FR2513465A1 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REPRODUCING MULTIPLE TYPES OF TELEVISION INFORMATION - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO AN APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING SEVERAL TYPES OF INFORMATION ON A VIDEO CHANNEL. IT INCLUDES A SOURCE 41A OF ALPHA-NUMERICAL INFORMATION IN VIDEO FORMAT, A DEVICE 50 FOR STORING ALPHA-NUMERICAL INFORMATION, A SOURCE 41A OF INFORMATION FROM ITS TABLET IN VIDEO FORMAT, A DEVICE 203 FOR STORING THIS LATEST INFORMATION, A SOURCE 41A AT LEAST ONE VIDEO IMAGE OF IMAGE INFORMATION, AS WELL AS MEANS 44 FOR VIEWING IMAGE INFORMATION AND ALPHA-NUMERIC INFORMATION AND FOR UNDISCLOSURE 203 THE INFORMATION OF ITS TABLET, AND A CONTROL DEVICE 43, 200. APPLICATION TO THE TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION ON TELEVISION CHANNELS.

Description

The present invention relates to the provision of

  selection of an image, sound and text service

in a video signal format.

  The usual television presentation is well known A video signal continuously provides moving images while a separate sound channel provides

the accompanying sound.

  A device capable of displaying a single still television image is available in a system called "image stop"; it is often used in

  television sports chronicles.

  More recently, in England under the trade name "Picture Prestel" has been used a combination of still image of small format and text printed in a complete television-type image. A known narrow-band data transmission channel on a telephone line. carries encoded image information

  in digital and compressed into data for about ten seconds.

  are needed to assemble a partial image.

  The receiving device must have a digital memory to store the image and a processing logic for

decompression of the data.

  This system is described in "The UK Prestel Service, Technical Developments Between March 1980 and March 1981", Clarke & Fenn, Proceedings of Videotext 81, International Conference and Exhibition, 20-22 May,

Toronto, Canada, page 147.

  Similar systems that are widespread around the world are discussed by J Roizen in his article "Teletext in the USA", SMPTE Journal, Vol 90,

No. 7, July 1981, pages 602-610.

  Roizen mainly discloses the characteristics

  the functioning of each system as well as

  standardization considerations All these systems used

  one or more television lines to reproduce

  printed text during the vertical erase interval

  to carry digital information

  c. The present invention provides multiple services in a video channel at a video speed over a

selective basis.

  A video channel normally enters a house via a television transmitter, a television cable or a satellite At the departure station, there are usual television programs, video images of "lrafalesd" still images, images with "his tablet" and "numerically transmitted alpha-numeric printed text" At the subscriber, the desired service

  can be chosen and obtained by a simple control panel.

  The method and apparatus for carrying out

  habitual vision are well known. The method and apparatus

  The method and apparatus for performing a sound service are disclosed in United States Patent Application Serial No. 249,792 filed April 1, 1981. "are described in the US Pat.

  United States of America No. 264,744 filed May 18, 1981.

  The method and apparatus for providing digital television data service are described in United States Patent Application No. 295,955 filed August 24, 1981.

  same author as the present application.

  A broadband television channel is used to provide a complete still picture in 1/30 s, or 10 seconds of its tablet in another 1/30 s period, or a text printed in another period

still 1/30 s.

  A simple control panel has pushbuttons to choose the desired service type and the order of the selected service such as "next page", "previous page", "yes" (acceptance of a suggestion), "no" ( rejection of a suggestion), "index" (of subjects), and "concatenation" (more on the same subject) These commands are used in each of these services it is then necessary to repeat a previous sound sequence if

  we want it rather than a previous page.

  The control panel performs the commands through a microprocessor having both ROM (RAM) and RAM (RAM) memories, and by interconnections to the microprocessors of the available services. Two services rather than three or more can be offered, such as image and text, image and sound, text and sound, etc. Of course, a device that can provide all three services may be available, with one or two services remaining inactive if only one or two services are available.

  sought at a particular time.

  The present invention will now be described with respect to embodiments by way of non-limiting examples and with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a schematic representation of two sequences of a three-service program; Figure 2 is a block diagram of the user control;

  Figure 3 is a block diagram of the

  local control of the user for three

vices;

  Figure 4 is a flowchart for the appa-

Figure 3;

  FIG. 5 is another flow chart belonging to

  to the apparatus of Figure 3; and Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of

  the apparatus represented by the rectangle 51 'of FIG.

