JPH0283879A - Intelligent cassette tape - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the rapid reading and writing of information on a tape and to attain an efficient control by providing a storing element and a connecting circuit to connect the storing element and an external circuit at a cassette tape. CONSTITUTION:A semiconductor memory 2 is fixed at an arbitrary position which does not disturb the travelling of the magnetic tape of a magnetic tape cassette 1. On the arbitrary surface of the cassette 1, plural contacts 3 to be exposed are provided. Further, the memory 2 and the contacts 3 are connected. The index information such as the name, attribute, size, character, position on the tape, whether or not reading and writing can be permitted, for information stored on the magnetic tape is stored on the memory 2. Based on the index information on the memory 2, the rapid reading and writing of the information on the magnetic tape and the efficient control can be carried out.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] A cassette tape is a small box-shaped cassette (a magnetic tape that can be used by two people) and can store analog information such as sound, video, programs, and numerical data. In addition, improvements in recording methods and recording media have significantly improved the recording density of information, and optical tape is used as a recording medium to record and reproduce digital information. (Something similar to this has also been developed.)

Now, this invention relates to a cassette tape for recording information.
Related to magnetic tape cassettes such as video cassette tapes, DAT cassettes, computer auxiliary storage cassette tapes, cartridge tapes, etc.

Also, in place of magnetic tape, optical tape, etc.
It also includes optical tape cassettes. Note that DAT is an abbreviation for digital audio tape recorder.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional magnetic tape cassettes are one of the lowest cost sources of information. However, since information is recorded or read out sequentially from the beginning of the tape, it is not suitable for handling random information*a. Some devices used conventional magnetic tape cassettes to enable random access, but the access time was too slow to be practical.

In order to handle random information in a practical manner, semiconductor memory, magnetic bubble memory, magnetic disks, rice disks, etc. are used.
The cost was high for all magnetic tape cassettes and duplexes.

Semiconductor memory refers to random memory such as RAM and ROM.
A memory element that can be accessed. Development of IC cards, memory cards, etc. [Secondly, development of mounting technology for memory elements in narrow spaces, and various contact and non-contact connection methods from the object in which the memory element is mounted to external circuits. has been done.

[Point B while the invention is trying to solve the problem]

The conventional cassette tape introduced above (Niha, Ochi (:
There are the following problems.

(1) To record or read information from the beginning of the tape, it is mainly used for recording and reproducing sequential information, and (: is not suitable for handling random information.

(2) When dealing with random information, the index information of the information to be stored is recorded at a specific position (bipodial) on the magnetic tape, and the information is managed by referencing the index information (:
, access time becomes slow.

[3] On a cassette tape (2), it is impossible to know at an instant where and how much of the information is recorded on the tape.

(4) It is impossible to know right away how much recording space is left on the cassette tape.

Conventionally, there was a 14f function such as write prohibition for each cassette tape, but there was no MW function for individual information on a magnetic tape.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention
A storage element, such as a semiconductor memory or a magnetic bubble memory, and a connection circuit for connecting the element and an external circuit are provided on any interior or surface that does not interfere with the running of the tape within the bubble.

[Effect]

When the cassette tape according to the present invention is installed in a dedicated recording/playback device, information can be taken in and out of the tape [=
At the same time, (2) the element is connected to an external circuit through the connection circuit (2), and information can be transferred to and from the element (2) separately from the outside via a tape or the like.

Then, by storing the index information of the information stored on the tape in the device and using the index information, the information on the tape can be used quickly, safely, and efficiently. Two.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the case where the present invention is applied to a magnetic tape cassette such as a VHS, .beta., 8 mm video cassette tape or a DAT cassette will be explained.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from below. A semiconductor memory 2 is fixed inside a magnetic tape cassette 1 at an arbitrary position that does not hinder the running of the magnetic tape. Then, a plurality of exposed contacts 3 are provided on any surface of the magnetic tape cassette 1. Further, the semiconductor memory 2 and the contacts 3 are connected.

Figure 2 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from above. The surface of the conventional magnetic cassette tape 1a (
A card-like label 4 is attached thereto, which includes a conductor memory 28 and a connected contact point 3a. According to this embodiment, there is no need to modify the inside of the first cassette tape 1a at all.

In all of the above embodiments, a semiconductor memory is used as the storage element, but in a bottle stand using a volatile semiconductor memory such as a RAM, a power source such as a battery must also be built into the cassette.

