Abstract: A computer controlled video interactive courseware system is designed for the generation, viewing, and duplication of interactive instructional video tapes. An interactive instructional videotape contains video segments located on the stereo-video portion of a tape containing live-motion video images for the presentation of a lesson. Portions of the stereo-video portion of the tape contains video signals that contain digitally encoded information which is retrieved by the computer during playback of the tape. The digital information extracted from the videotape contains computer instructions to provide interactivity with students. Interactivity could include a presentation of questions to the student and based on the student's response to the question presenting selected video segments from the video tape. Preferably, the video cassette recorder is S-VHS which provides for increased bandwidth and uses a higher quality tape medium than standard VHS tape medium.

Abstract: A system for control of a video storage device by a programmed processor. A preferred implementation illustrates a tutorial system including a personal computer as the programmed processor, a video cassette recorder as the video storage device, a video monitor, and an interface and control circuit for communication and control among the system elements. Under control of the personal computer audio, video, and digital data can be read from or written to any location on a video tape of the video cassette recorder. The system uses this capability to store a plurality of video segments and audio segments on the video tape relating to a story board. Additionally stored on the tape is a programmed index in digital form indicating the storyboard sequence of the video segments and their locations on the tape. An interactive teaching program run on the personal computer reads the index and plays the video segments in the story board sequence.