JPH03201236A - Auto video recording system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an automatic recording system for a VTR (video tape recorder).

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a VTR, there are a standard mode and a triple mode as recording modes, and a user can select either mode. When the user specifies recording in the 3x mode, for example, a tape cassette capable of recording 1 hour of recording in the standard mode can record 3 hours of recording, which is 3 times that amount.

By the way, when the user specifies either standard or triple recording mode and starts recording, recording continues in the specified recording mode. For this reason, when the user specifies the standard mode and starts recording, due to the amount of remaining tape in the tape cassette being used, the user cannot record for the desired recording time, and recording stops midway through. Sometimes it seems like it's over. In this way, if the 3x mode had been specified, sufficient recording would have been possible, but as a result of the standard mode being specified, recording would no longer be possible.

In order to eliminate such inconveniences, VTRs are known in which a recording mode called auto recording can be set (for example, Mitsubishi Video HV-F63 instruction manual pp, 29
30). This means that when standard mode is specified and recording is performed, if the entire recording time specified by the user cannot be recorded in this standard mode, if the remaining tape capacity becomes low, the 3x mode will be automatically set. This is to switch to . This makes it possible to record the entire recording time designated by the user.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] According to the above-mentioned conventional technology, even if the auto recording mode is set, the user cannot know the recording time in each of the standard and 3x modes and the retiming for switching between these modes. I can't. Although the user does not know how much recording time is left with the tape cassette he is using, he sets the auto recording mode based on his desire to record the desired recording time to the end.

However, even if the user cannot record in the standard mode for the entire desired recording time, there are cases where the user wants to record in the standard mode for a period of the desired recording time. For example, when recording two broadcast programs in succession, it may be desirable to record at least the preceding broadcast program in standard mode. In such a case,
When the user visually estimates the amount of tape remaining in the tape cassette and sets the auto recording mode, the user is not informed of the remaining recording time for this tape cassette in standard and 3x modes, so the user is not informed of the remaining recording time for this tape cassette, at least for the desired period. This leaves the user with a sense of uncertainty as to whether standard mode recording will be performed or not.

In addition, even in 3x mode, use a tape cassette whose remaining recordable time is shorter than the recording time specified by the user.
When recording in automatic recording mode, the 3x mode is set when recording starts, but recording stops before the specified recording time has been recorded. For this reason, the user cannot accurately know the remaining recordable time on the tape cassette, and the user is constantly worried about whether or not recording will be interrupted due to insufficient remaining tape.

An object of the present invention is to solve such problems and provide an automatic recording system that allows the user to effectively utilize automatic recording by notifying the user of various information in automatic recording mode. It is in.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides means for detecting the remaining amount of tape and calculating the remaining recordable time for each of the first and second recording modes. means for calculating the recording time in the first and second recording modes so that recording is performed with the remaining amount of the tape in proportion to the recorded recording time;
means for generating warning information when recording over the entire designated recording time is impossible in any of the second recording modes;
It is constituted by means for displaying the calculated recordable time, the recording time of each mode in automatic recording, and the warning information.

[Operation] When the automatic recording mode is specified, the remaining amount of tape in the tape cassette being used is detected, and the remaining recordable time for each of the first and second recording modes is calculated. Then, when the user sets the desired recording time, the recording time in the first and second recording modes is calculated so that the remaining tape in the tape cassette is recorded without excess or deficiency over the entire set recording time. . The total of these calculated recording times is equal to the set recording time, and is also the recording time of the remaining tape in the tape cassette being used.

Also, here, the tape speed in the second recording mode is the same as that in the first recording mode.
is slower than the tape speed in the recording mode of
When the calculated recordable time in the second recording mode is shorter than the set recording time, it is impossible to record the set recording time on the remaining tape in the tape cassette. In this case, warning information is generated.

The recordable time for each of the first and second recording modes with respect to the detected tape remaining amount is displayed. Thereby, the user can easily determine whether recording is possible using a tape cassette that uses the entire desired recording time, or whether recording is possible only in the first recording mode where the tape speed is high.

