REWIND RADIO AND TELEVISION

• US 20020071656A1
• Filed: 08/28/1998
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Seabone Ventures LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: BOYS, MARK A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,895,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/69
• 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 2220/455 said record carriers being in one device and being used as primary and secondary/backup media, e.g. HDD-DVD combo device, or as source and target media, e.g. PC and portable player
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/61 wherein solid state memory is used for storing A/V content storing computer data in solid state memories G06F
• 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 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording

Abstract

A radio or television apparatus has tuning circuitry for selecting a channel from an input spectrum, an output for presenting a presentation from a selected channel, a recording apparatus having a memory with capacity for recording a fixed time duration T of the selected presentation, and adapted to make an audio record sequentially in a circular fashion, such that when the memory capacity is filled, the device continues to record, overwriting the oldest recorded information, providing thereby, at any point in time, a stored copy of time duration T immediately preceding the point in time. This innovation provides limited rewind capability for real-time data streams. In alternative embodiments add-on devices are provided for existing radios and TVs.

Claims

1. A radio apparatus comprising:

tuning circuitry for selecting a channel from an input rf spectrum;

an output for driving a speaker system with an audio presentation derived from the selected channel; and

a recording apparatus having a memory with capacity for recording a fixed time duration T of the audio presentation, and adapted to make an audio record sequentially in a circular fashion, such that when the memory capacity is filled, the device continues to record, overwriting the oldest recorded information, providing thereby, at any point in time, a stored copy of time duration T immediately preceding the point in time.

2. The radio apparatus of claim 1 wherein the recording apparatus comprises a tape recorder adapted to record in a circular fashion.

3. The radio apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an A/D converter, wherein the memory is a digital memory managed to record sequentially in a circular fashion, and the audio presentation is presented at the speakers and simultaneously digitized and recorded in the digital memory.

4. The radio apparatus of claim 1 further comprising user-operable inputs for interrupting circular recording, selecting beginning positions for playback, and playing back the recorded data.

5. An add-on recorder for a radio apparatus, comprising:

an input for receiving an analog audio signal stream from a radio;

an output for driving a speaker system; and

a memory system with capacity for recording a fixed time duration T of received analog audio signals, and adapted to make an audio record in the memory sequentially in a circular fashion, such that when the memory capacity is filled, the system continues to record, overwriting the oldest recorded information, providing thereby, at any point in time, a stored copy of time duration T immediately preceding the point in time.

6. The add-on recorder of claim 5 wherein the memory system comprises a tape recorder adapted to record in a circular fashion.

7. The add-on recorder of claim 5 further comprising an A/D converter, wherein the memory system comprises a digital memory managed to record sequentially in a circular fashion, and the received analog audio signal stream is sent to the speaker system via the output and simultaneously digitized and recorded in the digital memory.

8. The add-on recorder of claim 5 further comprising user-operable inputs for interrupting circular recording, selecting beginning positions for playback, and playing back the recorded data.

9. A television apparatus comprising:

tuning circuitry for selecting a channel from an input video spectrum;

an output for driving a television display with a video presentation derived from the selected channel; and

a recording apparatus having a memory with capacity for recording a fixed time duration T of the video presentation, and adapted to make a video record sequentially in a circular fashion, such that when the memory capacity is filled, the apparatus continues to record, overwriting the oldest recorded information, providing thereby, at any point in time, a stored copy of time duration T immediately preceding the point in time.

10. The television apparatus of claim 9 wherein the recording apparatus comprises a video tape recorder adapted to record in a circular fashion.

11. The television apparatus of claim 9 further comprising an A/D converter, wherein the memory is a digital memory managed to record sequentially in a circular fashion, and the video presentation is presented at the television display and simultaneously digitized and recorded in the digital memory.

12. The television apparatus of claim 9 further comprising user-operable inputs for interrupting circular recording, selecting beginning positions for playback, and playing back the recorded data.

14. The add-on recorder of claim 13 wherein the memory system comprises a video tape recorder adapted to record in a circular fashion.

15. The add-on recorder of claim 13 further comprising an A/D converter, wherein the memory system comprises a digital memory managed to record sequentially in a circular fashion, and the received video data stream is sent to the television display via the output and simultaneously digitized and recorded in the digital memory.

16. The add-on recorder of claim 13 further comprising user-operable inputs for interrupting circular recording, selecting beginning positions for playback, and playing back the recorded data.

13. An add-on recorder for a television apparatus, comprising:

an input for receiving a video data stream;

an output for driving a television display system; and

a memory system with capacity for recording a fixed time duration T of the received video data stream, and adapted to make record in the memory sequentially in a circular fashion, such that when the memory capacity is filled, the system continues to record, overwriting the oldest recorded information, providing thereby, at any point in time, a stored copy of time duration T immediately preceding the point in time.