Multi-deck video cassette recorder system

• US 5,796,538 A
• Filed: 12/28/1995
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dongbu Daewoo Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Daewoo Electronics (Government of South Korea)
• Inventors: Kwon, Ki-Ha, Ji, Byung-Lee, Sim, Yong-Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Psitos, Aristotelis M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Faber, Alan
• Application Number:
  US08/580,236
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 360/15, 360/92, 360/69, 360/71, 360/74.1, 360/62, 360/61, 369/34, 369/35, 369/84, 395/154, 395/404, 395/806, 395/508, 395/510
• US Class Current: 360/71
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/023 remotely controlled
• 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

Abstract

An improved multi-deck VCR system for performing a combination operation and a series playback operation comprises at least three VCR units, a remote control unit for selecting one of a variety operating modes to drive the VCR units in accordance with a selected operation mode, a combination of a first switch and a mode conversion circuit for effecting the combination operation wherein a particular one of the VCR units operates in a playback mode and the remaining VCR units are simultaneously driven in a recording mode and a combination of a second switch and a sequential logic circuit for effecting the series playback operation wherein each of the VCR units is sequentially and repeatedly driven in the playback mode.

Claims

1. A multi-deck video cassette recorder ("VCR") system having at least three VCR units and a corresponding number of controllers, each controller driving a corresponding VCR unit in a selected one of a plurality of operation modes including at least a recording mode and a playback mode, said system comprising:

a remote control unit for selecting one of said recording mode and playback mode and then generating a recording mode voltage signal if the recording mode is selected and a playback mode voltage signal if the playback mode is selected;

an analog-to-digital ("A/D") converter for providing either one of a recording mode signal and a playback mode signal by converting said recording mode voltage signal into the recording mode signal if the recording mode voltage signal is inputted thereto from the remote control unit, and converting the playback mode voltage signal into the playback mode signal if the playback mode voltage signal is inputted thereto from the remote control unit;

a first user-controlled switch for generating a combination operation selection signal in response to the recording mode signal from the A/D converter;

means, in response to the combination operation selection signal, for changing the code arrangement of the recording mode signal to thereby provide a quasi playback mode signal having a set of binary codes with a predetermined code arrangement identical to that of the playback mode signal, wherein the playback mode signal causes a predetermined one of the VCR units to be driven in the playback mode and the recording mode signal causes the remaining VCR units to be driven in the recording mode simultaneously;

a second user-controlled switch for generating a series playback operation selection signal in response to the playback mode signal from the A/D converter; and

means, in response to the series playback operation selection signal, for sequentially and repeatedly providing a playback start signal to the controllers in a predetermined order such that a series playback operation of the VCR units is effected, each controller driving a corresponding VCR unit in the playback mode when the playback start signal is transmitted thereto, wherein

said means for sequentially and repeatedly providing the playback start signal includes;

sensing means for detecting the completion of the playback operation of a VCR unit to produce a playback completion detection signal;

means for generating the playback start signal in response to the playback completion detection signal;

detecting means for detecting and generating a detection signal in case there is no tape cassette is loaded in the corresponding VCR unit; and

means for relaying the playback start signal to a control means of a next VCR unit in the predetermined order in response to the detection signal.

2. In a multi-deck video cassette recorder ("VCR") system including at least three VCR units and a corresponding number of controllers, each controller driving a corresponding VCR unit in a selected one of operation modes including a recording mode and a playback mode:

a remote control unit for selecting one of a recording mode and a playback mode from among a plurality of operation modes, and then generating a recording mode voltage signal if the recording mode is selected and a playback mode voltage signal if the playback mode is selected;

an analogue-to-digital ("A/D") converter for providing one of a recording mode signal and a playback mode signal by converting the recording mode voltage signal into the recording mode signal if the recording mode voltage signal is inputted thereto from the remote control unit, and converting the playback mode voltage signal into the playback mode signal if the playback mode voltage signal is inputted thereto from the remote control unit; and

an apparatus for performing a series playback operation wherein each of the VCR units is sequentially and repeatedly driven in the playback mode selected by the remote control unit,

