JPS5831667B2 - magnetic tape device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of magnetic tape recording/reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to a magnetic tape reproducing apparatus configured to reproduce a wide variety of data using a minimum number of heads.

The present invention is particularly applicable to a magnetic tape device used in a computer error message output device, a system that automatically checks the operating status of a vehicle, an industrial machine, etc., and displays a message in the form of voice if there is a problem. Are suitable.

Such automatic inspection message devices record and write many types of messages in advance, and when an error or malfunction occurs in an inspection area, an address is specified according to the content, and the message content corresponding to the address is recorded. You need to take it out, play it, and get it out as audio.

Conventionally, magnetic tape devices used for such purposes have been configured to have the same number of tracks as the number of messages, and to retrieve and reproduce messages from the tracks corresponding to designated addresses.

In such conventional devices of the so-called longitudinal scanning type, in which the head does not move relative to the tape, recording tracks are provided that extend substantially along the length of the tape, making it possible to increase the message content and therefore the number of tracks. In order to cope with this problem, it was necessary to reduce the distance between the tracks and the track width.

Therefore, even if the playback head is slightly misaligned with respect to the recording track, the content cannot be captured accurately.
Furthermore, even after aligning the playback head by adjustment, even slight vibrations of the tape can be expected to cause large level fluctuations, and such prior art devices are therefore not suitable for reproducing a wide variety of messages. I can't say that.

The present invention achieves the same effect without increasing the number of tracks by providing separate tracks according to the number of messages.

The present invention focuses on the fact that the error message in the form of voice used for the above purpose is a short time of about several seconds,
A plurality of heads are arranged apart from each other in the tape traveling direction, and various types of messages can be taken out by switching and reproducing each head.

FIG. 1 shows a tape having a recording track format made in accordance with the invention, the arrows indicating the running direction of the tape, and as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, for example, four heads with eight tracks are used. be able to.

The head has odd bones of 0, 1, and 2°3, respectively, and the first
They are arranged and positioned according to the length of each message in the figure.

The head includes a capstan 10 and a pinch roller 12. ! =
The brake roller 14 is arranged between the brake roller 14 and the brake roller 14 .

A brake pad 16 engages the brake roller 14 .

Rollers 18 are provided to provide the proper crimping engagement between each head and tape 20.

FIG. 1 shows four message groups, group 0 to group 3, and each group has eight messages.

The heads are arranged so that when head 0 scans over messages in group 0, heads 1 to 3 scan over messages in groups 1 to 3, respectively.

Figure 2 shows that during one reproduction cycle, head 0 reproduces messages 0 to 7 of group 0, head 1 reproduces messages 8 to 15 of group 1, head 2 reproduces messages 16 to 23 of group 2, and head 3 reproduces messages 16 to 23 of group 2. An example of one playback cycle for playing three groups of messages 24-31 is shown.

In the next playback cycle, head 0 will read a group of messages,
Heads 1-3 each reproduce 23.0 groups of messages.

Therefore, in any reproduction cycle, all of the messages 0 to 31 are reproduced by one of the heads 0 to 3.

In order to selectively take out a specified reproduction message among the messages 0 to 31 and provide it to any circuit used, it is necessary to detect which head the message was reproduced.

A position detection mechanism and an address selection device are provided for this purpose.

As shown in FIG. 1, one recording cycle consists of four playback cycles, and 0, 1, 2,
A recording cycle of 304 message groups is continuously provided.

An example of a position sensing mechanism is shown in FIG. 7, where the position sensing mechanism senses and outputs when one regeneration cycle is completed.

FIG. 4 shows the position of the head with respect to the tape and the state of the output of the position detector.

In the reproducing cycle in which head 0 is reproducing messages of group 0 in the recording format of FIG. 1, the position detector output is O, and is reset to O when head 0 finishes reproducing messages of group 3.

Therefore, outputs 0-3 of the position detector provide signals representing which playback cycle heads 0-3 are performing.

These outputs 0 to 3 are binary bits (00, 01, 10, 1) consisting of two digits from a position detection mechanism of any configuration.
1).

The position sensing mechanism of FIG. 7 applies one electrical pulse to plunger 30 every regeneration cycle,
is advanced by 4 revolutions, and four different binary forces are obtained from the output 34.

In this case, the rotation angle of the switch rotor 32 is determined according to the number of heads.

Figure 5 shows the binary encoded "tape position" (i.e. which group of messages each head is associated with) and "head position" (tracks of each head, i.e. channels 0-7).
is associated with which message).

Now, I think about the reproduction of Kuzu 28's Message.

The address code is a 5-digit binary number, where the first two digits identify the associated head during the playback cycle when head 0 plays the message of group 0, and the other three digits identify the track or channel. It's a number.

Therefore, the addressing code for message A28 is 1110, as is clear from the tape for foot in Figure 1.
It is 0.

Figure 6 shows addressing code 1 for four position detection outputs.
An example of converting 1100 is shown below.

In this figure, each time the reproduction cycle changes, the head designation code changes to head 3, head 2, head 1, and head 0, so it changes to 11, 10, 01, 00.

Therefore, the head designation code of the address code must be converted depending on the playback cycle.

Figures 8 and 9 show address translation circuits used for this purpose.

The designated address A is converted according to the position detection output B as shown in FIG. 8A.

In this case, the head designation (head identification code of each address to be converted) C is C=A-B when A≧B, and C=A+4-B when A<B.

This is when the number of heads is 4, and when the number of heads is 5, A
<When B, C-A+5-B, when the number of heads is 6, C=
A+6-B, and the following numbers of heads are 7, 8...
The same applies to the case of .

FIG. 8B is an example of a logic circuit for performing such conversion.

In the case of four-head switching, similar switching can be performed with another circuit as shown in FIG. 9 by changing the state and position detection output.

In this case, C=A+B, and when C>40, there are 220 terms or 3
If the terms above the digit are ignored, a table of head designations (C) as shown in FIG. 9A is obtained.

FIG. 9B is an example of a logic circuit that accomplishes this.

The above is the same in the case of 2 heads and 8 heads.

The method of activating the switching circuit using the address code converted in this way to select one message, inputting it to the amplifier section, and displaying the selected message in audio or other form is described above. This is similar to the multi-track system, and FIG. 10 shows this.

For example, in the automobile assembly process, the signal representing the operating state is input 4.
0 to the control device 41, an addressing signal is input to the control device 41 via the output 42, and an addressing signal for designating the recorded message of the error, for example, in order to display the error in the form of an audible sound, is sent via the output 42. The data is input to the tape device 43.

The magnetic tape device 43 is energized to playback mode and the input 46
All messages (0 to 31) from the head are input to the switching circuit 45 via the head.

On the other hand, the above-mentioned address designation code is converted by the above-mentioned position detection mechanism and conversion circuit 44, and this converted code is inputted to the switching circuit 45 to select an appropriate message, which is inputted to the amplifier section 47. The device used outputs the selected and amplified message.

The configuration shown in FIG. 7 described above is configured to reset the position detection mechanism in advance at the time of setting, and after that, the plunger of the detection mechanism is energized one pulse at a time for each regeneration cycle, and the changeover switch cam is rotated to complete the regeneration cycle. 2 depending on location
It takes out the advance force, converts the address, and takes out the message, but the tape position (the position of the message group with respect to each head) and the detection mechanism are not mechanically linked, and only one pulse is used. Since the configuration is such that the changeover switch cam is rotated step by step, the timing of applying the pulse and the relationship between the application and the response of the switch cam must not only be precise, but also prevent malfunction of the switch cam, for example.
If the tape position is detected to be shuffled, the malfunction continues and the detected tape position and the actual tape position are not corrected.

The following embodiments of the invention overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks by synchronizing tape position detection with a reference signal previously recorded on the tape.

This reference signal is regenerated and used during address translation and at the same time as a synchronization signal for the position detection mechanism.

FIG. 12 shows the contents of a recording track on a magnetic tape in relation to any two heads 50 and 52.

Tracks 0 and 1 are provided with a signal in the form of a burst between the information signals.

This signal is in the form of a single frequency burst outside the frequency band of the information signal.

The head outputs an output in response to the presence or absence of these bursts.

The combination of the presence or absence of bursts 56 is used to identify the messages of FIG. 1 by tape position.

For example, for group 0, if all bursts were absent (
0, 0), the first group is identified by (0, 1) when the burst exists only in trunk 1, the second group is identified by (1, O) when the burst exists only in track 0, Group 3 is identified by (1, 1) when bursts exist in both trunks.

The combination of these binary bits is detected for playback in each head, and
It is used as a position detection force in FIG. 8A.

Although the illustrated embodiment has been configured to have the burst associated with track 0.1, it is clear that the same objective could be achieved using any two tracks.

Furthermore, it is possible to incorporate various control signals for controlling the operation of the magnetic tape device.

For example, the trunk 7 in FIG. 2 is given a playback stop signal in the form of a burst to automatically stop tape running at the end of playback.

These bursts may be played by each head or by one or more heads.

The reproduction stop signal 58, message group discrimination signal 56, and information signal 54 are reproduced in the order shown in FIG. 54, and a reproduction stop signal 58.

FIG. 12 shows signals 60 and 62 commanding the start and stop of tape travel in the form of short pulses.

These signals may be sent from the control body of FIG. 10 together with the address signal or separately.

FIG. 11 shows a circuit for processing the signals shown in FIG. 12, address command code signals, etc.

A tape running start signal 60 shown in FIG. 12 is inputted to a terminal 64 and outputted via an output line 66 so as to cause the tape transport to operate.

As a result, /16 for each head from O to 3. A message group discrimination signal is output to the O and 1 tracks.

If the reference is placed on head O, message group discrimination signals are input from tracks 0 and 1 of head 0 to address conversion circuit 72 in FIG. 8 via lines 68 and 70, respectively.

76 is a bandpass filter (B, P, F,), and 78 is a diode, which distinguishes between the message, that is, the information signal 54, and the burst of the message group discrimination signal 56 or the reproduction stop signal 58, and allows only the latter burst signal to pass. belongs to.

On the other hand, terminals 80 to 84 receive an addressing code signal, terminals 80 and 81 receive a signal representing the tape position encoded in 2 reverse codes, and terminals 82 to 84 similarly consist of three digits representing the head position. Receive a signal.

The signals on lines 68 and 70 and the signals on terminals 80 and 81 undergo address translation in the manner described in FIG.

For example, terminals 80 and 81 have 0 and 1 signals (message group...see FIG. 1, head address 1), respectively, and lines 68 and 70 have 1 and 0 signals, respectively.
(message group 2), the output of the address conversion circuit 72 is (Ll) from FIG. A four-line digital decoder 90 is provided.

FIG. 14 is a logic value table of this decoder 90.

Therefore, according to FIG. 14, in this case, output 1 is supplied only to output d', and then to the 4-line analogue switch 92.

The analog switch 92 receives head position signals through inputs a' to d'.

The output of analog switch 92 is provided to output terminal 96 via one line analog switch 94.

In the above example, analogs 92 and 94 are the 10th
An output for switching to the head 3 is given to the switch circuit 60 shown in the figure.

Therefore, in the above example, head 0 is reproducing message group 2, so the heads are conveniently switched and head 3 is reproducing message group 51 as instructed.

Head position signals are input to the terminals 82, 83 and 84 as described above.

This is fed via line 98 to a 3 line to 8 line digital decoder 100 corresponding to each head.

A logic value table for this 4-decoder 100 is shown in FIG.

Now, if the input is 011, the decoder 100 outputs only d', which is input to d of the 8-line analog switch 102.

Therefore, only the d' large input of each head is the analog switch 9.
It is connected to the a' to d' inputs of No.2.

When the appropriate playback message is selected and completed, a tape playback stop signal is played from track 7 of head 0, which is transmitted via lines 104 and 106 to T in FIG.
The signal is applied to a delay circuit 108 which provides a delay of 3.3, and generates a tape running stop signal 62 in FIG. 12, which is output from a terminal 96 to the tape transport.

The tape running start command signal 60 in FIG. 12 is also applied to the shunted delay circuit 112.

