JPH07105667A - Tape cassette operation system with memory - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Even if a recording / reproducing device that creates table-of-contents information in the memory when recording to a tape cassette with memory and a recording / reproducing device that cannot access the table-of-contents information in the memory coexist, the tape cassette It provides a system that does not cause a discrepancy between the memory contents of the tape and the tape contents. [Structure] When programs 1 to 3 are recorded in the first recording / reproducing apparatus, table of contents information such as 28a to 28c is created in the memory, and at the same time, all programs registered in the memory are recorded on the tape. The final recording position information is written in the memory. The second recording / reproducing apparatus, which cannot access the table-of-contents information, reads the information 27 when recording the program 4, and records the program 4 after the point 23. By doing so, the memory content can continue to exactly match the entire tape content, or at least a portion of it.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape cassette operating system with a memory, and is particularly effective when a device having means for accessing contents information and a device having no means for accessing coexist.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there have been many ideas that a memory is attached to a tape cassette and table information about each information on the tape is held in the memory. Obviously, a video tape recorder or the like based on this idea will be very easy for users to use. However, up to now, a tape cassette with a memory and a recording / reproducing apparatus that corresponds to the tape cassette and controls the memory have not been manufactured as a product. As one of the causes of this, it can be considered that the cost increases. In recent years, price competition of audio and video equipment, which is a typical recording / reproducing apparatus using a tape cassette, has become fierce, and each manufacturer is trying hard to make a product with a low price. Under such circumstances, it is desirable to avoid factors that increase costs for the tape cassette and for the device that controls the memory on the tape cassette, which is different from the original recording and reproducing functions. The above is considered to be one of the reasons why the tape cassette with the memory is not commercialized to date.

Therefore, the first recording / reproducing apparatus corresponding to a cassette with a memory that creates the table-of-contents information, writes it in the memory, and uses the table-of-contents information, and the second recording / playback apparatus that does not correspond to the table-of-contents information even if the cassette with a memory is used. It is conceivable to make two types of recording / reproducing devices. In other words, the second cheapest price
With the above device, the first device, which is expensive but has high function value, is made to allow the user to select whether or not to use the table-of-contents information.

However, coexistence of the first device and the second device causes the following problems. When a tape cassette with a memory recorded by the first device and having the table of contents information stored in the memory is used and recorded by the second device, the table of contents information on the memory and the tape are recorded. The information recorded on the tape will be inconsistent, and the information that was tried to be retrieved when the information on the tape was retrieved from the table of contents information on the memory when it was used by the first device again. The information retrieved may not match. Therefore, it is prohibited to record in a cassette with a memory in the second device, an alarm system is activated when used in the second device as in Japanese Patent No. 1296092, and the contents of the memory are invalidated. Has been considered. However, these are systems that are often inconvenient for users, and it is considered that exchanging cassettes with a memory between the first and second devices causes many problems.

[0005]

As is apparent from the above description, the idea of the conventional tape cassette operating system with a memory is that the second recording is performed when the first and second recording / reproducing devices are present. If a cassette with a memory is supposed to be usable by the user in the device but recording is not possible, or if it is recorded in the second device, all the information on the memory that was supposed to be recorded in the first device up to that point Even if it becomes invalid, or even if a warning is issued when trying to record with the second device, if you ignore it and record it, the table of contents information in the memory will not match the information on the tape etc. However, there are many problems. However, if the existence of the second device is not recognized, the price of all the recording / reproducing devices increases, and the user's burden increases.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a tape cassette operation system with a memory that does not cause any inconvenience even if the first and second recording / reproducing devices coexist.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a tape cassette operation system with a memory according to the present invention comprises:
A first means having a tape cassette having a non-volatile memory attached, a table of contents information about each information recorded in the tape cassette, and a final position information of each information on the tape in the memory. Recording and reproducing device,
A second recording / reproducing apparatus having a means for reading the final position information, and a recording operation in the second recording / reproducing apparatus,
A means for limiting the operation after the tape position indicated by the final position information is provided.

[0008]

According to the tape cassette operation system with a memory of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the table-of-contents information recorded in the first recording / reproducing apparatus and the information recorded on the tape accurately correspond to each other, Moreover, when the tape cassette with a memory having the information of the final recording point on the tape of all the information registered in the memory is used in the second recording / reproducing apparatus, the recording of the new information on the tape is the above-mentioned final recording point. Since the process is performed thereafter, it is possible to perform the recording in the second device without destroying the information on the tape recorded in the first device and the information in the memory.

