Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B23/00—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture
  • G11B23/02—Containers; Storing means both adapted to cooperate with the recording or reproducing means
  • G11B23/04—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments
  • G11B23/08—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments for housing webs or filaments having two distinct ends
  • G11B23/087—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments for housing webs or filaments having two distinct ends using two different reels or cores
  • G11B23/08707—Details
  • G11B23/0875—Indicating means, e.g. quantity of tape
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q20/00—Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
  • G06Q20/08—Payment architectures
  • G06Q20/12—Payment architectures specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
  • G06Q20/123—Shopping for digital content
  • G06Q20/1235—Shopping for digital content with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
  • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
  • G07F17/0014—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
  • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
  • G07F17/0042—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for hiring of objects

Definitions

• This invention relates to video record rental systems and methods , and to devices for ascertaining and indicating the number of times a recording has been played or used.
• the other system is known as the "Screen Key Card” system and operates by recording the material to be rented on cassette in a scrambled form.
• Customers are issued with a card containing a de-scrambling code which must be used in order to gain access to the video tape.
• This card also contains coded details of the subscriber's name, address, etc, thus enabling identification, invoicing and payment for each rental use.
• the relevant de-scrambling code is programmed into the card and each time the de-scrambler is activated an electronic mark is made on the de-scrambled material.
• This system requires the acquisition of special and complex hardware by every renter and appears to offer no auditing capability to the distributor.
• United States Patent No. 3,995,319 discloses an audio tape cassette having a mechanical counter actuated by a geared arm in one corner of the cassette, the counter arm having a stop which stops the arm at an integral count so that the arm stands clear of the tape wound on the spool.
• This system has problems rendering it impractical.
• the angle of the sensing arm in relation to the tape is likely to cause jamming, and uneven tension on the tape results from the fact that the arm, at times, stands clear of the tape and, at times, rubs against the tape.
• the space in the corner of a cassette is too restricted for location of an inexpensive and reliable counter mechanism.
• the movement of the tape reels inside the cassette when it is shaken would make such a device subject to false indexing.
• 4,466,584 discloses video cassette having an escapement driven counter, actuated by a rocking member having two feeler arms in the free space between the spools, one riding on the tape wound on each spool. While this arrangement avoids the problem of the restricted space in the corner of a video cassette which prevents the use of the device disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,995,319 on video tape cassettes, the escapement drive is complicated, and reliance on the wedging action between the tooth of the rocking member as it is radially driven into the toothed wheel to provide the wedging force to move the toothed wheel is unreliable.
• artistic properties e.g., motion pictures
• a computerized video record rental system and method in which a video record unit such as a tape cassette is provided with an integral counting device for- counting the number of times the record is played.
• the count is recorded in computer memory, together with an identification of the record unit.
• the new count is entered in the computer memory, together with the record unit identification, and the computer computes the rental fee due based on the net play count for the record unit; that is, on the difference between the count upon rental and the count upon return.
• the computer performing the foregoing tasks is a small computer such as a "personal computer" located at the rental site.
• the equipment located at that site preferably includes a printer which prints customer receipts bearing the identification and count information at the times of rental and return of the record unit.
• Input of the identification code and count information preferably is by way of scanners or "wands" which read the information electrically. However, input by use of a keyboard also is possible.
• a central computer is provided at a location remote from the rental sites. The rental information is transmitted from the rental sites to the central computer periodically by way of modems and telephone lines, or by way of other data communication means.
• the central computer is similarly linked to computers located at the record owners' place of business.
• an electronic funds transfer network be provided to electronically transfer funds from accounts maintained by the retailers to the owners by way of the central computer.
• the amounts transferred from the retailers are equal to the rental receipts less the portion representing the retailers' shares.
• the amounts transferred by the central computer to the owners are equal to those received from the retailers less any share retained by the operator of the rental system.
• the central computer provides reports to both the 1 retailers and the owners.
• the reports to the retailers include accounts of the retailer's rentals, fees due, etc.
• the reports to the owners include total rentals of each specific artistic property, funds transferred, inventories, returns, etc.
• the counting device of the present invention preferably is a mechanically activated device which senses the growth or reduction in size of a roll of video tape in a cassette. It senses the position of the outer surface of the roll at two opposite sides of the roll, and drives a counter in proportion to the changes in the distance between the two positions.
• those positions are sensed by followers which contact the roll and follow its movements.
• the followers advantageously take the form of caliper arms with a rotary counter mounted on one arm and drivably coupled to the other arm, with both arms being pivotably secured to the cassette housing at a single pivot point.
• the arms are free to swing about the pivot point to follow the movements of the loose tape roll as it moves laterally in the cassette during handling of the cassette outside of the record player.
• the caliper arms contact the tape roll at opposed points along the greatest dimension of the roll.
• Counting may be achieved mechanically, electro- mechanically, electronically etc., and in this latter regard the invention may consist in a video device including a capacitive sensor and a logic chip adapted to count crenellations on a tape reel periphery to thereby sense movement in a particular frequency band covering a range of speeds consistent with the play mode; a second sensor for energizing of the circuit; a timer chip pre-set to program duration of play and triggered by the logic chip, the timer chip being adapted to time substantially total play fre ⁇ quency duration to produce a threshold signal via the logic chip; total number of tape plays being recorded and/or displayed for a set rental period and progressive total number of tape plays being stored for subsequent informatio retrieval.
• the cassette identification information is marked on the cassette housing in machine-readable coded form, such as a bar code which can b read by a conventional bar-code reading wand at the retail site. It is preferred that the count also be machine-readable.
• Another advantageous counting device of the present invention combines a mechanical counting mechanism with an integral electronic storage and read-out device.
• the mechanical count is converted to digital form and store in a battery-energized memory element in the cassette housing.
• the stored count is converted to an electronically-detectable form and displayed or presented a the outside of the housing so as to be easily machine-readable.
• the count can be displayed by means of a light-emitting diode array which can be read by a photo-detection type scanner or "wand" at the rental site, and then sent to the computer memory.
• the invention provides an all-electronic counting and read-out device.
• the read-out device like the one described immediately above, provides an electrically alterable bar-coding device.
• the counting and read-out means are built into the structure of one of the tape reels in a cassette, thus providing a unique tape reel which itself indicates the relative tape position, count of the program plays, and other information relating to the cassette and program on the tape, etc.
• the information to be read out is encoded and used to create coded optical signals which are read out by an appropriate device.
• the optical signals are flashes of light produced by a lamp energized by a timed sequence of electrical pulses.
• a bar-code reader senses the flashes. The sequence of pulses simulates the pattern of •* signals the reader would read if it were scanning a printed bar-code.
• a battery is housed in the reel to supply power.
• the lamp is energized only when a pressure switch is pushed, preferably by a bar-code-reading wand, so as to minimize power drain and maximize battery life.
• the counting means comprises one or more flat lamps and photocell detectors built into one flange of the tape reel and operated intermittently to detect the growth or shrinkage of the tape roll on the reel by an amount indicating that a full play of the program on the tape has occurred.
• the invention meets the objectives set forth above and provides a system and method well suited to make it practical for movie and other artistic property owners to rent their properties and derive maximum revenue from them, while reducing capital outlays for the rental stores and materially increasing the availability of the artistic properties to the public.
• Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the computerized video record rental and accounting system of the present invention.
