Apparatus and methods for audio tape indexing with data signals recorded in the guard band
First Claim
1. An apparatus for audio tape indexing comprising means for playing an audio program in stereo from two signal tracks, said two signal tracks comprising left and right channel tracks, and means for simultaneously reading data recorded in a guard band interposed between and parallel to said two signal tracks, said data corresponding to the audio in the programs recorded on said two signal tracks.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for providing an indexed audio tape. The method includes the step of recording data in a guard band interposed between and parallel to two signal tracks used to record audio signals on an audio tape. The recorded data is shifted to frequencies higher than the bandwidth of the audio signals. A plurality of programs are recorded onto the two signal tracks with spaces between the programs. A nonaudible program presence signal is recorded onto the two signal tracks coincident with the plurality of programs. The nonaudible program presence signal is not recorded in the spaces between the programs. A program directory is recorded onto the guard band just before the start of each program recorded on the two signal tracks. In an embodiment, text is recorded onto the guard band parallel to and corresponding to audio in the programs recorded on the two signal tracks of the audio tape. Methods and apparatus are provided for reading the directory from the guard band and for accessing a program on the tape using the directory. Methods and apparatus are also provided for playing a program from the two signal tracks on an audio tape and simultaneously reading text from a guard band parallel to and between the two signal tracks, the text corresponding to audio in the programs recorded on the two signal tracks.
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Citations
33 Claims
- 1. An apparatus for audio tape indexing comprising means for playing an audio program in stereo from two signal tracks, said two signal tracks comprising left and right channel tracks, and means for simultaneously reading data recorded in a guard band interposed between and parallel to said two signal tracks, said data corresponding to the audio in the programs recorded on said two signal tracks.
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11. A method for providing indexed audio on a magnetic tape, said magnetic tape comprising a right channel track and a left channel track for recording and reproducing stereo audio signals, comprising the steps of:
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shifting the frequency of data to frequencies higher than the bandwidth of the audio signals;
recording the frequency shifted data in a guard band interposed between and parallel to said right and left channel tracks;recording a plurality of programs onto the left and right channel tracks with spaces on the channel tracks between the programs; and recording a non-audible program presence signal onto the left and right channel tracks coincident with the plurality of programs wherein the nonaudible program presence signal is not recorded in the spaces between the programs. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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- 14. A method for providing an indexed audio tape comprising the steps of playing a program from a left channel track and a right channel track and simultaneously reading text from a guard band parallel to and between the left and right channel tracks, the text corresponding to audio in the programs recorded on the left and right channel tracks.
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17. A method for providing indexed audio on a magnetic tape, said magnetic tape comprising a right channel track and a left channel track for recording and reproducing stereo audio signals, comprising the steps of:
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determining whether the tape is an indexed tape; searching the tape to find an area of the tape with no program presence signal, wherein the program presence signal indicates the presence of a program coincident with the program presence signal; rewinding the tape to a beginning of the area with no program presence signal; and playing the tape at play speed to read directory data from a guard band interposed between and parallel to said right and left channel tracks. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for audio tape indexing comprising:
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two signal tracks on an audio tape used to record a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a program and a directory, the directory in each segment comprising data for accessing other programs recorded on the tape; means for recording a nonaudible program presence signal onto the audio tape, the nonaudible program presence signal being only recorded coincident with the programs recorded on the tape; means for detecting a portion of tape having an absence of the nonaudible program presence signal; means for rewinding to a start of the detected portion of tape having the absence of the nonaudible program presence signal; and means for reading the directory in the portion of tape having the absence of the nonaudible program presence signal. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for audio tape indexing comprising the steps of:
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recording a plurality of segments on two signal tracks on an audio tape, each segment comprising a program and a directory, the directory in each segment comprising data for accessing other programs recorded on the tape; recording a nonaudible program presence signal onto the audio tape, the nonaudible program presence signal being only recorded coincident with the programs recorded on the tape; detecting a portion of tape having an absence of the nonaudible program presence signal; rewinding to a start of the detected portion of tape having the absence of the nonaudible program presence signal; and reading the directory in the portion of tape having the absence of the nonaudible program presence signal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification