Abstract: A magnetic video reproducer outputs a plurality of pilot signals having different frequencies from a servo circuit (18) in a recording mode, to superpose the pilot signals on video signals outputted from a signal circuit (25) and record the same on video tracks provided on a magnetic tape. In shifting a mode from the recording mode to a stop mode including a pause mode, a capstan motor (19) and a reel motor (20) are reversely rotated so that a cue signal is recorded by a cue head (10) on the magnetic tape in the form of a pulse train, whereafter travelling of the magnetic tape is stopped.

Abstract: A telephone answering machine which includes a speakerphone feature to enable the user to converse directly with a calling party through the machine. A microphone and a speaker are included in the machine together with interconnecting circuitry which may be activated by the user upon the receipt of a telephone call to enable the user to communicate with the calling party through the machine instead of having the calling party record his message on the machine in response to a recorded announcement.

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 single offset error is stored and used in all subsequent edit operations.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving a magnetic disk for information storage and retrieval, comprising a battery for supplying electric power to a first actuator for rotating the magnetic disk, and to a second actuator for moving a magnetic head across a surface of the magnetic disk and energizing the head to write information on and read the information from the magnetic disk. The apparatus further comprising a detector for sensing a voltage level of the battery, and generating a voltage-drop signal when the voltage level of the battery has fallen below a preset limit. A control unit is provided for controlling the first and second actuators. The control unit is responsive to the voltage-drop signal to inhibit the starting of an access to the magnetic disk, or inhibit the operation of the first actuator.

Abstract: A scan tracking circuit for helical scan video tape recorders. The circuit creates and combines three control signals and generates as an output a deflection signal which serves to accurately maintain the scanning head on a desired track. The first control signal is sawtooth shaped and is based upon and derived from the speed of the tape. The second control signal is dependent on the signal which is developed by the scanning head and is also correlated with other signals which are obtained from previous scans of a previous scanned video track. The third signal is selected from a plurality of stored signals each of which is tailored to correct for a characteristic curvature pattern associated with video tracks produced by a particular VTR machine. The final deflection signal is a composite of the three control signals.

Abstract: A variable mode numerical display for a record/playback device normally displays a numerical count representing the present position of the record medium used with that device and is operable to interrupt this normal display so as to display the number of a message that was last-recorded or that is in position for playback or to display the number of an instruction that was last-recorded or that has been reached. Also, a bar graph display is comprised of plural visual display elements which are selectively energized as a function of the interval that separates successive pulses that are generated in conjunction with the movement of the record medium. The variable mode and bar graph displays are controlled by a processor.

Abstract: A color video printer for producing a color photographic copy from a color video signal. The printer includes a monochrome cathode ray tube (CRT) and an exposure station located along an optical path from the CRT. The printer includes a rotatable filter wheel having red, green and blue filters sequentially movable into the optical path in synchronism with the field frequency of the color video signal to filter monchrome images produced by the CRT. A video signal circuit provides a color video signal including three concurrent red, green and blue component video signals repeated at broadcast field frequency. A gate is electrically connected between the video signal circuit and the CRT to selectively apply, when actuated, one of the three concurrent color component video signals to the CRT.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus including a tape loading mechanism used for controlling the speed at which the tape is loaded from the container to the rotary head or unloaded from the rotary head into the container.

Abstract: This invention relates to azimuth adjustment apparatus for a magnetic head and, more particularly, to azimuth adjustment apparatus for a reproducing head. The azimuth adjustment apparatus for a magnetic head comprises an azimuth adjuster including a control motor to adjust an azimuth of a magnetic head and manual azimuth instruction apparatus including at least one manually variable resistor for generating an azimuth control signal connected to control the motor to vary the azimuth position of the magnetic head in accordance with the resistance value of the manually variable resistor. In case the azimuth adjustment apparatus for the magnetic head is applied to an automatically reversible tape recorder, the manual azimuth instruction apparatus includes forward and reverse variable resistors to be selected in accordance with the direction in which a magnetic tape runs.

Abstract: A magnetic video reproducing apparatus employs a rotating two-head system, a helical scanning system and an azimuth system, and is capable of reproducing a video signal recorded in a recording medium at a high speed faster than the recording speed. The output side of a reproducing circuit (24) is connected with a delay circuit (31) for delaying a reproduced composite video signal for the period of about one field. The output directly generated from the reproducing circuit (24) and the output delayed by the delay circuit (31) for the period of about one field are switched by a changeover switch (32) at predetermined timing. Since, in fast reproducing operation, noises appear in the signal for predetermined periods within one field, the changeover switch (32) is so switched as to output the signal delayed for the period of one field including no noises during the subject periods.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus for effecting the erasure of information recorded on a recording medium has wide area erasing means for erasing the recording information of a wide area recorded on the recording medium, and narrow area erasing means for erasing the recorded information of a relatively narrow area as compared with the wide area erasing means. The wide area erasing means and the narrow area erasing means are used together to erase a desired range of recorded information.

Abstract: A radially acting track follower system is provided with an optical scanner pickup for an audio or video record playback apparatus. The system generates three light spots disposed on a line with a movable phase grating (diffraction grating) and the three spots can be adjusted relative to the tangent at the track pickup scanning location. The middle or main light spot serves to provide scanning of the track signal information. The two outer or auxiliary light spots serve to provide readjustment. They are displaced radially oppositely to each other by equal amounts and are disposed at equal distances from the middle spot. The light intensity of the outer spots is picked up by detectors and processed into control signals. These are used as a drive for the phase grating, which can be controlled around its center point and the rotation axis of the phase grating coincides with the light beam, which can be provided by a semiconductor laser.

Abstract: An apparatus, primarily for use in battery-powered floppy disk drives, for moving a magnetic head radially toward a reference track in accordance with a direction signal from a disk controller. The apparatus comprises a track position sensor for sensing the track position of the magnetic head. The track sensor outputs a signal indicating whether the magnetic head is positioned radially inward or outward of track positions within a predetermined vicinity of a magnetic disk reference track. The apparatus has a reset circuit for generating a set signal when a power is applied to the reset circuit, and a logic circuit responsive to the track sensor output and set signal for providing a first binary control signal for use in selecting the direction of movement of said magnetic head. A second logic circuit utilizes the first binary control signal and the direction signal from the disk controller to provide a second binary control signal operative to set the direction of movement of the magnetic head.

Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing an information signal which was recorded along with one of four successive pilot signals of different frequencies from one another for every one track of a recording medium in a prescribed rotation, including a reproducing head for tracing the recording track, apparatus for selectively producing four reference signals of substantially the same frequencies as those of the respective pilot signals one at a time in a rotation different from the prescribed rotation, and apparatus for detecting a position error of the reproducing head relative to the recording track by using the four reference signals and at least one of the four pilot signals reproduced through the reproducing head.

Abstract: A microprocessor control controls the operation of a color video printer to produce color photographic copies from color video images. The printer includes a monochrome cathode ray tube (CRT) and an exposure station which is located along an optical path from the CRT and at which is positioned self-processing photographic elements. A video signal circuit provides a color video signal constituting frames of interlaced odd and even fields repeated at broadcast field frequency, wherein each field includes three concurrent color component video signals respectively representing first, second and third colors of a field image. A rotatable filter has red (R), green (G), and blue (B) filters sequentially movable into the optical path. The rotation of the filter is synchronized by the microprocessor control with the field frequency of the color video signal.

Abstract: A low cost disk drive system includes track zero information located in a single sector on the disk surface. The information is comprised of a first type of signal located in tracks to one side of an arbitrary reference track and a second type of signal located in the tracks to the other side of the arbitrary reference track. The magnetic head of the disk drive system is moved radially with respect to the disk and the transition between the signals detected in order to locate the head at the reference track.

Abstract: In an auto-focussing system, an actuator which moves together with an objective lens is vertically movable against a rotating optical disc and radiates a light beam so as to form a light spot on an information plane of the disc. A focus servo unit moves the actuator so that an optical distance between the actuator and the disc is within a proper distance region and performs the focus control of the light spot on the disc. While the actuator is approaching the optical disc, an auto-focus/focus servo controller initially makes the servo unit nonoperative and, when the actuator reaches a too-far position in a suitable servo loop distance region specified by a servo loop of the focus servo unit, the controller temporarily stops the movement of the actuator and then moves the actuator again from the too-far position by only a predetermined distance, thereby causing the actuator to be located within the focus loop distance region.

Abstract: A video disc recording/reproducing system is improved by preventing secondary or higher order sidebands of the FM modulated video signal from affecting an audio signal multiplexed with the video signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and reproducing a video signal and an audio signal which are recorded in different areas or portions of each slant track on a tape includes first and second rotary heads for recording and reproducing the video and audio signals in alternate tracks, a playback circuit for processsing luminance and chrominance components of the video signal reproduced by the first and second rotary heads when scanning video signal-containing areas of the respective tracks, a circuit for supplying an audio signal to the rotary heads to be recorded, a signal generator for generating a predetermined signal in substitution for the processed luminance component, and a muting circuit for muting the reproduced chrominance component, and wherein the predetermined signal from the signal generator is substituted for the processed luminance component and the chrominance component is muted by the muting circuit during recording of the audio signal in place of a previously recorded audio signal.

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.