Furthermore, the recording time in the first and second recording modes in automatic recording calculated by specifying the recording time is also displayed. Thereby, it is possible to easily determine whether or not recording will be performed in the first recording mode for a desired period of the designated recording time.

Further, when a recording time longer than the recordable time in the second recording mode for the detected tape remaining amount is specified, this is detected and warning information is displayed. This makes it easy to see that recording over the entire specified recording time is impossible.

As described above, the user is informed of various situations before recording starts, and can take appropriate measures such as replacing the tape cassette being used or changing the recording time, and can perform operations and preparations for recording in an interactive format. This improves operability.

[Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic recording system according to the present invention, in which 1 is a microcomputer (
2 is a tape remaining amount calculation/system control unit, 3 is a character signal generation unit, 4 is a switch, 5 is a video system, 6 is a monitor, and 7 is a VTR.

In the same figure, the microcomputer 1 is operated by a remote control device (hereinafter referred to as a remote control), which will be described later.
It receives information corresponding to operations on an operation section (not shown) of the TR 7, processes the information, and sends and receives commands and information to and from the tape remaining amount calculation/system control unit 2, character signal generation unit 3, and the like. The remaining tape amount calculation/system control unit 2 normally performs external control within the VTR 7, but it detects the remaining amount of tape in the tape cassette (not shown) to be used based on instructions from the microcomputer 1, and performs recording accordingly. Calculate the possible time and send it to microcomputer 1. When the character signal generation unit 3 receives information from the microcontroller,
A character signal representing this information is generated.

Switch 4 is tape remaining amount calculation/system control unit 2
It is normally closed to the A side to select the recording or playback video signal from the video system 5, and output it to the external monitor 6.
However, when it is closed to the B side, the character signal generated by the character signal generating unit 3 is selected and supplied to the monitor 6.

Therefore, an image based on the video signal from the video system 5 is normally displayed on the monitor 6, but when the switch 4 is closed to the B side, a single character sentence etc. based on the character signal generated by the character signal generation unit 3 is displayed. be done.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the main parts of the operating section of the remote control.

In the same figure, the remote control is equipped with operation keys such as the power switch, recording, and playback, as well as a numeric keypad 10 for inputting numerical information, as in the conventional case, but it also has standard recording mode, triple recording mode, , a mode setting key 8 and a menu key 9 for setting one of automatic recording modes.

When the mode setting key 8 is operated, the set recording mode is switched in the order of standard recording mode, triple recording mode, and auto recording mode each time the mode setting key 8 is operated, and this switching is repeated.

The menu key 9 is operated first when setting a special operation mode of the VTR. There are three types: ``Recording''.

In the VTR 7 in FIG. 1, such remote control recording,
Playback key and mode setting key 8. The microcomputer 1 receives commands by operating function keys such as the menu key 9 and information by operating the numeric keypad 10.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained using FIGS. 3 and 4.

When the menu key 9 of the remote control shown in FIG. The unit 2 is operated to close the switch 4 to the B side, and the menu information is sent to the character signal generation unit 3. Therefore, a character signal representing this menu information is generated from the character signal generating unit 3 and is supplied to the monitor 6 via the switch 4. As a result, a menu is displayed on the monitor 6, as shown in FIG. 101).

Here, in order to perform automatic recording, when the user presses the number "3" numeric keypad 1o on the remote control, an automatic recording selection request command is sent from the remote control to microcomputer 1, which requests microcomputer 1 to perform automatic recording. (Step 1o2).

Based on this determination, microcomputer 1 calculates the remaining amount of tape/
A command is sent to the system control unit 2 to detect the remaining amount of tape in a tape cassette (not shown) and to calculate the remaining recordable time in the standard and triple recording modes. This operation takes about 10 seconds, during which time the microcomputer 1 sends information to the character signal generation unit 3, which generates a character signal to inform the user on the monitor 6 that the remaining tape time is being calculated. The screen shown in Figure (b) is displayed (step 103).

