JPH04274041A - Timer operation control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the cassette related to the timer function execute the timer video recording surely even if plural cassettes are loaded at the inside. CONSTITUTION:This device is provided with a cassette carrier control means 914 capable of carrying plural cassettes selectively to the cassette driving position, a cassette making the timer operation, a timer cassette inputting the information showing the operation content during the timer operation and content setting means 951, 952, a timer reservation timing storage means 953 storing the timing information that the timer operation should be done and a timer mode and cassette discrimination means 950 comparing the time information inputted from the time measuring means with the timing information stored in the timer reservation timing storage means and giving a using cassette decision and control means 901 the corresponded timer cassette information and the information showing the operation content when the time information coincides with the timing information.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a timer operation management device that is incorporated in, for example, a video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as VTR) and that manages timer operation when it has a function of automatically exchanging a plurality of cassettes.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there have been an increase in the number of long television broadcast programs. Furthermore, with the start of satellite broadcasting, the number of programs that are broadcast late into the night is increasing. Therefore,
The recording system of VTRs is also changing to the point where it is possible to record while the person is away and for long periods of time.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, current VTRs have a structure in which only one tape cassette is loaded and used for long-term recording or recording when the user is away, so there is a limit to the recording capacity. . Furthermore, since there are standards for the size of cassettes, there are restrictions on the production of large-capacity cassette tapes. In order to solve this problem, there has been a proposal to configure a VTR so that a plurality of cassettes can be loaded therein.

However, if it is possible to load a plurality of cassettes, a means is required to link the various functions of the VTR to the correspondence of each cassette. For example, when timer recording is performed with a plurality of cassettes set inside a VTR, there is a problem that if the timer mode is canceled and left as is before the recording time, timer recording will not be executed. Particularly in the case of a VTR that can load a plurality of cassettes, if users share the cassettes, the timer operation may become unreliable. For example, user A
While user B is out with timer recording set, user B
may use a VTR and leave the timer mode off.

Therefore, the present invention provides a device in which a plurality of cassettes can be loaded in advance, and also ensures that timer recording is performed for a cassette associated with a timer function even if a plurality of cassettes are loaded inside the device. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a timer operation management device that enables the following.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a cassette transport control means that can selectively transport a plurality of cassettes to a cassette drive position and mount them thereon, and send out the mounted cassettes to the outside; cassette determination and control means for determining a cassette to be used by determining input information and mounting the cassette at a cassette driving position by controlling the cassette transport control means; and a cassette for operating a timer among the plurality of cassettes; A timer cassette and content setting means for inputting information indicating the operation content during the timer operation, and a pair of information input from the timer cassette and content setting means,
A timer reservation timing storage means for storing timing information at which the timer should operate compares the time information inputted from the time measurement means with the timing information stored in the timer reservation timing storage means, and if the two match, the timer reservation timing storage means A timer mode and cassette determining means is provided for supplying the corresponding timer cassette information and information indicating operation details to the used cassette determining and controlling means as the input information.

[0007]

[Operation] With the above means, the timer mode and cassette discrimination means manage the information that is the condition for timer operation, so even if multiple cassettes are loaded in the device in advance, the cassette that should be activated by the timer is ,Execution time,
Accurate control over execution is obtained.

[0008]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a VTR system in which a plurality of cassettes can be preloaded in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. A VT that can load multiple cassettes.
R is assumed to be a device in which, for example, a plurality of cassettes are placed on a tray device, and a cassette to be recorded or played back can be selectively and automatically conveyed to a cassette drive section and set therein. A specific example of this configuration will be described later, and the timer management system will be explained first.

[0010] Reference numeral 900 is a system control device, in which a microcomputer is used, and a program is installed to take in and process information from each part of the system, and to control the functions of each part according to conditions. Stored. The figure shows only the functions necessary for the present invention in blocks, and shows a cassette determination and control means 901 and an operation mode setting and control means 902.

The source of information input to the cassette determining and controlling means 901 will be explained. This usage cassette determination and control means 901 includes an erroneous erasure prevention claw detection means 911.
Detection information from cassette detection means 912, cassette detection information from cassette selection setting means 913, and information from cassette selection setting means 913 are input. Further, the information of the operation mode setting and control means 902 is also taken into the cassette determination and control means 901 to be used. Furthermore, information from the timer mode and cassette discriminating means 950 is also input to the cassette determining and controlling means 902 .

