Abstract: A video special effects system and method includes at least one signal system operating in real time to transform one or more input video signals to generate an output video in response thereto, a work station, an operator control panel and a control system communicating with the signal systems, the work station and the control panel. Control surfaces defined by one or two control curves are developed at the work station and subsequent used by the control system to define a video effect in which portions of the input video images are selectively mapped to the control surfaces and subsequently manipulated to define an output video image. The control system operates to define each parameter controlling the output image at selected event times and to individually interpolate each given parameter between the event times at which the parameter is defined. The signal systems generate the output images in response to input images and the instantaneous values of control parameters defined by the control system.

Abstract: A video special effects system and method includes at least one signal system operating in real time to transform one or more input video signals to generate an output video in response thereto, a work station, an operator control panel and a control system communicating with the signal systems, the work station and the control panel. Control surfaces defined by one or two control curves are developed at the work station and subsequent used by the control system to define a video effect in which portions of the input video images are selectively mapped to the control surfaces and subsequently manipulated to define an output video image. The control system operates to define each parameter controlling the output image at selected event times and to individually interpolate each given parameter between the event times at which the parameter is defined. The signal systems generate the output images in response to input images and the instantaneous values of control parameters defined by the control system.

Abstract: An automatic scan tracking, helical tape type of data recorder is disclosed herein along with its method of operation. Data is written onto magnetic recording tape along with data retrieval information by means of a rotating scanner assembly forming part of the recorder as the recording tape moves at a given recording speed in cooperative engagement with the scanner assembly. Data is normally retrieved from the recording tape along with the data retrieval information by means of the rotating scanner assembly as the recording tape moves longitudinally at the same given recording speed. In operation, the rotating scanner assembly of the recorder retrieves data and data retrieval information from a segment of the recording tape while the latter is not moving, that is, during a period when the tape is stationary for enabling adjustment of the read head position relative to the track depending on the evaluation of the data resulting from the stationary tape read.

Abstract: An improved magnetic head obviates the need for separate read and write heads in a magnetic storage system by providing a head core having two physical gaps configured to generate a reproduce track width that is narrower than a record track width. The core of the head comprises a tapered center pole disposed between two generally symmetrical main poles to form physical record and reproduce gaps. A magnetically saturable, high permeability element is disposed within the core in a manner that bridges the rear of the record gap.

Abstract: Drivers (24, 26, and 28) in the controller for a motor (14) drive the motor in accordance with a pulse-width-modulation scheme in which each pulse-width-modulation cycle includes a positive interval and a negative interval so that the value of the filtered output is proportional to the difference in duration between the positive and negative intervals. The pulse-width-modulator cycle also includes dead times between the positive and negative intervals, and these dead times are varied so that a change in a positive interval's duration in a fixed-duration pulse-width-modulation cycle does not necessarily result in an opposite change in the negative interval's duration. Consequently, the value resolution for a system in which the pulse-width-modulation cycle is a given number of system clock periods can be finer than it would be if the dead-time interval's duration were fixed.

Abstract: An improved, shielded magnetic core structure is disclosed that is particularly well suited for use in magnetic read and write heads adapted for narrow track, short wavelength magnetic recording systems, and for transformers of high performance, wide band application. The improved magnetic cores use novel field confinement structures to reduce or eliminate leakage magnetic paths which normally do not link the head gap or do not link the transformer windings. This shielding arrangement substantially improves the performance of such devices, as compared to conventional, unshielded heads and transformers. Embodiments involving toroidal cores, thin film heads, and MR heads are disclosed, along with high performance, wide band transformer structures.

Abstract: In an azimuth recording format, the crosstalk of the A channel into the B channel is higher than the crosstalk of the B channel into the A channel because, at the ends of a magnetic recording where the switching contour of constant magnetic field strength is equal to the media magnetization switching field, the switching contour follows a curve. The resulting curvature at the ends of the magnetic recording vary accordingly the angle of azimuth rejection between the B to A azimuth relative to the A to B azimuth at the edges of the track. The use of a record head of a unique design wherein the trailing pole face of the head extends laterally beyond its leading pole face at the over-writing side of the head, removes the curvature at the ends of the transition recordings forming the recorded tracks.

Abstract: A flexural pantographic mount for use in a helical scan magnetic tape transport, the mount being a boxed leaf stiffened flexural pantograph mount, for holding and varying the position of a moveable head in a helical scan automatic scan tracking magnetic tape transport. The mount includes a moveable body such as a magnetic transducing head assembly coupled at one end of first and second generally parallel spaced apart elongated flexural pantographic leaves configured at the opposite free ends thereof for attachment to a fixed body. Each leaf includes first and second integrally formed and bent leaf edge extensions, which act as side stiffeners. A triangularly configured opening and a trapezoidally configured opening are formed in each leaf with each opening being configured to include tab projections for bending into the opening to provide transverse or lateral stiffening.

Abstract: A translatable capstan/tachometer assembly for use, for example, in transporting a magnetic media in a data record/reproduce apparatus, includes a capstan rotatably coupled to a tachometer unit. The assembly is supported for movement from an initial, unthreaded media position within a threading cavity of a data cassette, to a threaded or locked working position. The media path is arranged so that moving the capstan/tachometer assembly into the threaded position causes the media to wrap around the capstan with a substantial wrap angle. In play, record, jog or variable speed operational modes, movement is provided between a motor/disc assembly and the capstan/tachometer assembly to rotatably drive the capstan. In a high speed shuttle mode, the motor/disc assembly is disengaged but the capstan/tachometer assembly remains in contact with the media, thereby still providing tape speed information via the integral tachometer unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for data storage and retrieval including first and second banks of refreshable memory, such as DRAMs. The user application provides a write clock and a read clock, the read clock being independent of the write clock. FIFO buffers are provided between the user application and the memory, with the buffers providing for read data with associated addresses and write data with associated addresses. A DRAM controller system is provided including a timing generator for the DRAM controlled by an external clock. The controller system controls the buffers to enable the continuous writing of user data to one of the first and second banks at a given address, with the user address and data synchronized to the write clock, while enabling simultaneous reading of data at a user provided address from the other of the first and second banks, with the loading of read addresses and outputting of read data occurring continuously and synchronously to the read clock.

