Signal recording and playback apparatus for location monitoring which records prior to sensor input

• US 5,973,867 A
• Filed: 09/12/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Psitos, Aristoyelis M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLDER, REGINA NEAL
• Application Number:
  US08/928,633
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 360/5, 360/6, 360/69, 360/71, 348/143, 386/35
• US Class Current: 360/5
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19669 Event triggers storage or change of storage policy
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19676 Temporary storage, e.g. cyclic memory, buffer storage on pre-alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19695 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors start video recording or forwarding but do not generate an alarm themselves

Abstract

A video camera is connected to a video signal amplifier through a video signal input terminal. The video signal amplifier is connected to the input side of an image memory through an A/D converter which converts analog video signals into image data which are digital signals. The image memory is provided with a semiconductor memory for storing video signals converted into digital signals. Thus, it becomes possible to continuously record images from before the opening of a door until after the opening of the door and to thus obtain a magnetic recording and playback apparatus of high monitoring effects.

Claims

1. A magnetic recording and playback apparatus for recording and playing back input signals on a magnetic recording medium comprising:

a sensor provided externally of a body of the magnetic recording and playback apparatus for outputting trigger signals under prescribed conditions;

control means for controlling conveyance of the magnetic recording medium to stop recording by stopping conveyance of the magnetic recording medium in a standby state while waiting for the trigger signals to be output and to start continuous recording by starting continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium at a point in time when the trigger signals are output; and

signal preserving means for temporarily preserving the input signals and outputting the preserved input signals in order of preservation,

said signal preserving means preserving the input signals in order of input while simultaneously outputting the preserved input signals in the order of preservation at any time and repeatedly performing overwriting with new input signals after an amount of preserved input signals exceeds storage capacity,

recording of the preserved input signals starting by starting continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium at the point in time when the trigger signals are output.

2. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input signals are analog signals and said signal preserving means comprises:

analog-digital conversion means for converting the input signals into digital signals;

storage means, connected to said analog-digital conversion means, for temporarily writing the digital signals in a semiconductor memory and for reading out the digital signals from said semiconductor memory in order of storage;

digital-analog conversion means, connected to said storage means, for converting the readout digital signals into readout analog signals, the readout analog signals being the preserved input signals; and

signal storage and control means for controlling said analog-digital conversion means, said storage means and said digital-analog conversion means based on clock signals.

3. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 2, wherein said semiconductor memory has (n+1) addresses designated 0 to n,

said storage means performing writing and reading of the digital signals in one address of said semiconductor memory in accordance with one clock of the clock signals, starting writing into said semiconductor memory from address 0 again after writing of the digital signals in address n, and simultaneously as the digital signals are written, reading digital signals written in said semiconductor memory n clock periods of the clock signals earlier.

4. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control means comprises:

time setting means for setting a prescribed time period after start of continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium, the prescribed time period defining a period of continuous recording such that continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium is maintained.

5. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a door switch and outputs the trigger signals upon opening of a door.

6. A magnetic recording and playback apparatus for recording and playing back input signals on a magnetic recording medium comprising:

a sensor provided externally of a body of the magnetic recording and playback apparatus for outputting trigger signals under prescribed conditions;

control means for controlling conveyance of the magnetic recording medium to perform intermittent recording by intermittently conveying the magnetic recording medium in a standby state while waiting for the trigger signals to be output and to perform continuous recording by starting continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium at a point in time when the trigger signals are output;

signal preserving means for temporarily preserving the input signals and outputting the preserved input signals in order of preservation; and

switching means for switching a route of the input signals such that the input signals are recorded on the magnetic recording medium in the standby state prior to preservation in said signal preserving means and the preserved input signals from said signal preserving means are recorded on the magnetic recording medium at the point in time when the trigger signals are output,

said signal preserving means preserving the input signals in order of input while simultaneously outputting the preserved input signals in the order of preservation at any time and repeatedly performing overwriting with new input signals after an amount of preserved input signals exceeds storage capacity,

recording of the preserved input signals starting by starting continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium at the point in time when the trigger signals are output.

7. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 6, wherein the input signals are analog signals and said signal preserving means comprises:

analog-digital conversion means for converting the input signals into digital signals;

storage means, connected to said analog-digital conversion means, for temporarily writing the digital signals in a semiconductor memory and for reading out the digital signals from said semiconductor memory in order of storage;

digital-analog conversion means, connected to said storage means, for converting the readout digital signals into readout analog signals, the readout analog signals being the preserved input signals; and

signal storage and control means for controlling said analog-digital conversion means, said storage means and said digital-analog conversion means based on clock signals.

8. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 7, wherein said semiconductor memory has (n+1) addresses designated as 0 to n,

said storage means performing writing and reading of the digital signals in one address from said semiconductor memory in accordance with one clock of the clock signals, starting writing into said semiconductor memory from address 0 again after writing of the digital signals in address n, and simultaneously as the digital signals are written, reading digital signals written in said semiconductor memory n clock periods of the clock signals earlier.

9. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 6, wherein said control means comprises:

time setting means for setting a prescribed time period after start of continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium, the prescribed time period defining a period of continuous recording such that continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium is maintained.

10. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 6, wherein said sensor is a door switch and outputs the trigger signals upon opening of a door.

11. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus for recording and playing back input signals on a magnetic recording medium comprising:

a sensor provided externally of a body of the magnetic recording and playback apparatus for outputting trigger signals under prescribed conditions;

control means for controlling conveyance of the magnetic recording medium to perform intermittent recording by intermittently conveying the magnetic recording medium in a standby state while waiting for the trigger signals to be output and to perform continuous recording by starting continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium at a point in time when the trigger signals are output; and

signal preserving means for temporarily preserving the input signals and outputting the preserved input signals in the order of preservation,

said signal preserving means preserving the input signals in order of input while simultaneously outputting the preserved input signals in the order of preservation at any time and repeatedly performing overwriting with new input signals after an amount of preserved input signals exceeds storage capacity,

recording of the preserved input signals starting by starting continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium at the point in time when the trigger signals are output.

12. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 11, wherein the input signals are analog signals and said signal preserving means comprises:

analog-digital conversion means for converting the input signals into digital signals;

storage means, connected to said analog-digital conversion means, for temporarily writing the digital signals in a semiconductor memory and for reading out the digital signals from said semiconductor memory in order of storage;

digital-analog conversion means, connected to said storage means, for converting the readout digital signals into readout analog signals, the readout analog signals being the preserved input signals; and

signal storage and control means for controlling said analog-digital conversion means, said storage means and said digital-analog conversion means based on clock signals.

13. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 12, wherein said semiconductor memory has (n+1) addresses designated 0 to n,

said storage means performing writing and reading of the digital signals in one address of said semiconductor memory in accordance with one clock of the clock signals, starting writing into said semiconductor memory from said address 0 again after writing of the digital signals in address n, and simultaneously as the digital signals are written, reading digital signals written in said semiconductor memory n clock periods of the clock signals earlier.

14. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 11, wherein said control means comprises:

time setting means for setting a prescribed time period after start of continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium, the prescribed time period defining a period of continuous recording such that continuous conveyance of the magnetic recording medium is maintained.

15. The magnetic recording and playback apparatus of claim 11, wherein said sensor is a door switch and outputs the trigger signals upon opening of a door.

16. A signal recording and playback apparatus for recording and playing back input signals on a signal recording medium, comprising:

a sensor provided externally of a body of the signal recording and playback apparatus for outputting trigger signals under prescribed conditions;

control means for controlling a recording operation on the signal recording medium to stop recording by stopping a recording operation on the signal recording medium during a standby state while waiting for the trigger signals to be output and to start continuous recording on the signal recording medium at a point in time when the trigger signals are output; and

signal preserving means for temporarily preserving the input signals and outputting the preserved input signals in order of preservation,

said signal preserving means preserving the input signals in order of input while simultaneously outputting the preserved input signals in the order of preservation at any time and repeatedly performing overwriting with new input signals after an amount of preserved input signals exceeds storage capacity,

recording of the preserved input signals on the signal recording medium starting at a point in time when the trigger signals are output.

17. The signal recording medium and playback apparatus of claim 16, wherein the input signals are analog signals and said signal preserving means comprises:

analog-digital conversion means for converting the input signals into digital signals;

storage means, connected to said analog-digital conversion means, for temporarily writing the digital signals in a semiconductor memory and for reading out the digital signals from said semiconductor memory in order of storage;

digital-analog conversion means, connected to said storage means, for converting the readout digital signals into readout analog signals, the readout analog signals being the preserved input signals; and

signal storage and control means for controlling said analog-digital conversion means, said storage means and said digital-analog conversion means based on clock signals.