Note that instead of the semiconductor memory, a magnetic bubble memory or the like may be used. In addition, as a connection circuit for connecting the memory element and an external circuit, as in the above embodiment, [2. A contact method using contacts and connectors, etc.] [2. A non-contact method using magnetism, light, power, etc.] , Fukagawa may do.

Next, we will explain how to actually reproduce information by installing the magnetic tape cassette of the above embodiment into a recording/reproducing apparatus (by way of example).

First, before actually recording information (on a magnetic tape in advance)
From the beginning to the end of the magnetic tape, I choreographed the Ato]/su. Recording and reproducing mounting (: When the magnetic tape cassette is mounted, the '4 conductor memory in the magnetic tape cassette and the semiconductor memory control circuit in the recording and reproducing apparatus are connected through contacts.

When recording information, first the control circuit in the recording/playback device detects that there is free space on the magnetic tape (larger than the information to be recorded), and then outputs the index information stored in the semiconductor memory through the connection circuit. Then, the address information of the free area is obtained from the index information, and the information is recorded after moving the magnetic tape to that address.

When reading information [:], the control circuit in the recording/reproducing device obtains the address of the target information through the connection circuit from the index information stored in the semiconductor memory [2], and transfers the magnetic tape to that address. to obtain the desired information.

If you want to know what kind of information is recorded on the magnetic tape, you can know it instantaneously from the index information stored in semiconductor memory. 2. There is no need to check the contents of the magnetic tape from the beginning.

Information on the magnetic tape that should not be erased or rewritten is index information (2,
Set the information to be prohibited from being rewritten. Then, check whether the index information of the semiconductor memory is set to prohibit rewriting of the information, and if it is set, rewrite the information. It is possible to protect the data by not deleting it.

Next (2) More specific examples of use of the present invention are given below.

The present invention can handle not only sequential information but also random information, and can be used as a storage medium for an external storage device used in a computer or the like. And magnetic disk drives and other devices have slow access times but much lower information storage costs, and the storage medium can be replaced.

When the present invention is used as a video tape, the date, location, memo, etc. at the time of recording can be stored on the semiconductor memory. When using the present invention as a storage medium, advertising information is stored on a semiconductor memory, and when played back, the image information recorded on a magnetic tape is transferred to the center of the screen [:
While displaying, advertisement information can be displayed in HCX at the top or bottom of the screen so as not to disturb the image information. Because of this (second), it is possible to combine video software at a lower price because advertising revenue can be obtained.
:Become.

When the present invention is used as an audio tape, the songs recorded on the tape can be played back in any order without having to be edited again.

Also, when recording or recording broadcast programs, the timer program can be stored on the semiconductor memory.

There are various possible embodiments of the present invention other than the embodiments described above.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention provides sequential access (
Only tape, which is a dual-facing storage medium, has different characteristics as a storage medium from the conventional cassette tape (which had built-in tape), and the random access (two-sided storage medium) has a memory element that is built into a cassette (cassette). It can compensate for the essential shortcomings of conventional cassette tapes.

That is, on the tape (: name of stored information,
Index information such as attributes, size, properties, the position on the tape, whether reading or writing is allowed or not, etc. is stored on the memory element.Then, based on the index information on the memory element, This enables quick reading and writing of information on tape and efficient management.

Next (=, how many typical effects can be obtained for the reasons mentioned above?

(1) The information recorded on any deposit on said tape is
Based on the index information on the memory element, any information can be quickly retrieved (
= Reading and writing are possible. Special (: Easy to handle random information [There are two effects.

Since the memory element has two index information, the average time required to start writing or reading from the tape can be shortened. In other words, the access time can be made faster.

[Decoy] By examining the index information on the storage element, it is possible to know what kind of information is recorded on the tape (2) and how much information is recorded on the tape (2).

4) Based on the index information on the storage element, the tape is
2. Instantly check how much recording space is left (
= can be known.

(5) For each cassette tape, in addition to the protection functions such as write prohibition [:, individual information on the tape (:)
It can have a function.

(6) The memory element [having nibograms and data (2) enables a variety of uses for information on tape and recording/reproducing equipment (2).

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from below. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from above.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An information recording cassette tape that has a built-in or mounted storage element such as a semiconductor memory or magnetic bubble memory and a connection circuit that connects the element to an external circuit.