• Figures 2 and 8 are rear end elevation and top plan views, respectively, of one of a preferred video cassette constructed in accordance with the invention adapted for use in the system depicted in Figure 1, having a built-in mechanical counting device for recording the number of plays of the cassette and showing the numerals of the counting device through a viewing window; with Figure 8 showing the cassette with the top wall of the casing removed;
• Figure 3 is a top plan view of another video cassette constructed in accordance with the invention, shown with the top cover removed;
• Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of another video cassette constructed in accordance with the invention, with the cassette case removed;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view,partially schematic, of a portion of another cassette embodying some of the basic principles of the embodiment of Figures 2 and
• Figure 6 is a perspective view, partially schematic, of a portion of another cassette constructed in accordance with the invention.
• Figure 7 is an exploded view of another embodimen of the counting means of a video cassette constructed in accordance with the invention;
• Figure 9 is an enlarged plan view of a mechanical counting device very nearly the same as that of the video cassette depicted in Figures 2 and 8;
• Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the numeral wheel and actuating arm portion of the mechanical counting device depicted in Figures 8 and 9;
• Figure 11 is an enlarged elevation view, taken in the direction "A” , of the numeral wheel portion of the mechanical counting device depicted in Figure 8;
• Figure 12 is an enlarged view, taken in a direction opposite to the direction "A" of the numeral wheel portion of the mechanical counting device depicted in Figures 8 and 11;
• Figure 13 is an enlarged top plan view of the tape spool brake depicted in Figure 8.
• Figure 14 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 14-14 of Figure 13, of the tape spool brake depicted in Figures 8 and 13, with a portion of the cassette casing
• Figure 15 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 15-15 of Figure 13,of the tape spool brake depicted in Figures 8 and 13, with a portion of the cassette casing;
• Figure 16 is a schematic circuit diagram of another embodiment of the play-counting cassette and system of the invention.
• Figure 17 is a cross-sectional, partially broken-away and partially schematic view of a tape cassette and electronic counting/readout device of the invention
• Figure 18 is a perspective view of a portion of the device of Figure 17;
• Figure 19 shows a portion of the view of Figure 17 during read-out
• Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view, like Figure 17, of a portion of the preferred form of the device of Figures 17-21;
• Figure 21 is a schematic circuit diagram of the operating circuit of the preferred device of Figures 17-21;
• Figures 22 and 23 are schematic diagrams illustrating the basic features of a typical bar-code reading wand utilized with the invention.
• Figure 24 is a schematic plan view of tape detectors used in the device of Figures 17-21.
• FIG. 1 of the drawings shows a computer system 100 for video cassette rental and accounting control.
• the system includes a central computer 102 and a plurality of remote "point-of-sale" terminals 104, 106 and 108, which are merely three examples of the much larger number of terminals typically comprising the system.
• Each terminal 104, 106, 108, etc. includes a keyboard 110 and a microcomputer 112 such as any of a number of commercially available personal computers ("PC's").
• Each terminal also includes a printer 113, a bar code reading device 116, and a modem 114.
• the terminal is located at a retail rental store, for example, and is coupled to the central computer 102 through the modems 114 and telephone lines 120.
• Each of the computers 112 in the retail store terminals 104, 106, etc. preferably has a CRT display screen 115 and hard disk and soft disk drives for program and other storage tasks, as well as RAM and other electroni memory, as is customary with most conventional PC's.
• each tape cassette 250 includes a play counter 252 which provides a count of the total number of plays of the cassette, which is preferably visible through a window 253 at the back edge 255 of the cassette.
• the rental of video cassettes is accomplished as follows.
• the video cassettes are owned by a business entity which records the cassettes or is a cassette distributor. That entity merely consigns or loans the cassettes to the retailers.
• the business entity is a motion picture studio or distributor which owns the artistic property recorded on the cassettes.
• the rental clerk reads the bar code 254 on the cassette into the central computer 102 through the modem 114 by means of the bar code reader 116.
• the bar code is read into the rental computer 112 in the retail store.
• the reader 116 is of conventional construction and is one of the types typically used in point-of-sale terminal systems. If no bar code reader is available, or if the bar code reader malfunctions, the identifying information can be entered by means of the keyboard 110. For this purpose, the information represented by the bar code also is printed on the cassette in alphanumeric characters readable by humans.
• the clerk also inputs to the computer 102 or 112 the play count from the counter 252 by means of the keyboard 110.
• the count may be read by a character reader 111, or by the bar code reader itself, if the system shown in Figure 16 is used.
• each customer is given an identification number. If the customer is a member of a "rental club", he or she already has such a number. If not, a number is assigned, principally in order to establish a credit and trustworthiness history for customers, in order to minimize cassette and rental revenue losses.
• a printed record of the transaction including its date, the initial payment received from the customer, the rental rate per play, late charge rate, and the cassette identification and play count, is prepared on the printer 113 of the terminal and given to the rental customer. This data is stored in the memory of the rental computer 112.
• the clerk When the cassette is returned, the clerk again reads the cassette identification code 254 into the computer 102 or 112, and inputs the new play count, together with the amount of any rental or late fees or other fees received from the customer at that time.
• the computer 102 uses the bar code to uniquely identify each cassette, and stores the beginning - ' and ending play counts, computes the net play count, the rental fee and the difference between the two counts, and computes the share of the fee to be received by the owner of the cassette.
• the computer 102 prepares an invoice and sends it to the retailer through the telephone lines and modems, to be printed out on the printer of each terminal.
• the system 100 provides for the accounting and reporting of every rental and invoicing for rental fees without separate telephone calls, messengers or mailings, thus making the rental system cost-effective.
• the system 100 further provides for the collation of returns relating to each title from multiple outlets and for the transmission of those returns to the copyright owner.
• the computer 112 is programmed, using the above-mentioned "Master Video" software module, with modifications, so as to operate as described above on renta of a cassette, and as described below on return of the cassette.
• the renta clerk inputs to the computer 112 the cassette identificationio data, either by way of the bar code reader 116, or by use o the keyboard 110, and retrieves from memory the information previously stored for the rental transaction. Preferably, this information is displayed on the video display screen 155 of the computer.
• the rental clerk also inputs the new count on the cassette counter, either by use of the keyboard 110, or by use of the character reader 111.
• the computer 112 stores for the cassette the rental rate per play, the charge rate for late returns by the customer, and any other applicable charge rates.
• the computer subtracts the beginning cassette count from the return count, thus computing the net play count, and multiplies this times the applicable rate to determine the total rental fee.
• the customer pays a certain minimum rental fee upon initially renting the tape. For example, the customer pays at least for a one day rental and one play of the tape. Thus, if the tape has been played more than once upon return, the computer notes this and subtract the initial payment made by the customer from the total fee due and computes a balance to be received from the customer at that time. When the customer pays the additional money, • this is entered in the computer by the clerk, and the computer updates the total received in the transaction and indicates its completion.
• the modem 114 can be of the type which is continuously enabled, and it immediately transmits to the central computer the results of the transaction. However, in most stores it is preferable that the modem 114 be of the
• dial-up type which is connected to the telephone line only when a number or sequence of numbers is dialed on a telephone dial.
• the rental retailer transmits the total rental information stored in the computer 112 during the period in question.
• the central computer 102 is programmed to receive and store the data from each rental computer 115. Then it periodically sorts the rental information received from many retail rental outlets and prepares various reports.
• the reports will summarize the number of rentals and the number of plays of each artistic property rented by each retail outlet, together with rental receipts for each property, as well as returns of cassettes to the owners, etc.
• the central computer 102 also will sort the data and prepare total rentals and p ' lays and receipts for the period from all rental outlets included within the system. * Then the central computer 102 periodically transmits the reports through a modem 115 to terminals SI, S2, S3, S4, etc., located on the business premises of the cassette owners. Preferably, each terminal at the cassette owners' premises also includes a computer for storing the information received and printing out the reports transmitted.
• Payments preferably are made to the owners of the cassettes and the operator of the system 100 as follows; each rental outlet maintains funds in an account at one of several banks Bl, B2, B3, which has electronic funds transfer capabilities.
• the central computer 102 Whenever the central computer 102 receives from one of the rental computers 112 a periodic report of revenues, the computer 102 prepares and sends to the retailer an audit report confirming the information transmitted, together with any other financial information desired, and requesting confirmation of the correctness of the audit report.
• the audit report will include a percentage of the rental receipts which must be paid to the owners of the cassettes and the operators of the system 100. For example, if the retail outlet reported $1000 in rental revenues for a given period, and the retailer's share of those revenues is 20%, the central computer would indicate that the remainder, $800 was to be transmitted by the retailer.
• the programming of the central computer 102 enables the system operator to poll any rental computers in which rental reports are delinquent, or for other purposes.
• a signal is sent to one of the electronic fund transfer banks, Bl, B2, B3, etc., in which the retailer has deposited adequate funds , or has an adequate line of credit, and the funds are electronically transferred from the bank through the modem 115 to the central computer 102.
• the central computer then computes the share to be retained for the "* operator of the system 100, deducts that, and electronically transmits through the modem 115 to the cassette owners their share of the rental receipts.
• a data link 117 can be provided directly between the retailer's terminal and his electronic fund transfer bank so that he can communicate his approval or disapproval of the request for funds from the central computer, or so that he can enable payment pursuant to the retailer's line of credit with the bank.
• the electronic fund transfer aspect of the system and method of the present invention is highly advantageous in that it avoids the delay caused by writing checks, it avoids the labor of such tasks, and avoids other labor and handling costs.
• payment can be made by mail or other conventional means, if preferred.
• the rental system and method have further advantages in that, since the retailer need not make the significant investment required in purchasing large numbers of cassettes, he can stock larger numbers of the more popular cassettes and minimize the number of times he runs out of stock in the cassettes, thereby increasing the number of rentals of the program recorded on the cassette. This brings greater revenues to the producers of the most popular programs than from prior arrangements, in which they merely sold the cassettes to retailers who then kept all of the rental income.
• the system 100 also makes it economically viable for the retailer to stock a wide variety of special interest programs that would not normally be kept in stock and return to the owners of those programs revenue that would otherwise not have been earned at all.
• the rental system and method brings these benefits to the program owner without inordinately increasing the cassette production costs because the incremental costs of producing the necessary extra cassettes are relatively low.
• the system and method of the invention benefit all parties; the producer of the cassette-, the retailer and the public, which enjoys the greater availability of its favorite programs.
• Some video store software modules such as the "Master Video” module used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, make the printing of receipts to customers optional.
• the software is modified so as to flag each cassette rental transaction, and mandate the preparation of a printed receipt each time a customer transaction includes such a rental. It is considered to be a substantial advantage to inevitably offer the customer a receipt at the time of a rental transaction so that he or she will have a printed record of the rental rates, etc., and will not become disgruntled upon being billed for per play charges and late charges when the cassette is returned.
• a "prompt" is added to the software which causes an inquiry to be displayed on the computer screen 115 seeking the count number from the rental 1 cassette.
• the software also is modified to enable the operator to override the computer requirement for a count number. This is to allow for the correction of errors, such as where the starting count was misread by the rental clerk, 5 or where the customer contends that the count must be inaccurate and the retailer decides to accept the customers contention. If the prompt is overridden, the clerk cannot proceed with the transaction until the count number is entered. - - Whenever the override function is enabled, an exception report is generated and ultimately must be reconciled.
• the "Master Video” module provides a customer report for each customer showing at least the last ten rentals by the customer where abnormal activity occurred; e.g., late returns, unpaid counts, etc. This report should enable the store to restrict rentals or to take the appropriate steps to insure better customer collections.
• a rental cassette is returned with more than the basic one day/one play charge due (which has already been paid for by the customer)
• the operator automatically will be presented with a customer screen on the display 115 which indicates to the customer and the clerk that additional charges must be paid by the customer.
• a notice of the extra charge is stored in the customer's file, which will be retrieved from memory and presented, either when the customer next visits the store, or when the computer files are reviewed for the purpose of preparing bills to be mailed to the customers.
• the software modification enables the rental clerk to override the requirement for the additional charges, such as where the retail establishment decides to forego such charges due to the fact that the customer is a good customer, or has a justifiable complaint, etc.
• an exception report is prepared in response to the override.
• the usual video store software module includes instructions for printing receipts for any returns involving late charges.
• the software is modified to include per play charges on such a receipt.
• Rental rates for long term periods also can be used in the system. For example, weekly rates can be stored and retrieved.
• the rental computer 112 prepares an in-house audit report in order to enable the retail outlet operator to compute the amount that he must pay to the system operator.
• the report figures should match those transmitted from the central computer 102 to the computer 112 and which was described above.
• both the cassette owner and the system operator share in the extra revenue generate by the customer either retaining the cassette for more than one day, or for extra plays above the one play initially charged for upon rental of the cassette.
• the cassett owners share in these additional charges as well as in the basic rental fees.
• each cassette there be two different identification codes for each cassette; one being the unique 12 digit number described above, and the other being a different code assigned to that particular cassette by the store owner to facilitate storing and retrieving the cassette.
• cassettes usually are sent to each particular retail outlet directly from the cassette owner
• a rental outlet to receive cassettes from another rental outlet. Transfer from one outlet to another can be accomplished in order to transfer ' overstock from one rental site to correct an under-stocking problem at another site.
• the owner sends cassettes to any rental outlet, his computer sends to the central computer 102 information indicating the number of each title sent, the cassette identification numbers and similar data.
• the owners computer will print a packing slip to be shipped with the shipment to the retail outlet.
• the system software at the retailer's rental computer enables him to enter data regarding stock received and to print out a report that can be matched against the packing slip.
• a similar packing slip is prepared by the sending store, and information is transmitted to the central computer 102 just as if the goods were being shipped from the owner to the receiving store. Thereafter, the receiving store can prepare a received stock report and compare it against the packing slip.
• Each rental outlet is required to return the cassettes it receives to the cassette owner when the rental life of the cassette is over.
• the rental computer 112 is used to prepare a return report which is transmitted to the central computer 102 and the cassette owner, and the retail rental outlet ships the cassettes back to the owner.
• the cassette owner then can reuse each cassette until it is worn out. He can record a new program on the video tape in the cassette, and he can reset the mechanical counter in the cassette to zero, if he desires.
• the central computer 102 is programmed to keep track of the total rentals of each title or artistic property by each store. When it detects the fact that a particular store has reported rentals which are well below expected norms, then an auditor will be sent to the store to determine whether the store is accurately recording all rentals. Since each cassette has an internal mechanical - counter which cannot be disabled without opening the cassette, and because each cassette preferably is made relatively tamper-proof to make it difficult to disable or interfere with the normal operation of the counter, the counters provide reliable means for checking on the reporting accuracy of various retail outlets. As noted above, various exception reports are provided automatically by the software. Another exception report is provided whenever there is an abnormal jump in the recorded count. In most cases, such jumps will merely be the result of a misreading of the counter. This can be corrected and reconciled eventually.
• the basic software unmodified, provides for making reservations on a first in/first served basis by title. Similarly, the software provides a put-away report which flags returned cassettes to indicate that they are now available for rental. The software is modified so that all rental cassettes rented pursuant -co the present invention will be flagged and each unique cassette identification number will be indicated together with the last cassette counter reading.
• Defaulting customers should be flagged as delinquents. Delinquent customer files should remain in memory. Thereafter, the software routine should automatically search its records for the name of any new customer to make certain that that name is not located in the delinquent file. This prevents customers from taking out new memberships when they are already delinquent. Alternatively, a customer name list can be displayed so that the existence of a file on that customer can be determined visually by the clerk.
• any transaction such as overrides, etc. , which is contrary to normal store policy should be highlighted on the screen of the computer 112.
• the video cassette includes a casing generally referenced 1.
• the cassette has a magnetic-tape guidance assembly 2, a delivery reel hub 3 and a take-up reel hub 4.
• the distance "d" that is to say, between the two reeled portions of tape at any point of play, is not constant.
• the mechanical counting device of this embodiment includes an arm 5 pivoted within casing 1 at a point 6 equidistant between hubs 3 and 4. Pivoted arm 5 terminates in a camming head 7 and may be spring-urged to maintain it in constant contact with the surface of the outer turn of tape on hub 4, this contact being initially at the point 8 on broken circle 9 which represents the minimum tape diameter on hub 4.
• camming head 7 may include a wheel.
• the diameter of the tape portion on take-up reel hub 4 increases and moves arm 5 through an arc indicated by the curved arrow 10.
• this latter activates a trip means of a counting mechanism to thereby indicate that the tape has been played, or substantially played, on time.
• this count is initiated when, say, from about 50% to about 90% of the tape has run through.
• a ratchet-and-pawl assembly may ensure that the "rewind” is not counted as being a "play”.
• the trip means may be activated to count both winds and re-winds, the pair of counts therefore representing one play of the tape.
• FIG 4 shows shows a suitable counting mechanism which includes a planar cover plate 11 adapted to be accommodated within a video cassette casing, as that generally referenced 1 in Figure 3.
• the arm is pivoted at point 12 coaxial with a counter-actuating pawl member 13 which is arranged so as to rotate as the arm moves through its arc in response to change in reel diameter.
• the tip of pawl member 13 contacts a tooth of a peripherally-toothed counter ring 14 and counts one play.
• the device When a hundred plays have been counted, a lug 15 on the inner periphery of ring 14 meshes with a co-acting lug on the periphery of a hundred-plays counter ring 16 which may be adapted to count up to, say, 399 plays.
• this ratchet-and-pawl arrangement ensures that the "rewind" is not counted as being a play.
• the device includes a pair of pivoted arms 17, 18 which operate to measure the diameter of the reel of tape, a drum counter 19 moves accordingly on its axis of rotation 20 to count plays.
• a pivoted arm 21 senses the change in diameter of the reel.
• Arm 21 is provided with a finger 22 adapted to engage with a tape 23 of a tape-counter device 24.
• the actuator assembly/counter assembly comprises a top cover plate 25 slidably engaged to a stationary or fixed bottom cover plate 26.
• the top cover plate 25 comprises two eccentric or elliptical openings 27 and 28 to allow for movement of the top cover plate relative to the hubs of the delivery and take up reels.
• Tongue members 29 and 30 on the top cover plate are adapted to engage the elongate slot 31 in the bottom cover plate and help facilitate the top cover plate's slidable engagement with the bottom cover plate.
• a frame 32 comprising two arcuate members spaced from the outer periphery of magnetic tape on the delivery and take up reels, said arcuate members being rigidly connected via a bridging member axially aligned with a notional line running through the axial centers of the two reel hubs.
• the arcuate members are affixed to tab extensions on the top cover plate.
• the arcuate members contain spring plate members adapted to contact the outer periphery of tape on either the delivery reel or the take up reel. The whole top cover plate assembly or carriage is thus adapted for movement as magnetic tape is transferred from one reel to the other.
• the counter assembly comprises a units counting wheel 33 and a hundreds counting wheel 34, both with indicia indicated adjacent the outer peripheral edge.
• the units counting wheel comprises 100 slots 35 spaced 3.6° apart, each slot except one being 3.0mm x 1mm, with the remaining slot 36 being 8.0mm x 1mm; this latter slot allows for engagement of the hundreds counting wheel when the units counting wheel has passed through one rotation.
• the hundreds counting wheel is provided with a series of five slots 37 spaced 4° apart.
• a series of six spaced tabs 38 about an inner periphery of the bottom cover plate provide a bearing or hub for the units counting wheel, and a further series of six -" " tabs 39 spaced outwardly therefrom provide a bearing or hub for the hundreds counting wheel.
• the indicia on the counting wheel(s) corresponding to the number of plays of the video cassette are readable through window 40, which has a corresponding window opening in the bottom face of the video cassette casing.
• the slots 35 to 37 of the counting wheels are engaged by tongue means (not shown) depressed and depending from the lower surface of the top cover plate 25.
• the combination of these slots and the tongue means provides a ratchet-and-pawl arrangement for rotation of the counting wheels according to the number of plays. On the rewinding of the tape back onto the delivery hub, this ratchet-and-pawl arrangement ensures that the "rewind" is not counted as being a play.
• top and bottom cover plates, and the counting wheels can all be fabricated from 0.08 polyester.
• Figures 2, 8, 9, and 10 show a preferred video cassette having caliper arms of the general type depicted in Figure 5 for sensing the change in diameter of the tape wound on the spool or reel.
• the video cassette " includes a casing with a top wall 257, bottom wall 259, and a rear wall 255. As it is shown in Figure 8, the cassette has a magnetic tape guidance assembly 2', a delivery reel hub 3' and a take-up reel hub 4'. When a tape is played, the diameter of the tape roll 263 wound onto the take-up hub 4' increases while that on delivery hub 3' simultaneously decreases.
• the counting device of the invention includes a pair of caliper arms, 17' and 18', which sense the changing diameter of the tape roll 263 on the take-up reel.
• Caliper arms 17' and 18' are spring-loaded inwardly against the outer surface 261 of the take-up roll by means of a spring 50.
• the caliper arms 17' and 18' are pivotably mounted on a shaft 51 which as shown in Figure 12, is secured to the top wall 257 and bottom wall 259 of the casing 1'.
• the shaft 51 is located between the left ends of the caliper arms and the right ends 265 and 267 of those arms, which contact the outer surface 261 of the take-up tape roll 263.
• the spring 50 holds the caliper arms in contact with the tape roll 263 at all times, both when the tape roll is revolving as the tape is being played or rewound in a tape player, and also when the tape roll shifts laterally during movement of the cassette in transit.
• the counter 252 is driven so as to increase the count by one when the diameter of the tape roll 263 reaches a pre-determined value.
• This value typically is a fraction of the maximum diameter of the tape roll 263. Usually, this fraction is greater than one half, but substantially less than maximum diameter, so that one play will be counted when a major fraction of a full length tape has been played.
