Discovision Associates

Mca Disco-vision, Inc.

Optical Disc Corporation

Wayne R Dakin

Ludwig Ceshkovsky

John S Winslow

Jordan Isailovic

Richard L Wilkinson

Scott M Golding

A video record medium, such as a record disc, for recording a composite video and audio signal suitable for stop-motion playback, with accompanying audio. Discrete segments of analog audio signal are digitized and compressed in time and recorded on alternate tracks on the disc, and corresponding frames of a video signal are recorded on the tracks located therebetween. During playback of the disc, a selected audio track is scanned initially and the digital audio data recovered therefrom is entered into a memory device, after which the track for recording the corresponding video frame is scanned in a repeated fashion, to produce a stop-motion display of the frame, while the stored audio data is extracted from the memory device and converted back to an analog format, for simultaneous playback at its original speed.

Stop motion video apparatus including improved dynamic range

Combined video/audio signal player with a squelch function

Video recording medium for stop-motion playback

A video record medium, such as a record disc, for recording a composite video and audio signal suitable for stop-motion playback, with accompanying audio. Discrete segments of an analog audio signal are digitized and compressed in time and recorded on alternate tracks on the disc, and corresponding frames of a video signal are recorded on the tracks located therebetween. During playback of the disc, a selected audio track is scanned initially and the digital audio data recovered therefrom is entered into a memory device, after which the track for recording the corresponding video frame is scanned in a repeated fashion, to produce a stop-motion display of the frame, while the stored audio data is extracted from the memory device and converted back to an analog format, for simultaneous playback at its original speed.

A record disc for storing a composite signal that includes segments of audio information and corresponding segments of video information. The disc contains a succession of consecutively arranged substantially circular and concentrical information tracks including audio information-containing tracks and separate video information-containing tracks. Each of the audio information-containing tracks has at least a portion of an audio information segment stored therein in time-compressed digital data format, and each of the audio information segments includes packets of digital data interleaved with conventional video synchronizing signals, with adjacent audio information packets representing a continuous portion of the stored audio information segment. Each of the video information-containing tracks has a video information segment stored therein in real time, and each video information segment contains a single video frame in conventional video format including conventional video synchonizing signals.

Record disc for storing separate video and audio information

Method and apparatus for recording and playing back a plurality of digitally encoded audio messages along with associated video data. The messages are combined along with a plurality of corresponding audio message initial data address signals and recorded on a recording medium with the video data. In playback, the address and audio data signals are retrieved from the recording medium and stored. The address signals are utilized to access selectable messages for decoding and playback with selected video data. Codes can be included to control the decoding rate in accordance with the sample rate of the audio message data.

Multiple variable rate audio message playback

Method and apparatus for playing back a plurality of digitally encoded audio messages along with associated video data. The audio messages are combined along with a plurality of corresponding audio message start address signals when recorded on a recording medium. The digitally encoded information can be recorded in the audio domain, i.e. as digitized audio recorded on an audio channel of the medium, or in the video domain, i.e., as digitized audio recorded on the video channel of the medium. In playback, the address and audio data signals are retrieved from the recording medium and stored. The address signals are utilized to access selectable messages for decoding and playback of the selected audio message.

Video/audio coded data recovery from a record medium

Multiple variable rate audio message recording and playback

Method and apparatus for playing back a plurality of digitally encoded audio messages along with associated video data. The audio messages are combined along with a plurality of corresponding audio message start address signals when recorded on a recording medium. The digitally encoded information can be recorded in the audio domain, i.e. as digitally audio recorded on an audio channel of the medium, or in the video domain, i.e. as digitized audio recorded on the video channel of the medium. In playback, the address and audio data signals are retrieved from the recording medium and stored. The address signals are utilized to access selectable messages for decoding and playback of the selected audio message.

Selectable video/audio coded data recovery from a record medium

A signal processor and method for frequency compensating the drive signal for an optical modulator in an optical recording apparatus to make the exposure level modulation amplitude on the medium independent of the spatial frequency of the information being recorded. The processor compensates for exposure level modulation roll off at high spatial frequencies due to the finite size of the recording spot by increasing the amplitude of the modulator drive signal at high frequencies. The compensation is preferably the inverse of the modulation transfer function of the recording objective lens.

Aperture compensation signal processor for optical recording

Method and apparatus for stop-motion playback of a record disc

A method and apparatus for selectably retrieving information from any of a plurality of spirally-formed information tracks formed in a video disc by means of controlling a carriage for translating the video disc in a forward or a reverse direction relative to radiant beam information recovery means in a video disc player. Each information track is identified by a unique address and means are provided for selecting the address of a particular track to be retrieved. A prescribed sequence of drive signals is applied to a carriage motor dependent on the distance to be traveled by the carriage to retrieve the selected information, the drive signals being successively stepped downward to intermittently redetermine carriage motor speed as predetermined location thresholds are reached during carriage translation.

Method and apparatus for information retrieval from an optically

A method and apparatus for developing a compressed bandwidth frequency modulation signal format to increase the playing time per side of a videodisc by compressing the signal bandwidth of the recorded information preferably by a factor of two. Method and apparatus are described and shown for modulating a carrier signal with a color video signal, modulating a subcarrier frequency with at least one audio frequency signal, selecting the carrier and subcarrier frequencies such that the upper frequency deviation limit of the frequency modulated carrier signal is lower than the useful upper frequency limit of the recording medium chosen for the disc, and such that there is no overlap of the chroma baseband signal and the second order chroma sideband. At least one audio subcarrier frequency is located between the first order chroma sideband and the chroma baseband signal, or between the chroma baseband signal and the second order chroma sideband, or between the second order chroma sideband and DC. Preferably, the maximum FM carrier frequency, the blanking level FM carrier frequency, the white level FM carrier frequency, and the horizontal sync tip FM carrier frequency are all one-half the respective frequencies of a full-luminance/full-color carrier signal.

Compressed bandwidth frequency modulation signal format apparatus and

A video disc player is described for use with a video disc having frequency modulated video information recorded thereon in the form of a plurality of concentric circles or a single spiral. The information track comprises successively positioned light reflective and light non-reflective regions. A focused light beam is caused to be positioned over the center of an information track and the light reflected from the information track is gathered by an objective lens for application to electronic circuitry for recovering the recorded frequency modulated video signals. Radial tracking means are described for maintaining the focused light spot to impinge upon the center of an information track. Lens focusing means are described for positioning the objective lens at the optimum focused position above the information track for gathering the maximum amount of reflected light from the information track. FM processing means are described for reconstructing the recovered frequency modulated video information such that the ratio between the amplitude of the signals as recorded is essentially the same in the signals as recovered from the video disc member. Further servo means are described for handling the selective change of the intersection of the reading beam with the video disc member in a predetermined preferred mode of operation.

Growing community of inventors

Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Wayne R Dakin