Abstract: In a video disc player, a support roller is mounted to one end of a pickup carriage by means of an eccentric stud. The height of the roller in respect of the carriage is adjusted by changing the angular position of the eccentric stud. A support bracket is disposed at the other end of the carriage, where a pair of adjustable members are provided for adjustment of the relative spatial position of the carriage and the support bracket.

Abstract: A video disc record suitable for use with a video disc player apparatus is provided with a label for identifying the program material stored on the surface of the record. The label is formed in a machine readable format which comprises grooves in the surface of the record. In one format whorls of a spiral groove of a first pitch are spaced alternately with whorls of a spiral groove of a second pitch. A readout apparatus comprises a light beam which is arranged to scan the grooved label and a detector which is arranged to sense the light beam reflected from the disc record surface. Light striking a grooved section of first pitch is reflected in a substantially specular direction while light striking a grooved section of second pitch is substantially scattered out of the specular direction. The detector is arranged to collect the light reflected into the specular direction.

Abstract: A video disc player is described wherein the signal pickup stylus is mounted in a carriage assembly that is advanced across the record in discreet steps, each step traversing a fixed number of information tracks. A digital processing unit, responsive to track identification numbers provides stimulus to a stepping motor to step the carriage each time the stylus has traced the fixed number of tracks.

Abstract: In a video disc player of the type having a signal pickup stylus engaging a disc record for recovering prerecorded information signals, an electromechanical transducer is arranged to cooperate with the signal pickup stylus to regulate the bearing pressure between the stylus and the disc in response to the signal strength of the recovered signal. The arrangement tends to extend the life of the stylus.

Abstract: Soldering techniques, where a circuit component having a row of closely spaced leads (e.g., dual in-line packages) are to be soldered to a printed circuit board and the leads are oriented on the printed circuit board such that the row of leads is arranged parallel to the direction of motion of the printed circuit board through a wave solder pot, may effect a high incidence of soldering bridging. This bridging may form between the last few adjacent leads in the row which emerges from the solder pot. A printed circuit board is provided with an additional foil pad (or a pair of additional pads in the case of a dual in-line package) arranged in line with the row of leads. This additional foil pad tends to draw off any excess solder to reduce the solder bridging between adjacent leads during the soldering operation.

Abstract: A flylead for providing electrical connection to a video disc signal pickup stylus, and exhibiting a prescribed force directed toward the record disc as well as a prescribed compliance to lateral translation. A substantially flat metal flylead element is configured with a respective narrowed region proximate each of its ends to permit the section between the narrowed sections to twist independent of the ends when mounted. The flylead, in its normal play configuration, is elastically deformed in an arc with the narrowed regions outside the region of the arc. A lateral translation of one end of the flylead induces a twisting in the arced portion of the flylead, which twisting relieves the flyleads resistance to such translation.

Abstract: A video disc player, for use with a television receiving device having a tuner, includes a power switch, a source of baseband video signal and a switchable multi-channel TV modulator. Upon closure of the power switch the baseband signal is modulated on a selected TV channel and supplied to the television tuner. Channel prompting apparatus in the video disc player responds to initial closure of the power switch and to the selected channel of the modulator to produce a message perceptable to a user of the player, the message being indicative of the selected TV channel of the modulator, for prompting the user to select the corresponding channel on the receiving device. The message is communicated to the user by sight or sound upon initial activation of the player and may be subsequently followed by a further message indicative of an operating parameter of the player such as a playing time indication of the disc being played.

Abstract: A matrix of thin, deformable component elements is advanced by a mechanism so that at least the most immediate element of the matrix is maintained registered and non-deformed during translation. The mechanism includes a circumferentially faceted wheel, with teeth protruding radially from the facets for engaging holes in the matrix and indexing the matrix when the wheel is rotated. A rectangular plate pivoted about one end and arranged to rotate with the wheel has a surface which engages one facet of the wheel parallel thereto. The plate clamps the matrix between the plate and wheel precluding relative motion of that element with the wheel during rotation of said wheel and precluding deformation of the elements during such rotation or translation.

Abstract: In a video disc player, a mechanism, responsive to opening of the carriage lid, retracts a carriagemounted transducer to accommodate a pickup cartridge in a compartment provided in a pickup arm carriage. When the lid is closed, the subject mechanism advances the transducer to effect a secure engagement between the transducer and the cartridge.

Abstract: Accumulated foreign material on the signal pickup stylus of a video disc player tends to degrade the quality of the recovered information signal. The recovered information signal is detected and the nominal amplitude of the recovered signal is compared against a reference amplitude. The occurrence of a decrease in recovered signal amplitude below the level of the reference causes a comparator to generate a control or trigger pulse. The control pulse activates a pulse generator to produce a predetermined pulse sequence which is applied to a stylus deflection transducer to move the stylus fore and aft radially across the disc and thereby dislodge the foreign material from the pickup stylus.

Abstract: An adaptive video disc record stylus kicker system for inducing limited stylus translations radially across the disc record. Control circuitry responsive to disc track and disc angular sector identification signals automatically calibrates the kicker activation signals to produce a desired kicker induced stylus translation. A microprocessor establishes a table containing kicker control signals for driving the kicker in each sector of the disc. For a given kicker induced stylus translation, the error is calculated between the actual stylus translation and the programmed stylus translation and the control signal for the respective sector is adjusted accordingly. Subsequently the control signals for each of the other sectors are altered proportional to the adjustment made to the particular control signal in accordance with a correlation function.

Abstract: Piezoelectric video disc recording cutterheads have small and intricate geometries that make it difficult to compute or measure their mechanical characteristics, especially during the recording process. A monitoring circuit, for use during recording, for monitoring and measuring the mechanical characteristics of a recording cutterhead takes the form of a bridge network. The motional charge or motional current, which are related to the mechanical characteristics of the cutterhead, is measured by means of the bridge network. One branch of the bridge is arranged to include the piezoelectric cutterhead, the other branch comprises a variable capacitor which is adjusted to compensate for the shunt capacitance of the equivalent electrical circuit of the cutterhead. When the variable capacitance is properly adjusted the combination of the currents through the bridge network provides a signal representative of the displacement characteristics of the cutterhead.

Abstract: A video disc record suitable for use with a video disc player apparatus is provided with a label for identifying the program material stored on the surface of the record. The label is formed in a machine readable format which comprises grooves in the surface of the record. In one format, whorls of a spiral groove on the surface of the record are spaced alternately with ungrooved areas on the surface. A readout apparatus comprises a light beam which is arranged to scan the grooved label and a detecetor which is arranged to sense the light beam reflected from the disc record surface. Light striking an ungrooved section is reflected in a substantially specular direction while light striking a grooved section is substantially scattered out of the specular direction. The detector is arranged to collect the light reflected into the specular direction.

Abstract: The present invention describes non-linear circuitry for reducing intermodulation distortion occurring in signals recovered from a disc record. The non-linear circuit generates complementary signals in a diode modulator for cancelling the undesired distortion components of the recovered signal. A synchronous detector in a servo loop with the non-linear circuit samples the distortion component of the resultant baseband video signal and applies bias to condition the non-linear circuit to further reduce the distortion-components. A reference signal for the detector is derived from the sound components of the recovered signal.

Abstract: A flat major surface of a disc-shaped substrate (e.g., of glass) is coated with a light-reflective layer (e.g., of aluminum) which is coated with a dielectric material (e.g., silicon dioxide) highly transparent for light of a frequency supplied by a recording laser, which dielectric material is coated with a thin layer of a material absorptive for light of the frequency supplied by the recording laser (e.g., titanium). The coating parameters are chosen to establish an anti-reflection condition for the coated record blank at the recording light frequency. The light output of the laser, which is intensity modulated in accordance with a signal to be recorded, is focused upon the coated surface of the disc as the disc is rotated. With the peak intensity of the focused light sufficient to at least cause melting of the absorptive layer, an information track is formed as a succession of spaced pits in which the reflective layer is effectively exposed through the layer of dielectric material.

Abstract: In a record player, one end of a tubular shaft is attached to a turntable. A follower member is disposed within the tubular shaft near the free end thereof such that a portion of the follower member extends beyond the shaft for engagement with the base of the player. The follower member is captured in the tubular shaft, but is free to float up and down. Disposed inside the tubular shaft is a threaded cap on which the follower member rides. The threaded cap is provided with a hex socket which is accessible from the top of the turntable through a central opening therein. A hex wrench is inserted through the tubular shaft and the cap is turned to adjust the turntable height.

Abstract: Under certain conditions a video disc player can be responsive to externally applied interference signals to provide a defect in the display of the information recovered from the disc. Apparatus is provided between the pickup circuits and the normal defect compensation apparatus of the player to detect the presence of the external signals and to activate the normal defect compensation apparatus when the external signals are of a relatively high frequency and above a certain amplitude level.

Abstract: Under certain conditions a video disc player can be responsive to externally applied interference signals to provide a defect in the display of the information recovered from the disc. Apparatus is provided between the pickup circuits and the normal defect compensation apparatus of the player to detect the presence of the external signals and to activate the normal defect compensation apparatus when the external signals are of a relatively high frequency and above a variable offset or threshold level. The threshold is made to vary as a function of the amplitude of the signal provided at the output of the pickup circuits.