The accidental erasure prevention claw detection means 911 detects for each cassette whether or not there is an accidental erasure prevention claw provided on the cassette placed in each mounting area (recording is possible) or not (recording is impossible). Then, the detected information is input to the cassette determining and controlling means 901. The cassette detection means 912 is
It is detected whether or not a cassette is placed in each loading area, and the information is input to the cassette determining and controlling means 901. The cassette selection setting means 913 provides information on the cassette designated by the user from among the plurality of cassettes installed to the cassette determining and controlling means 901 . The cassette determining and controlling means 901 determines the conditions of the input information, controls the cassette transport controlling means 914, and sets a cassette selected from a plurality of cassettes at a predetermined cassette driving position. This puts the selected cassette into recording or playback mode.

The information input to the cassette determining and controlling means 901 is converted into a table and input to the cassette-specific information storage means 915. Further, the information in this cassette-specific information storage means 915 is also used by the cassette determination and control means 9.
It can be introduced in 01. Operation information from the operation mode input means 916 is input to the operation mode setting control means 902 . For example, these are command signals for recording, playback, fast forward, rewind, stop, high speed playback, slow or double speed playback, and measuring the remaining amount of tape.

When a command signal for measuring the remaining amount of tape is input, the operation mode setting and control means 902 inputs the information to the cassette determination and control means 901 to be used. Then, the cassette determining and controlling means 901 determines whether or not there is a mounted cassette (see the table of the cassette-specific information storage means 915), and if the cassette is present, the cassette is loaded into a predetermined cassette drive position. The cassette transport control means 914 is controlled as follows. When the cassette is loaded, the operation mode setting and control means 902 controls the tape drive system control means 917 to drive the tape.
During this time, the remaining tape amount measuring means 918 is controlled to measure the remaining amount of tape. When the remaining amount of tape is measured, the remaining amount of tape data for that cassette is stored in the cassette-specific information storage means 915 as information for the corresponding cassette. In this way, the remaining amount of tape in the cassettes loaded one after another is measured, and the information for each cassette is stored in the cassette-specific information storage means 915. However, if the cassette is not loaded into the VTR from the beginning, the information detected by the cassette detection means 912 is stored in the cassette-specific information storage means 915, so the remaining amount measurement is not performed. In this case, display is performed through display means 919. Furthermore, there are two remaining tape measurement modes: one that calculates the remaining amount of tape in all loaded cassettes, and the other that measures the remaining amount of tape in unmeasured cassettes by omitting cassettes that have already been measured. .

In the case of normal recording and playback (other than execution of timer operation), the cassette specified by the user through the cassette selection setting means 913 is placed at the cassette drive position, and the cassette specified through the operation mode input means 916 is inputted through the operation mode input means 916. The system operates according to the operation signal. Timer operation is performed as follows.

Timer mode and cassette discrimination means 95
0 includes information from the timer execution cassette selection means 951, information from the timer cassette mode reservation means 952, information from the timer reservation timing storage means 953,
Information from the time measurement means is input. Timer execution cassette selection means 951 is an information input section for specifying a cassette to be executed (recording or playback) by timer operation, and timer cassette mode reservation means 952
is an information input section for determining whether to perform recording or playback on a designated cassette. The timer reservation timing storage section 953 is a section that stores the date and time when a desired cassette is to be operated with a timer. Further, the time measuring means is a part that generates information about the current time and date.

FIG. 2(A) shows the cassette-specific information storage means 9.
15, and numbers are set according to the mounting position of the cassette (for example, the location of a tray device on which a plurality of cassettes can be placed in advance). Furthermore, information on the presence or absence of a cassette, detection information on whether recording is possible or not, and information on remaining capacity are stored in accordance with each mounting position. On the other hand, FIG. 3B shows information grasped by the timer mode and cassette discriminating means 950 in a table form.

The "cassette" area indicates the cassette (place where it is placed) for which the timer operation is specified, and is paired with information on whether or not the timer is specified. In addition, the "Record/Play" area shows information specifying whether the corresponding cassette will be recorded or played back when the timer is activated, and the "Reservation time" area for each cassette also shows the information that specifies whether the corresponding cassette will be recorded or played back when the timer is activated. timing is specified. Further, in the table, information indicating whether or not the operation is to be repeated at the reserved time is set in the "repeat" designation area. Furthermore, the time for the second and third timer operation can be set.

Timer mode and cassette discrimination means 95
0 compares the time information from the time measurement means 954 with the information set in the reservation time area, and if they match, the corresponding cassette number and reservation content (recording or playback) information are sent to the cassette determining means 901 to use. send. Then, in this case, the process is forcibly shifted to interrupt processing, the corresponding cassette is mounted at a predetermined cassette drive position, and the timer operation is executed in the specified mode.

