Abstract: Method and apparatus for evaluating the quality of audio and/or video transfer characteristics of a device upon which, or through which, audio and/or video information is contained, or passes, respectively. Both method and apparatus concern the evaluation of the quality of information transfer in the recording and playing back of a recording medium or in the transferring of audio and/or video information through an information handling device referred to as a throughput device. Unit evaluation is accomplished by establishing an input signal of known content, measuring selected parameters of selected parts of the input signal, feeding the input signal to the unit under test, measuring the parameters of parts of the output signal from the unit under test corresponding to the same selected parts of the input signal, and comparing the selected parameters of the input signal with the corresponding parameters of the output signal.

Abstract: A photo-pickup wherein a light emitting portion, a surface acoustic wave generating portion, a lens portion, a light receiving portion and a control portion are integrally integrated on a base plate formed on its surface with a light transmission path. The light emitting portion propagates a light beam to the light transmission path. The light beam propagating in the light transmission path is first deflected within a plane of the light transmission path by surface acoustic wave propagating on the light transmission path and propagated towards the lens portion. The lens portion is provided to project the light beram outside from the light transmission path and effect two-dimentional focusing of the projected beam and adjustment of focal position. The light receiving portion comprises a combination of a plurality of light receiving elements disposed at suitable intervals from the projected position of the light beam to receive a reflected light of the light beam.

Abstract: The present invention is a magnetic tape-based "voice mail" multi-user message system. The system transmits audio prompts to callers to help guide them through the various procedures. The callers respond with Touch-Tone commands. A novel circuit is provided to detect these tone commands without significant interference from the audio prompt signals. This circuit is highly insensitive to deviations in the impedance of the incoming telephone line from its expected value. A circuit is also provided to prevent Touch-Tone commands which are recorded on tape from being re-executed when they are played back from the tape. A single L.E.D. indicator on each recipient's telephone set indicates the status of the system: idle with new message waiting; idle without new message waiting; busy with new message waiting; or busy without new message waiting.

Abstract: A new automatic tracking method is disclosed for the accurate positioning of a magnetic head with information previously recorded on the magnetic tape. If a moveable magnetic head is used, the position thereof is first normalized. Thereafter tracking is automatically adjusted based on a repetitive sampling process in which the results are mathematically averaged to determine a precise center position. Finally, new video material is physically positioned on the magnetic track according to a single offset error measurement and this offset error is stored and used in all subsequent edit operations.

Abstract: Head position controlling system for a disc memory unit in which reference information recorded on a recording disc is read out by a head to control tracking of the head. In the case of recording data on the recording disc, a first repetitive pattern signal is recorded on the disc while maintaining a predetermined position relationship with respect to a pair of adjacent data tracks to form an N-th reference track on the disc and then a second repetitive pattern signal is recorded on the disc to form (N-1)-th and (N+1)-th reference tracks adjacent to the N-th reference track. The second repetitive pattern signal is shifted in position so as not to be adjacent to the first repetitive pattern signal.

Abstract: Access method and information retrieval apparatus in which an external scale is used during accessing an optical head to a desired track on a rotating recording medium. The number of scale pitches to a target track on the external scale is detected and the speed of the head is controlled by the number of scale pitches. An eccentricity status of the rotating recording medium is previously detected and the number of scale pitches is corrected in accordance with the detected eccentricity status so that a distance of movement in a speed control is corrected and an access time is shortened.

Abstract: An objective lens actuator for an optical head. The objective lens has an optical axis. A first movable portion is adapted to move the objective lens in the focusing direction along the optical axis. The first movable portion includes an objective lens holder with a piston projecting from the objective lens in the direction of the optical axis. The objective lens holder secures the objective lens on the optical axis and supports a rectangular focusing coil and a four component tracking coil. A second movable portion is adapted to move the objective lens in a tracking direction, essentially perpendicular to the focusing direction and includes a guide hole shaped to slidably receive the first movable portion therein and to restrict movement of the first movable portion relative to the second movable portion to motion substantially along the focusing direction. A magnetic circuit drives the first and second movable portions in the focusing and tracking directions, respectively.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus arranged so that a light beam from a laser light source is focused by an object lens and irradiated on an optical recording medium having thereon a mirror surface and tracks of a plurality of pits for recording data, and that a reflected beam from the recording medium is irradiated on an optical detector from which a signal on the recording medium is reproduced for maintaining a position of said object lens at an optical center axis by a tracking servo. The optical detector includes at least two adjacent photoelectric transducers providing outputs indicative of the reflected beam incident thereon, a device for producing a signal indicative of a difference between the outputs from the transducers, and a position detector for detecting the position of the object lens in a direction perpendicular to the tracks in cooperation with said difference producing device.

Abstract: A method has been discovered for recovering data recorded on magnetic recording tape wherein adjacent layers have become adhered after long storage times, even at recommended storage conditions. The method comprises localized heating of the tape in an amount sufficient to break hydrogen (physical) bonding between the binder and the film backing. A continuous tension is applied to the tape, while withdrawing it from the spool to break residual adhesion. The spool is turned at a rate of speed sufficient to carry away heat so that the film does not reach the heat distortion temperature.

Abstract: A video tape recorder for recording a plurality of skewed recording tracks on a video tape includes a recording head, an auxiliary head and an erasing head mounted on a rotary body of a tape guide drum about which the tape is helically wrapped, a rotary transformer for transmitting signals to the recording head, auxiliary head and erasing head rotating with the rotary body, an erase signal generator for generating an earsing signal to be supplied to the erasing head by way of the rotary transformer, and a short circuit arrangement coupled to a signal path connected with the auxiliary head for short circuiting the latter upon applying the erasing signal form the erase signal generator to the erasing head by way of the rotary transformer.