  In Figure 1, the number O represents the set

  of successive events belonging to the whole system as a function of time T.

  Two sequences are shown for a trans-

  three-service mission They serve as an illustration, but any combination of services can be called including usual television sequences of moving pictures. Picture 1 of the 1/30 S television format for two frames, interlaced in the US NTSC standard, is dedicated to "digital" This is a text information medium from which printed characters are formed The essential method and apparatus are made in accordance with the aforementioned patent application No. 295,955. The digital image in question is not deployed to be seen by the user. If this were the case, there would be erratic "snow" all over the screen

  because of the many digital bits.

  A given sequence of information is repeated on the second frame of an image to ensure that all data is received correctly by providing a

  100% redundancy Each data line is accompanied by

  of a verification code detecting errors in

  data and causing the use of redundant data

  pendent. The image No. 2 of the television format of the example of FIG. 1 is dedicated to the "compressed sound". This is information that sounds that 10 seconds of its

  (or more) are transmitted in 1/30 s The process and

  are made according to the request mentioned above

No. 264,744.

  This information is also not visually deployed for the user but is converted from analog to digital form, stored in memory, and then read at a speed of its own.

  direction of the loudspeaker, namely the television receiver

  envisaged reading Playback at the sound speed performs decompression. The television format image 3 is dedicated to the "bursts" service of the still images. This "burst" term is used as an abbreviation to identify a video signal burst of a single image. The method and the apparatus are performed according to the request. mentioned above

No 249 792 -

  A high definition television image on a full image is made available and is shown on the user's screen It is reproduced during the period desired by the user through a still image technique using a tape recorder

  video cassette (VCR) or equivalent device.

  The aspects of these three services belonging to the present invention are contained in the present application. With regard to further details on each of these services, it is appropriate to examine the applications

  United States of America patent mentioned above.

  The second sequence is presented in the form of images 1 ', 2' and 3 'Normally, if the system is used, the images relate to a new subject In the video image 3', the illustration is an automobile,

  while in picture 3, the illustration is a person.

  It is not necessary for the subject to be new

  every sequence, because it can be a continuation that connects to it Regardless of this relationship, the process and the device work in such a way as to manipulate each sequence again, that is from the beginning of a

new subject.

  Figure 2 shows a preferred form of comparison

  This is a simplified and manual keyboard 200 which is operably connected to the local control apparatus 43 ', either by a multi-wire cable 201 or a connection equivalent to

light beam or wireless.

  The local control unit 43 'is intercon-

  connected to a video cassette recorder 41, as well as a video representation device 44 which may be a known television receiver.

  are shown in more detail in Figure 3.

  In order to explain the general structure

  and the operating mode of the keyboard 200 and the appa-

  with which it operates, it is assumed that a band

  magnetic video already recorded with alpha-data

  digital, "compressed sound", "burst" stationary images and / or usual television segments

  (having moving pictures) is in the playback mode

  in a video recorder videocassette recorder-

  A guide code such as the VITC code (vertical interval time code) of the SMPTE type (Society of Film and Television Engineers) has also been included, which makes it possible to find any image on the screen. the band. The video tape is normally in a cassette 41a and becomes a source of information for

the apparatus of Figure 3.

  The tape in the VCR is

  rolled up to the beginning and this one is put into operation

  The "television" representation 44 is empty, unless visual information is

are reproduced.

  If you want to reproduce alpha-numeric images, you have to press the button.

  is an image, pressing button 232 changes

  will trust the representation to make a text appear

and vice versa.

  One of the alpha-numeric display forms is a text of 16 lines each of 32 characters. This text may be overlaid on a still image or a white frame by means of such circuits as the integrated video display generator 568047 of the American Microsystems, Inc. A full page of alpha-numeric text to reproduce the page of a book is composed of successive representations of 16 lines

of 32 characters each.

  Normally, the magnetic tape of the video recorder 41 has been recorded with initial data images indicating what is contained on the tape. The video tape recorder is controlled by a microprocessor 47 via an I / O machine 51 'according to a program. 'instruction

  tape start stored in ROM 49.

  This initial program causes the operation of

  toscope that transmits information from these images of

  data in the RAM 50, and the same can be

  of an "image" of his tablet.

  Then the VCR stops and the alpha-numeric descriptive text is shown on the visual

television 44.

  The keyboard 200 may be considered as an extension detached from the control and condition panel 52 of the local controller 43 '.

