GB2272563A - A remote controlled recording/reproducing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An remote controlled recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: an audio signal processor (21); a video signal processor (22); a plurality of signal receivers for receiving audio/video signals, wherein at least one of the receivers is connected to an external source; select signal receiving means for receiving a select signal from said external source; recording means (23) for recording an audio/video signal onto a recording medium (25); control means for connecting one of said plurality of signal receivers to said recording means in response to said select signal; and a switching means 2 for actuating the audio signal processor and/or the video signal processor. <IMAGE>

Description

EXTERNALLY CONTROLLABLE RECORDING/REPRODUCING APPARATUS The present invention relates to an externally controllable recording/reproducing apparatus which is capable of receiving an AV (audio/video) signal from one of plurality of AV signal sources and recording if onto a recording medium.

There are known recording/reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing video signals visually corresponding to still images photofraphed by electronic still cameras. The recording/reproducing apparatus is designed to record video signals onto a magnetic disk via a magnetic head, and to reproduce the video signals recorded on the magnetic disk so that the image can be seen on a display.

Recently, electronic still cameras capable of recording audio signals as well as video signals have been proposed. With the appearance of such electronic still cameras, a recording/reproducing apparatus provided with an audio signal processing circuit has been developed.

With the use of such an apparatus, an audio signal as well as a video signal can be recorded onto a magnetic disk, and the sound can be reproduced together with the still image by reproducing the audio and video signals.

A recording/reproducing apparatus provided with a remote control for remotely controlling the operations of the main recording /reproducing apparatus is also known.

The recording/reproducing apparatus is equipped with an audio signal processing circuit, a video signal processing circuit, a recording/reproducing circuit and the like in its main apparatus for recording and reproducing audio and image signals, and a remote control having a transmitting circuit for controlling tlle ol)eralloll of tlie audio signal processing circuit, the video signal processing circuit, the recording/reproducing circuit and the like is electrically connected to the main apparatus.

In tiie recording/reproducing apparatus stated above, however, tlie microphone and the remote control leave to be operated individually because they are separately arranged. This arrangement is extremely inconvenient and therefore causes adverse operability.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved recording/reproducing system excellent in operability.

According to the invention, there is provided an externally controllable recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:- audio signal processing means; video signal processing means; a plurality of audio/video signal receiving means for receiving audio/video signals, at least one of said plurality of audio/video signal receiving means receiving an audio/video signal from an external equipment; select signal receiving means for receiving a select signal from said external equipment; audio/video signal recording means for recording onto a recording medium an audio/video signal which is received by one of said plurality of audio/video signal receiving means, said one of said plurality of audio/video signal means being connected with said audio/video signal recording means when the audio signal is recorded;; control means for electrically connecting said one of said plurality of audio/video signal receiving means with said audio/video signal recording means based upon the select signal received by said select signal receiving means; and switch means having two operative positions, one of said audio signal processing means and said video signal processing means being actuated if said switch means is located at one of said operative positions, both said audio signal processing means and said video signal processing means being actuated if said switch means is located at the other of said operative positions.

Preferably, the apparatus further comprises command signal receiving means for receiving a command signal from said external equipment and wherein said control means controls operations of the apparatus based on the command signal received by said command signal receiving means.

Conveniently, the apparatus further comprises memory means for temporarily storing audio/video signals data received by said one of said plurality of audio/video signal receiving means.

Reference is made to the parent application number GB-A-2 237 918 from which the present application has been divided.

This application concerns a recording/reproducing system comprising an externally controllable recording/reproducing apparatus capable of recording an inputted audio signal onto a recording medium and a remote control for controlling the apparatus. The remote control has a sound wave means for picking up sound waves and can select one of first and second audio signal receiving means in the apparatus so that the selected audio signal receiving means is electrically counted to the audio signal produced by said sound wave means or another audio signal.

An example of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a recording/ reproducing apparatus embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a power supply switch; Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a signal processing system configuration of the recording/reproducing apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and Figs. 4A and 4B show a flowchart illustrating the operation of a system controller.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a recording/reproducing apparatus 35 embodying the present invention. In fig. 1, a main apparatus 36 of the recording/reproducing apparatus 35 is formed with a disk inserting still 1 and a power supply switch 2. The power supply switch 2 is arranged so that, as shown in Fig. 2, a movable contact 3 having three silde elements 3a, 3b, 3c is moved to be contacted with stationary elements 5a, 5b, 5c, respectively, as a protruded portion 4 moves in the direction of an arrow.

When the protruded portion 4 is located at an OFF position, only the silde element 3a comes in contact with the stationary element 5a. When the protruded portion 4 is located at a first ON position. the silde elements 3a, 3b come in contact with the respective stationary elements 5a, 5b, as shown in Fig. 2 so that the stationary elements 5a, 5b are electrically connected. Further, when the protruded portion 4 is located at a second ON position, the silde elements 3a, 3b, 3c come in contact with the respective stationary elements 5a, 5b, 5c,as shown by a dotted line, so that the stationary elemeiits 5a, 5b, 5c are electrically connected.

Fig. 1 further shows a recording switch 7 for preparing tile commencement of recording, a play switch 8 for preparing tlle commencement of playback, an erasure switch 9 for preparing tile coinniencement of erasure, an execute switch G for starting either recording, playback or erasure. and a select switch 10 for selecting a recording mode. With this se:' ect switch 10, one of a video mode for recording only video signals, an audio mode for recording only audio signals, and an audio and video mode for recording audio and video signals can be selected. Furthermore, a display 11 for displaying each mode, a video signal input terminal 12, an audio signal input terminal 13, a video signal output terminal 14, and an audio signal output terminal 15 are shown.

A remote control 40 Is connected via a signal cable 37 to the main apparatus 36. On tlie surface of the remote control 40 there are provided a switch 41 for preparing tiie commencement of recording, a switch 42 for preparing the commencement of playback. a switch 43 for preparing the commencement of erasure, a switch 44 for starting either recording, playback or erasure, and switches 45 for instructing other operations.

Moreover, a microphone 48 is installed on one end side of the remote control 40, tiie signal cable 37 being fitted to tlie opposite side. A storing switch 48 for instructing an audio signal storing process (described later) and a changeover switch 49 are provided on one side 4()a where tlle microphone 46 is installed.The changeover switch 49 is used to switch the connection between tlie microphone 46 or an external microphone (an external audio source, not shown) and tile main apparatus 36. When tile sound (voice) picked up by tiie microphone 46 is to be recorded, the changeover switch 49 is located at the ON position. When the sound picked up by the external microphone is to be recorded, the changeover switch 49 is located at tile OFF position.In other words, one of tlie microphone 46 arid tlle external microphone (exteriial audio source) is chosen and tiie sound is recorded via tlie microphone thus chosen.

Fig. 3 is n block diagram illustrating a signal processing system configuration of the recording/reproducing system. The signal processing system comprises ari audio signal processing circuit 21 for demodulating an emphasized or reproduced audio signal, u video signal processing circuit 22 for processing a video signal for recording or demodulating a reproduced video signal, and a recording/reproducing circuit 23 for recording tulle audio signal produced from tulle audio signal processing circuit 21 and the video signal produced from the video signal processing circuit 22 on n magnetic disk 25 via a magnetic head 24, nnd reprodiiciiig Ilie video and audio signals read rrom the magnetic head 24.

The slgiial pi-ocess [ iig system rurtlier comprises a drive circuit 26 for driving a motor 27 to rotate the magnetic disk 25, n power supply 28 such as a dry battery, a switch circuit 29 for supplying the power of tile power supply 28 to the audio signal processing circuit 21, a switch circuit 30 for supplying the power of the power supply 28 to the video signal processing circuit 22, the recording/reproducing circuit 23, the drive circuit 26 and the like, a group of switches 31 including the record standby switch 7, the play standby switch 8, the erasure standby switch 9 and the like, and a changeover switch 33 for switching the audio source between tile microphone 46 and the external microphone (not shown).

A system controller 32 comprises a microcomputer and the like for controlling the audio signal processing circuit 21, the recording/reproducing circuit 23, the drive circuit and the like to record the audio and image signals on the magnetic disk 25 or to reproduce the image and audio signals recorded on tlle magnetic disk 25.

The system controller 32 llas input terminals Ii, 12, 13, which are connected to tlle respective stationary contacts 5a, Sb, 5c, the stationary contact 5a beiiig grounded. tulle system controller 32 turns off i.lie switch circuits 29, 30 when only tlie input terminal I1 remains at the ground potential, turns on the switch circuit 30 when Clle input terminal 12 is set to tlie ground potential, and turns on the switch circuit 29 when the input terminal 13 is set to the ground potential.

Moreover, the system controller 32 receives each of tiie command signals produced by a switch signal generating circuit (transmitting circuit) 52,as described later and performs the recording/reproducing operation, switching of contacts 33a, 33b of the switch circuit 33 and tlle like.

In Fig. 3, a microphone signal processing circuit 51 is used for processing tlle signal produced from the microphone 46, and the switch signal generating circuit 52 is used for producing command signals corresponding to the command for each switch.