Abstract: A card reader includes an opaque arm movable in response to the insertion of a credit card. The arm, when moved, interrupts a light path signalling the presence of the card thus permitting write or read operations on a magnetic stripe on the card. The use of arm permits highly reliable operation due to the location of the light path defining devices in a place where they are protected from contaminants. In addition, the light path is always interrupted with an obstruction of known opacity.

Abstract: There is disclosed a tracking error detecting apparatus for an optical head, which includes a semiconductor laser apparatus, a diffraction grating, a beam splitter, an objective lens and a photo-detector, in which a laser beam from the semiconductor laser apparatus is divided into a main beam and two side beams at both sides of the main beam by the diffraction grating, the three beams are introduced through the beam splitter and the objective lens to an optical recording medium, beams reflected on the optical recording medium are introduced through the objective lens to the beam splitter and reflected thereon, the reflected beams are made incident on the photo-detector and detected outputs of at least two beams of the three beams from the photo-detector are used to produce a tracking error signal corresponding to the tacking state of the main beam on the optical recording medium.

Abstract: An endless tape recording and playback apparatus is provided with a splicing tape detection system which is capable of reliably detecting the presence of splicing tape secured to the endless recording tape. The system includes a capstan which is rotatable at a predetermined angular velocity, and a pinch roller which is capable of pivoting between capstan-engaged and capstan-disengaged positions. An optical detection system including a light emitter and a light detector implemented within a single body, and a support base mounted upon the pinch roller for directing the optical axis of the detection system toward the endless tape surface at an acute angle with respect to the tape surface, can detect the presence of the splicing tape. Due to the angular disposition of the detection system, the presence of the splicing tape can even be detected in conjunction with worn endless recording tape. The light emitter and light detector are mounted upon the pinch roller.

Abstract: A record confirmation apparatus comprises a recording device for recording information on a disc-like record bearing member rotated at a predetermined angular speed, in accordance with a writing signal, a reproducing device disposed at a predetermined distance from the recording device in the tangential direction of the record bearing member for reproducing the recorded information as a read-out signal, and a comparing device for delaying the writing signal and comparing it with the read-out signal, the comparing device having a variable delay circuit for varying the delay time in conformity with the relative position of the recording device and the reproducing device relative to the record bearing member in the radial direction of the record bearing member.

Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing information in the form of one or more information blocks in the track of a record carrier, for example a compact-disc digital audio player, is equipped with a memory having n storage locations for storing in each of these storage locations one sequence number corresponding to an information block (if present) whose beginning is situated in a portion of the record carrier corresponding to each storage location, where n<99, and first means for the storage of or containing data relating to the size and the location of the portions on the record carrier, or for the storage of or containing data from which the size and the location of the portions on the record carrier can be derived. Suitably, n is not greater than 10. By means of such an apparatus searching for a following track number that has been selected can be effected more rapidly.

Abstract: A digital bar code slot reader provides low first bar error rates and a wide scan speed range for bar codes on laminated badges and tags, and is also capable of reading bar codes on paper. The reflectance waveform from the bar code is differentiated in order to find the regions of high slope. The differentiated signal is peak detected to find the amplitude of the slope occurring at the initial card edge. This peak detected value is used to generate thresholds to be compared to the differentiated reflectance signal during the rest of the scan. When the slope of the reflectance signal is above the positive threshold or below the negative threshold, a switching signal is produced. To compensate for the lower amplitude output of the differentiator at low scan speeds, one of the amplifiers in the circuit produces a higher gain at low frequencies than at high frequencies.

Abstract: In an optical magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus including a disc clamp member and a magnetic field biasing device, the disc clamp member and the magnetic field biasing device are pivotably supported by separate supporting members so as to undergo pivotal movement independently of one another with respect to a disc cartridge holder. This enables a compact arrangement in which the disc cartridge holder is compactly accommodated beneath the disc clamp member and the magnetic field biasing device during the loading of a record disc.

Abstract: A video tape reproduction apparatus is operable in a conventional mode in which a field of video information is recorded in a single track on magnetic tape, and in a high quality mode in which a field of video information is recorded in two adjacent tracks. In the high quality mode, in order to minimize skew errors (which may occur during playback when switching in mid-field from track to track), the second half of the field is delayed before it is recorded in the second track. Preferably the first half of each field is recorded with an integral number of horizontal lines so that switching is effected during a horizontal blanking interval.

Abstract: In a system for recording and reproducing digital signals on a magnetic tape using a rotary head, in which the signals are recorded as a series of slanted tracks without guard bands, pilot signals that control tracking alignment of a playback head are recorded at particular positions in a specific pilot signal record region, independent of the information signal record region. Position detecting signals having various recording lengths are also recorded in the pilot signal region in such a manner that the start position of each position detecting signal corresponds substantially to the center portion of the pilot signal on an adjacent track.

Abstract: A repositioner for a streaming magnetic tape drive apparatus includes control circuitry which, when a repositioning instruction is received from an external device, supplies a drive stop instruction to a tape reel motor and a measurement start instruction to a tape travel distance measuring device when a first data block edge detection signal is reproduced from the tape within a certain time period. A tape stop detection signal is produced when forward movement of the tape ceases, and the control circuitry outputs a reverse drive instruction to the reel motor while supplying a reverse tape travel distance measurement start instruction to the distance measuring device. When the forward and reverse tape travel distances become equal and a data block edge detection signal is reproduced from the tape within a certain time period, a normal operation signal is provided to the external device to signal that a repositioning operation is normally performed.