  Figure 3 The keyboard includes switch contacts

  Only by keys, which are normally arranged in rows and columns for scanning. Key operations by the operator are communicated to the control device via a cable 201 or an equivalent element, such as a controller. infrared link, to the circuits of the control panel 52 and thence to the I / O panel 53 to the microprocessor bus 48 and the

is microprocessor 47.

  The unit 53 comprises the medium scale integration digital circuits (MSI) organized in the usual way for the microprocessors, for the decoding of the addresses, the selection of the devices, a tri-state sorting to insert selected data on the bus 48 and flip-flops for storing the selected data from the bus These elements can be selected from among the elements coming from the Texas firm

  Instruments, Inc. N 74 L 5240, 74 L 530, 74 L 5138 and 74 L 5259.

  The three-state gates have a normal binary state "hi", a binary state "le" and a fully open circuit state. This allows a large number of

from these doors to the bus.

  When a door is in open circuit state, it does not load the bus and thus does not interfere with any other action taking place on the bus When a door is in the active state, it prints on the bus a condition or "hi" (high) or "lo" (low) The circuit structure resembles that of the known multi-subscriber telephone line Each tri-state gate has a pin connection for a trigger function A decoder of addresses decodes the particular address of this tri-state gateway When this address takes place, only this tri-state gate is set to active state and then communicates to the bus the condition

  which is associated with this door entry.

  In addition to Figure 3 there are decompression circuits sound, namely unit 203. The sound information is compressed at the source by encrypting at a speed sound, by storing in a memory and reading at a video speed This reading is converted from digital form to analog form

  to perform a transmission on the television channel.

  In this channel, the high speed analog signals are converted into digital signals, stored in a memory and read at the same sound speed as at the origin. The apparatus used according to FIG. 4 is the "tablet" system of U.S. Patent Application No. 264,744. The flowchart of the entire receiving apparatus corresponds to FIG. diagram corresponding to the decompression microprocessor is that of FIG. 8B FIG. 3 of the present application includes elements of this type which make up the apparatus and the flow charts show

how does it work?

  The decompression unit its 203 is ordered

  by the microprocessor 47 via the bus 48.

  The video frequency information which constitutes the compressed sound, which must be decompressed, enters the unit 203 by the conductor 204 from the video recorder 41. The desired sound frequency leaves the unit 203

  by the driver 205 who communicates with the

  the television display 44 of FIG. 2, or the sound is reproduced in such a way that the user

  hear it in an equivalent device.

  If a decompressed sound service does not have to be

  provided in any particular embodiment

  of the present invention, the unit 203 may be

  Another system would be to provide a device

  putting the three services without running one of the services when it is not desired at a certain time. The appropriate control of the apparatus of FIG. 3 is explained in FIGS. 4 and 5 which are flowcharts. The overall control for manipulating several kinds of television information according to the present invention requires certain modifications of FIG.

  the isolated device as such and its operation.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the present invention. It is slightly modified with respect to that required for the same equipment and which is

  shown in Figure 6 of the US patent application.

  United States of America mentioned above No. 249,792, entitled "burst". One of the changes is that the unit 91 "is the offset code suitable?" in both patent applications is now an offset adaptation on a small number of images, namely 16, before the really interesting image This achieves a slowing down of the video tape that would otherwise move

  quickly An exact adaptation is then performed.

  The second modification is to replace by all of Figure 5 of this application the unit 93 of Figure 4 of this application concerning the element

  action "play the selected video".

  FIG. 5 comprises the manipulation of several kinds of information according to the present invention and not

  only one kind as before.

  In Fig. 5, the input to the unit 210 "reproducing the video at a normal speed" is derived from a "yes" output of the unit 91 "is the code adapted?" of Figure 4 After the unit 210, there is the function 211 "read the code of the vertical interval image by image" This allows to arrive at the exact adaptation with the image selected by the user 'The point Decision 212 asks "Does the image match the selection?" If the answer is "no", the activity returns to the input of the unit 211 and the device advances from another image If the answer is "yes", the activity progresses to another point of decision 213 "is this a data image?" If the answer is "yes", the activity goes to the unit 214 "store data in the RAM" This is the RAM 50 of figure 3 If the answer is "no", the activity progresses to another decision point 215 "is this an image constituting a sound?" There is an exit

  from unit 214 to the junction between decision points

  213 and 215 to continue operating when

214 is involved.