This delayed output is applied to hold circuits 86 and 88 via an inverter 114.

This delay effect resets the hold circuit when the tape starts running and becomes stable, and when the tape becomes stable, the reset is released and the hold function is performed.

Further, the tape running start command signal 60 is also applied to the delay circuit 116.

The output of this delay circuit is given to a hold circuit 118,
It is then applied to switch 94.

Delay circuit 116 provides delay time T1 in FIG.

The purpose of this is to hold the analog switch 94 on after the message group discrimination signal ends, thereby improving operational reliability.

A playback stop signal from track 7 of head 0 is given to a hold circuit 118 as a reset signal.

This resets the analog switch 940 hold state and stops the playback output.

In the embodiment described above, a head having eight equal channels was used in association with eight rows of recording tracks on a single magnetic tape.

For example, if four such 8-channel heads are used as in the embodiment described above, when retrieving one message content by a specified address, one of the 32 channels in total will be used. Therefore, the configuration of the switching circuit described in connection with FIG. 10 becomes extremely complicated.

In other embodiments of the invention, fewer channel heads are used, e.g. two channels or four channels; for example, if an eight channel tape recording format as shown in FIG. It can be moved longitudinally with respect to the tape in one or two ways.

Such movement of the head can be accomplished by any known mechanism.

Address codes are provided for selection of specific messages.

This address code consists of a part for specifying the vertical position of the head with respect to the tape, a part for the above-mentioned tape position (which group of messages each group is associated with), and a part for the head position (each head's position). track, i.e., which message the channel is associated with).

FIG. 15 shows a magnetic tape device constructed in accordance with this embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 5A shows a two-channel head with four
FIG. 15B shows four channel heads arranged side by side.

To explain in connection with the tape recording format of FIG. 1, magnetic tape has O to 7! As shown in Figures 16A and 16B, the 2-channel head can move vertically across the tape in 4 ways, and the 4-channel head can be transferred in two ways.

In FIG. 15A, which shows an embodiment of a two-channel head, the portion of the addressing code for specifying the vertical position of the head with respect to the tape, that is, the ``program specifying portion'' consists of two bits a.

, al, these are the program switching device 150
to go into.

FIG. 16A shows the program positions of the four heads from 0 to 31 in relation to the positions of tracks 0 to 7 of the tape; at position 0, the program designation portion of the address code is (O
20) bit combination.

Similarly, program positions 1 to 3 are (0°1), respectively.
It corresponds to the bit combination of (ito) and (Ll).

On the other hand, in the channel head, the program switching device 152 of FIG. 15B contains a program designation code portion a in the form of binary bits representing program positions 0 and 1 of the two heads of FIG. 16B.

is input. Program position 0 is a binary bit 0 and program position 1 is a binary bit 1.

The program switching devices 150 and 152 select program designation code portions a6 and al of these address designation codes.
and a.

and a detection output in the form of a bit display corresponding to the program position of the head are compared as described later, and the program switching mechanism described in connection with FIG. 17 is operated to move the head to the specified program position. to be done.

In this embodiment, all four heads are mounted and moved so that they are at the same program positions (0-3) and (0,1).

FIG. 17 shows an example of a program switching detection device for a program switching mechanism.

Figure 17A is for 4-stage switching, Figure 17B is for 2-stage switching.
This is for stage switching.

The illustrated program change detection device is configured to rotate by a number of degrees each time the longitudinal head position with respect to the tape changes by one step.
Figure B) is provided.

The directions of rotation are shown in Figures 17A and 17B, respectively.

Conductive parts are formed on the surfaces of these rotating substrates 154 and 156 as illustrated in the figure, and contact devices 158 (17th
A), 160 (FIG. 17B) are provided.

, the contact device 158 has three contacts 161, 162, 163
A predetermined positive voltage is applied to the contact 161.

The contact device 160 consists of two contacts 164 and 165,
Similarly, a positive predetermined voltage is applied to contact 164.

In FIG. 17A, in the illustrated rotational position A, terminal 162b1
Since the voltage at terminal 163bo is zero, program detection is output.

