The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 23, 1994
Filed:
Feb. 03, 1993
Nobutaka Amada, Yokohama, JP;
Harushige Nakagaki, Yokohama, JP;
Takao Arai, Yokohama, JP;
Takaharu Noguchi, Yokohama, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus is provided which includes a head structure compatible with a long-time play mode in handling either of two kinds of signals containing different amounts of information, such as a current digital picture signal and a high-definition (HD) digital picture signal in the rate of two to one at a constant number of revolutions of the drum by restricting an increase of the number of heads. In an aspect of the apparatus, four heads are arranged on the rotating drum equally 90.degree. spaced, a fifth head of an opposite azimuth is mounted close to any of those heads, the number of drum revolutions is increased to twice larger than the normal number, the current digital picture signal is recorded and reproduced for each channel by using two heads, that is, the fifth head and a head positioned 180.degree. opposite to the fifth head. On the other hand, the HD digital picture signal, containing twice as much information as the current digital picture signal, is recorded and reproduced for two channels by four heads equally 90.degree. spaced, exclusive of the fifth head. According to another aspect, eight heads are arranged on the rotating drum equally 45.degree. spaced, ninth and tenth heads of an opposite azimuth are mounted respectively close to any two heads 180.degree. opposite to each other, and the normal number of drum revolutions is used.