  If the decision in point 215 is "yes", the activity proceeds to unit 216 "digitizing and storing the compressed sound". This is done by the analog / digital converter 41 and the memory 44 of the Figure 4 of the United States Patent Application

  No. 264,744 entitled "its tablet" as above

  above, there is an output from the unit 216 to the "no" output from the decision point 215, for

continue the operation.

  If the decision in point 215 is "no", the activity moves to the third possibility of type of

  data, ie the reproduction of an "immovable image"

  bile on the screen ", unit 217 This is the functioning

  of the video cassette recorder 41

of Figure 3.

  The next activity is to "reproduce the

  its decompressed ", unit 218 This may take place advantageously

  When the still image of the screen is shown, the unit 217 After a reproduction, the decision point 219 is encountered, with the question "repeat the sound?" If the answer is "yes", unit 218 is

  reactivated and the sound is repeated.

  If the answer is "no", the activity goes to the unit 220 "show the pages of the text" This is a third type of information and has its source in the video character generator 56 of FIG. digital data from RAM 50 These data were transmitted to RAM 50 at the level of

  unit 214 of this organization chart, as indicated below.

  above. An output from the unit 220 goes to the decision point 221 "repeat the text?" If the

  answer is "yes", the unit 220 is reactivated.

  If the answer is "no", the flowchart activity in Figure 5 ends and returns to Figure 4 at the entry of Decision Point 94 "Is the reproduction complete?" Normally, reproduction should be complete and so the activity

  go to the "beginning" unit 81 of Figure 4.

  The different decisions that are made in these charts and that are other than those relative

  to the adaptation of a chosen image, are taken by the use

  the user who uses the control panel 52 or

equivalent panel 200.

  The video code reader 54 of Figure 3 operates to extract digital information

  transported by the video signal via line 55 which pro-

  This is described in detail in U.S. Patent Application No. 295,955.

  entitled "digital data television image".

  Each television frame contains two lines of vertical interval time code They provide a unique identification address for each television picture, as well as a digital sequence of addresses for the search control to move

  the video tape in the correct direction and stop it when

  the address sought is reached.

  In addition to the time code, the user's bit portions of the SMPTE type code are used to identify each image as either a data image.

  either as an image of his tablet or as an image

  The detailed block diagram showing the reader 54 is shown in FIG. 4 of U.S. Patent Application No. 2995555 entitled "Digital Data Television Image" and the flowchart for its operation is shown in FIG.

in Figure 6 of this application.

  FIG. 6 of the present application shows the schematic diagram of the apparatus 51 "machine I / O" of FIG. 3. In FIG. 6, the links on the left side go towards the bus 48 of FIG. , which normally has 28 conductors The connections on the right side go to

the video recorder 41 of FIG.

  FIG. 6 shows the hardware used to carry out the instructions between the microprocessor 47 which is connected to the bus 48 and the video recorder 41.

  uses the flow charts of Figures 4 and 5.

  Bus 48 has three types of drivers

  address, data and order They concern the micro-

  processor 47 and the elements of figure 6 of the way

  indicated in the following instructions.

  INPUT terminal The terminal address (0 to 255) is placed on the high order address lines A 9 to A 15 of Figure 6 A READ impulse is generated

  and the line IO / M is kept "high" (true = IO mode).

  External logic places data on the data bus which, in turn, loads the internal register

with accumulator of the microprocessor.

  OUTPUT terminal The accumulator data is placed on the data bus and the terminal address on the eight high order bits of the address bus, while a WRITE time output is taken with the output.

"high" (true) IO / M.

  The microprocessor 47 may be an element

Intel 8085 type.

  The READ input pulse is inverted by the inverting amplifier 280 and logically combined with a true IO / M signal in the NAND gate 281 to produce an INPUT pulse that occurs when an instruction is received. "'entry' exists and only at

this moment.

  Likewise, the WRITE input pulse passes through the inverting amplifier 282 and is logically combined with a true IO / M signal in the NAND gate 283 to produce an OUTPUT pulse that occurs when an instruction of "exit" exists and only

at this time.

  Together with these instructions and the respective impulses, the specific terminal address

  appears on address outputs A 8-A 15, as deter-

  in the program used.

  gram requests an input from terminal 254, address 254 appears on A 8A 15, that is, A 8 is "low" and A 9-A 15 is "high" (A 15 is interpreted as being the

  128, A 14 the number 64, A 13 the number 32, etc.).