When the protruded portion 4 of the power supply switch 2 is located at the OFF position, only tlie stationary contact Sa is set to the ground potential.

Accordingly, the switch circuits 29, 30 stay turned off by the system controller 32 so that tlie power from the power supply 28 is not supplied to any circuit.

When tlie protruded portion 4 Is located at the first ON position, tlie statioliary contacts 5a, ,,) are electrically connected as shown in Fig. 2 and the iiipii(; terminal 12 of the system controller 32 is set to tlie ground potential. Consequently, the switch circuit 30 is turned on by tie system controller 32 and power from the power supply 28 is supplied to the video signal processing circuit 22, the recording/reproducing circuit 23, the drive circuit 26 and the like. In other words, power is supplied to all of tIie circuits other than the audio signal processing circuit 21, whereby only video signals are recorded or reproduced.

Since power is also supplied to the switch signal generating circuit 52 of the remote control 40, recording and reproducing can be remotely controlled.

When the protruded portion 4 is located at tlie secoiid ON position, the stationary contact Sa, 5b, Sc are all electrically connected as shown by the dotted line of Fig. 2 so that the input terminal 13 of tlle system controller 32 is also set to the ground potential.

Thus, the switch circuit 29 is also turned on by the system controller 32 and thereby power from the power supply 28 is supplied to tlle audio signal processing circuit 21. Thus, recording/reproducing of sound can be executed.

Since power is also supplied to the switch signal generating circuit 52 of the remote control 40 at this time, a remote cotitrol operation Is possible.

When the changeover switch 49 of the remote control 40 is located at the ON position, a comma signal for closing the contact 33b of the switch circuit 33 is produced from tiie switch signal generating circuit 52. On receiving tulle command signal, tiie system coiitrolier 32 disconnects the contact 33a and connects the contact 33b of the switch circuit 33. As a result, tlle audio signal produced from the microphone 46 can be inputted via the microphone signal processing circuit 51 to the audio signal processing circuit 21.Then tlie audio signal is stored in a memory 21M in the audio signal processing circuit 21 until tile memory 21M becomes full or the switch 44 is turned on.

When the changeover switch 49 of tlie remote control 40 is moved to the OFF position, tile system controller 32 disconnects the contact 33b of the switch circuit 33 and connects the contact 33a, and the audio signal applied from the audio signal input terminal 13 can be Inputted to the audio signal processing circuit 21. The audio signal from the external microphone (not shown) or audio source is stored in the memory 21M in the audio signal processing circuit 21 until the memory 21M becomes full or tiie switch 44 Is turned oil.

In this way, by operating only the changeover switch 49 provided on the remote control 40, the microphone 4G installed in the remote control 40 or the external microphone to be connected to tile main apparatus 36 is selected, and tlie audio signal is stored in the memory 21M of tiie audio signal processing circuit 21. TIie operation of tills apparatus is therefore extremely convenient arid at tile same time facilitates tlie recording of sound with different characteristics.Since tiie remote control 40 is equipped with the microphone 48, moreover, it simplifies tiie assortment of peripheral components to be connected to the main body 36. With the switch provided on tiic remote control 40, further, the operation of the remote control 40 and the microphone 46 can be Implemented with the effect of improved operability.

As the microphone 46 is fitted to the side of the remote control 40 opposite to that which the signal cable 37 is attached, the signal cable 37 is not obstructive when the microphone 46 is directed to a voice source Since the storing switch 48 is provided on that one side of the remote control 40 and in the vicinity of the microphone 46. It is easy to operate the storing switch 48 when the microphone 46 is directed to the voice source.

Since tlle remote control 40 and tlie main body 36 are connected through tlie signal cable 37, a transmitter aiid a receiver for transmitting the audio signal obtained through the microphone 46 to the main body 36 by radio are not requl red Iig. 4 is n flowchart illustrating the operation or tlie system controller 32.

In Step 1., a decision is made on whether the power supply switch 2 Jias been turned on or not. If NO, the operation returns to Step 1. If YES, Step 2 is followed. In Step 2, a decision is made on whether the protruded portion 4 of the power supply switch 2 has been located at tlie second ON position. If NO, the protruded portion 4 is determined to be located at the first ON position and the video processing routine is followed thereafter. in the video processing routine, the audio signal processing circuit 21 is not turned on. if YES in Step 2, power is supplied to all the circuits 22, 23 etc.Including the audio signal processing circuit 21 as the switch circuits 29, 30 are turned on.

In Step 4, a decision is made on whether the audio signa l processing I S required or not. In other words, If the audio mode or the audio and video mode is selected by tiie select switch 10, an audio record mode has been established in Step 4 arid the process goes to Step 5. In this audio record mode, the audio signal is recorded solely or with tile video signal. If NO in Step 4, a routine for performing other processes such as reproducing process or erasure process can be followed.