the improvement wherein the apparatus comprises;

a user-controlled switch for generating a series playback operation selection signal in response to the playback mode signal from the A/D converter; and

means, in response to the series playback operation selection signal, for sequentially and repeatedly providing a playback start signal to the controllers in a predetermined order such that a series playback operation of the VCR units is effected, each controller driving a corresponding VCR unit in the playback mode when the playback start signal is transmitted thereto,

wherein said means for sequentially and repeatedly providing the playback start signal includes;

sensing means for detecting the completion of the playback operation of a VCR unit to produce a playback completion detection signal;

means for generating the playback start signal in response to the playback completion detection signal;

detecting means for detecting and generating a detection signal in case there is no tape cassette loaded in the corresponding VCR unit; and

means for relaying the playback start signal to a control means of a next VCR unit in the predetermined order in response to the detection signal.

3. A multi-deck video cassette recorder ("VCR") system including at least three VCR units and having a corresponding number of controllers, each controller driving a corresponding VCR unit in a selected one of operation modes including a recording mode and a playback mode, which comprises:

a mode selection signal input device to provide either one of a recording mode signal and a playback mode signal, said mode selection signal input device including;

a remote control unit for selecting either one of a recording mode and a playback mode among a variety of operation modes including a recording mode and a playback mode and then generating a recording mode voltage signal when the recording mode is selected, and a playback mode voltage signal when the playback mode is selected; and

an analogue-to-digital ("A/D") converter for converting the recording mode voltage signal into the recording mode signal when the recording mode voltage signal is inputted thereto from the remote control unit and the playback mode voltage signal into the playback mode signal when the playback mode voltage signal is inputted thereto from the remote control unit, thereby providing either one of the recording mode signal and the playback mode signal,

conversion means for converting the recording mode signal into a quasi playback mode signal, said conversion means including;

a first user-controlled switch for generating a combination operation selection signal in response to the recording mode signal from the A/D converter; and

means, in response to the combination operation selection signal, for changing the code arrangement of the recording mode signal to thereby provide the quasi playback mode signal;

a second user-controlled switch for generating a series playback operation selection signal in response to the playback mode signal from the A/D converter; and

means, in response to the series playback operation selection signal, for sequentially and repeatedly providing a playback start signal to the controllers in a predetermined order while performing the series playback operation of the VCR units, wherein each controller drives a corresponding VCR unit in the playback mode when the playback start signal is transmitted thereto, wherein

the quasi playback mode signal is inputted to a predetermined one of the VCR units and the recording mode signal is inputted to the remaining VCR units at the same time, wherein the quasi playback mode signal makes the predetermined one of the VCR units to be driven in the playback mode and the recording mode signal makes the remaining VCR units to be driven in the recording mode, respectively, and the quasi playback mode signal has a set of binary codes with a predetermined code arrangement identical to that of the playback mode signal, and

said means for sequentially and repeatedly providing the playback start signal includes;

sensing means for detecting the completion of the playback operation of a VCR unit to produce a playback completion detection signal;

means for generating the playback start signal in response to the playback completion detection signal;

detecting means for detecting and generating a detection signal in case there is no tape cassette loaded in the VCR unit; and

means for relaying the playback start signal to a control means of a next VCR unit in the predetermined order in response to the detection signal.

4. A multi-deck video cassette recorder ("VCR") system including at least three VCR units, each VCR unit having a corresponding controller, each controller driving a corresponding VCR unit in a selected one of operation modes including a recording mode and a playback mode, which comprises:

a mode selection signal input device to provide either one of a recording mode signal and a playback mode signal, said mode selection signal input device including;

a remote control unit for selecting either one of a recording mode and a playback mode among a variety of operation modes including a recording mode and a playback mode and then generating a recording mode voltage signal when the recording mode is selected and a playback mode voltage signal when the playback mode is selected, and

an analogue-to-digital ("A/D") converter for converting the recording mode voltage signal into the recording mode signal when the recording mode voltage signal is generated from the remote control unit and the playback mode voltage signal into the playback mode signal when the playback mode voltage signal is generated from the remote control unit, thereby providing either one of the recording mode signal and the playback mode signal;