• the caliper arm 17' has a right end 265 with a convexly curved bearing area 243 to ride on the surface of the tape roll with minimum friction and wear, and a section 247 which is curved so as to ensure clearance between the tape roll and the arm at all points other than the bearing area 243 when the roll 263 is at its largest size.
• the caliper arm 18" has a similar bearing area 243 and curved portion 245.
• the arm 17' has a mid section 248 and a left end section 246.
• the arm 18' has a relatively wide mid section 242 and a left end section 241.
• the spring 50 is a torsion spring wrapped around the shaft 51 and is anchored at one end to a block 249 attached to the left end 241 of the arm 18', and at the other end 244 to the left end 246 of the arm 17'.
• the counter 252 consists of three counting wheels 55, 56 and 57 with integral ratchet wheels 55', 56', and 57' rotatably mounted on a shaft 60 which is secured at its lower end to the mid section 242 of the caliper arm 18'.
• Figure 9 shows the counter 252 with the top wheel 57 removed so that the toothed ratchet wheel 57' is exposed to view.
• a shaft 260 is secure at one end to the mid section 248 of the caliper arm 17'.
• Rotatably mounted on the shaft 260 are three actuating arms 52, 53 and 54. Only arm 54 is visible in Figure 9, but all three arms are visible in Figure 10.
• Each of the arms 52-54 has a left end projection 240 ( Figure 9) and a toothed right end 239.
• a leaf spring 15 is secured at its left end to the mid-section 248 of the caliper arm 17'. The right end of the spring 15 bears against the projections 240 and urges each of the arms to rotate clockwise about the shaft 260 and thus urges the toothed end 239 of each actuation arm against its corresponding ratchet wheel.
• a three-pronged leaf spring 58 is secured at its left end to the mid section 242 of the caliper arm 18'.
• Each of the three prongs of the spring 58 bears against one of the three ratchet wheels 55', 56' or 57' and acts as a stop to prevent rotation of the ratchet wheel backwards, thus ensuring that the count of the counter will only increase.
• the three number-bearing wheels 55-57 and their respective ratchet wheels 55'-57' are identical to one another. Each ratchet 55'-57' has ten teeth. Wheel 55 counts digits; wheel 56 counts once every ten digits; and wheel 57 counts once every hundred digits. Thus, the counter 252 can count up to 999 before being reset to zero. As it is shown in Figure 10, each wheel 55-57 has a notch 55a or 56a or 57a which forms a ratchet tooth in its upper edge.
• actuating arm 54 includes a lug 59, which rides on the back of actuating arm 53. This means that actuating arm 54 will not engage a tooth on wheel 57 until actuating arm 53 simultaneously engages a tooth on wheel 56. Therefore the wheel 57 remains stationary through the "90's" of any one hundred digits until it reaches "99", when all actuating arms mate with teeth so that all three counter wheels 55, 56 and 57 advance one notch simultaneously.
• the process will then be repeated as additional plays are counted.
• the counter is adjacent the back edge 255 (See
• Figure 2 of the cassette, and its count can be read through the window 253.
• the window 253 preferably includes a magnifying lens.
• the preferred counting mechanism discussed above is highly advantageous in that the mechanism prevents false counting due to shifting of the tape reels in the casing or housing 1'.
• the counter mechanism detects only differential movement by the caliper arms. This is due to the fact that the counter mechanism 252 is mounted on one of the caliper arms and the actuating arms 52-54 are mounted on the other. Thus, only rotation of the caliper arms away from one another drives the counter. There ⁇ fore, if the take-up spool moves in the direction X shown in Figure 8, the caliper arms 17' and 18' both rotate about shaft 51 by approximately the same amount, since each arm is urged against and follows the outer surface of the roll 263 of tape on the take-up reel. Since this causes no differential movement of the arms, the counter mechanism is not driven.
• Another advantage of the use of the caliper arms is that because the diameter of the tape roll 263 is detected instead of the radius, the motion created by a given amount of tape motion is twice the relative motion created when only one roll size detector is used. This increase in motion constitutes an improvement over such systems as disclosed in either United States Patent Nos.
• the video cassette of the present invention preferably includes a new spool brake assembly of inventive design to fit the restricted space in the cassette.
• the spool brake 80 includes arms 81 and 82, which pivot on a post 83 which, as it is shown in Figure 14, is formed integrally with the bottom wall 259 of the cassette housing.
• the upper end of the post 83 fits into a hole 91 in a boss 92 extending downwardly from the top wall 257 of the housing 1'. (Neither the top wall 257 nor the bottom wall 259 is shown in Figure 13) .
• arms 81 and 82 pass over each other in scissor-like fashion.
• the ends of the arms form teeth 88 and 89 shaped to engage the sprocket teeth or castellations 90 ( Figure 8) in the edges of the base disks of each of the tape spools.
• Arms 81 and 82 are urged by a torsion spring 84 away from one another and into engagement with the teeth 90 so as to engage the ' brake 80 and prevent the tape spools from rotating while the cassette is outside of a tape player.
• a hole 191 is provided in the bottom wall 25S of the cassette housing. Aligned with the hole 191 is a hole 93 between the arms 81 and 82. The lower edge of the hole is beveled at 85 to facilitate insertion of a pin into the hole 93.
• a brake deactivating pin 87 in the VCR is inserted into the hole 191
• the diameter of the hole 93 is substantially less than the outer diameter of the pin 87. Therefore, the pin 87 wedges the brake arms apart. This holds the teeth 88 and 89 away from the spools and keeps the brake disengaged while the cassette is in the VCR.
• the brake 80 permits rotation of the spools only when the cassette is inside a VCR.
• the inventive device may utilize the crenellations that are provided on a tape reel to facilitate braking operation; a capacitive sensor and an IC Logic chip sense ⁇ movement in a particular frequency band which covers the range of speed consistent with play mode. Rewind frequency produces the signal to provide a null or unity input. Upon threading tension, a second sensor energizes the circuit.
• a timer chip pre-set to program duration is triggered by the logic chip and times out the total play frequency duration, producing a threshold signal to display via the logic chip adding the appropriate count to the display when the cassette is rewound or removed from the cassette player.
• the total tape plays are recorded and/or displayed for the hire period and the progressive total for the cassette is stored for retrieval by the owner.
• Memory output may be visual or electronic however, preferred is direct reading by computers.
• a cassette is returned and "plugged in” to the shop's computer which outputs data like title, number of plays, etc.
• the computer calculates hire charge from data on royalty, cost recovery or the like. Hirer's account is debited and royalty transferred. Total tape wear is accurately known since total footage past the heads is known.
• ELECTRONIC COUNTING/READOUT Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of an electronic counting and readout system 270 which detects the tape roll size changes, converts those changes into play counts, stores those counts electronically and displays them electronically in a machine-readable format. The count can be read into one of the rental computers 112 by means of a bar code reading "wand" 290. If desired, the mechanical counter also can be used to give a count readable by humans.
• the means used to detect the tape roll size changes is that described above and shown in Figures 8-12.
• This mechanism drives the mechanical counter 252 ( Figure 2) to give a count which can be read by humans.
• mounted in the cassette housing 1' are a pair of switch contacts 272 and 274, a CMOS microprocessor chip 280, an EEPROM chip 284, a battery 282, a switch 286 and a light-emitting-diode (“LED”) array 288.
