Method and apparatus for a magnetic recording/reproducing

Claim 3

A recording method according to claim 1, wherein said information signal is a time-compressed audio PCM signal and the timing of time-compressing the audio PCM signal is determined by said selected track indicating pulse.

Claim 6

In a helical scan type magnetic tape recording apparatus including a capstan for moving the tape, rotating heads for recording information on the tape, a cylinder for rotating the heads, and a cylinder motor for rotating the cylinder, the improvement comprising: (a) means for generating N track indicating pulses, each of which respectively corresponds in time to the tracking time by said rotating heads of N-information tracks disposed in parallel to the direction of the tape running, wherein the number N is more than 3; (b) means for phase-locking said N track indicating pulses to the rotation of the heads; (c) means for selecting one of said N track indicating pulses; and (d) means coupled to said selecting means for supplying an information signal to the heads in time with the selected track indicating pulse.

Claim 7

In a helical scan type magnetic tape recording apparatus including a capstan for moving the tape, rotating heads for recording information on the tape, a cylinder for rotating the heads, and a cylinder motor for rotating the cylinder, the improvement comprising: (a) means for generating N track indicating pulses, each of which respectively corresponds in time to the tracking time by said rotating heads of N-information tracks disposed in parallel to the direction of the tape running, wherein the number N is more than 3; (b) means for phase-locking said N track indicating pulses to the rotation of the heads; (c) means for selecting one of said N track indicating pulses; and (d) means coupled to said selecting means for supplying an information signal to the heads in time with the selected track indicating pulse.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: (e) means for generating a pilot signal which sequentially and repeatedly varies in frequency between a number of predetermined frequencies in response to the rotation of the heads; and (f) means for mixing said pilot signal with said information signal.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said pilot signal has four predetermined frequencies (f 1 , f 2 , f 3 , f 4 ).

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: (g) means connected to said selecting means for converting an audio signal into a time-compressed audio PCM signal in response to the timing of said selected track indicating signal and means for applying said time-compressed audio PCM signal to said supplying means as said information signal.

Claim 11

In a helical scan magnetic tape reproducing apparatus including a capstan for moving the tape, rotating heads for reproducing information from the tape, a cylinder for rotating the heads, and a cylinder motor for rotating the cylinder, the improvement comprising: (a) means for generating N track indicating pulses, each of which respectively corresponds in time to the tracking time by said rotating heads of N information tracks disposed in parallel to the direction of the tape running, wherein the number N is more than 3; (b) means for phase-locking said N track indicating pulses to the rotation of the heads; (c) means for selecting one of said N track indicating pulses; and (d) means coupled to said selecting means for extracting a corresponding information signal from information signals reproduced by the heads in time with said selected track indicating pulse.

Claim 12

In a helical scan magnetic tape reproducing apparatus including a capstan for moving the tape, rotating heads for reproducing information from the tape, a cylinder for rotating the heads, and a cylinder motor for rotating the cylinder, the improvement comprising: (a) means for generating N track indicating pulses, each of which respectively corresponds in time to the tracking time by said rotating heads of N information tracks disposed in parallel to the direction of the tape running, wherein the number N is more than 3; (b) means for phase-locking said N track indicating pulses to the rotation of the heads; (c) means for selecting one of said N track indicating pulses; and (d) means coupled to said selecting means for extracting a corresponding information signal from information signals reproduced by the heads in time with said selected track indicating pulse.

Claim 13

In a helical scan type magnetic tape recording/reproducing apparatus including a capstan for moving the tape, control means for controlling the capstan, a plurality of heads for recording/reproducing information on respective slant tracks of the tape scanned by said heads, a cylinder for carrying the heads, means including a cylinder motor for rotating the cylinder to effect rotation of the heads, and pulse generator means for generating a pulse in time with the rotation of the heads, the improvement comprising: (a) means for generating N track indicating pulses, each of which respectively corresponds in time to the tracking time by said rotating heads of N information tracks disposed in parallel to the direction of the tape running; (b) means for selecting one of said N track indicating pulses; . (c) means for receiving an audio signal; (d) means connected to said audio signal receiving means for converting said audio signal to a time-compressed audio PCM signal; (e) means for receiving a video signal; (f) means connected to said video signal receiving means for separating from said video signal a vertical synchronizing signal; (g) first switching means for selecting said vertical synchronizing signal or the selected one of said track indicating pulses; (h) means for phase-locking the output of said first switching means to the output pulse of said pulse generator means; (i) second switching means for selecting the output pulse of said pulse generator means or said selected track indicating pulse and for supplying the selected pulse to said converting means for controlling the timing of the time compressing of said audio signal; and (j) recording amplifying means connected to said converting means and said video signal receiving means for amplifying the output signals thereof and for supplying said amplified signals to the heads.

Claim 14

In a helical scan type magnetic tape recording/reproducing apparatus including a capstan for moving the tape, control means for controlling the capstan, a plurality of heads for recording/reproducing information on respective slant tracks of the tape scanned by said heads, a cylinder for carrying the heads, means including a cylinder motor for rotating the cylinder to effect rotation of the heads, and pulse generator means for generating a pulse in time with the rotation of the heads, the improvement comprising: (a) means for generating N track indicating pulses, each of which respectively corresponds in time to the tracking time by said rotating heads of N information tracks disposed in parallel to the direction of the tape running; (b) means for selecting one of said N track indicating pulses; . (c) means for receiving an audio signal; (d) means connected to said audio signal receiving means for converting said audio signal to a time-compressed audio PCM signal; (e) means for receiving a video signal; (f) means connected to said video signal receiving means for separating from said video signal a vertical synchronizing signal; (g) first switching means for selecting said vertical synchronizing signal or the selected one of said track indicating pulses; (h) means for phase-locking the output of said first switching means to the output pulse of said pulse generator means; (i) second switching means for selecting the output pulse of said pulse generator means or said selected track indicating pulse and for supplying the selected pulse to said converting means for controlling the timing of the time compressing of said audio signal; and (j) recording amplifying means connected to said converting means and said video signal receiving means for amplifying the output signals thereof and for supplying said amplified signals to the heads.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: (k) means connected to said pulse generator means for generating a pilot signal which sequentially and repeatedly varies its frequencies between a number of predetermined frequencies in response to the output pulse of said pulse generator means and for supplying said pilot signal to said recording amplifying means.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: (1) reproducing amplifying means for amplifying a reproduced signal reproduced by the heads; and (m) means connected to said reproducing amplifying means for converting a reproduced time-compressed audio PCM signal contained in said reproduced signal into a reproduced audio signal in response to an output pulse of said second switching means.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: (n) means connected to said reproducing amplifying means for extracting a reproduced pilot signal contained in said reproduced signal, and means for generating a tracking error signal in response to said reproduced pilot signal and for supplying said tracking error signal to said control means for controlling the capstan.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising: (o) means for generating N gate pulses which are phase-locked to the rotation of the heads; and (p) means for selecting one of said N gate pulses, which corresponds to said selected indicating pulse and for supplying said selected gate pulse to said extracting means for gating a part of said reproduced pilot signal.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising: (q) oscillating means for generating a timing signal, wherein said means for generating N track indicating pulses and said means for-generating N gating pulses include a divider connected to said oscillating means for dividing the output thereof.