a user-controlled switch for generating a series playback operation selection signal in response to the playback mode signal, and

means, in response to the series playback operation selection signal, for generating a playback start signal and then transmitting the playback start signal to each of the controllers in the VCR units in a predetermined order while performing a series playback operation of the VCR units, wherein the playback start signal makes said each VCR unit to be driven in the playback mode when the playback start signal is inputted to said each VCR unit wherein said means for generating the playback start signal includes;

sensing means for detecting the completion of the playback operation of a VCR unit to produce a playback completion detection signal;

means for generating the playback start signal in response to the playback completion detection signal;

detecting means for detecting and generating a detection signal in case there is no tape cassette loaded in the corresponding VCR unit; and

means for relaying the playback start signal to a control means of a next VCR unit in the predetermined order in response to the detection signal.

5. The multi-deck VCR system according to claim 4, wherein the multi-deck VCR system further comprises:

conversion means for converting the recording mode signal into a quasi playback mode signal in response to the recording mode signal to thereby provide the quasi playback mode signal, wherein the quasi playback mode signal makes said each VCR unit to be driven in the playback mode when the quasi playback mode signal is inputted to said each VCR unit.

6. The multi-deck VCR system according to claim 5, wherein the quasi playback mode signal from said conversion means is inputted to a predetermined one of the VCR units and the recording mode signal from said mode selection signal input device is inputted to all of the remaining VCR units, respectively at the same time, wherein the quasi playback mode signal makes the predetermined one of the VCR unit to be driven in the playback mode and the recording mode signal makes the remaining VCR units to be driven in the recording mode, respectively.

7. The multi-deck VCR system according to claim 6, wherein said conversion means includes:

a first user-controlled switch for generating a combination operation selection signal in response to the recording mode signal from the A/D converter; and

means, in response to the combination operation selection signal, for changing the code arrangement of the recording mode signal to thereby provide the quasi playback mode signal.

8. A multi-deck video cassette recorder ("VCR") system including at least three VCR units having a corresponding number of controllers, each controller driving a corresponding VCR unit in a selected one of operation modes including a recording mode and a playback mode, which comprises:

a remote control unit for selecting either one of a recording mode and a playback mode among a variety of operation modes including a recording mode and a playback mode and then generating a recording mode voltage signal when the recording mode is selected and a playback mode voltage signal when the playback mode is selected;

an analogue-to-digital ("A/D") converter for converting the recording mode voltage signal into the recording mode signal when the recording mode voltage signal is inputted thereto from the remote control unit and the playback mode voltage signal into the playback mode signal when the playback mode voltage signal is inputted thereto from the remote control unit, thereby providing either one of the recording mode signal and the playback mode signal;

a first user-controlled switch for generating a combination operation selection signal in response to the recording mode signal from the A/D converter;

means, in response to the combination operation selection signal, for changing the code arrangement of the recording mode signal to thereby provide the quasi playback mode signal, wherein the quasi playback mode signal having a set of binary codes with a predetermined code arrangement identical to that of the playback mode signal, wherein the playback mode signal makes a predetermined one of the VCR unit to be driven in the playback mode and the recording mode signal makes the remaining VCR units to be driven in the recording mode simultaneously;

a second user-controlled switch for generating a series playback operation selection signal in response to the playback mode signal from the A/D converter; and

means, in response to the series playback operation selection signal, sequentially and repeatedly providing a playback start signal to the controllers in a predetermined order while performing a series playback operation of the VCR units, each controller driving a corresponding VCR unit in the playback mode when the playback start signal is transmitted thereto, wherein said means for sequentially and repeatedly providing the playback start signal further includes;

sensing means for detecting the completion of the playback operation of a VCR unit to produce a playback completion detection signal;

means for generating the playback start signal in response to the playback completion detection signal;

detecting means for detecting and generating a detection signal in case there is no tape cassette loaded in the corresponding VCR unit; and

means for relaying the playback start signal to a control means of a next VCR unit in the predetermined order in response to the detection signal.