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the operation of a first video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as VTR) in one embodiment of the video tape recorder of the tape cassette operation system with memory of the present invention, and 11 is a tape. A cassette, 12 is an electronic storage device (hereinafter referred to as a memory) attached to the tape cassette 11, 13 is a magnetic tape which is a recording medium of the VTR of this embodiment, and 14 is a video signal recorded on the magnetic tape 13. A cylinder to which a head for reading is attached, 15 is a position code reading circuit for reading the position code included in the video signal read by the head attached to the cylinder 14, and 16 is a memory for writing and reading information to and from the memory 12. Read / write circuit, 17 is a drive circuit for the magnetic tape 13 and cylinder 14, and 18 is used An external input device such as a keyboard that receives an input from the device, 19 is a display unit for outputting to a display, a television or the like for the user, 20 is a position code reading circuit 15, a memory reading / writing circuit 16, a driving circuit 17, an external input The control unit controls the device 18 and the display unit 19.

The operation of the first VTR will be described below with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, the control unit 2
0 indicates to the drive circuit 17 when there is a recording instruction from the user through the external input device 18, and the cylinder 14,
The magnetic tape 13 is driven, and information such as a video signal, an audio signal, and a position code is continuously written on the magnetic tape 13 using the head attached to the cylinder 14. And
As soon as there is an instruction to stop from the external input device 18, the operation is stopped and the recording ends. At that time, the information about the recorded information is written in the memory 12 by using the memory read / write circuit 16. In a VTR, the information recorded on the tape at one time generally corresponds to one program such as a television, so that the information recorded on the tape at one time will be referred to as a program hereinafter.

The first VTR not only records the program on the magnetic tape 13 when recording as described above, but also writes information about the recorded program on the memory 12.
Hereinafter, a method of writing information in the memory 12 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a map diagram of the contents of the tape and the contents of the memory, which schematically shows the relationship between the program on the tape recorded by the first VTR and the information on the memory. Reference numeral 21 denotes the contents of the tape. Schematic diagram, 22 is a schematic diagram of the contents of the memory,
23 is the last recording point on the tape of all programs registered in the memory, 24 is a blank area of the tape, 25 is an empty area of the memory, 26a is an area in which the program 1 is recorded on the tape, and 26b is The area where the program 2 on the tape is recorded, 26c is the area where the program 3 is recorded on the tape, 27 is the position code of the point 23, 28a is the index information on the program 1, and the start point of the program 1 , End position code,
Information such as the time when the program 1 was recorded is written in the memory. Similarly, 28b is table of contents information about program 2, 28c
Is the table of contents information about program 3.

When first recording the program 1, the first VTR records the program on the program 26a, creates table-of-contents information about the program 1, and writes the table-of-contents information at a portion 28a on the memory. At the same time, the position code of the end point of the program 1 is recorded in the portion 27 as the final recording position on the tape of all the programs registered in the memory. Similarly, when recording the programs 2 and 3, the information is written in the memory so that the state of FIG. 2 is reached when the recording of the program 3 is finished, and 27 indicates all the programs registered in the memory. The position code of the point 23, which is the end point of the program 3, is written as the final recording position of the programs 1 to 3.

Next, the memory 12 and the tape 13 are always shown in FIG.
The first VT is the tape cassette that maintains such a state
The operation when used in R will be described with reference to FIG.

The first VTR reads the registered table of contents information of each program from the memory read / write circuit 16,
It is displayed to the user using the display unit 19. When the user uses the external input device 18 to select a program to watch, the control unit 20 uses the drive circuit 17 to match the position code of the start point of the selected program with the position code from the position code reading circuit 15. Search the tape position to be played, and start playback. Therefore, if the program registered in the memory does not exist on the tape or the table of contents information in the memory is incorrect, the program cannot be searched accurately and the user's intention will not be reflected. . Therefore, it is indispensable that the programs always registered on the memory are accurately present on the tape, and conversely, it is not always necessary to register all the information recorded on the tape on the memory. is there.

Next, the operation of the second VTR in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the operation of the second VTR in the present embodiment. Reference numeral 35 is a position code reading for reading the position code included in the video signal read by the head attached to the cylinder 14. Circuit, 3
6 is a memory reading circuit for reading information from the memory 12,
37 is a drive circuit for the magnetic tape 13 and the cylinder 14, 38
Is an external input device such as a keyboard that receives an input from the user, 39 is a display unit for outputting the display to the user, a television or the like, and 40 is the position code reading circuit 3
5, a memory read circuit 36, a drive circuit 37, an external input device 38, and a display unit 39 for controlling the control unit.

Below, the memory 12 and the magnetic tape 13 are shown in FIG.
The tape cassette 11 in a state like
The operation when used in TR will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 4 shows the memory 12 and the magnetic tape 13 as shown in FIG.
To the tape cassette 11 which is in a state like
26d is a map diagram of the tape contents and the memory contents schematically showing the relationship between the program on the tape and the information on the memory after recording the program 4 in TR, and 26d is the tape on which the program 4 is recorded The upper area, and 44 is a blank area of the tape.