  The combined "high" states of A 9-15 cause the output of the 284 NAND gate to become "low". This gate may be a 74 L element. 530 This "low" signal and the "low" input of A 8 as well as the INPUT pulse are combined in the NAND gate 285 (an element 74 L 527) to produce a "high" pulse on "clock input"

  terminal 254 "This pulse is reversed by the amplification

  286 and is applied to allow the eight-line and three-state receiver 287 (a 74 L 5244) to place the VCR condition signals on

the data bus.

  When the instruction "ENTRY (254)" takes place

  in the program, the signals of the condition of the magneto-

  scope are loaded into the microprocessor accumulator.

  In the receiver 287, the "on" condition is in the DO bit, the "humidity switch" condition in the D1 bit, the "end of tape switching" condition in the D 2 bit, the "cassette switch" condition.

  in place "in bit D 3, the condition" record mode

  In bit D 4, the condition "pause mode" in bit D 5, the condition "reproduction mode" in bit D 6, and the condition "stop mode" in bit D 7 These condition bits can be examined individually by other program steps The amplifier elements indicated in the tri-state receiver 287 contain

each one a Schmidt rocker.

  Similarly, when "OUTPUT (254)" occurs in the microprocessor program, "clock output terminal 254" takes place and the contents of the microprocessor accumulator are placed on the data bus.

  "clock output" is inverted by the invert amplifier

  289 and the negative impulse is applied to the

  8 D flip-flops, which can be an element 74 L 5273 The positive trailing edge of this pulse causes the data bus signals to be synchronized to

the scales.

  If the accumulator contains a 1 (1 Q), this results in a stop command of the video recorder; if there is a 2 (2 Q), the result is the command "reproduction"; if there is a 4 (3 Q), this is the "search before" command; if there is an 8 (4 Q), it is the command "reverse search"; if there is a 16 (5 Q), that's the command

  "pause"; if there is a 32 (6 Q), it is the command "progress"

  If it's a 64 (7 Q), it's the "rewind" command, if it's a 128 (8 Q), it's the "save" command. specifies "terminal 255", the NAND gate 291, the inverting amplifier 292 and the element 293 of eight flip-flops D are energized. If the accumulator contains a data item 1 (1 Q), this is the command "winding

  before "if it is a 2 (2 Q), it is the command" repro-

  variable duction "if it is a 4 (3 Q), it is the command" speed 1/3 ", if it is an 8 (4 Q), it is the command

"1/10 speed". In this use, the accumula-

  16, 32, 64 and 128 have no function assigned to terminal 255 The output clock terminal 255 is

  chosen when A 8 is "high", which causes the existence

  a "low" signal at the output of the inverter 292 and triggers the output of the flip-flop 293 when all the elements A 9-A 15 are also "high" and the OUTPUT pulse occurs as a result of an instruction "exit"

from the program.

  The control program then uses

  exit instructions with initial initial values

  to the battery and an appropriate terminal number to cause the changing of the video recorder

as required.

  The program also examines the condition of the VCR by using the command "INPUT (254)" and then checking the condition of the respective bits 1 o in the accumulator. The connection of the program takes place according to the detected condition. If the video recorder's power button is not active, no attempt

  is not made to proceed with the algorithms of the magnet-

  VCR toscope Instead, an indication

  error is provided to the operator.

  When the electrical power situation is corrected, normal operation may continue. Here are examples of how a user manipulates the apparatus of the present invention.

  to obtain the desired information.

  At the beginning of the manipulation, the video recorder 41 reproduces data images at the beginning of the tape, loading information into the memory

50 (see Figure 3).

  Then, the television screen 44 receives an alpha-numeric text describing the information that

  can find on the tape This may or may not be super

  posed to a still image relative to the contents of the cassette In some cases, the still image may be

the only representation.

* The index of the highest level is first reproduced by the user pressing the button 230 "index" Normally after the title and a brief

  description, there should be three lines

  ? alphabetical index category index sequential index The first line of the example above is preceded by the question mark indicating that this

is the question we are dealing with

  A push on the "no" button 225 of the keyboard 200 of FIG. 2 causes the program control of the microprocessor 47 to advance to the next possible selection, while the cursor goes down one

  line, that is to say it goes to "category index".

  If you push the "no" button while holding it, the

  cursor advances continuously after a slight delay.

  When the cursor reaches the last question of the page, it automatically jumps to the first question

of the page.

  This is achieved by pro-

  gram relating to the measurement of the duration of the closure of the "no" button; there is then an automatic advance when the duration is greater than a threshold of for example 0.5 s The control program moves the representation coming from the cursor in a repetitive cycle until the button "no" is released and that 'a yes answer'

be received at a certain time.

