Index Systems, Inc.

Carl Hindman

Henry C Yuen

Roy J Mankovitz

Daniel S Kwoh

Hing Y Ngai

Elsie Y Leung

Yee Kong Ng

Operation of a video cassette player is facilitated by providing a VBI decoder which decodes information, such as title, channel, date, time and length of broadcast programs and utilizing the information in providing directory of the programs as well as control of the VCR. The video cassette player is also provided with a VBI encoder for inserting control as well as directory information into the tape, either in the VBI portions of the video track or in the control track.

Enhancing operations of video tape cassette players

A method for recording on video tape and indexing programs carried by a television signal. The title of some, but not all, of the programs is embedded real time in the television signal. A video tape cassette is loaded in a VCR for recording. A data file corresponding to a plurality of television program listings is stored in memory. The data file includes the channel and start time of each program listing, and the title if available. The program listings are displayed on a video monitor. One of the displayed program listings is selected for recording. The data corresponding to the program listing selected for recording is transferred from the data file to a VCR recording stack so the VCR records the program represented by the program listing selected for recording. A directory of programs recorded on the video tape, including program titles and tape locations, is created. If the title of the program being recorded is embedded real time in the television signal, it is added to the directory as the program title. If the title of the program being recorded is not embedded real time in the television signal, the title from the data file corresponding to the program listing selected for recording is added to the directory as the program title. The tape location of the video tape in the VCR at the beginning of the recording of the program represented by the program listing selected for recording is measured and added to the directory.

Method of adding titles to a directory of television programs recorded

Growing community of inventors

Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Carl Hindman