Abstract: An actuator having electronically controllable tactile responsiveness which is flexibly programmable to facilitate provision in a single actuator of torque-position characteristics, such as a selectable number of detents per actuation through its full operative path. A rotary actuator facilitates provision in a single actuator, of torque versus angular position characteristics, such as a selectable number of detents per revolution. The actuator is in communication with a servo motor having a position encoder which outputs position information to a controller that has access to torque-position relation information. The controller outputs a digital torque signal, in accordance with the torque-position relation information, which is converted to an analog current signal applied to the servo motor to generate torque in the servo motor. The torque, presenting a tactile response to a human interacting with the actuator, is sensed as a detent or a plurality of detents.

Abstract: A video composition apparatus and method select segments from image source material stored on at least one storage media (either random access and/or serial access) and denote serially connected sequences of the segments to thereby form a composition sequence. The apparatus and method employ a pictorial labels associated with each frame of image source material, and also associates at least one of such labels with each segment for ease of manipulating the segments to form the composition sequence. The labels are displayed on a plurality of ordered spatial arrays of display monitors to simulate the temporal relationship between the segments in what is typically a "snapshot" non-temporal display. The composition control function is highly user interactive and responds to user commands for selectively displaying segments from the source material on a pictorial display.

Abstract: A video composition apparatus and method select segments from image source material stored on at least one storage media (either random access and/or serial access) and denote serially connected sequences of the segments to thereby form a composition sequence. The apparatus and method employ a pictorial labels associated with each frame of image source material, and also associates at least one of such labels with each segment for ease of manipulating the segments to form the composition sequence. The labels are displayed on a plurality of ordered spatial arrays of display monitors to simulate the temporal relationship between the segments in what is typically a "snapshot" non-temporal display. The composition control function is highly user interactive and responds to user commands for selectively displaying segments from the source material on a pictorial display.

Abstract: A video composition apparatus and method select segments from image source material stored on at least one storage media (either random access and/or serial access) and denote serially connected sequences of the segments to thereby form a composition sequence. The apparatus and method employ a pictorial labels associated with each frame of image source material, and also associates at least one of such labels with each segment for ease of manipulating the segments to form the composition sequence. The labels are displayed on a plurality of ordered spatial arrays of display monitors to simulate the temporal relationship between the segments in what is typically a "snapshot" non-temporal display. The composition control function is highly user interactive and responds to user commands for selectively displaying segments from the source material on a pictorial display.

Abstract: An actuator having electronically controllable tactile responsiveness which is flexibly programmable to facilitate provision in a single actuator of torque-position characteristics, such as a selectable number of detents per actuation through its full operative path. A rotary actuator facilitates provision in a single actuator, of torque versus angular position characteristics, such as a selectable number of detents per revolution. The actuator is in communication with a servo motor having a position encoder which outputs position information to a controller that has access to torque-position relation information. The controller outputs a digital torque signal, in accordance with the torque-position relation information, which is converted to an analog current signal applied to the servo motor to generate torque in the servo motor. The torque, presenting a tactile response to a human interacting with the actuator, is sensed as a detent or a plurality of detents.

Abstract: An actuator having electronically controllable tactile responsiveness which is flexibly programmable to facilitate provision in a single actuator of torque-position characteristics, such as a selectable number of detents per actuation through its full operative path. A rotary actuator facilitates provision in a single actuator, of torque versus angular position characteristics, such as a selectable number of detents per revolution. The actuator is in communication with a servo motor having a position encoder which outputs position information to a controller that has access to torque-position relation information. The controller outputs a digital torque signal, in accordance with the torque-position relation information, which is converted to an analog current signal applied to the servo motor to generate torque in the servo motor. The torque, presenting a tactile response to a human interacting with the actuator, is sensed as a detent or a plurality of detents.

Abstract: A video composition method selects segments from image source material stored on at least one storage medium and denotes serially connected sequences of the segments to thereby form a program sequence. The method employs pictorial labels associated with each segment for ease of manipulating the segments to form the program sequence. The labels are displayed on an ordered spatial array of display monitors. The composition control function is highly user interactive and responds to user commands for displaying, selectively, segments of the source material on a display monitor. The method identifies each segment by a pictorial image segment label and can assemble a plurality of labels into a label sequence. The method operates upon a sequentially related plurality of labels as a single label, the single label identifying a plurality of segments.

Abstract: A video composition apparatus and method select segments from image source material stored on at least one storage medium and denote serially connected sequences of the segments to thereby form a program sequence. The apparatus and method employ a control panel configuration which provides substantial tactile stimulation feedback to the operator of the equipment regarding the location of the control elements on the panel. The operator can then visually concentrate on displays available to him while operating the control panel manual elements with minimal visual feedback. The control panel includes, for example, first and second control wheels and first and second pluralities of switch elements adjacent each wheel.

Abstract: A composing apparatus and method select segments from image source material stored on at least one storage medium and denote serially connected sequences of the segments to thereby form a program sequence. The apparatus has a pictorial display monitor, an operator control panel, and a composing control device responsive to the operator control panel for controlling the storage medium and the pictorial display. The operator control panel can selectively display segment frames on the pictorial display and can control, through a manual rotation wheel, the frame being displayed. The rotation wheel has a plurality of operating positions and the display is responsive to each successive rotation position for displaying a next successive segment frame. The direction of the next frame with respect to the present displayed frame corresponds to the direction of rotation of the rotation wheel. Thereby, through back and forth rotation of the rotation wheel, action scrolling of the segment frames can be achieved.

Abstract: A video composition method and apparatus select segments from image source material stored on at least one storage medium and denote serially connected sequences of the segments to thereby form a program sequence. The apparatus and method employ pictorial labels associated with each segment for ease of manipulating the segments to form the program sequence. The labels are displayed in an ordered spatial array of display monitors to simulate the temporal relationship between the segments in what is typically a snapshot-style non-temporal display. The apparatus and method enable the images displayed on the monitors to be scrolled, in a visually pleasing fashion, across the monitors. The scrolling of labels across the monitors is implemented by an operator control circuitry.

Abstract: A video composition apparatus and method select segments from image source material stored on at least one storage medium and denote serially connected sequences of the segments to thereby form a program sequence. The source material, as it is being stored on the storage medium, has associated with each frame an internal time code. For each storage medium, which in the illustrated embodiment is a video tape recorder, the internal time codes are written in sequential order so that the difference in time codes between two frames corresponds to the difference in time or distance between the two frames on the video tape. When a plurality of different tape recorders record the same frame, the same internal time code is associated with the frame on each video tape recorder.

Abstract: A video composition apparatus and method select segments from image source material stored on at least two storage media and denote serially connected sequences of the segments to thereby form a program sequence. The apparatus and method employ pictorial labels associated with each segment for ease of manipulating the segments to form the program sequence. The composition control function is highly user interactive and responds to user commands for selectively displaying segments from the source material on a pictorial display monitor. The control function allows the user to display two segments, a "from" segment and a "to" segment, and the transition therebetween. The segments can be displayed in a film-style presentation or a video-style presentation directed to the end frame of the "frame" segment and the beginning frame of the "to" segment. The apparatus can selectively alternate between the film-style and video-style presentations.