  If the button 226 "yes" is pressed while the cursor is on the first line, the video recorder 41 is made to display the first page of the alphabetical list of all the titles of the cassette on the video display 44 This is done by an auxiliary command of the command program which is reached as a result of the answer "yes" This auxiliary instruction causes the replacement by the command program

  of the previous representation by a new representative

  which is another part of the data

stored in memory 50.

  Part of the memory 50 is intended to provide a stacking memory where the control program stores the number of the previous page each time you move to a new page If you push the button

  "previous page" 227, the indication of the

  location, recalling the number of the old page, which automatically causes the

  representation on the visual 44 of the previous page.

  After a step backward, the next step forward inscribed by replacing the next number.

  If the page of the alphabetical index of the representative

  presentation does not contain a subject of interest,

  button 228 "next page" is operated by the user

  This causes a sequential advance to the next "page" of, for example, 16 entries in a sequence

alphabetical of titles.

  This button can also be maintained for

  analyze the pages in the same way as described above.

  as far as the lines are concerned.

  When a page containing an interesting subject is reached, the "no" button is used as needed to move the cursor to the desired line containing the interesting title and then the button is used.

  "yes" to connect to this topic.

  All lines except the selected one are erased from the display 44 during the search period by the VCR 41 by means of the time code search mechanism. The initial data images of the tape contain not only an alphabetical list of the subjects recorded on the tape. but also a time code referral address o can be found

  subject Although these time codes are not re-

  presented with the list in question, they are available in the control program so that they can search the band for the location of the selected subject. When the selected page is located, any image of associated digital data is read and stored in the RAM 50. Then, any image of its associated tablet is read and stored in the RAM 15 of FIG. 2 contained in the application. U.S. Patent No. 264,744 entitled "its tablet" The video recorder is then advanced to the selected representation image and the 10 second sound message possibly begins briefly after

appearance of the image.

  When the message is completed, it can be repeated by pressing the button 231 "sound" as many times as you want The message can be interrupted and canceled by pressing the "no" button This causes the connection of the control program to a waiting condition that is the same as that reached when

the sound is complete.

  The text associated with the image can be called by pushing button 232 "T / P" The image disappears and the text appears on a white frame If more than one text element is associated with the image, the line

  from the bottom of the screen will say "NEXT CANEVAS".

  When the user has read all the text of a pattern, he presses the "yes" button to see the next text element. The process is repeated until all the associated text elements have been represented and, at this point, the next item is the first item If you press the 232 button

again, the image will appear.

  When the information on one page has been absorbed by the user and he is ready to consider the next page, pushbutton 228 "next page" is activated. The video recorder 41 then goes to the next image to be reproduced and reproduced. image of digital data and the image of its tablet that are associated with the image itself During the movement of the tape, the name of the alphanumeric text of the next image to be represented can be shown on the television screen 44 This is accomplished by means of the control program which has a return index of the time code addresses and the names in question. The following page has a known tetnps code address which is used to retrieve from the RAM 50 the alpha text. -numerical giving the title in question of the following image. The user continues to press the button

  "next page" as long as the images interest him.

  Then, several choices are possible.

  One of the choices is the button 229 "link" This causes a movement of the tape of the video recorder 41 to another segment which has a previously identified relation with the subject just seen. This is done by means of another index of return of the linked time code addresses originally read at the beginning of the band and stored in the RAM 50 This present time code is used by the control program to retrieve a connected time code from a possible memory and to start automatically a time code search on the tape towards this

related time code address.

  Another choice consists of the button "index" 230 This forces the device to return to the index

  from the highest level and down again.

  Another choice is to press the button

  227 "previous page" as well as the 229 button "enchains-

  This allows you to move the tape back to

the beginning of the segment.

  Another choice is to press the "chaining" button 229 during the first image of an associated group. This causes the group to be set aside

  present and the representation of the next group of

  chainement. Another choice is to press the 228 button "next page" and begin the group review

  of images (segment) concerning the next subject.

  When the image segment is mobile, the user's bits of the time code address identify it as such in the direction of the control program and it is reproduced at the normal television speed of the video recorder. segment is long, a few minutes or more, then you can use the

  the usual sound track recorded on Cepen-

  However, the compressed sound is often used because a short distance of tape movement according to the present invention will not give a useful interval of its on.

the track is usual.

  The tape of the video recorder preferably contains the digital data of the code or interval format

  vertical SMPTE with 64 bits useful per TV line.

