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Video time-shifting apparatus

  • US 5,701,383 A
  • Filed: 02/14/1995
  • Issued: 12/23/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Video time-shifting apparatus, comprising:

  • an input to receive a video program from a source of such programs;

    a video output to view the program on an associated display device;

    video record/playback means, including;

    a storage medium having a plurality of circular recording surfaces, each with a spiral recording track having start-of-track and end-of-track positions,a plurality of write heads to record information representative of the video program as the program is received, each write head being associated with a different recording surface and associated spiral recording track,means for moving the write heads in controlled fashion relative to their respective recording surfaces and tracks, with the apparatus automatically terminating recording with respect to a given write head upon reaching one of the start-of-track or end-of-track positions, while immediately initiating recording with a different write head, so as to effectively link the different spiral recording tracks into a continuous track for recording and playback purposes, anda read head in communication with the video output which is capable of accessing the continuous recording track asynchronously from the write heads;

    a memory for storing information relating to points in the program; and

    a user control in communication with the video record/playback means and the memory, the user control being operative to;

    cause the memory to store information relating to a particular point in the program as it is received and begin playback from that point after a delay, thereby outputting a time-shifted version of the program which simulates a PAUSE/RESUME function.

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