According to the above system, (1) since it has a management system such as timer execution cassette selection means 951, timer cassette mode reservation means 952, and timer mode and cassette discrimination means 950, it is possible to use a VTR in which a plurality of cassettes can be set; Even if there is, any timer recording or playback can be executed for any cassette. (2) Furthermore, when the timer management system executes a timer operation, it interrupts the cassette determination and control means 901;
A forced timer operation is executed to prevent recording errors. This is particularly effective when user A is setting timer recording while user B is freely using the VTR. However, this forced interrupt is not absolute; a timer release switch (not shown) is also provided, and its information can also be input to the system control unit 900.

[0021] Next, the V
The structure of TR will be explained. In this example, in order to make the explanation easier to understand, a VTR will be described in which two cassettes can be loaded in advance.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 4 are explanatory diagrams showing the basic configuration of cassette loading and unloading. Reference numeral 10 denotes a VTR housing, and an opening 12 is formed in the front surface of the housing, through which the tray device 100 can be inserted horizontally in the front-rear direction or exposed from inside the housing 10. Note that 13 is a lid provided on the opening 12, and the tray device 100 is connected to the housing 1.
It opens when pulled out from 0 and closes when inserted into the housing 10. Although not shown, this is realized by a lid opening/closing mechanism interlocked with the tray device 100.

[0023] Inside the housing 10, a motor 21 is provided at a fixed position as a tray drive mechanism, and can drive an intermediate gear 22 to rotate. The intermediate gear 22 has a rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal movement direction of the tray device 100, and can rotationally drive drive gears 23 and 24 that are rotatably provided in the front and rear, respectively. Drive gear 2
3 and 24 can be engaged with racks provided on the lower side of the tray device 100 to drive the tray device 100 back and forth. Further, inside the VTR, there is a function for mounting a cassette at a predetermined position and executing tape loading. A main chassis 14 is provided with a reel shaft that engages with the reel hub of the cassette and various parts (not shown) necessary for tape loading and tape driving. Reference numeral 15 denotes a rotating head drum to which a tape pulled out from a cassette placed at a predetermined mounting position is attached by tape loading. 3(A) shows a state in which the front drive gear 23 is engaged with the rack, FIG. 3(B) shows a state in which both the front and rear drive gears 23 and 24 engage with the rack, and FIG. 4 shows the rear part. The drive gear 24 is shown in mesh with the rack.

The tray device 100 has a frame-shaped tray frame when viewed from above, and the outer rails of the side plates are guided by rollers provided inside the housing 10 and are movable horizontally.

This system has cassettes 200 and 30 in the front and rear regions of the upper surface of the tray device 100, respectively.
0 can be placed (FIG. 3(A)). Pantograph mechanisms 201 and 301 are attached to the front and rear regions of the tray device 100, respectively. The pantograph mechanisms 201 and 301 are similar mechanisms, and can lower and raise the cassette bottom support plate by means of a link mechanism.

FIG. 3A shows the state in which the cassettes 201 and 301 are placed in the entire area and the rear area, respectively. The reason why the distal ends of the cassettes 201 and 301 are directed diagonally upward is that they are lifted up by a pop-up mechanism provided in the tray device 100, making it easy to insert and remove the cassettes. Moreover, in this state, the design is such that the rear cassette 300 can be taken out without having to pull out the tray device 100 largely from the opening of the housing 10. In other words, the entire front cassette 200 is exposed, but only a portion (the tip) of the rear cassette 300 is exposed through the opening. This is because by designing in this way, the distance to pull out the tray device 100 can be shortened, and the proportion of the surrounding space occupied can be reduced in terms of handling.

FIG. 3(B) shows the rear pantograph mechanism 3.
01 shows the state in which the cassette 300 is installed in the cassette installation position below the tray passing position. Further, FIG. 4 shows a state in which the front pantograph mechanism 201 lowers the cassette 200 and installs it at a predetermined cassette installation position. To move from the state in FIG. 3(A) to the state in FIG. 3(B),
The tray drive mechanism operates and moves the tray device 100 into the housing 10.
When the tray device 100 is moved horizontally toward the inside of the tray device 100 and reaches the first detection position (rear cassette drive position), the tray device 100 is stopped. When this position is reached, the pantograph drive mechanism, which will be described later, operates and drives the pantograph mechanism 301.
Lower the cassette 300. To shift from the state shown in FIG. 3B to the state shown in FIG. 4, the pantograph drive mechanism drives the cassette 300 that has been lowered so as to lift it up, and returns it to its original position on the tray device 100. Next, the tray drive mechanism moves the tray device 100 further to the rear, and when the pantograph mechanism 200 comes above the cassette mounting position, that is, the second detection position (front cassette drive position), the tray device 100 stop movement. Then, the pantograph drive mechanism again drives the pantograph mechanism 201 to lower the cassette 200 to a predetermined position.

