Enhancing operations of video tape cassette players

• US 6,091,884 A
• Filed: 12/30/1996
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Index Systems Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Index Systems Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Mankovitz, Roy J., Kwoh, Daniel S., Yuen, Henry C., Leung, Elsie Y., Ng, Yee Kong, Hindman, Carl, Ngai, Hing Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US08/773,612
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 395/325, 360/79, 360/69, 360/33.1, 360/15, 360/72.2, 360/72.1, 360/72.3, 386/1, 386/45, 386/6-8, 386/69-70, 386/81, 386/83, 386/95
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/00 Driving, starting or stopping record carriers of filamentary or web form; Driving both such record carriers and heads; Guiding such record carriers or containers therefor; Control thereof; Control of operating function driving or guiding heads G11B3/00 - G11B7/00, G11B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/023 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/026 by using processor, e.g. microcomputer
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/07 on containers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/087 by sensing recorded signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/1816 Programmed access in sequence to indexed parts of operating tapes cooperating with rotating heads see provisional also G11B15/005
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/655 Memory in cassette [MIC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/80 Indexing information stored in optical or magnetic or other strip attached to cassette or disc, e.g. barcodes attached to a recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/91 Helical scan format, wherein tracks are slightly tilted with respect to tape direction, e.g. VHS, DAT, DVC, AIT or exabyte
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/08714 Auxiliary features sensing such features G11B15/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/30 with provision for auxiliary signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/36 Signals on record carriers or on containers and recorded by the same method as the main recording
• 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 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/029 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 : of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 : by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/13 : the information being derived from movement of the record carrier, e.g. using tachometer
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 : by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3054 : Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/309 : Table of contents
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/324 : Duty cycle modulation of control pulses, e.g. VHS-CTL-coding systems, RAPID-time code, VASS- or VISS-cue signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/328 : on a tape [TTOC]
• 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: G11B 33/10 : Indicating arrangements; Warning arrangements G11B15/04, G11B19/04, G11B27/34, G11B27/36 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/0086 : using cyclically driven heads providing segmented tracks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/86 : Re-recording, i.e. transcribing information from one magnetisable record carrier on to one or more similar or dissimilar record carriers by varying the order of the information G11B27/029, G11B27/036
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 : Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 : using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 : the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/78263 : for recording on tracks inclined relative to the direction of movement of the tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9206 : the additional signal being a character code signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0888 : Subscription systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 : Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

Operation of a video cassette player is facilitated by providing a VBI decoder which decodes information, such as title, channel, date, time and length of broadcast programs and utilizing the information in providing directory of the programs as well as control of the VCR. The video cassette player is also provided with a VBI encoder for inserting control as well as directory information into the tape, either in the VBI portions of the video track or in the control track.

Claims

1. A method for managing video programs recorded by a VCR, the method comprising the steps of:

recording video programs on a plurality of cassette tapes;

storing in a RAM index data identifying the cassette tape and the tape location of all the video programs on the plurality of cassette tapes; and

backing up the index data in the RAM for the plurality of cassette tapes onto a recording cassette tape as each video program is being recorded thereon.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the video programs recorded on the plurality of cassette tapes have a VBI and the backing up step records the index data in the VBI of the video program being recorded.

3. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of storing the identification of the last cassette tape on which the index data in the RAM was backed up.

4. The method of claim 3 additionally comprising after a failure of the RAM the step of retrieving the last cassette tape on which the index data in the RAM was backed up based on the stored identification and downloading the index data from the last cassette tape to the RAM.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the backing up step backs up the entire file of the RAM data.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the recording step turns the VCR on and off to record video programs and the backing up step backs up the index data in the RAM each time that the VCR is turned on to record a video program.

7. The method of claim 6, in which the backing up step backs up the index data in the RAM a predetermined number of times and then stops backing up.

8. The method of claim 6, in which the backing up step stops backing up the index data in the RAM each time the VCR is turned off.

9. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of using the index data in the RAM to position a cassette tape at the start of a selected video program.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the storing step stores the index data identifying the cassette tape and the tape location of each video program while it is being recorded.

11. The method of claim 1, in which the index data also includes the name of each video program.

12. The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the step of displaying a portion of the index data stored in RAM.

13. The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the steps of inputting data identifying a particular cassette tape and displaying the portion of the index data stored in RAM that identifies the locations of the video programs recorded on the particular cassette tape.

14. The method of claim 13 additionally comprising the steps of inputting data to select one of the displayed video programs and transporting the cassette tape to the location of the selected video program.

15. The method of claim 14, additionally comprising the step of playing the selected video program after the transporting step.