Sony Corporation

Sony Electronics Inc

Hiroshi Kiriyama

Hiroaki Kikuchi

Tetsuo Ogawa

Jun Sawai

Shigeru Masuda

Tomokiyo Kato

Kazunari Tanimura

Luke Freeman

Osamu Shimizu

Etsuro Saito

Satoshi Maeda

Toshiaki Noguchi

Toshiaki Kojima

Toru Amano

Keisuke Hashimoto

Kunika Hashimoto

Haruyuki Kouno

Tsukasa Saito

An information reproduction system that provides an apparatus for reproducing audio/video information from an information recording medium having a tape form for example and circumventing problems associated with illegal copies of information recording media. If a match is found between the contents of identification data information read from a memory fixed to a cassette incorporating a magnetic tape and the contents of individual key data information stored in an information storage memory, a controller causes an information reproducing block to reproduce main information from the magnetic tape.

Information reproducing apparatus and information recording/reproducing apparatus

A method for processing a time code including the steps of generating information, indicating whether or not a location is proper for editing when converting picture information of a predetermined system into picture information of another system, and writing the information to the time code data accompanied with the picture information of the second system.

Method and apparatus for processing time code

In a method for processing a time code such that time code data composed of a hour minute second frame accompanying picture information of a predetermined system is mapped onto picture information of another system, when converting the picture information of the predetermined system into that of another system, mapping the time code when converting the system of the picture information including the steps of converting time code data accompanying picture information of said predetermined system into a total frame number x, calculating a total frame number y of the converted time code data for said time code data from said total frame number x and generating the converted time code from the total frame number y.

A reel servo device employed in a recording and/or reproducing apparatus employing a tape cassette housing a tape as a recording medium includes an unusual running detection circuit for deciding if the tape housed within the tape cassette loaded on the tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus is wound in a slack winding state on a tape reel. If the tape running state is decided to be an unusual tape running state, tape tension data from the supply side tension arm is differentiated. If the differentiation data is positive indicating an increasing tape tension, the rewind side reel motor is controlled in a direction of slackening tape tension at the rewind tape reel side. Conversely, if the differentiation data is negative indicating an decreasing tape tension, the rewind side reel motor is torqued in a direction of tensioning the tape at the rewind tape reel side.

Reel servo device for recording/reproducing apparatus employing a tape

In an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing signals on a tape and which is selectively operative in a plurality of modes, such as, a normal recording or playback mode, a fast-forward mode, a re-wind mode and a jog mode; the tape is driven between supply and take-up reels at speeds characterizing the selected mode while being guided by a guide element which is ultrasonically vibrated for reducing the frictional resistance to movement of the tape, and the frequency and power of an ultrasonic drive signal employed for vibrating the guide element are controlled so as to obtain optimal reduction of the frictional resistance to movement of the tape while minimizing power consumption.

Tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus with ultrasonically vibrated

A rotating head assembly which is arranged to suppress crosstalk between signals in signal transmission paths to or from erasing, recording and a reproducing heads mounted on a head rotating body, the rotating head assembly including: a plural number of rotary transformers located concentrically around the circumference of a rotational shaft of the head rotating body in spaced positions in a radial direction or in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the rotational shaft; a plural number of substrate boards located in spaced positions in the axial direction of the head rotating body; and a path of signal transmission for the erasing head and/or recording head and a path of signal transmission for the reproducing head routed separately through the rotary transformers in radially spaced positions and through the substrate boards in axially spaced positions to prevent crosstalk between signals being passed the respective signal transmission paths.

Compact rotating head assembly

In a tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a guide drum with rotary heads for recording or reproducing signals in slant tracks scanned on a longitudinally transported tape wrapped helically about a circumferential surface of the drum between a tape-entry position and a tape-exit position; a tape-guiding assembly, which may be part of a tape loading device, includes ultrasonically vibrated tape guides engageably by the tape adjacent the tape-entry and tape-exit positions, respectively, auxiliary guide elements angled relative to the vibrated tape guides, respectively, and each being disposed for engagement by the tape between the respective vibrated tape guide and the tape-entry or tape exit position, respectively, with such auxiliary guide elements having respective surface projections extending therefrom at positions therealong corresponding to widthwise portions of the tape at which the rotary heads scan the tape adjacent the tape-entry and tape-exit positions, respectively, so that the surface projections on the auxiliary guide elements relatively increase tension in the tape at the respective widthwise portions for minimizing errors that may arise in the signals recorded or reproduced in the tracks adjacent the tape-entry and tape-exit positions due to vibrations transmitted along the tape from the vibrated tape guides.

Tape guiding assembly for recording and/or reproducing apparatus

A rotary head drum unit for a recording/reproducing apparatus comprises a stationary upper drum provided at its lower end with a taper surface for biasing a magnetic tape downward, a stationary lower drum provided in its circumference with a helical tape lead or guide surface to guide the lower edge of a tape helically extended across the upper and lower drums, and rotary heads inserted between the upper and lower drums. At least a portion of the taper surface of the upper drum in a lead-out region near a position where the magnetic tape departs from the rotary head drum unit is a helical taper section extended helical substantially in parallel to the helical tape lead or guide surface of the lower drum. The taper surface having the helical taper section is able to bias the magnetic taper downward in the lead-out region so that the lower edge of the magnetic tape is guided securely by the helical tape guide surface of the lower drum and keeps the upper edge of the magnetic tape taut through the entire arc of contact of the magnetic tape with the rotary head drum unit, so that the magnetic tape is secured for stable running.

Rotary head drum unit

A tape cleaning apparatus for a tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus prevents possible dropping of recording or a possible dropout during recording and/or reproducing operation of a tape while the tape is fed at a low speed and can protect the tape when the tape is fed at a high speed to effect fast feeding or rewinding thereof. The tape cleaning apparatus comprises a blade made of an abrasion resistant material and located on the upstream side of a recording and/or reproducing section of the tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus in a direction in which the tape is fed at the low speed. The tape cleaning apparatus also includes a controller for controlling the blade to assume a first position at which the blade contacts with the tape to remove foreign substance sticking to the tape when the tape is fed at the low speed but to assume a second position at which the blade is spaced apart from the tape when the tape is driven at a high speed.

Tape cleaning apparatus having a cleaning blade contacted with the tape

A reel table shifting device is adapted to accommodate tape cassettes in a range of differant sizes. The reel table shifting device includes a pair of reel tables adapted to support the tape cassette, a driving mechanism for moving the reel tables between a plurality of mount positions such that the cassette can be mounted at one of the mount positions depending upon the size of the cassette, and an intermediate stopper mechanism operative to arrest movement of the reel tables in a precise predetermined intermediate mount position independent of the direction of movement of the reel tables towards such intermediate mount position.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Hiroshi Kiriyama