Audio-video system

• US 5,426,510 A
• Filed: 06/05/1992
• Issued: 06/20/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clover Technologies Group LLC (4L Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dolman Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Meredith, Anthony R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britton, Howard W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US07/894,407
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 358/93, 358/108, 358/181, 358/342, 358/341, 358/343, 358/311, 360/5, 360/33.1, 360/14.1, 360/137, 360/35.1
• US Class Current: 386/223
• 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: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• 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: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A judicial audio-video system 10 is disclosed for use in a typical courtroom 12. System 10 includes several cameras 28, 30, 32, 34, and 36 and several microphones 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, and 54 which are deployed within the courtroom 12. System 10 further includes a control system 38 having several video cassette recorders 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, adapted to record various events occurring within courtroom 12. System 10 further includes a local controller 60 which is adapted to allow a judge, or other court official, to easily control the manner in which the events are recorded.

Claims

1. An audio and video recording system comprising:

a plurality of microphones adapted to generate certain audio signals;

a plurality of cameras adapted to generate certain video signals;

a plurality of recorders, coupled to said plurality of microphones and to said plurality of cameras, said plurality of recorders being adapted to receivably record said certain audio and video signals;

control means, coupled to said plurality of recorders for defining actions including selectively rewinding a first of said plurality of recorders, selectively preventing said first of said plurality of recorders from receiving said audio and video signals and selectively causing audio and video signals that have been previously recorded by said first of said plurality of recorders to be recorded by said second of said plurality of recorders, and for allowing only certain of said defined actions to occur at a predetermined time, said control means further including

a plurality of lighted and depressible switches,

said control means further being adapted to uniquely associate each of said defined actions with at least one of said plurality of lighted and depressible switches and said control means further comprising,

means for indicating which of said lighted and depressible switches represent at least one valid, defined action, said indicating means including

a depressible, next switch which when depressed causes to blink those lighted and depressible switches which, if selected next, represent said at least one valid, defined action,

said control means being further adapted to perform one of said valid, defined actions, said one of said valid, defined actions being selected by depressing one of said blinking lighted and depressible switches.

2. The audio and video recording system of claim 1, further comprising time and date generation means, coupled to said plurality of video recorders, for recordably placing a time and a date upon each of said audio and video signals.

3. The audio and video recording system of claim 1 further comprising at least one monitor coupled to said plurality of video recorders, said at least one monitor being adapted to display said recorded events.

4. The audio and visual recording system of claim 1 further comprising mute means, coupled to each of said plurality of cameras and to each of said plurality of microphones for selectively preventing at least one of said microphones and at least one of said cameras from generating said respective first and second signals.

5. The audio and visual recording system of claim 1 further comprising encoder and decoder means for ascertaining faults within said audio and video system.

6. The audio and visual recording system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of speakers adapted to receive said certain audio signals and to generate sounds that are substantially similar to said received certain audio signals.