In the state shown in FIG. 4, the pantograph mechanism 30 carrying the rear cassette 300 is located just above the rotary head drum 15. Here, the pantograph mechanism 301 is guided in a direction slightly lifted from the tray device 100, and the cassette 300 and the pantograph mechanism 3
01 is designed so that it does not collide with the rotating head drum 15. A member that lifts the pantograph mechanism 301 is a guide member 16 that is attached to protrude from the inner side surface of the housing 10 . In other words, when the tray device 100 moves further from the state shown in FIG. 3A with the cassette 300 raised, the bottom plate of the pantograph mechanism 301 is designed to ride on the inclined surface of the guide member 16. There is. In this way, the cassette 300, that is, the pantograph mechanism is slightly raised when the cassette 300 is in the standby position.
This is because if the height of 0 is made low, the locus of movement of the tray device 100 will collide with the upper part of the rotary head drum 15. This is also because ventilation around the rotating head drum 15 is improved to reduce temperature rise, and the safety of the cassette tape is taken into consideration.

Next, when comparing the states of FIG. 3A and FIG. 4, it can be seen that the design is as follows. That is, FIG. 3A shows the tray device 100 in the most pulled out state, and FIG. 4 shows the tray device 100 in the deepest inserted state. A rack is provided at the lower edge of the tray device 100, and gears 23 and 24 mesh with the rack to drive the tray device 100 in the front-back direction. However, Fig. 3(A)
The gears 23 and 24 are arranged side by side in the tray movement direction so that only the gear 23 meshes in the state shown in FIG. 4, and only the gear 24 meshes in the state shown in FIG. It looks like this. Arranging the gears 23 and 24 in this manner means that the overall length of the tray device 100 in the front-rear direction can be shortened. If we try to realize the drive gear of the tray device 100 with one piece,
The total length of the tray device 100 must be longer than in the embodiment. This is because it is necessary to mesh with one gear in both the states shown in FIG. 3(A) and FIG. 4.

As described above, being able to shorten the overall length of the tray device 100 not only reduces the weight and the load on the drive device, but also narrows the space in which the tray device 100 protrudes when loading a cassette. This makes it possible to reduce the surrounding space occupied. Conversely, in other words, even if the overall length of the tray device 100 is short, the movement stroke of the tray device can be increased.

FIG. 5 is a simplified perspective view showing the tray device 100 in its most pulled out state from the housing 10. As shown in FIG. As can be seen from this figure, the pop-up member 230,
330 is in a state in which the front rotation end thereof is directed upward relative to the horizontal cassette bottom support plates 240 and 401, respectively.

The operation section of the VTR body has operation switches for recording Rec, play, rewind, fast forward, stop, etc., and is also provided with a switch for specifying front cassette load F and rear cassette load R. There is. This system is provided with an erroneous erasure prevention claw detection device that detects whether or not the erroneous erasure prevention claw of a cassette placed on the tray device 100 is broken.

FIG. 6 shows the rear left corner of the frame 101 in detail. The same figure (A) is a perspective view, the same figure (B
) is a view from the rear. An L-shaped notch 130 is formed at the lower corner of the frame 101. An L-shaped claw detection lever 701 is arranged along this notch 130, and this claw detection lever 70
1 is attached at its intermediate portion to the thick surface of the frame by a shaft 702, and is rotatable about this shaft 702 as a fulcrum. Usually, a spring (not shown) urges the protrusion 703 at one end to protrude inside the frame. Further, a projection 704 projecting downward is formed at the other end of the claw detection lever 701. A groove 131 formed on the outer side surface of the frame 101 is a groove into which a roller fixed inside the casing enters, and the frame is guided in the front and back direction by this roller and is movable.

FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B) show the cassette 200A.
, 200B are shown attached to the tray device 100, and the case of the cassette 200A is shown when the accidental erasure claw is broken, and the case of the cassette 200B is shown when the accidental erasure prevention claw remains. As can be seen by comparing Figures (A) and (B), the rotation angle of the claw detection lever 701 is different depending on whether there is a claw or not. On the other hand, when the tray device 100 is inserted into the casing, the claw detection lever 703 also moves together with the frame 101, and a shutter mechanism 720 is provided at the bottom of its movement trajectory (see Figure (C). )). The shutter mechanism 712 has a shaft 7 in a fixed position.
A rotatable drive lever 722 is attached to 21, and a protrusion 723 that can come into contact with the protrusion 704 of the pawl detection lever 703 is formed at one end of the drive lever 722. The reason why the claw detection lever 703 can be contacted is as shown in FIG. 7(B).
) (with a erroneous erasure prevention claw). In the state shown in FIG. 7A (without the accidental erasure prevention claw), there is no contact. The drive lever 722 has its protrusion 72
When the protrusion 704 approaches and makes contact with the protrusion 704, it rotates in the direction of the arrow using the shaft 721 as a fulcrum, and when it passes and comes out of contact, it returns to its original position. During this operation, the drive lever 722
drives the shutter plate 725 via the intermediate lever 724 to temporarily block the light incident on the tape end detection element 730. The shutter plate 725 is rotatably supported by a shaft 726 at a fixed position, and the rotary end portion is connected to the intermediate lever 724 .

As described above, according to this accidental erasure prevention claw detection device, when the cassette is mounted on the tray device and inserted into the casing, the presence or absence of the claw on the cassette is detected based on the presence or absence of the output of the tape end detection element 730. can be determined. The tape end detection element 730 is used for tape end detection, and this device can be multifunctional.

Note that in FIGS. 6 and 7, the frame 101
Although we have described the state in which the claw detection lever 701 is provided in the front area of the cassette, a similar claw detection lever is also provided in the rear area, and detects the accidental erasure prevention claw of the cassette placed in that area. It is now possible to do so. However, since the front and rear pawl detection levers are designed to pass through the position where the drive lever 722 is arranged, the function of the tape end detection device is shared. Therefore, if two cassettes are recordable, the detection signal will be obtained twice.

[0037] Although the above configuration has been described for the accidental erasure prevention claw detection device, a cassette detection device can be obtained by providing a completely similar device symmetrically on the right side of the frame, and providing a cassette detection lever, a shutter mechanism, and a light sensor. be able to.

FIG. 8 shows the position of the tape end detection device, and
An example of a sensor that obtains a detection signal is shown. 801 is
This is a predetermined mounting position close to the rotating head drum 15, and a cassette is mounted at this position by a pantograph mechanism. The tape can be driven in this attached state. During this installation, the light source section 802 constituting the tape detection device enters the hole in the center of the left and right sides formed in the bottom surface of the lower part of the cassette. The light from this light source section 802 is emitted horizontally in the left and right directions. A tape end light detection element 730 using a light receiving element in the optical path of light is provided on the left side, and a second tape start end detection element 743 is provided on the right side. Shutter plates 725 and 742 of the shutter 720 are arranged in front of each detection element, respectively. The output of each detection element is input to the system control section.

[0039]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention,
Even if a plurality of cassettes are loaded inside, timer recording can be reliably executed for the cassette associated with the timer function.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a table formed in a storage section of the circuit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a VTR to which the present invention is applied together with its operational aspects.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing still another operational mode of the structure shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the tray device of the VTR is pulled out.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an erroneous erasure prevention claw detection device provided in relation to the tray device.

7 is an operation explanatory diagram shown for explaining the operation of the accidental erasure prevention claw detection device of FIG. 6; FIG.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement positions of sensor sections in the accidental erasure prevention claw detection device and the cassette detection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

900... System control unit, 911... Erroneous erasure prevention claw detection means, 912... Cassette detection means, 913... Cassette selection setting means, 914... Cassette transport control means, 915... Cassette specific information storage means, 916... Operation mode input means,
917...Tape drive system control means, 918...Tape remaining amount measuring means, 950...Timer mode and cassette discrimination means, 951...Timer execution cassette selection means, 952...Timer cassette mode reservation means, 953...Timer reservation timing storage means, 954 ...A means of measuring time.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cassette transport control means capable of selectively transporting and mounting a plurality of cassettes to a cassette driving position and feeding the mounted cassettes to the outside; cassette determination and control means for determining and mounting the cassette at a cassette driving position by controlling the cassette transport control means, a cassette to be operated by a timer among the plurality of cassettes, and operation contents during the timer operation. A timer cassette and content setting means for inputting information, a timer reservation timing storage means for storing timing information for timer operation so as to be paired with information input from the timer cassette and content setting means, and a time measuring means. The time information inputted from the timer reservation timing storage means is compared with the timing information stored in the timer reservation timing storage means, and if the two match, the corresponding timer cassette information and information indicating operation details are used to determine and control the cassette to be used. A timer operation management device comprising: a timer mode and cassette discriminating means for providing the input information to the means. 2. Input information input from the control means to the cassette determination and control means is input as interrupt processing information to the cassette determination and control means to force the timer operation. The timer operation management device according to claim 1, wherein the timer operation management device executes the following.