Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – General recording or reproducing – Recording-or erasing-prevention
Patent
1992-02-07
1994-03-01
Hajec, Donald
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
General recording or reproducing
Recording-or erasing-prevention
G11B 1504, G11B 1904
Patent
active
052913465
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a recording and/or playback system, primarily a video system, with a recorder/player and associated cassette units with magnetic tape or a corresponding storage medium, and with the cassettes being provided with memory units that are independent of the storage medium and, by loading of the cassette into the recorder/player, operable to be brought into electrical connection with a read/write unit therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A system of the aforementioned type offers great advantages with respect to exchange of information with the single cassettes themselves since information on the cassette can be read into and out from the memory unit fully independently of the ordinary recording and playing function and the tape position in the cassette. It is even possible to communicate with the cassette while the cassette, together with other cassettes, is placed in a storage rack having suitable terminals for contacting the respective member units, whereby, for example, it is possible to check the contents of all of the cassettes and thereby effect searches for desired program sequences. This can be of high importance for the professional world and, previous proposals as described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,684, use of the above noted technique with specially designed auxiliaries is proposed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In connection with the invention it has been realized that a technique similar to the above described technique would be highly attractive also for use with quite ordinary equipment according to commercial standards, and it is also realized that considerable problems would arise in providing room for the required extra installations, as the space normally provided is minimum.
However, the invention is based on the consideration that this problem can be solved by utilizing memory units, that is, a programmed information to the effect that one or more sequences on just that tape must not be erased or be erasable. The control unit of the recorder can be adapted to automatically make recording or erasing impossible within tape counter intervals, which, with suitable identification, have been read into the associated memory unit, optionally with the use of a secret password, and in doing so it will then be possible to dispense with the use of the conventional erasure prevention tab of the cassette. The opening or hole accommodating the erasure prevention tab will be available as a permanent mounting space for the memory unit, without any change in the outer shape of the cassette or any other modification thereof.
Standard recorders are generally provided with means for pressing a sensor head against the area of the hole or opening conventionally accommodating the erasure prevention tab and, for this reason, only a minor mechanical modification of the standard recorders will be required in order to establish a contact between the memory units, as it is sufficient to provide the sensor head with the required contact terminals to be pressed against, for example, flat terminal areas on the exposed side of the memory unit in the hole or opening of the cassette accommodating the erasure prevention tab. The sensor head will still be able to carry on its usual function when cooperating with cassettes without a memory unit, that is, the system will be fully compatible.
It may have to be accepted that a partially or totally overplay protected tape can be overplayed if it is used in a non-modified standard recorder, but normally the users are extra aware of the protected cassettes, so that this disadvantage is believed to be of a minor importance compared with the substantial advantages offered by the system of the present invention.
It will be a significant development that these advantages are no longer reserved for narrow professional circles, but are achievable in an inexpensive and suitably manner in connection with the ordinary commercial equipment. The advantages and the possibilities of the system are not further described in more
REFERENCES:
patent: 4338644 (1982-07-01), Staar
patent: 4426684 (1984-01-01), Sechet et al.
patent: 4839875 (1989-06-01), Kuriyama et al.
patent: 5055947 (1991-10-01), Satoh
Bang & Olufsen A/S
Hajec Donald
Wamsley Patrick
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