, bl is (010).

At the rotational position B (the position where the rotating board B position engages with the contact), the detection outputs bo and bt are (Otl) because the terminal 162 is connected to the terminal 161 via the conductive part.

At positions C and D, they are (1jO) and (151), respectively.

The rotary substrate 156 in FIG. 17B also has four positions A and B depending on the longitudinal position of the head, ie, the program position.

C and D, and at position A, the detection output of contact 165 is output.

is 0, 1 at position B, 0 at position C, and 1 at position C.

Program specification part a of the addressing code.

. al (Figure 15A) and ao (Figure 15B) are the program position detection outputs of Figures 17A and 17B, respectively.

, bl, bo and program switching devices 150, 152
If they are different, the head transfer plunger of the program switching mechanism is actuated to BO, BL and BO.

The program is switched when a□, al, and ao become equal, and when these become equal, the pinch roller is engaged, thereby causing the tape to run and playback to begin.

In the embodiment of FIG. 15A, a total of eight inputs 0 to 7 from four heads of two channels are provided to a switching circuit 172 via an input terminal 170.

This switching circuit includes tape position designation codes a3. of the address designation codes. A4 is address-converted as described above through the tape position detection address conversion device 174 and inputted as C37C4, and head position designation code a2 is further inputted as C2.

The specific message thus selected is output from switching circuit 172 via amplifier 176.

Also in FIG. 15B, the head position designation code of the address designation code consists of two bits a1. Same as above except that a2 color.

FIG. 18 shows the program specification code part a.

, al and program switching detection output.

, bl.

AND game) 200, 201.202 is a.

, al, bo, and bl are detected, and when they match, a logic 1 signal is output to the line 203, and when they do not match, a logic 0 signal is output to the line 203.

Match signal 1 is applied to the pinch roller drive circuit via buffer 204.

The signal on line 203 is applied directly to the reset input of monostable multi 207 and, after being inverted by inverter 205, is applied via line 206 to the monostable multi trigger input.

The output of multi 207 is line 208, buffer 209
to the program switching plunger circuit via line 208, delay circuit 210, and line 211 to one trigger input.

FIG. 19 also shows operating waveforms of this program switching circuit.

a□, al, bo. If there is a mismatch in bl,
The logic 0 signal on line 203 at the output of AND gate 202 is inverted (waveform gate) by inverter 205;
Trigger multi 207 via line 206 (waveform diagram -).

This output signal, via buffer 209, activates the program switching plunger.

New.

, bl If there is still a mismatch as a result of the comparison, then
Since no logic 1 occurs on line 203, multiple 207
is not reset.

When the signal on line 211 from delay device 210 in waveform 2 reaches one trigger point, multi 207 is retriggered (waveform E), which again drives the plunger and triggers a new trigger.

, bl. This is a. , al, the signal on line 203 (waveform diagram A4) resets the multi 207.

Therefore, as shown in the waveform, even if the delay device output on line 211 reaches one trigger point, the multi-channel 201
(waveform diagram).

As in the case of the program switching device 152 of FIG. 15B, the specified value a.

and the detection value. Comparisons of single bits, such as , can be easily accomplished by inputting each of these bits directly to AND gate 202 .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an example of a magnetic tape recording format that can be advantageously used in an embodiment of the present invention. 2A and 2B are diagrams showing the head arrangement and drive mechanism of an embodiment of the present invention. 3 to 10 are diagrams for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention. 11 to 14 are diagrams for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention. 15 to 19 are diagrams for explaining a third embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 44 is a tape position detection mechanism and conversion circuit, 45, 1
Reference numerals 72 and 172' indicate switching circuits. Description of symbols 10...Capstan, 12...Pinch roller, 14...Brake roller, 16...
...Brake butt, 18...Roller, 20...
···tape.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A plurality of magnetic spatulas, each having a plurality of channels, are arranged at equal intervals along the running path of the magnetic tape, and when the magnetic tape has run by the distance between the heads, a magnetic spatula is placed on the magnetic tape played by each head. A magnetic tape device characterized in that information on a prerecorded track is selectively retrieved by an addressing signal.