18. The signal recording and playback apparatus of claim 17, wherein said semiconductor memory has (n+1) addresses designated 0 to n,

said storage means performing writing and reading of the digital signals in one address of said semiconductor memory in accordance with one clock of the clock signals, starting writing into said semiconductor memory from address 0 again after writing of the digital signals in address n, and simultaneously as the digital signals are written, reading digital signals written in said semiconductor memory n clock periods of the clock signals earlier.

19. A signal recording and playback apparatus for recording and playing back input signals on a signal recording medium, comprising:

a sensor provided externally of a body of the signal recording and playback apparatus for outputting trigger signals under prescribed conditions;

control means for controlling a recording operation on the signal recording medium to perform intermittent recording on the signal recording medium during a standby state while waiting for the trigger signals to be output and to perform continuous recording on the signal recording medium at a point in time when the trigger signals are output;

signal preserving means for temporarily preserving the input signals and outputting the preserved input signals in order of preservation; and

switching means for switching a route of the input signals such that the input signals are recorded on the signal recording medium in the standby state prior to preservation in said signal preserving means and the preserved input signals from said signal preserving means are recorded on the signal recording medium at the point in time when the trigger signals are output,

said signal preserving means preserving the input signals in order of input while simultaneously outputting the preserved input signals in the order of preservation at any time and repeatedly performing overwriting with new input signals after an amount of preserved input signals exceeds storage capacity,

recording of the preserved input signals starting on the signal recording medium at the point in time when the trigger signals are output.

20. The signal recording and playback apparatus of claim 19, wherein the input signals are analog signals and said signal preserving means comprises:

analog-digital conversion means for converting the input signals into digital signals;

storage means, connected to said analog-digital conversion means, for temporarily writing the digital signals in a semiconductor memory and for reading out the digital signals from said semiconductor memory in order of storage;

digital-analog conversion means, connected to said storage means, for converting the readout digital signals into readout analog signals, the readout analog signals being the preserved input signals; and

signal storage and control means for controlling said analog-digital conversion means, said storage means and said digital-analog conversion means based on clock signals.

21. The signal recording and playback apparatus of claim 20, wherein said semiconductor memory has (n+1) addresses designated as 0 to n,

said storage means performing writing and reading of the digital signals in one address from said semiconductor memory in accordance with one clock of the clock signals, starting writing into said semiconductor memory from address 0 again after writing of the digital signals in address n, and simultaneously as the digital signals are written, reading digital signals written in said semiconductor memory n clock periods of the clock signals earlier.

22. The signal recording and playback apparatus for recording and playing back input signals on a signal recording medium, comprising:

a sensor provided externally of a body of the signal recording and playback apparatus for outputting trigger signals under prescribed conditions;

control means for controlling a recording operation on the signal recording medium to perform intermittent recording on the signal recording medium during a standby state while waiting for the trigger signals to be output and to perform continuous recording on the signal recording medium at a point in time when the trigger signals are output; and

signal preserving means for temporarily preserving the input signals and outputting the preserved input signals in order of preservation,

said signal preserving means preserving the input signals in order of input while simultaneously outputting the preserved input signals in the order of preservation at any time and repeatedly performing overwriting with new input signals after an amount of preserved input signals exceeds storage capacity,

recording of the preserved input signals starting on the signal recording medium at the point in time when the trigger signals are output.

23. The signal recording and playback apparatus of claim 22, wherein the input signals are analog signals and said signal preserving means comprises:

analog-digital conversion means for converting the input signals into digital signals;

storage means, connected to said analog-digital conversion means, for temporarily writing the digital signals in a semiconductor memory and for reading out the digital signals from said semiconductor memory in order of storage;

digital-analog conversion means, connected to said storage means, for converting the readout digital signals into readout analog signals, the readout analog signals being the preserved input signals; and

signal storage and control means for controlling said analog-digital conversion means, said storage means and said digital-analog conversion means based on clock signals.

24. The signal recording and playback apparatus of claim 23, wherein said semiconductor memory has (n+1) addresses designated 0 to n,

said storage means performing writing and reading of the digital signals in one address of said semiconductor memory in accordance with one clock of the clock signals, starting writing into said semiconductor memory from said address 0 again after writing of the digital signals in address n, and simultaneously as the digital signals are written, reading digital signals written in said semiconductor memory n clock periods of the clock signals earlier.