When the tape remaining amount calculation/system control unit 2 calculates the above-mentioned recordable time, this information is taken into the microcomputer 1 and supplied to the character signal generation unit 3, which causes the monitor 6 to display the recording mode in each recording mode. A screen shown in the third diagram (c) is displayed to inform the user of the available time (step 104).

Here, the remaining tape capacity of the tape cassette is 50 minutes of recording in standard recording mode, and 1 in 3x recording mode.
The amount should be enough to record for 50 minutes. This screen display allows the user to determine whether the tape cassette being used can sufficiently record the broadcast program or the like that the user intends to record. In other words, if the broadcast time of a broadcast program is T minutes, when T≦50 minutes, the entire broadcast program can be recorded in standard recording mode, and when 50 minutes <72150 minutes, the program changes from standard recording mode to triple recording mode in the middle. However, the entire broadcast program can be recorded at 150 minutes.

It can be seen that even in the triple recording mode, it is impossible to record the entire broadcast program. Therefore, based on the display screen shown in FIG. 3(c) and the broadcast time of the broadcast program to be recorded, the user can easily decide whether to record with the tape cassette currently in use or to replace the tape cassette in use. can be done.

When the above display processing is completed, the microcomputer 1 then enters the recording time input mode. While the screen shown in FIG. 3(C) is displayed, the user operates the numeric keypad 10 (FIG. 2) on the remote control to
When a numerical value of a digit is input, this numerical information is taken into the microcomputer 1, supplied to the character signal generation unit 3, and sent to the third
As shown in Figure (d), the numbers are displayed starting from the highest digit in the order in which they were input using the remote control. Then, when the recording time expressed as a three-digit number is input (step 105
), the microcomputer 1 calculates the time allocated to the standard and triple recording modes to record the broadcast program of the input recording time, with respect to the remaining tape capacity of the recordable time shown in FIG. 3(C). In other words, calculate the auto recording time (
Step 106). Here, the recordable time when recording the entire remaining tape in the tape cassette only in standard recording mode and when recording only in triple recording mode is 'rs.
, 'rx (T R = 3 TB), If the broadcast time of a broadcast program is T, the time t for recording the remaining tape in standard recording mode in automatic recording is 3T, -T t, = ・Old...(1), the time t2 to record in triple recording mode is tx=T-t
.

3T-T.

=...(2).

Next, based on the calculated automatic recording time, it is determined whether the entire input recording time can be recorded on the remaining tape of the used tape cassette (step 107). This determination can be made by comparing the input recording time T and the above recordable time T2. Then, when the entire input recording time T can be recorded, the microcomputer 1 sends information on the automatic recording time calculated in step 106 and information representing the timing of switching from the standard recording mode to the triple recording mode to the character signal generating unit 3. Figure 3(e)
The screen shown in is displayed on the monitor 6 (step 108).
. Here, the recordable time is shown in FIG. 3(c), and the input recording time is 100 minutes (=T).
The auto recording time in this case is T,=50. TI=
150, the above formula (1).

As a result of (2), the standard recording mode becomes 25 minutes and the 3x recording mode becomes 75 minutes.These are displayed on the screen shown in Figure 3(e), and 25 minutes after the start of recording the standard recording mode becomes 3x. The recording mode switching retiming to switch to double recording mode is also displayed.

From this screen display, the user can know how much of the input recording time will be recorded in the standard recording mode.

Note that if the input recording time T is shorter than the time required to record the remaining tape only in standard recording mode, the "standard recording time" will be displayed equal to this input recording time on the screen shown in FIG. 3(e). , "3x recording time" is displayed as 0 minutes, and a message is displayed that recording will be performed only in standard recording mode.