The memory read circuit 36 of the second VTR can read only the position code 27 at the point 23, and cannot read the following information or write to the entire memory at all. Furthermore, when recording with the second VTR, since the programs registered in the memory are always accurately present on the tape, only the final recording position 23 and after of all the programs registered in the memory are recorded. Is not allowed. Therefore, when recording the program 4, the control unit 4
For 0, the position code indicating the current tape position sent from the position code reading circuit 35 is compared with the final recording position code 27 sent from the memory reading circuit 36, and the current tape position is before the final recording position. Only when it does not exist, the drive circuit 37 can be instructed to record.

FIG. 4 shows the result when the program 4 is recorded from the end point of the program 3, that is, the point 23. Only the program 4 on the tape has changed from the state of FIG. All programs and corresponding programs on the tape do not change at all, and the final recording point 23 of all programs registered on the memory does not change accordingly, so that it is not necessary to rewrite information on the memory.

Next, the tape 13 in the state shown in FIG.
A case where the memory 12 is used in the first VTR will be described.

Since there is no change between the state of the memory of FIG. 4 and the state of the memory of FIG. 2, the information read by the memory read / write circuit 16 from the memory 12 is the same information as the programs 1 to 3 shown in FIG. As for programs 1 to 3, there is no change on the tape. Therefore, although program 4 exists on the tape, the program registered in the memory is exactly the same as that on the tape. Even when the contents information of each program is displayed on the section 19 and the user selects the program with the external input device and tries to watch it, no malfunction or inconvenience occurs.

As described above, by restricting the recordable range of the second VTR in which the accessible range of the memory is restricted to the last recording point of all programs registered in the memory or later. It is possible to provide a system capable of protecting the program recorded on the tape by the first VTR and having no influence on the program registered in the memory.

[0026]

As is apparent from the above description, the tape cassette operating system with memory of the present invention has means for accurately recording the table-of-contents information relating to the information recorded in the memory at the time of recording on the tape, In the first recording / reproducing apparatus having means for writing the final position information on the tape of all the information in which the table of contents information is registered on the memory, the tape cassette recorded on the tape and the memory is recorded. , Without the means to access the above table of contents information,
When used in a second recording / reproducing apparatus having means for reading the final position information, the recording on the tape in the tape cassette is limited to the final position and thereafter, so that the tape is attached to the tape cassette. Since it can be guaranteed that the contents recorded in the memory exactly match the whole contents or at least a part of the contents recorded on the tape, the tape cassette is used again in the first recording / reproducing apparatus. Also, it does not cause a malfunction or give wrong information to the user.

As a result, in the recording / reproducing apparatus having the same format and using the same tape cassette, the apparatus corresponding to the tape cassette with the memory and accurately creating the index information, and the function of creating the index information. By omitting this, a device that can be made inexpensive can coexist, which is very effective in industry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an operation of a first VTR according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a map diagram showing a relationship between a tape content recorded by a first VTR and a memory content according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the operation of the second VTR in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a map diagram showing the relationship between tape contents and memory contents after the program 4 is recorded by the second VTR in the embodiment of the present invention from the state of the memory and the tape of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Tape Cassette 12 Electronic Storage Device 13 Magnetic Tape 14 Cylinder 15 Position Code Reading Circuit 16 Memory Reading / Writing Circuit 17 Drive Circuit 18 External Input Device 19 Display 20 Control Part 21 Schematic Diagram of Contents of Memory 22 Schematic Diagram of Contents of Memory 23 Final recording point of all programs registered in memory 24 Blank area of tape 25 Free area of memory 26a Area where program 1 is recorded on tape 26b Area where program 2 is recorded on tape 26c Tape Area where program 3 is recorded above 26d Area where program 4 is recorded on tape 27 Position code of point 23 28a Table of contents information about program 1 written on memory 28b Information about program 2 written on memory 28b Table of contents information 28c Table of contents information about program 3 written in memory 35 position code read circuit 36 memory read circuit 37 drive circuit 38 external input device 39 display section 40 control section 44 tape blank area

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A tape cassette, which is a recording medium having a non-volatile memory attached thereto, table of contents information about each piece of information recorded in the tape cassette, and table information stored in the memory as table information. It comprises a first recording / reproducing apparatus having means for storing the final position information on the tape of each information in the tape cassette in the memory, and a second recording / reproducing apparatus having means for reading the final position information. A tape cassette operation system with a memory, comprising means for limiting a recording operation in the second recording / reproducing apparatus to an operation after a tape position indicated by the final position information. Tape cassette operation system.