including means responsive to the time signal to read the successive steps of the presentation program on the memory at the moments of time specified by the presentation program; and

further comprising;

switching means for connecting each playback device to any of the displays;

a monitor display connected to the system controller for visually reproducing the presentation program on the memory; and

input means connected to the system controller for rewriting the presentation program on the memory.

5. The visual presentation system of any one of claims 1-4 wherein the presentation program has a series of steps each representing one set of correlated scenes jointly reproduced on the displays, wherein the presentation program written on the memory includes source commands indicative of desired connections to be established by the switching means between the playback devices and the displays in each step of the presentation program, and wherein the system controller is connected to the switching means for controlling connections between the playback devices and the displays according to the source commands of the presentation program.

2. A visual presentation system capable of visually presenting successive sets of correlated scenes according to a desired presentation program, said correlated scenes being recorded on a plurality of record media, comprising:

(a) a plurality of playback devices associated one with each record medium for retrieving prerecorded scenes therefrom, each record medium having a multiplicity of record tracks on which the correlated scenes are prerecorded along with addresses individually identifying the record tracks;

(b) a plurality of displays connected to the playback devices for jointly reproducing successive sets of the prerecorded scenes retrieved from the plurality of record media by the playback devices, the plural displays being disposed in juxtaposition; and

(c) a system controller connected to the playback devices and having a memory for storing a presentation program, the presentation program including the addresses of desired record tracks on each record medium from which the prerecorded scenes are to be retrieved by one associated playback device in a desired sequence, the system controller reading the presentation program on the memory for controlling the playback devices according to the presentation program so as to cause each playback device to retrieve the prerecorded scenes from the desired record tracks on one associated record medium in the desired sequence;

wherein the presentation program has a series of steps each representing one set of correlated scenes jointly reproduced on the displays, wherein the record media include a preselected record medium from which all the prerecorded scenes are to be retrieved continuously in the order of the successive record tracks thereon for continuous reproduction, wherein the presentation program written on the memory includes the addresses of preselected record tracks on the preselected record medium where the successive steps of the presentation program are to be started, and wherein the visual presentation system further comprises an address detector circuit connected to one playback device associated with the preselected record medium for detecting the address of the successive record tracks on the preselected record medium from which the prerecorded scenes are being retrieved, the system controller being connected to the address detector circuit for reading the successive steps of the presentation program on the memory on the basis of the detected addresses of the record tracks on the preselected record medium; and

further comprising;

switching means for connecting each playback device to any of the displays;

a monitor display connected to the system controller for visually reproducing the presentation program on the memory; and

input means connected to the system controller for rewriting the presentation program on the memory.

3. A visual presentation system capable of visually presenting, either in still or in continuous motion, successive sets of correlated scenes according to a desired presentation program, said correlated scenes being recorded on a plurality of record media, comprising:

(a) a plurality of playback devices associated one with each record medium for retrieving prerecorded scenes therefrom, each record medium having a multiplicity of record tracks on which the correlated scenes are prerecorded along with addresses individually identifying the record tracks;

(b) a plurality of displays connected to the playback devices for jointly reproducing, either in still or in continuous motion, successive sets of the prerecorded scenes retrieved from the plurality of record media by the playback devices, the plural displays disposed in juxtaposition; and

(c) a system controller connected to the playback devices and having a memory for storing a presentation program, the presentation program including the addresses of desired record tracks on each record medium from which the prerecorded scenes are to be retrieved by one associated playback device in a desired sequence, and playback commands indicative of whether the prerecorded scenes on the desired record tracks are to be reproduced in still or in continuous motion, the system controller reading the presentation program on the memory for controlling the playback devices according to the presentation program so as to cause each playback device to retrieve the prerecorded scenes from the desired record tracks on one associated record medium in the desired sequence, for reproduction on one of the displays either in still or in continuous motion as dictated by the presentation program;

wherein the presentation program has a series of steps, each step representing addresses and playback commands for one set of correlated scenes jointly reproduced on the displays, wherein the presentation program written on the memory includes data representing moments of time when the successive steps of the presentation program are to be started, and wherein the visual presentation system further comprises a timer connected to the system controller for providing a time signal, the system controller including means responsive to the time signal to read the successive steps of the presentation program on the memory at the moments of time specified by the presentation program; and

further comprising;

switching means for connecting each playback device to any of the displays;

a monitor display connected to the system controller for visually reproducing the presentation program on the memory; and

input means connected to the system controller for rewriting the presentation program on the memory.

4. A visual presentation system capable of visually presenting, either in still or in continuous motion, successive sets of correlated scenes according to a desired presentation program, said correlated scenes being recorded on a plurality of record media, comprising:

(a) a plurality of playback devices associated one with each record medium for retrieving prerecorded scenes therefrom, each record medium having a multiplicity of record tracks on which the correlated scenes are prerecorded along with addresses individually identifying the record tracks;

(b) a plurality of displays connected to the playback devices for jointly reproducing, either in still or in continuous motion, successive sets of the prerecorded scenes retrieved from the plurality of record media by the playback devices, the plural displays disposed in juxtaposition; and

(c) a system controller connected to the playback devices and having a memory for storing a presentation program, the presentation program including the addresses of desired record tracks on each record medium from which the prerecorded scenes are to be retrieved by one associated playback device in a desired sequence, and playback commands indicative of whether the prerecorded scenes on the desired record tracks are to be reproduced in still or in continuous motion, the system controller reading the presentation program on the memory for controlling the playback devices according to the presentation program so as to cause each playback device to retrieve the prerecorded scenes from the desired record tracks on one associated record medium in the desired sequence, for reproduction on one of the displays either in still or in continuous motion as dictated by the presentation program;

wherein the presentation program has a series of steps each representing one set of correlated scenes jointly reproduced on the displays, wherein the record media include a preselected record medium from which all the prerecorded scenes are to be retrieved continuously in the order of the successive record tracks thereon for continuous reproduction, wherein the presentation program written on the memory includes the addresses of preselected record tracks on the preselected record medium where the successive steps of the presentation program are to be started, and wherein the visual presentation system further comprises an address detector circuit connected to one playback device associated with the preselected record medium for detecting the addresses of the successive record tracks on the preselected record medium from which the prerecorded scenes are being retrieved, the system controller being connected to the address detector circuit for reading the successive steps of the presentation program on the memory on the basis of the detected addresses of the record tracks on the preselected record medium; and

further comprising;

switching means for connecting each playback device to any of the displays;

a monitor display connected to the system controller for visually reproducing the presentation program on the memory; and

input means connected to the system controller for rewriting the presentation program on the memory.