JPS60182550A - Automatic feeder of tape cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the assured and automatic detection of the identification data by shifting tape cassettes stored on plural shelves to an elevator, then reading the bar codes twice on the way of these tape cassettes are set back to the original shelves. CONSTITUTION:A motor 9 is controlled by a control means and a lever is driven. Then a tape cassette 7 on a shelf 14 is shifted to a shelf 5 of an elevator 2. In this case, a bar code detecting means 12 detects a bar code 11 and this detection output is supplied to an A/D converter 13 as well as to a data width detecting means. Thus the data width is detected, and this detection value is compared with the threshold value by a width comparator. Then the compared output is supplied to a data producing means. Thus the data is produced. While the code 11 is detected when the cassette 7 is sent back to the original shelf 41 from the shelf 5 by the lever drive. Thus the similar processing is carried out to the going route also in this coming-back route.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to an automatic tape cassette feeding device.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, an automatic tape cassette supply apparatus has been proposed which has a plurality of shelves and an elevator that transfers tape cassettes between the plurality of shelves and between the VTRs. In such an automatic tape cassette supply device, tape cassettes are placed in each of a plurality of shelves, the tape cassettes are taken out by an elevator, and the tape cassettes are automatically delivered to a VTR. Conventionally, identification data related to the tape recording content was recorded on a part of the tape, which had the disadvantage that the tape recording content of the tape cassettes stored on the shelf could not be determined unless the tape was played back. Ta.

Therefore, in order to improve this, a bar code indicating identification data related to the tape recording content is attached to the back of the tape cassette, for example, and when the tape cassette is stored on a shelf, the detection hand RFC Conventionally, devices have been proposed in which the bar code is read and identification data related to the recorded contents of the tape cassettes stored in each column are stored in the memory. However, in such an apparatus, since the tape cassette is manually stored on the shelf, the moving speed of the tape cassette is not constant, and therefore the bar code cannot be reliably read by the detection means.

Purpose of the Invention In view of the above, the present invention provides a tape cassette automatic supply device having a plurality of shelves and an elevator for transferring tape cassettes between the plurality of shelves and between the playback device. It is an object of the present invention to propose a device that can easily and reliably read identification data related to the tape recorded contents of a stored tape cassette.

In the tape cassette automatic supply device of the invention, which has a plurality of shelves from the implantation failure port and an elevator for delivering and delivering tape cassettes between the plurality of shelves and between the playback device, the tape recording contents are recorded as a tape cassette. using a tape cassette with a barcode indicating identification data related to the
Automatic reception of tape cassettes in an elevator is equipped with a transfer drive means and a barcode detection means, and each tape cassette stored in a plurality of shelves is transferred to the elevator and the barcode is detected in the process of returning it to the original shelf. 2 by means of detection
The feature is that it can be read twice.

According to the present invention, in this type of tape cassette automatic feeding device, identification data related to the recorded contents of a tape cassette can be reliably read.

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Figure 11 shows the tape cassette automatic feeding device according to the present invention as a whole, and (11) to (1n) are a plurality of shelves. Reference numeral (2) denotes an elevator, which is driven up and down along a guide (3) under drive control by an up/down drive means (4). This elevator (2) has two shelves (5),
(6) is provided, and the upper shelf (5) is the shelf (11) to (1n
) (71 (Fig. 2)) and returns it to its original shelf.
+ is the tape cassette (7) received from the VTR (8)
This is a shelf for returning the material to one of the plurality of shelves (11) to (1n).

(9), the master is the upper and lower shelves (5), (6) of the elevator (1).
) are motors for moving the tape cassettes (7) of the tape cassettes (7).

In addition, the A card is installed on the upper shelf (5) and detects the bar code (old) indicating identification data related to the tape recorded contents attached to the back of the tape cassette (7) as shown in Figure 2. This is a photodetector as a detection means. The detection signal from this photodetector (12+) is the A/D converter Q3.
1 to the microcomputer α4).

In addition, indicators (151) to (15n) such as LEDs are attached to each side of the shelves (11) to (1n), and if the barcode (111) of the tape cassette (7) stored on the shelf is When the information is read, the display corresponding to that shelf lights up.

The contents of the identification data by the bar code (1) J attached to the tape cassette (71) include, for example, as shown in Fig. 3, the first character is a mode identification code a indicating the purpose of the tape cassette, and the three characters are Sending number 1
It consists of a 4-character tape recording content title c, an 8-character tape playback start position d, a 6-character tape playback time e, and a 1-character checksum g. There are various methods for 1-character barcodes, but in this example, as shown in Figure 4A, a 2 of 5 interleaved method is adopted, and three black bars with a width of 1 and a width of 3 are used. It consists of two black bars of 3, and the total width of the bars is 9. Also, the widths of these bars are set to 1 and 3 respectively to form a white bar, and three thin white bars and two thick white bars form a barcode of one character. Therefore, an interleave method is adopted. First, considering reproducing the black bar, the detection signal detected by the detection means (12) shown in FIG. 1 is a sine wave having a different period depending on the width of the black bar as shown in FIG. 4B. By shaping this waveform, an identification data signal having a time width corresponding to each black bar, as shown in FIG. 4C, can be obtained. t1tt3+j5+t7+j9, and the width of the white (-) circle between them is j21j4+1
6+18. Thus, when a barcode signal of one character is reproduced, the pulse width of each time is 11. L3
By summing +15+'7+j9, dividing this by 9, and multiplying it by 1.5 to obtain a threshold, and comparing this with the pulse width of the data corresponding to each black bar,
The thickness of the bars in the barcode is detected. The same applies to the white bar.

Further explaining FIG. 5, this FIG. 5 shows the functions of the microcomputer (I41) shown in FIG. A converter (13+) is provided, and the detection output of the detection means a2 is supplied to the A/D converter (13) and digitized.Then, this digitized detection signal is supplied to the time width detection means. , the digitized detection signal is counted by a clock signal from the clock I8 generator (17) having a sufficiently high frequency, and its time width is detected.Then, the threshold calculation means described above is -17 Piety 4
is scooped out. Then, the output of the time width detection means (16) is supplied to the comparison means [91 and compared with the threshold from the threshold calculation means (181), and the data thickness is calculated based on the thickness of the black bar (or white bar). The output of this comparing means 3 is supplied to the data time width size code converting means ■, and its output is
The output is further supplied to the ASCII code conversion means (22), and the output is further supplied to the data creation means (S3). The data obtained from the data creation means (c) is the main control means C.
It is supplied to the slope. Note that this example of main control means is provided with storage means I2ω.

From the main control means (c), display control means c76),
A lever control means (27) that controls a lever (not shown) which is a drive means for moving the tape cassette in the upper stage of the elevator (2), an elevator control means (28I) and a detection means (121 to be described later) that varies the angle. The control means for the sensor driving means (supplied to 79H'1).

The display control means t26+ displays the display α51 ((151)
~ (15n)) '1413 and tape cassette (7
) is turned on when the barcode (111) is reliably read during reciprocating movement on the shelf (5) above the elevator (2). The motor that drives the lever (9
). The elevator control means has a drive means (4
) to control the elevation and descent of the elevator (2).

FIG. 6 shows that when the barcode old 1 of the tape cassette (7) described above is detected back and forth by the detection means U, if the barcode old J is not detected correctly, the detection means 0 is detected.
(7a) shows a device that changes the detection position of barcode 01) in the width direction by changing the angle of force;
), (Ill is a barcode label.) The detection means q is attached to a holder □□□, and is rotatable around the central axis (31). A lever Q extends from the tool, and is biased clockwise by a spring (133+).On the other hand, (341 indicates a plunger, and in the normal state, the plunger θa is not biased and the lever 64 is pulled by the spring field when the granger C341 is in the non-energized state, so that the detection means (121 is at the position indicated by the broken line).The plunger (34) is activated by the control means C291.
When prompted by the control output of the plunger 1341
The actuator moves to the right in the figure, and the spring (c)
The lever 32+ rotates counterclockwise against the elastic force of
The detection means (12+) is located at the position shown by the solid line. Thus, the barcode aυ can be detected at different positions in the width direction of the barcode fill.

Next, the operation of the automatic tape cassette supply device shown in FIG. 5 will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 7. The elevator (2) is in a position where it can exchange tape cassettes stored on the shelf (14), for example, as shown in FIG. 1, with the shelf (5) above it. Control means (when the motor (91 is controlled by the two swords and the lever (not shown) is driven, the tape cassette stored in the shelf (14)) (7
1 (not shown) moves to the shelf (5) above the elevator (2). At this time, the barcode (11) is detected by the barcode detection means (12+).

The detection output of this barcode detection means 1, that is, the digitized detection output from the A/D converter (131) is supplied to the data width detection means α, the data width is detected, and the detection output of 7 is compared with the width. The threshold value calculation means Q is supplied to the means a1.
81. Then, the output of the width comparing means (19) is output from the data width code converting means (201-2 op 5 code converting means (21)).
, is supplied to the data creation means (c) through the ASCII code conversion means (2), and data is created.

Furthermore, by driving the lever, when the tape cassette (71) returns from the shelf (51) above the elevator (2) to the original shelf (14), the barcode (Il+) is detected and the same signal processing as before is performed. .And the control means C4
In I, it is determined whether or not the barcode (111) has been detected reciprocatingly, and if it is determined that the barcode data has been detected reciprocally, the control means (to) determines whether the data could be determined by reciprocating detection of the barcode data. It is determined.

When it is determined that the barcode data has not been detected, the sensor drive control means 4 is controlled as shown in FIG. From the shelf (14) to the elevator (
2) to the upper shelf (5), and then move it to the ninth shelf (14).
By returning to , the barcode α11 is detected reciprocally at different positions in the width direction in the same manner as described above. However,
When the barcode is reliably identified as data, the display (154) of the shelf (14) where the tape cassette (7) was stored is turned on, and the elevator control drive means (4) is controlled. to start the elevator (2), raise or lower the elevator (2), and stop the elevator at the next shelf.

Then, the same operation as described above is performed. Also, when the barcode data can be determined, the contents of the barcode of the tape cassette (7) are stored in the storage means (2 lines) together with the number of the shelf.By repeating this, all the shelves (1 piece) are stored. ~(
1n) can be detected and stored in the storage means.

According to the present invention described above, in this type of automatic tape cassette supply device, it is possible to reliably and automatically read identification data related to the tape recorded contents of a tape cassette.

Furthermore, if the - code cannot be reliably read due to the reciprocating movement of the tape cassette, the detection position of the bar code in the width direction by the detection means can be changed, so that the bar code indicating the identification data related to the tape recording content can be more reliably read. Can read the code.

In addition to the VTR, an audio tape recorder, a data tape recorder, etc. may be used as the playback device.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention described above, in an automatic tape cassette supply device having a plurality of shelves and an elevator for transferring tape cassettes between the plurality of shelves and between the playback device, each column is Identification data related to the tape recorded contents of the stored tape cassette can be automatically and reliably detected.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram showing the entire automatic tape cassette feeding device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a tape cassette handled by the device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. A pattern diagram showing the format,
Fig. 4 is a pattern diagram showing an example of a barcode and the waveform of its reading signal, Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the main parts of the automatic tape cassette feeding device shown in Fig.
Block diagram showing the configuration of part of the elevator in Figure 7.
The figure is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the automatic tape cassette feeding device according to the present invention. (11) to (1n) are multiple shelves, (2) is an elevator,
(5) and (6) are the upper and lower shelves of the elevator, (7) is a tape cassette, (8) is a playback device, αυ is a barcode attached to the tape cassette, (121 is a barcode detection means. Figure 1 Figure 3 Figure 4 Leap τδ Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an automatic tape cassette supply device having a plurality of shelves and an elevator for transferring tape cassettes between a part of the plurality of shelves and a playback device, the tape cassette is provided with identification data related to the tape recorded content. The elevator is provided with an automatic tape cassette receiving and passing drive means and a barcode detection means, and each of the tapes stored on the plurality of shelves is used. An automatic tape cassette feeding device characterized in that the bar code is read twice by the detection means during the process of transferring the cassettes to the elevator and returning them to the original shelf.