Index Systems, Inc.

Other

Gemstar Developement Corporation

Hing Y Ngai

Daniel S Kwoh

Henry C Yuen

Roy J Mankovitz

Carl Hindman

Elsie Y Leung

Yee Kong Ng

Carl L Hindman

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 command controller reads and extracts predetermined key words and parameters from a configuration file. The command controller inserts digital data into a television signal according to the extracted predetermined key words and parameters. The command controller initiates a self-recovery operation to purge stored data and re-initialize the VBI inserter based on the extracted predetermined key words and parameters and time or access time. The command controller also extracts digital data from another video signal to be compared to stored diagnostic data or transmitted to another external source.

VBI inserter

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

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for providing an indexed audio tape. The method includes the step of recording data in a guard band interposed between and parallel to two signal tracks used to record audio signals on an audio tape. The recorded data is shifted to frequencies higher than the bandwidth of the audio signals. A plurality of programs are recorded onto the two signal tracks with spaces between the programs. A nonaudible program presence signal is recorded onto the two signal tracks coincident with the plurality of programs. The nonaudible program presence signal is not recorded in the spaces between the programs. A program directory is recorded onto the guard band just before the start of each program recorded on the two signal tracks. In an embodiment, text is recorded onto the guard band parallel to and corresponding to audio in the programs recorded on the two signal tracks of the audio tape. Methods and apparatus are provided for reading the directory from the guard band and for accessing a program on the tape using the directory. Methods and apparatus are also provided for playing a program from the two signal tracks on an audio tape and simultaneously reading text from a guard band parallel to and between the two signal tracks, the text corresponding to audio in the programs recorded on the two signal tracks.

Apparatus and methods for audio tape indexing with data signals recorded

A method and apparatus for recording and reading magnetic tape that contains audio signals and data that is related to the audio signals. In the preferred embodiment, the audio signals are music, and the related data are lyrics to the music displayed in real time to the music as it is being played. The lyrics are modulated onto an ultrasonic carrier signal and mixed with the audio signal on one track of the tape. The tape may be played on a conventional tape recorder without having interference from the recorded data at ultrasonic frequencies. In a suitably equipped tape player, the mixed signal is read and filtered to generate a high pass filtered signal and a bandpass filtered signal. The bandpass filtered signal filters out frequencies outside the range of human hearing to generate an audio signal. The high pass filtered signal is demodulated by the carrier frequency to reconstruct the lyrics. A two-track system records an unmodulated carrier frequency on the second track and is subtracted from the modulated carrier frequency to generate the lyrics. This compensates for variations in tape speed that shift the frequency of the data modulated carrier signal.

Method and apparatus for reading and writing audio and digital data on a

Text data is arranged into groups. A unique code is assigned to each group. The data is encoded so that the codes represent the groups. The groups and their assigned codes are transmitted to a receiver where they are stored as a table correlating each group to its assigned code. After the table is transmitted, the program and the encoded text data are transmitted to the receiver, preferably in synchronism. At the receiver, the data is decoded from the table and displayed as the program is reproduced.

Growing community of inventors

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, United States of America

Hing Y Ngai