If YES in Step 4, a storing flag is cleared (initialized) in Step 5 and a decision is made on which one of the microphone 46 or external audio source (microphone) is to be utilized for obtaining an audio signal. If the external audio source (microphone) is selected, the contact 33a of the switch circuit 33 is connected (Step 15). If microphone 46 is selected, the contact 33b of tile switch circuit 33 is connected (Step 7).

In Step 8, a decision is made on whether the storing switch 48 has been turned on. If No, the setting of the storing flag is checked (Step 16) and the process returns to Step 6. If YES, Step 9 is followed. In Step 9, a decision is made on whether the storing flag has been set. If YES, the storing flag is cleared and tiie storing operation Is halted (Steps 17, 1.8). In Step 9, If it is determined NO, tlie storing flag is set, the storing process is performed (Steps 10, 11), and Step 12 is followed.

In Step 12, a decision is made on whether the release switch 44 has been turned on. If YES, the audio signal is recorded and the operation terminates (Step 14). If NO in Step 12, Step 13 is followed. In Step 13, a decision is made on whether the memory 21M of the audio processing circuit 21 is in a full condition by referring to the address of the memory 21M corresponding to tllc stored audio signal data. If NO, the process returns to Step 8. If YES, Step 17 is followed and the storing process is halted (Step 18).

When the storing process in which the audio signal is stored in the memory 21M of the audio signal processing circuit 21 is not executed, the storing flag is set OFF. If the storing switch 48 is OFF, the process loops through Steps 6, 7. 16 and back to Step 6. If the storing switch 48 is changed to be turned ON, the process goes through Steps 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and back to Step 8.In this case, when the process comes back to Step 8, if the storing switch 48 is not turned on, the process loops througii Steps 8, 16, 1.1, 12, 13 and back to Step 8. During the process of tills storing loop, the audio signal is stored ill tiie memory 21M of the audio signal processing circuIt 21.

if Pie release switch 44 is turned on in the storing loop described above, the stored signal In n tile.

memory 21M of tie audio processing circuit 21 is recorded on the magnetic disk 25 via the magnetic head 24 by the recording/reproducing circuit 23. If the memory 21M has a full condition, that is, a predetermined amount of data of he audio signal has been stored during the storing loop, the storing flag is cleared and the storing process is terminated. Then, the process loops through Steps 17, 18, 12, and 8 until the release switch 44 is tuned on.

On the other hand, if the storing switch 48 is turned on during the storing process, the storing operation is terminated, and the process returns to the loop through Steps 16, 6, 7 or 15, and 8. The store switch is turned again, the storing process restarts.

In this case, the audio signal is stored over the data which as been stored during the preceding storing process(es).

As set forth above, the remote control is fitted with a directional microphone and a changeover switch for selecting either the directional microphone or a voice input device to be connected to the apparatus proper and for causing the voice to be picked up by the directional microphone or voice input device so as to be recorded. As a result, the microphone installed 11l the remote control can be switched over to be the voice input device to be connected to the apparatus proper simply by operating the changeover switch provided for tlie remote control.

This apparatus is therefore extremely convenieiit and at the same time facilitates tulle recording of sounds with different characteristics. Since the microphone is installed in the remote control, tlie operation of the remote control and tlie microphone can be carried out simultaneously by operating the switch provided for tlie remote control. The operability of the system is thus improved.

Claims (4)

1. An externally controllable recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: audio signal processing means; video signal processing means; a plurality of audio/video signal receiving means for receiving audio/video signals, at least one of said plurality of audio/video signal receiving means receiving an audio/video signal from an external equipment; select signal receiving means for receiving a select signal from said external equipment; audio/video signal recording means for recording onto a recording medium an audio/video signal which is received by one of said plurality of audio/video signal receiving means, said one of said plurality of audio/video signal means being connected with said audio/video signal recording means when the audio signal is recorded;; control means for electrically connecting said one of said plurality of audio/video signal receiving means with said audio/video signal recording means based upon the select signal received by said select signal receiving means; and switch means having two operative positions, one of said audio signal processing means and said video signal processing means being actuated if said switch means is located at one of said operative positions, both said audio signal processing means and said video signal processing means being actuated if said switch means is located at the other of said operative positions.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising command signal receiving means for receiving a command signal from said external equipment, and wherein said control means controls operations of the apparatus based on the command signal received by said command signal receiving means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising memory means for temporarily storing audio/video signal data received by said one of said plurality of audio/video signal receiving means.

4. An externally controllable recording/reproducing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.