Further, the added value (t, +tx) of the above equations (1) and (2) is equal to the input recording time T. Therefore, Ts≦T≦Te
When 1, recording is performed on the remaining tape of the used tape cassette for the input recording time T without excess or deficiency.

In the determination process of step 107, when it is determined that the input recording time T is longer than the recordable time T2 when recording is performed on the remaining tape only in triple recording mode, information representing this is generated from the microcomputer 1 as a character signal. unit 3
As shown in FIG. 3(f), a warning screen is displayed on the monitor 6 indicating that there is not enough remaining tape in the tape cassette to record the entire input recording time (step 109).

As described above, when the screen shown in FIGS. 3(e) and 3(f) is displayed on the monitor 6, steps 110, 112.
A series of determination operations at step 113 are repeated, allowing the user to select whether to start recording, replace the tape cassette being used, or change the input recording time.

As a result of the display screen shown in FIG. 3(e) being displayed on the monitor 6, when the user presses the record key (not shown) on the remote control (FIG. 2), the microcomputer 1 receives a recording start request command and starts recording the tape. A command is sent to the remaining amount calculation/system control unit 2. As a result, the tape remaining amount calculation/system control unit 2 sets the VTR 7 to automatic recording mode and also switches the switch 4 to the A side. VTR7 starts recording, but
In the case shown in Fig. 3(e), the standard recording mode is set at the same time as recording starts, and 3
Switches to double recording mode, and recording ends after 100 minutes. This operation is executed by the tape remaining amount calculation/system control unit 2 according to the instructions from the microcomputer 1 (step 1.11).

Furthermore, when the screens shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(f) are displayed on the monitor 6, the user presses the numeric key 1° (
When the user inputs a new recording time again by operating the button shown in FIG. At this time, the screen shown in FIG. 3(d) is displayed on the monitor 6 along with the input of the recording time, and when the process of step 107 is completed, the screen showing the processing result is displayed as shown in FIG. 3(e) or (f). ) is displayed as shown.

Furthermore, as a result of the screen shown in FIG. 3(e) being displayed on the monitor 6 in step 10'9, when the tape cassette being used is replaced and the menu key 9 (FIG. 2) of the remote control is operated, the menu is displayed on the microcomputer 1. A display request command is supplied (step 112), and the series of operations from step 101 is restarted.

In this way, before starting automatic recording, the information necessary for automatic recording is displayed for the tape cassette being used in accordance with the user's operations, and the user can also perform operations according to the displayed contents. This allows preparatory operations for automatic recording to be performed interactively with the VTR.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, preparation operations for automatic recording can be performed interactively with the VTR, and operations for optimal recording according to the remaining tape amount and recording time are easy. This improves operability, and also avoids situations where recording becomes impossible midway through.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic recording system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of essential parts showing an example of a remote control device used in this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the monitor in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. 1...Microcomputer, 2...
Tape remaining amount calculation/system control unit, 3...
・Character signal generation unit, 6...Monitor, 8.
...Mode setting key, 9...Menu key 10...Numeric keypad" Fig. 1 (a) Fig. (b) Fig.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first recording mode at a first tape speed;
In a video tape recorder that can selectively set a second recording mode at a second tape speed slower than the tape speed of means for calculating the remaining recordable time for each recording time, means for setting a desired recording time, and recording in the first recording mode so that recording is performed on the used tape in accordance with the set recording time. means for calculating time and recording time in the second recording mode; means for generating warning information when recording for the entire set recording time is impossible only in the second recording mode; , means for displaying the remaining recordable time for each second recording mode, the recording time for the first and second recording modes, and warning information. 2. In claim 1, together with a recording start command after displaying the recording time in the first and second recording modes, the first and second recording modes are configured for each of the calculated recording times on the used tape. 1. An automatic recording system characterized by having means for causing recording to be performed by. 3. In claim 1 or 2, the first recording mode is a standard recording mode, and the second recording mode is a triple recording mode at a tape speed of 1/3 times that of the second recording mode. An automatic recording system characterized by: