Enhancing operations of video tape cassette players
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of indexing a program being recorded on a video tape by a VCR comprising the steps of:
- periodically calculating absolute addresses in time from one end of the video tape while the program is being recorded, including a starting address at the beginning of the program;
storing the absolute addresses on the video tape concurrently with the calculating step so the absolute addresses represent their position along the tape; and
storing the starting address in a memory resident in the VCR.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method of indexing a program being recorded on a video tape by a VCR comprising the steps of:
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periodically calculating absolute addresses in time from one end of the video tape while the program is being recorded, including a starting address at the beginning of the program;
storing the absolute addresses on the video tape concurrently with the calculating step so the absolute addresses represent their position along the tape; and
storing the starting address in a memory resident in the VCR. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of indexing a program being recorded on a video tape by a video cassette recorder (VCR) comprising the steps of:
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recording a video program on the tape between a start time and an end time;
determining a first absolute address of the tape near the start time;
determining a second absolute address of the tape near the end time;
repeatedly determining current absolute addresses of the tape in the interval between the start time and the end time;
storing the current absolute addresses along the tape during the recording step; and
after the recording step, storing the first and second absolute addresses in a directory of the video programs recorded on the tape. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of indexing a program being recorded on a video tape by a video cassette recorder comprising the steps of:
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calculating a starting address of the program and an ending address of the program in time from the beginning of the video tape;
calculating an absolute address in time of a current position of the video tape from the beginning of the video tape;
storing the absolute address on the video tape;
periodically repeating the calculating and storing steps while recording is occurring; and
storing the starting address and the ending address in a directory for the video tape resident in a memory in the video cassette recorder. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a video tape by a video cassette recorder, the video cassette recorder having a memory storing at least one directory of programs recorded on the video tape, the method comprising the steps of:
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reading a video tape identifier from the video tape;
accessing a selected directory corresponding to the read video tape identifier from the memory;
obtaining an identifier of a selected program to be addressed;
reading a starting address of the selected program from the selected directory according to the selected program identifier;
obtaining a current address in time from the beginning of the video tape;
calculating a difference between the current address in time and the starting address of the selected program; and
rewinding the video tape for the difference in time when the difference is positive or forwarding the video tape for the difference in time when the difference is negative. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
reading a current absolute address from the tape;
calculating a difference between the current absolute address from the tape and the starting address of the selected program from the selected directory; and
rewinding the video tape for the difference in time when the difference is positive or forwarding the video tape for the difference in time when the difference is negative.
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33. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:
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searching for a mark denoting the start of a program;
reading a program identifier from the video tape when the mark is found;
comparing the read program identifier to the identifier of the selected program; and
repeating the searching, reading a program identifier, and comparing steps when the read program identifier does not match the identifier of the selected program until a match is found.
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34. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a video tape by a video cassette recorder, the video tape being wound around a reel, the start of the program designated by a mark written on the video tape, the video cassette recorder having a memory storing at least one directory of programs recorded on the video tape, the method comprising the steps of:
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reading a video tape identifier from the video tape;
accessing a selected directory corresponding to the read video tape identifier;
obtaining an identifier of a selected program to be addressed;
reading a starting address of the selected program from the selected directory according to the selected program identifier;
obtaining an absolute address from the video tape and calculating a single rotational period of the video tape at the absolute address when the absolute address is found on the video tape;
measuring a rotational period of a current address of the video tape by averaging a plurality of turns of the video tape reel when the absolute address is not found on the video tape;
calculating a rotational period of the video tape at the starting address;
calculating a differential number of revolutions of the video tape reel between the absolute address, when the absolute address is found, or the current address, when the absolute address is not found, and the starting address; and
rewinding the video tape for less than the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is greater than zero or forwarding the video tape for more than the absolute value of the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is less than or equal to zero. - View Dependent Claims (35, 41)
searching for a mark denoting the start of a program;
reading a program identifier from the video tape when the mark is found;
comparing the read program identifier to the identifier of the selected program;
rewinding the video tape when the read program identifier is greater than the identifier of the selected program or forwarding the video tape when the read program identifier is less than the identifier of the selected program.
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41. The method of claim 35, wherein the video tape identifier is the Uniform Product Code (UPC) identifier for the pre-recorded video tape.
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36. A method of indexing a program on a pre-recorded video tape by a video cassette recorder comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a starting address of the program and an ending address of the program in time from the beginning of the pre-recorded video tape;
calculating an absolute address in time of a current position of the pre-recorded video tape from the beginning of the pre-recorded video tape;
storing an identifier of the pre-recorded video tape, an identifier of the program, and the absolute address on the pre-recorded video tape;
storing the program identifier, the starting address and the ending address in a directory for the pre-recorded video tape resident in a vertical blanking line of the pre-recorded video tape; and
periodically repeating the steps of calculating the absolute address, storing an identifier of the pre-recorded video tape, an identifier of the program, and the absolute address, and storing the program identifier, the starting address and the ending address, while playback of the pre-recorded video tape is occurring. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a pre-recorded video tape, the pre-recorded video tape having at least one directory of recorded programs, comprising the steps of:
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reading a video tape identifier from the pre-recorded video tape;
accessing a selected directory from the pre-recorded video tape corresponding to the read video tape identifier to obtain an identifier and a starting address of a selected program;
reading an absolute address in time from the pre-recorded video tape;
calculating a difference between the absolute address in time and the starting address of the selected program; and
rewinding the pre-recorded video tape for the difference in time when the difference is positive or forwarding the pre-recorded video tape for the difference in time when the difference is negative. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
searching for a mark denoting the start of a program;
reading a program identifier from the pre-recorded video tape when the mark is found;
comparing the read program identifier to the identifier of the selected program; and
repeating the searching, reading a program identifier, and comparing steps when the read program identifier does not match the identifier of the selected program until a match is found.
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42. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a pre-recorded video tape by a video cassette recorder, the pre-recorded video tape being wound around a reel, the start of the program designated by a mark written on the pre-recorded video tape, the video cassette recorder having a memory storing at least one directory of programs recorded on the pre-recorded video tape, the method comprising the steps of:
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reading a video tape identifier from the pre-recorded video tape;
accessing a selected directory corresponding to the read video tape identifier from the video tape;
obtaining an identifier of a selected program to be addressed;
reading a starting address of the selected program from the selected directory according to the selected program identifier;
obtaining an absolute address from the pre-recorded video tape and calculating a single rotational period of the pre-recorded video tape at the absolute address;
calculating a rotational period of the pre-recorded video tape at the starting address;
calculating a differential number of revolutions of the video tape reel between the starting address and the absolute address; and
rewinding the pre-recorded video tape for less than the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is greater than zero or forwarding the pre-recorded video tape for more than the absolute value of the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is less than or equal to zero. - View Dependent Claims (43)
searching for a mark denoting the start of a program;
reading a program identifier from the video tape when the mark is found;
comparing the read program identifier to the identifier of the selected program;
rewinding the video tape when the read program identifier is greater than the identifier of the selected program or forwarding the video tape when the read program identifier is less than the identifier of the selected program.
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44. The method of retroactively indexing programs previously recorded on a video tape by a video cassette recorder comprising the steps of:
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positioning the video tape at the beginning of a program to be indexed;
inserting a mark on the video tape;
calculating a starting address of the program in time from the beginning of the video tape;
entering a title of the program and a video tape identifier into the video cassette recorder; and
storing the title and the starting address of the program and the video tape identifier in a directory in a memory resident in the video cassette recorder. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
forwarding the video tape to the end of the program;
calculating an ending address of the program in time from the beginning of the video tape; and
storing the ending address in the directory with the title and the starting address of the program.
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46. The method of claim 44 wherein the mark is a VISS mark written on the control track of the video tape.
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47. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a retroactively indexed video tape by a video cassette recorder, the video cassette recorder having a memory storing at least one directory of programs recorded on the retroactively indexed video tape, comprising the steps of:
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entering a video tape identifier of the retroactively indexed video tape;
accessing a selected directory corresponding to the entered video tape identifier;
obtaining an identifier of a selected program to be addressed;
reading a starting address of the selected program from the selected directory according to the selected program identifier;
calculating a current address in time from the beginning of the retroactively indexed video tape;
calculating a difference between the current address in time and the starting address of the selected program; and
rewinding the retroactively indexed video tape for the difference in time when the difference is positive or forwarding the retroactively indexed video tape for the difference in time when the difference is negative. - View Dependent Claims (48)
searching for a mark denoting the start of a program.
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49. A method of addressing the start of a selected program recorded on a retroactively indexed video tape by a video cassette recorder, the video cassette recorder having a memory storing at least one directory of programs recorded on the retroactively indexed video tape, the retroactively indexed video tape being wound around a reel, comprising the steps of:
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reading a video tape identifier from the retroactively indexed video tape;
accessing a selected directory corresponding to the read video tape identifier;
obtaining an identifier of a selected program to be addressed;
reading a starting address of the selected program from the selected directory according to the selected program identifier;
measuring a rotational period of a current address of the retroactively indexed video tape by averaging a plurality of turns of the video tape reel;
calculating a rotational period of the retroactively indexed video tape at the starting address;
calculating a differential number of revolutions of the video tape reel between the starting address and the current address; and
rewinding the retroactively indexed video tape for less than the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is greater than zero or forwarding the retroactively indexed video tape for more than the absolute value of the differential number of revolutions when the differential number of revolutions is less than or equal to zero.
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Specification