Abstract: A system for recording and reproducing data including user data on a magnetic tape having a number of partitions in which recording can be performed, the tape having at least one system zone in which user data is not recorded, the system having a table of data located near the beginning of the tape and near each system zone with the table including data identifying the physical location of the system zones and partitions and other sections of the tape.

Abstract: A magnetic transducer is batch fabricated from a pair of confronting elongate composite block substrates each formed of a thin cap of non-magnetic material bonded to a much larger block of magnetic material, such as ferrite. An intermediate winding groove is formed in proximate relation to the non-magnetic material along the length of one or both composite block substrates. One (or both) of the substrates is provided with a plurality of parallel spaced V-shaped grooves oriented in a direction perpendicular to the winding groove, wherein adjacent grooves form therebetween track width defining [prtopms. A core layer of high permeability magnetic material, such as Alfesil material, is deposited over the edges whereby magnetic poles are formed of the edges. A gap layer of insulating material is deposited on the edges over the high permeability magnetic material. Two of the composite block substrates are placed with the edges in aligned abutting relation and are assembled by glass bonding.

Abstract: A video special effects system and method includes at least one signal system operating in real time to transform one or more input video signals to generate an output video in response thereto, a work station, an operator control panel and a control system communicating with the signal systems, the work station and the control panel. Control surfaces defined by one or two control curves are developed at the work station and subsequent used by the control system to define a video effect in which portions of the input video images are selectively mapped to the control surfaces and subsequently manipulated to define an output video image. The control system operates to define each parameter controlling the output image at selected event times and to individually interpolate each given parameter between the event times at which the parameter is defined. The signal systems generate the output images in response to input images and the instantaneous values of control parameters defined by the control system.

Abstract: In a recorder/reproducer apparatus, a scanning magnetic transducer for the magnetic recording and reproducing of a data signal in a magnetic storage medium. The transducer includes one or more elongate main pole segments embedded in the periphery of a rotary drum and oriented at an angle relative to the drum's axis of rotation. An elongate stationary pole with an electromagnetic winding coupled to the data signal is spaced from the drum and oriented generally parallel to the axis of rotation. A magnetic tape is transported between the two poles in contact with the main pole segments on the drum and spaced from the stationary pole. Rotation of the drum during recording and/or playback causes the area of intersection, that is, the opposed common area or confronting face portions, of the stationary pole and each of the successive main pole segments to be moved or scanned along the face of the stationary pole.

Abstract: A recording and reproducing system which has the capability of recording user data and system format data in physical blocks of predetermined size on a recording area of a tape, with the user data being identified by files and contained in data blocks having a predetermined size. Partial overrecording of data blocks can be performed in that physical blocks are retained which have valid data blocks, and new physical blocks are then recorded beginning with a rewritten data block.

Abstract: A timing recovery system for the low density longitudinal record channels utilizing capstan velocity or feed forward rate in a magnetic tape recording/reproducing system in which the capstan feed forward velocity, derived from an encoder, provides a signal whose frequency is proportional to the speed of the tape driven by the capstan. A scaling circuit is provided by a frequency-to-voltage converter followed by a voltage-to-frequency converter, the output signal providing a demodulation clock having a multiplied frequency proportional to the data rate reproduced from the tape. The demodulation clock, fed to the timing window generation circuitry, provides an input to data detection circuitry to provide a clocked data output, regardless of the reproduce speed within a very large range of speeds.

Abstract: The presence and stability of the input digital video signal of a digital video device, such as a digital video tape recorder system, is determined by a system control microprocessor running a program for periodically reading signals from an input data clock presence detector circuit, a circuit detecting presence of timing reference code words in the input digital video signal, and circuits measuring rates of single-bit and multiple-bit errors in the detected timing reference code words. The input signal is determined present and stable if the input data clock is present, timing reference code words are present, and if measured sync data error rates do not exceed some experimentally determined threshold values.

Abstract: Separations between the end of one data file and the beginning of the next data file are recognized, without utilizing an entire data storage block by means of a controlling program for a peripheral recording device monitoring the control information headers of helically stored data on a recording tape. When files are stored on the recording tape, the controlling program increments an increase of a file section number by one and increments to zero a data block number at the beginning of a new data file. When the recording device is reading the recording tape and there is detected an incrementation of the file section number and a zero value for a data block number, a recognition is made that this data indicates the end of one data file and the beginning of another data file.

Abstract: A rotary head helical scan tape record and/or reproduce apparatus has an upper rotatable cylindrical drum tape guide section and a stationary lower cylindrical drum tape guide section that includes a narrow upper ridge which is displaced radially from the axis of the stationary cylindrical drum tape guide section in a direction towards the location where the rotary head ends the scan of the tape. Magnetic tape is transported in a helical path from the lower stationary drum guide section, over the radially displaced upper ridge to the upper rotatable drum guide section, which carries the record and/or reproduce heads that transfer signals to and from the tape.

Abstract: There is described an information area of a system zone and a method for formatting a length of magnetic tape with a plurality of information areas containing volume format information for the entire tape volume. The information area contains an area for storing volume format parameters and an area for storing a volume format table generated from the volume format parameters.