• the spring arm 58 which is used to prevent reverse rotation of the "units" ratchet wheel 55' (also see Figure 10) is used as a flexible contact member which acts with the contacts 272 and 274 to produce an electrical count-indicating signal and deliver that signal over lines 278 to the microprocessor 280.
• arm 58 At a pre-determined position, e.g., three-fourths of the way through its downward deflection, arm 58 reaches contact 274.
• the microprocessor 280 is programmed to have an "AND" function at its input so that a count signal is developed only when two signals have been received due to the opening of contact 278, and the other due to the closing of contact 274.
• the microprocessor is programmed to count these signals and store the count in the EEPROM. The count is sent over a line 283 to a LED array 288 which converts the count into a pattern readable by the bar code reader wand 290.
• the LED array 288 also displays the cassette identification information which is permanently stored in the EEPROM 284. Thus, the array 288 displays both the identification information and play count in machine-readable form so that both sets of data can be read with a single application of the bar code reader wand 290.
• the LED array 288 emits light of the same wavelength as that emitted by the wand 290.
• the LED array forms in a pattern which simulates the alternating light and dark bands sensed by the wand when it sees an ordinary bar code.
• the microprocessor 280 is programmed to disconnect the battery 282 automatically when it has not received an input signal for a certain length of time, indicating that the cassette is not being played or scanned. However, the data stored in the EEPROM 284 is not lost and remains stored even after the power is turned off. The contacts 272 and 274 remain energized at all times, but create no power drain unless the microprocessor is powered up.
• the microprocessor When one of the switch contacts 272 and 274 is opened or closed, the microprocessor powers up and is ready to operate.
• a switch 286 is provided in the cassette to power-up the microprocessor when it is desired to read out the count, etc. from the cassette.
• the switch 286 can be a simple pressure-operated switch which is accessible at the outside of the cassette and can be operated by simply pressing it with a finger, pencil, or the tip of the wand
• the switch 286 can be a photo-cell switch operated in response to receipt of light emitted by the wand 290.
• system 270 makes a separate character reader 111 ( Figure 1) unnecessary for reading the count into the computer 112 because a single bar code reader 116 will suffice.
• the above described electronics can be run on a watch battery or rechargeable cell.
• Figures 17 through 23 show the preferred form of the electronic counting/readout device and method of the present invention.
• Figure 17 is a partially schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a video tape cassette 300, with the section being taken through a take-up or dispensing reel 306 in the cassette.
• the reel 306 is a unique device which not only stores and dispenses recording tape, but also contains integral means for electronically counting the number of plays of a program on the tape, and providing a bar-coded output of that and other information.
• the cassette 300 includes a housing which has a bottom wall 302 and a top wall 304.
• the bottom wall has a hole through which the hub 311 of the tape reel is accessible from outside of the cassette.
• the hub 311 has a socket or receptacle 312 with splines which engage with similar splines in a drive spindle in the tape recorder/playback unit.
• the drive socket, spindle, and recorder/playback unit are conventional.
• the tape reel 306 has a lower flange 308 and an upper flange 310 secured together by means of the hub 311.
• Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a counting module 316 which is built into the tape reel 306.
• the unit 316 consists of a thin printed circuit card 318 with an arm 320 having a light source 322 and two light sensors 324 and 326 mounted on the arm at radially spaced-apart locations.
• the operation of the counting module 316 is as follows. Light from the light source 322 shines downwardly and is reflected off of the bottom flange 308 upwardly to the sensors 324 and 326. When the roll of tape 314 grows to a size such that it covers the innermost sensor 326, light cannot reach it. This primes the detecting circuitry so that when the tape roll grows enough so that the second sensor 324 is blocked, the electronic circuitry (to be described below) indicates one count. This count is counted and stored in an electronic counter formed by the circuitry mounted on the board 318.
• the circuitry includes an EEPROM chip 338, and a microprocessor chip 336, as well as other - ' circuitry to be described below.
• the lamp and the sensors could be located in opposite flanges, with the lamp 322, for example, being located in the upper flange, and the two sensors 324 and 326 located in the lower flange 308, the present arrangement is advantageous in that it locates all of the sensors on a portion of the same circuit board as that used for the LED 334 and other circuit components. Also, all of the sensors are located in the upper flange where debris from the tape will not fall onto the sensors or the lamp and thus impede their operation.
• the counting module also can be operated in the reverse manner, where the emptying of the tape from the reel, rather than the accumulation of tape, causes the detection of one count.
• CODED READOUT As it is shown in Figures 17 and 18, located at the center of the circular portion of the card 318 is a pressure-sensitive switch 329 and an output LED 334. As it is shown in Figures 17 and 19, the pressure switch 329 has a flexible lower plate 330 with a central hole giving visual access to the LED 334 which is aligned with the hole. A contact ring made of conductive material 331 is attached to the underside of the bottom plate 330. A second contact ring 332 is attached to the circuit board 318. The dimensions of the contact rings are such that normally they are spaced apart.
• the code which is thus read out indicates the total number of times the tape in the cassette has been played, as well as other information regarding the cassette and the program on the tape, as in the device shown in Figure 16 and described above.
• the bar-code reading wand is conventional. By enabling the count of the counting device to be read-out with a simple bar-code reading wand of the type that typically is used in point-of-sale terminals, the count of the number of plays of the tape can be entered into a point-of-sale computer at the video rental store without manual keyboarding. All that the operator need do is insert the wand tip into the drive socket hole briefly when it is returned. This simple procedure is all that is needed to enter into the computer the beginning and ending counts, and enable the computer to compute the per-play fee due from the customer.
• Certain proposed prior art electronic play counting devices suffer from the defect that they need a plug or other electrical connector to make electrical connections to an outside device which senses the count in the cassette.
• This electrical connector is believed to make it possible for any user or vandal to send electrical signals into the cassette and destroy its counting components or cause it to give a false reading.
• the present invention overcomes this defect by providing a light output which can be read only by a bar-code reading wand, so that electrical access to the electrical components in the housing is not permitted.
• the read-out of the count is extremely simple, merely requiring the check-out clerk to press the tip of the wand into one of the sprocket holes of the cassette. This may be even simpler than wiping the wand across a printed bar-code on the outside of the cassette. Of course, the printed bar-code cannot be changed, whereas the count output by the LED 334 is changed electronically each time the cassette is played.
• the arrangement of light sensors and lamp in the counting module 316 is highly advantageous in that the entire assembly, including lamp and sensors and connecting circuitry, is mounted on a thin printed circuit card which is fitted into a molded recess in the upper flange 310 of the tape reel 306.
• FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a preferred embodiment of the tape reel structure of the invention.
• the bottom flange 308 and the hub 311 of the tape reel 306 are molded as a single part, and the upper flange 310 is molded separately.
• Both parts are made of polystyrene. Integral with the lower flange 308 is a vertical wall 307. A boss 325 extends between the upper and lower parts of the tape reel. It is ultrasonically welded to hold the two parts of the tape reel together.
• a metal bearing member 337 has a frustro-connical outer edge which fits into a hole in the upper flange 310 having a similar shape.
• the bearing member bears against the usual spring 328 (part of which is shown in Figure 17) when the reel is thrust upwardly by the spindle 343 of the VTR, thus providing a low-friction bearing for rotation of the reel in the cassette.
• the output LED 334 is secured to the printed circuit board 318 by means of solder 353.
• the printed circuit board 318 is mounted in a molded recess in the upper flange structure.
