Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi Video Engineering, Incorporated

Fipa Frohwitter Intellectual Property Ag

Kiyoshi Kano

Nobuyuki Kaku

Shinya Fujimori

Hiroo Okamoto

Hiroaki Ono

Takao Arai

Hideo Nishijima

Hitoaki Owashi

Takaharu Noguchi

Nobutaka Amada

Keizo Nishimura

Masayuki Inoue

Toshifumi Takeuchi

Yoshio Suzuki

Mikio Shiraishi

Michio Miura

Masafumi Nakamura

Yasuo Ohtsuka

Yoshihiro Fukagawa

Tatsuya Shigemura

Yoshiyuki Tanaka

Kichizaemon Okazaki

Masaki Uesugi

Kenji Ogiro

Atsuo Osawa

An information management apparatus capable of reliable management of distributed information and an information providing system employing the same information management apparatus has a main information reproducing system for reproducing main information recorded in a given recording medium; and a reproduction management system for managing the main information reproducing system for reproducing the main information. A receiver is provided with a unit for recording distributed information and control information limiting the number of main information reproducing cycles on a recording medium, and a main information reproducing system provided with a reproduction disabling function for limiting the reproduction of main information.

Information management apparatus

The present invention relates to an information providing system. More particularly, this invention relates to an information management apparatus capable of reliable management of distributed information and an information providing system employing the same information management apparatus. The information management apparatus comprises a main information reproducing means for reproducing main information recorded in a given recording medium; and a reproduction management means for managing the main information reproducing means for reproducing the main information. The present invention provides a receiving means provided with a means for recording distributed information and control information limiting the number of main information reproducing cycles on a recording medium, and a main information reproducing means provided with a reproduction disabling means for limiting the reproduction of main information.

Apparatus and method for limiting the reproduction of main information

A disk apparatus for use in a disk cartridge system including different types of disk cartridge. The disk cartridge system has a first disk cartridge and a second disk cartridge. The first disk cartridge including a first case having a substantially rectangular shape with first, second, third and fourth edges, and at least one of a first groove in both of the second and third edges, and a first cutout portion in both of the second and third edges and passing through a thickness of the first case. The second disk cartridge includes a second case having a substantially rectangular shape with fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth edges, the fifth edge of the second case being delimited by a fifth corner portion connecting the fifth edge and sixth edge, and at least one of a second groove located in only one of the sixth and seventh edges and a second cutout portion located in both of the sixth and seventh edges without passing through a thickness of the second case. A length, width and thickness of the first case are substantially equal to a length, width and thickness of the second case and a diameter and thickness of the first disk are substantially equal to a diameter and thickness of the second disk. The disk apparatus having a discrimination arrangement which discriminates at least one of the groove and the cutout portion.

Disk cartridge and disk device using the same

A disk cartridge system having different types of disk cartridges for use in a disk cartridge drive apparatus. A first disk cartridge includes a first case having a substantially rectangular shape with first, second, third and fourth edges, the first edge of the case being delimited by a first corner portion connecting the first edge and second edge and a second corner portion connecting the first edge and the third edge, the first case having a first cutout portion at both of the second and third edges and extending in a direction and passing through a thickness of the first case, and a first disk being housed in the first case. A second disk cartridge includes a second case with a substantially rectangular shape with fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth edges, the fifth edge of the second case being delimited by a fifth corner portion connecting the fifth edge and sixth edge and a sixth corner portion connecting the fifth edge and the seventh edge, the second case having a second cutout portion at both of the sixth and seventh edge and extending in a direction of a thickness of the second case without passing through the thickness of the second case, and a second disk being housed in the second case. A length, width and thickness of the first case are substantially equal to a length, width and thickness of the second case and a diameter and thickness of the first disk are substantially equal to a diameter and width of the second disk.

A disk cartridge system including different types of disk cartridges for use in a cartridge drive apparatus, including first and second disk cartridges. The first disk cartridge including a first case having a substantially rectangular shape with first, second, third and fourth edges, the first edge of the case being delimited by a first corner portion connecting the first edge and second edge and a second corner portion connecting the first edge and the third edge. The first case has a first groove at a side plane of both of the second and third edges. The first case also has a first cutout portion at both of the second and the third edges and extending in a direction of and passing through the thickness of the first case. The second disk cartridge includes a second case with a substantially rectangular shape with fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth edges, the fifth edge of the second case being delimited by a fifth corner portion connecting the fifth edge and sixth edge and a sixth corner portion connecting the fifth edge and the seventh edge. The second case has a second groove at a side plane of only one of the sixth and seventh edge. The second case also has a second cutout portion at both of the sixth and the seventh edges extending in a direction of the thickness of the second case without passing through the thickness of the second case. A length, width and thickness of the first case are substantially equal to a length, width and thickness of the second case.

A disk cartridge and a disk device for receiving the disk cartridge to enable recording and/or reproducing of information from or on a disk housed within the disk cartridge. The disk cartridge includes a disk in which information is recorded and/or reproduced, a case for housing the disk which case has opposite faces including a window in a respective face for exposing a part of the disk therethrough. A shutter is mounted with respect to the case so as to open or close a window of a respective face of the case with the shutter being movable in opposite directions with respect to the window from a position in which the window is closed to a position in which the window is open. The disk cartridge may include an openable part of the case for enabling the disk to be taken in and out of the case through the openable part thereof and a discrimination arrangement for enabling discrimination of different types of disk cartridges from one another. The disk cartridge may be arranged to enable exchange of disks of a same or different format including CD (compact disk), DVD (digital video disk) and PD (phase change disk) and the discrimination arrangement enables prevention of a disk cartridge of one different type from being erroneously inserted into a disk device receiving apparatus which is not compatible for the different type of disk cartridge.

Information management apparatus for inhibiting reproduction in a video

A tape travel controlling system in a recording/reproducing apparatus according to the present invention includes a tape width detector, a tape traveling path adjuster for changing a set condition(s) for a tape guide(s), and a tape traveling path controller, and is constructed so that the tape traveling path controller controls the amount of change in the set condition(s) for the tape guide(s) in the tape traveling path adjuster in accordance with an output signal provided from the tape width detector.

System for controlling tape traveling height and tape guide with tape

A tape loading mechanism used in a recording and reproducing apparatus for extracting a tape from a cassette and for winding it on a tape guide drum on which a rotating head for recording information on or reproducing information from the tape is mounted. A guide base, on which a group of guides for extracting the tape from the cassette are mounted, is rotatably supported by a shaft on a drive member that drives the guide base. An attitude control member is installed along the path of travel of the guide base to engage with the sides of the guide base to control the rotating angle of the latter.

Tape loading mechanism for a rotating drum and cassette tape recording

An arc cam member has a guide groove formed on its underside along its arced length. On its outer circumference, the cam member is provided with a first cam portion. A second cam portion is formed in the wall of the guide groove of the cam member. The ends of a first arm and a second arm are placed in contact with the first and second cam portions respectively. As the cam member is rotated, the first and second arms move, following the shapes of the first and second cam portions. The motion of the first and second arms is used to operate the recording and reproducing apparatus.

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Yokohama, Japan

Kiyoshi Kano