  In addition to the 64 bits of data, each line has a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code with which

  we can check the integrity of the data.

  Each television image has a unique code specifying its sequential address in hours, minutes, seconds and images The code implies the non-abandonment of the image The code of each image specifies its absolute address (the bit code of the user) , in a library number using 6 bits, a 6-bit volume number, and a 6-bit book number, which gives 67 million numbers It is also identified

concerning the type of information.

  The instruction data bits of three

  types of lower weight are interpreted in different

  goals within each type of image, concerning the usual reproduction of sequential television, the still images, the messages of his tablet and

the image of digital data.

  These numeric codes are associated with each television image and are recorded with redundancy in the vertical interval on lines 13 and 15 in

  a preferred embodiment.

  Images that carry text are composed of 460 lines of digital data in the

  same SMPTE baseline format This includes the impulse

  horizontal synchronization, 64 bits usable

  and a cyclic redundancy check on each line.

  The lines have double redundancy because they have 230 lines on one frame and the same subject on the 230 lines of the other frame Images can be repeated twice At each two images, we have 64 x 230 = 14 720 bits in quadruple redundancy with

cyclic redundancy check.

  During the reading of these data text images, the cyclic redundancy check is used to accept correct 64-bit groups. Each of these groups receives an 8-bit line number by counting using the microprocessor 2 of the figure. 3 of U.S. Patent Application No. 295,955 entitled "Digital Data Television Image". The line number is placed in the RAM video memory 20 of this FIG. 3 and is placed so inside this RAM with the text that when the contents of this RAM are placed in series on lines horizontally in a television picture, the first 8 bits of each line constitute the line number As the lines are

  numbered within the stored digital data.

  on them, each line can be identified at

course of reproduction.

  When a cyclic redundancy check is performed on a line, and an error is detected, the data on that line is conditionally accepted, and when there is no error, it is accepted unconditionally. the second 256-line reads, those that are not marked as accepted are read again and checked as before. At the second redundant image, the process is repeated if necessary until all lines are unconditionally accepted. All errors of a cyclic redundancy check are counted to each pair of images and a condition message is reproduced on the display 44 after reproduction of the initial data images of the cassette The message is maintained on

  the screen for 5 seconds and then the operation progresses.

  The condition message gives an indication of the number of cyclic redundancy check errors with respect to several thresholds, that is, for from 0 to 5 cyclic redundancy check errors, the condition message may be "low proportion error "; with 6 to 20 cyclic redundancy check errors, the message will be "moderate error rate, check band and head"; and with an error rate of 21 or higher, one will find "high rate of errors, check the

band and head ".

  Data images are used for alpha-numeric text and for other purposes such as initializing the operating program and providing return index tables.

  memory contains only enough

  tructions to read the few initial images of data and to place them in the RAM 50 to addresses that will be interpreted as instructions constituting the main program After completion of reading and storing these first images, the control program go to the starting address of the main program that has just been introduced This allows great functional flexibility

  because new major control programs can

  can be provided as data images at the beginning

each band.

  Some images are used to process a particular list of classifications and subclassifications by indexing them by assigning code numbers. For example, 10-bit classifications (1024) and 6-bit subclassifications (64) or vice-classifications. versa, with text identifying each of them Codified classifications can then be used with still picture data to provide greater efficiency than with repeated text A 16-bit sign can be used to extract and print on visual 44 of complete text data of classifications and sub-classifications that may take 160 bits when stored in literal alpha-numeric form. When literal information is stored in a referral reference table with signs and qu then we only store the signs in the many text images, we realize a sensible economy from the point of view m emory

  and recorded data bits Other frequently used words

  used can be coded with additional signs to effectively use memory, ie for the word "the" = 87, HEXADECIM-L rather than D 4, C 8, C 5 HEX saves two multiplets

  whenever the word "the" is used.

  Another class of digital data images would then be included to identify with reference time code image numbers by a 32-byte text name; 32-bit for classification and coded subclassifications and 32-bit for a web-time code address relating to a

linked picture element.

  Images of his tablet have a lower time code image number of an image compared to the still image they support and so have no

  specific title other than that associated with the

  In the same way, text images supporting pictorial representations have a lower image number of two images relative to the image number.

of representation.

  Alternate mode of system operation

  of the present invention can enhance its flexibility.

  The ROM 49 (FIG. 3) has only a minimum operating program. It is supplemented by other operating program information provided in a digital image format either by a television channel or by a preliminary recording of

  cassette in the introduction preceding the images

  of the cassette involved A program of operation that is most appropriate for the subject

  in question can thus be provided.

  In this type of mode, the minimum program of

  operation in the ROM was sufficient

  instructions for reading and storing

  digital information in television picture format.

  It may also have minimum capabilities in

  functions to locate and visualize information

  In addition, it includes steps in the pro-

  gram to recognize the category of

  particular images of data as images of

  program, and then not only do we store these ins-

  tructions in the RAM 50 but one drives the command scrolling to these newly instructions

  stored after successful storage.

  As these instructions are essential for correct operation of the

  command 43 ', the data images can be recorded

  quadruple redundancy or more often

  the most practical way to ensure accuracy.

  This alternate mode of operation does not imply a reduction in the overall capacity of the system because the program data image set only takes a fraction of a second at the beginning of the tape recording. The word "cassette" should be interpreted

  This is simply a current example of ways in which

  storing video information Video discs are a variant Moreover, what is

  normally recorded on the cassette can be trans-

  put directly through any type of tele-

  vision without the recording step.

  Moreover, although particular numbers

  of type have been given for certain elements of

  similar types can be used and so are alternate groups of circuits which

  are able to perform the same function.

Claims (7)

  1 Method for providing several types of information   via a television channel, characterized in that it comprises the following steps which include at least two of the training steps of forming   and store digital information, alpha-   digital, in video format, to form and store information in compressed video format, to form still image information in a video format image, to selectively reproduce said image information image in video format, to be decompressed and to reproduce simultaneously and selectively   information from his tablet and to view as a replacement   ceyent said alpha-numeric information instead   of said video format image information image.   Process according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises the steps of   to manually and selectively order the type of information   to the user, concerning the presentation of   the next video image of the previous video image   dente, of an index, the acceptance of the entry of an index to be presented thus including other information,   to reject an index entry to present thus in   both the next index entry, and to ask others   information relating to the information presented.   The method according to claim 1, comprising performing a selection of the representation, characterized in that it comprises the steps of reproducing video format information, reading the   vertical interval code on each image of the informa-   video, to compare this code with that of the selected image, to store the data in a RAM memory when the chosen image is a data image, to put in digital form and to store the sound image in the sound format compressed when the chosen image is a sound image, to reproduce the image itself to provide a visual presentation when the chosen image is an image itself, and to selectively reproduce the decompressed sound related to the visual presentation. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the type of information to be reproduced involves the additional steps of introducing   bits of code at the beginning of the formation of a type of information   identifying this type of information and supplying power to the appropriate apparatus when reproducing the information in such a way as to present these to the user.   Process according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the steps of -providing   microprocessor instructions for processing information   at the beginning of a tape of a tape that appears   the categories of information in the cassette, and to input said microprocessor instructions into the RAM which acts with the   microprocessor to perform a function control   reproduction of the information in The tape.   6 Apparatus for communicating several types of information by a video channel and comprising at least two sources of different types of information,   characterized in that it comprises a source (41 a) of   alpha-numeric training in video format, a   (50) to store the alphanumeric information   digital source, a source (41a) of information of its compressed video format, a device (203) for storing said information of its tablet, a source (41a) of at least one video image of image information , a device (44) for selectively reproducing the image information and alpha-numeric, a device (203) for decompressing the information of its tablet, a device (205) for reproducing the information of its decompressed, and control devices (43 ',) acting with the elements mentioned above   to provoke a selective visualization of the said information   images, to selectively cause the reproduction of said decompressed sound information and to selectively cause the display of said alpha-numeric information.   Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the control devices (43 ', 200) comprise a microprocessor (47) having memories (49, 50) and a video code reader (54) for identifying each   image and to activate at least one of the following   according to the identity of the image: a generator (56) of alpha-numeric characters, a decompression sound apparatus (43 ', 46, 44) and an image reproducer video (41).   Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a cassette (41a) whose band comprises code bits in the user's bit sequence of the vertical interval time code, the   coding used to identify the types of information con-   in the cassette and a device (54) for exciting   selectively the elements (44) allowing visualization   image information and a reproduction of   sound information (205) by the action of said code bits.   Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized   in that said source (41 a) and the devices (50) for emulating   The flow of alpha-numeric information is all digital and said source produces alpha-numeric information substantially continuously during each image. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a device (41) for reproducing data as well as synchronization pulses   in each of the alphanumeric information   digital and its tablet, and in each of the video images.