• the hub 311 consists of a lateral portion 313 and a vertical portion 315 with an annular flange or ledge 317 forming a receptacle and stop member for the pressure switch plate 330.
• the plate 330 is made of brass and has a sharp-edged ring-shaped contact member 31 projecting towards the printed circuit board 318.
• a high density resilient foam rubber ring 319 urges the plate 330 away from the printed circuit board 318 and against the flange 317 to hold the pressure switch open until it is depressed by pressure from a bar-code reading wand.
• a bar-code reading wand 342 with a tip 340 and a lens 341 in the tip are shown in Figure 20 in or near operating position when data is being read out of the cassette.
• the wand tip 40 is shown in two different positions near or contacting the pressure switch.
• the portion of the drawing to the left of the centerline 335 in Figure 20 shows the pressue switch and wand in the positions they reach when the pressure switch i ⁇ closed by pressure from the wand.
• the portion of the drawing to the right of the centerline 335 shows the pressure switch and the wand when the wand has been moved slightly away from the plate 330, and the pressure switch.
• the foam ring 319 is shown compressed to the left of centerline 335, and is shown extended to the right of that line.
• the central aperture ' in the pressure switch plate 330 has a beveled entrance edge 351 which guides the tip of the wand to the proper location to receive light from the LED 334; a location in which the centerline 335 and that of the wand are aligned.
• the LED 334 is symmetrical with respect to the centerline 335 so that the rotary position of the reel 306 does not affect the read-out by the wand.
• the tape reel construction forms an annular cavity 321 into which is inserted a battery 323.
• Another battery (not shown) like the battery 323 is located in the cavity 321 approximately 180 from the battery 323 so that the tape ⁇ * reel will be rotationally balanced.
• the battery 323 preferably is a very long-life 6 volt lithium battery of the type used in watches. Because of the special features of the invention insuring low battery power drain, it is believed that, in the normal course of events, the battery will have several years of life, the life being approximately equal to that of the tape cassette it is used in.
• a spindle 343 inserted into the hub 311 to drive the tape reel.
• the spindle 343 is, of course, a part of the recording and playback unit into which the cassette 300 is inserted.
• the reel shown in Figure 20 also has the tape detector structure shown in Figure 24 and described below.
• the bar-code reading wand 342 is conventional.
• a particular model which has been successfully used in a embodiment of the invention is the Hewlett Packard Model HBCS-2500.
• the general structure of such a wand 342 is illustrated schematically in Figure 22, which is a cross-section taken through the tip of the wand.
• the printed bar-code 344 which the wand is designed to read is shown beneath the tip of the wand 342. It consists of a series of black stripes of varying width and white spaces between the stripes.
• light from a lamp 347 travels through a conduit 345, 349 to the tip of the wand where it is focused by the lens 341 on to the bar-code pattern. Any light reflected from the pattern back to the wand is transmitted back up through the passage 349 and another passage 346 to a photodetector 348.
• the amount of light reflected by a white space is very large and that reflected by a black line is relatively low, so that the photodetector 348 produces timed pulses of varying widths and spacings in response to being scanned across the bar-code pattern 344.
• Figure 23 shows schematically the electrical components of a typical bar-code reading wand useable with the present invention.
• the components shown in the wand tip in Figure 22 comprise an optical sensor 350.
• the output of the optical sensor is delivered to an analog amplifier 352 into a digitizer 354 which digitizes the signals it receives.
• An output driver transistor 356 and capacitor 358 are provided at the output of the digitizer and the optical sensor 350.
• the output signals are delivered through a cable 360 and a conventional bar code interface unit 361 to a computer 112 used at the rental store (see Figure 1) .
• Figure 21 shows a preferred operating circuit 370 of the present invention.
• each detector 324 and 326 consists of a pair of side-by-side elements including a light-emitting diode and a sensor.
• Unit 324 consists of an LED LD2 and sensor SI
• unit 326 consists of an LED LD3 and sensor S2.
• Each light emitting diode has a small integral lens 361 which is used to focus the light from the diode, into a narrow beam, most of which, when reflected back to the sensor SI or S2, is concentrated on the sensor and is available for switching purposes. This enhances the efficiency of operation and minimizes power drain on the battery.
• the components used in the circuit 370 are given the same reference numerals as those used when describing them above. In addition, other symbols are used for some of these elements.
• the pressure switch 329 thus is also labeled “SW1”.
• the micro-processor or micro-controller 336 also is labeled “Ul” and the EEPROM or E2PR0M 338 is labeled "U2”.
• the output light emitting diode 334 also is labeled LDl.
• the second way is by regular intermittent operation to check on the size of the tape roll to see if a count should be registered.
• n-channel MOSFET Ql is turned on as its gate-source voltage rises under the control of RC timer network R2-C2.
• R2-C2 RC timer network
• Ql turns on, it lowers the gate voltage of Q3, allowing it to switch on and power up the micro-controller.
• C3 applies positive feedback to speed the switching process.
• the micro-controller (Ul) executes its internal program. Its first operation is to output a positive signal on G3 (pin 14) which will turn on n-channel MOSFET Q2. This now holds the gate of Q3 low, ensuring continuity of the power delivered to the micro-controller.
• the time interval of 2-3 minutes between intermittent operations is a function of the power consumption of the device, the battery capacity, and the desired battery life, as well as the speed at which a tape roll grows or shrinks in the cassette at normal playing speeds.
• the time interval should be somewhere between a few seconds and around 5 minutes, with 2 to 3 minutes being a reasonable compromise.
• the two light-emitting diodes LD2 and LD3 are energized through a current-limiting resistor Rll and an switching transistor Q4 whose base is connected through resistor R6 and diode D2 to the pressure switch 329, and to the micro-controller output lead LO.
• one of the LED-sensor pairs 326 is located relatively close to the hub of the reel 306, and the other pair 324 is located radially outwardly from the pair 326.
• the pair 26 is located at a position such that it detects the condition in which the reel is about 10% full, and the pair 324 is located to detect when the reel is about 70% full. Under control of the micro-controller output L0
• transistor Q4 turns on LED's LD2 and LD3 for about 50 micro-seconds.
• sensors SI and S2 are read by micro-controller input lines * Ll and L2 (pins 5 & 4) . If no tape occludes the light path from either LED to its neighboring sensor, the sensor will give a positive output signal.
• the reel is more than 10% but less than
• the reel is more than 70% full
• the micro-controller is programmed to act as a count signal generator and counter.
• a typical count cycle performed by the programmed micro-controller is: a) 0 0 less than 10% - store a "rewound" bit in the E2PROM b) 1 0 more than 10%, less than 70% - do nothing c) 1 1 more than 70% - add a count to the total stored in E2PROM, if and only if,
• An improved counting method is one in which the micro-controller is programmed so that it will recognize that the 70% sensor has been covered and a play has occurred if and only if the sensor has been covered for more than one sampling period; e.g., 3 successive periods of 2 to 3 minutes each, for a total of 6 to 9 minutes. This allows the user of the cassette to run the tape in the fast forward and fast rewind modes without creating a count. Since the 70% point is reached in most feature-length movies (e.g., 100 minutes long) well before the end, there is plenty of time before the end of the film for the count to be recorded.
• the memory unit U2 is a non-volatile memory; that is, the data which is stored in it is retained indefinitely unless it is erased. It is called an “E2PROM” or an “EEPROM” , which stands for "Electronically Erasable
• the memory U2 is used to hold the serial number of the cassette, the current cassette "count", and the serial number identifying the cassette, the program in the tape, etc.
• the memory U2 also is used to store the status of the sensors SI and S2 while the power is off. That is, the memory stores a digital 1 or 0 for each sensor to represent its logic state when the power is turned off. This information is used when the circuit next is energized to aid the micro-controller in deciding whether to do nothing, create and store a count, or to store a "rewound" bit in the memory U2.
• a memory which has been used successfully in a circuit which has been built in accordance with the present invention is a NMC9306 256 bit sequential access memory. It is fabricated using advanced floating gate n-channel E2PROM technology.
• the device contains 256 bits of read/write memory divided into 16 registers of 16 bits each. Each register can be serially read or written to by the micro-controller. Written information is stored in a floating gate cell which will retain the information for at least 10 years.
• NMC9306 has been designed to meet appiica ions requiring up to 10,000 erase-write cycles per register. Data is stored in the memory U2 as follows: Register #
• Each of registers #4-16 holds a play count value and switch status. These registers are written cyclically with ascending counts as plays occur. The top bits of each register hold the previous sensor statii.
• Registers are written into cyclically because each individual register is guaranteed for only 10,000 erase/write cycles; cycling through all of the twelve registers in turn increases the total number of guaranteed erase-write cycles to 120,000.
• the preferred micro-controller is the model COP411C. It is a fully-static, single-chip micro-controller fabricated using double polysilicon-gate CMOS technology. This micro-controller contains all system timing, internal logic, ROM, RAM, and I/O (input/output circuitry) necessary to implement dedicated control functions. Its features include:
• the micro-controller is programmed so as to convert signals read out of the memory U2 into signals which will simulate a bar-code being read by a wand.
• a bar-code such as the printed code pattern 344 shown in Figure 22
• data usually is stored in the form of a series of alternating dark and light lines and spaces.
• the codes usually are printed on a label or document.
• data can be encoded and formatted within a printed pattern.
• the preferred method chosen for use in the invention is the well-known 'standard 3 of 9 code' described below.
• Standard 3 of 9 Code This alphanumeric bar-code has characters consisting of 5 bars and 4 spaces for a total of 9 elements. 3 of these elements are wide, hence the name "3 of 9". Wide elements are equal to a binary one (I) and narrow elements are equal to a binary zero (0) . A specific ratio of the widths of the wide and narrow elements is used to distinguish the wide and narrow elements from one another. Depending on the resolution used, the wide element should be 2 to 3 times wider than the narrow element. All narrow elements should be of equal width, and all wide elements also should be equal in width.
• the 3 of 9 code is a discrete code, meaning there is a space between each character. The width of this space is approximately equal to the width of the narrow element. This code is self-checking.
• the light from the lamp 34 is reflected from the white surface and is sensed by the detector 348 in the wand, giving a logic low level output.
• the output from the detector 348 goes high when there is little radiation reflected from the pattern due to passage of the wand over a dark bar or strip, and returns to a low level when the wand passes over a white space which reflects much more radiation back to the detector than the dark bar.
• the wand when the wand is inserted into the reel hub, it is guided by the sloping surface 351 into alignment with the centerline 335 with its lens 341 near the LED 334.
• the outer surface of the LED is non-reflective so that the light from the emitter 347 in the wand is not reflected back to the photodetector 348.
• light from the LED 334 is transmitted directly through the tip of the wand onto the wand's detector 348.
• the wand tip closes the pressure switch 329 (SW1 in Figure 21) which powers the micro-controller which then develops a pulse train representing the data to be read out and sends the pulses to the LED 334.
• the wand receives the optical pulses from the LED as if it were receiving reflected light from a bar-code pattern it is scanning.
• the pulses are timed by the micro-controller to match the pulses received from a printed bar-code when scanned at normal speeds.
• the scanning operation is further emulated by first turning on the LED 334 for a time before transmitting the pulses. This simulates exposure of the wand to a white margin next to a printed bar-code.
• the standard 3 of 9 code is used.
• the data transmitted consists of 18 digits: 1 start digit (*)
• the specific emitters LD2 and LD3 are PN gallium arsenide infrared emitting diodes capable of continuous power output of 2.5 mW. Each produces a narrow spatial radiation pattern created by the lens 261 ( Figure 24) molded into its package. The wave length of its output is 940 nm.
• the sensors SI and S2 are opto-electronic switches providing light detection and low-level signal processing in a single 3-lead package.
• the monolithic integrated circuit requires no external components. Its high sensitivity makes it ideal for low level light detection.
• Each opto-electronic switch includes a photo diode, a high-gain current amplifier, a comparator with 12%-' hysteresis, an output driver stage and a voltage regulator.
• the sensors turn on (produce an output signal) as
• a number of different light emitting devices are suitable for use as the output LED 334.
• the device should be chosen as much for its power and physical size as for its output wavelength. Though a emitter will output light of a very specific wavelength, the optical detector 348 ( Figure 22) in the wand 342 detects light across a fairly broad band.
• the detector 348 gives its peak output when receiving radiation at approximately 82 ⁇ nm. However, its 75% output is around 940 nm on the long side and 700 n on the short side of peak output wavelength.
• a switch emitter LD2 or LD3 is either a 930 nm PN
• Gallium Arsenide infrared-emitting diode or a 700 nm GaAsP red/infrared emitting diode is a 700 nm GaAsP red/infrared emitting diode.
• a device such as a liquid crystal display ("LCD") to create an array of dark and light bars in a bar-code pattern.
• the array 228 in Figure 16 can be considered to be such an array.
• This device 334 in Figures 17-20 can be considered to be such a LCD device. This makes use of the light emitter in the wand by sensing the reflection or lack of reflection of the signals emitted thereby, and can result in a reduction of battery drain and other advantages.
• the principles of the invention also can be used to advantage in indicating and reading out from a tape reel or cassette other information regarding the tape such as the location in the tape at which information is being read.
• This can be done, for example, by providing a radial array of sensors such as sensors 324 and 326 ( Figure 18) and indicating which one is being covered by the tape roll.
• a single, elongated radial sensor in one flange and an opposed, elongated radial light emitter in the other flange can be used as an analog tape roll position indicator.
• the analog output of the sensor is proportional to the portion of its surface area which is illuminated. In either case, the signals are encoded and read out as described above.
• the present " * invention will actively encourage all distributors to ensure that all video copies of new films and all new copies of old films are made on cassettes with built-in counters, as such is very much in their own interests.
• purchasers of new cassettes, whether pre-recorded or blank may well regard a counter as a desirable "extra”, enabling them to keep track of tape and/or head wear.

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Citations (20)

• 1988
  • 1988-11-04 AU AU27159/88A patent/AU620835B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1988-11-04 JP JP63509558A patent/JPH03501070A/ja active Pending
  • 1988-11-04 WO PCT/US1988/003942 patent/WO1989005029A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1988-11-04 BR BR888807781A patent/BR8807781A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1988-11-04 EP EP19880910375 patent/EP0395694A4/en not_active Withdrawn
• 1990
  • 1990-04-27 NO NO90901895A patent/NO901895L/no unknown
  • 1990-05-04 DK DK111590A patent/DK111590A/da not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1990-05-04 FI FI902241A patent/FI902241A0/fi not_active IP Right Cessation

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