Magnetic tape recording/playback apparatus

Claim 1

A magnetic recording/playback apparatus having a timer playback function and a search function, and used for reproducing data from a cassette installed in a tape drive unit, said recording/playback apparatus comprising: a plurality of storage shelves for storing a plurality of cassettes; cassette transfer means for transferring a cassette from a designated storage shelf to said tape drive unit and vice versa; cassette detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a cassette on each storage shelf; and control means for detecting the presence or absence of cassettes stored on said storage shelves sequentially in an order designated by said cassette detection means, designating a storage shelf detected as being loaded with a cassette, and instructing said cassette transfer means to transfer and install said detected cassette to perform a playback operation, searching and playing back a program from a head of said tape unless said program is played back within a predetermined time from the beginning of playback, and again carrying out said searching and playing back step relative to a next cassette when no program is detected as the result of search.

Claim 15

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus having a timer playback function and a search function, and used for reproducing data from a cassette installed in a tape drive unit, said recording/playback apparatus comprising a plurality of storage shelves for storing a plurality of cass­ettes, cassette transfer means for transferring a cassette from a designated storage shelf to said tape drive unit and vice versa, and cassette detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a cassette on each storage shelf, comprising the steps of: detecting the presence or absence of cassettes stored on said storage shelves sequentially in an order designated by said cassette detection means; designating a storage shelf detected as being loaded with a cassette; instructing said cassette transfer means to transfer and install said detected cassette to perform a playback operation; searching and playing back a program from a head of said tape unless said program is played back within a predetermined time from the beginning of playback; and again carrying out said searching playing back step relative to a next cassette when no program is detected as the result of search.

Claim 16

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus having a timer playback function and a search function, and used for reproducing data from a cassette installed in a tape drive unit, said recording/playback apparatus comprising a plurality of storage shelves for storing a plurality of cass­ettes, cassette transfer means for transferring a cassette from a designated storage shelf to said tape drive unit and vice versa, and cassette detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a cassette on each storage shelf, comprising the steps of: detecting the presence or absence of cassettes stored on said storage shelves sequentially in an order designated by said cassette detection means; designating a storage shelf detected as being loaded with a cassette; instructing said cassette transfer means to transfer and install said detected cassette to perform a playback operation; searching and playing back a program from a head of said tape unless said program is played back within a predetermined time from the beginning of playback; and again carrying out said searching playing back step relative to a next cassette when no program is detected as the result of search.

Claim 17

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus for recording data on a magnetic tape stored in a cassette installed in a tape drive unit, said recording/playback apparatus comprising a plurality of storage shelves for storing a plurality of cassettes, cassette transfer means for transfer­ring a cassette from a designated storage shelf to said tape drive unit and vice versaoperating means for designating a storage shelf, and memory means for storing data indicative of said storage shelf designated by said operating means, comprising the steps of: storing said data indicative of said storage shelf designated by said operating means in said memory means during a recording operation; retrieving said data indicative of said shelf from said memory means when said recording operation is terminated on a present cassette; and instructing said cassette transfer means to transfer the cassette stored in the designated storage shelf to continue said recording thereon.

Claim 18

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus for recording data on a magnetic tape stored in a cassette installed in a tape drive unit, said recording/playback apparatus comprising a plurality of storage shelves for storing a plurality of cassettes, cassette transfer means for transfer­ring a cassette from a designated storage shelf to said tape drive unit and vice versaoperating means for designating a storage shelf, and memory means for storing data indicative of said storage shelf designated by said operating means, comprising the steps of: storing said data indicative of said storage shelf designated by said operating means in said memory means during a recording operation; retrieving said data indicative of said shelf from said memory means when said recording operation is terminated on a present cassette; and instructing said cassette transfer means to transfer the cassette stored in the designated storage shelf to continue said recording thereon.

Claim 19

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus for recording and reproducing data on and from a magnetic tape in a cassette installed in a tape drive unit, said recording/playback apparatus comprising a plurality of storage shelves for storing a plurality of cassettes, cassette transfer means for transferring a cassette from a designated storage shelf to said tape drive unit and vice versa, and mode setting means for setting operating modes including playback and recording modes, comprising the steps of: designating a predetermined first storage shelf when said playback mode is set; instructing said cassette transfer means to transfer a cassette from said first storage shelf to said tape drive unit to perform a playback operation and for designating a predeter­mined second storage shelf when said recording mode is set; and instructing said cassette transfer means to transfer a cassette from said second storage shelf to said tape drive unit to perform a recording operation.

Claim 20

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus for recording and reproducing data on and from a magnetic tape in a cassette installed in a tape drive unit, said recording/playback apparatus comprising a plurality of storage shelves for storing a plurality of cassettes, cassette transfer means for transferring a cassette from a designated storage shelf to said tape drive unit and vice versa, and mode setting means for setting operating modes including playback and recording modes, comprising the steps of: designating a predetermined first storage shelf when said playback mode is set; instructing said cassette transfer means to transfer a cassette from said first storage shelf to said tape drive unit to perform a playback operation and for designating a predeter­mined second storage shelf when said recording mode is set; and instructing said cassette transfer means to transfer a cassette from said second storage shelf to said tape drive unit to perform a recording operation.

Claim 21

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus for recording and/or reproducing data on a cassette installed in a tape drive unit, said recording/playback apparatus comprising a plurality of storage shelves for storing a plurality of cassettes, cassette transfer means for transferring a cassette from a designated storage shelf to said tape drive unit and vice versa, operating means for designating said storage shelf, and memory means for storing data indicative of said storage shelf designated by said operating means, comprising the steps of: designating said storage shelves stored in said memory means successively; instructing said cassette transfer means to transfer a cassette when an operating mode is designated; conducting a process for the operating mode thus designated on said cassette stored on the designated storage shelf.

Claim 22

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus for recording and/or reproducing data on a cassette installed in a tape drive unit, said recording/playback apparatus comprising a plurality of storage shelves for storing a plurality of cassettes, cassette transfer means for transferring a cassette from a designated storage shelf to said tape drive unit and vice versa, operating means for designating said storage shelf, and memory means for storing data indicative of said storage shelf designated by said operating means, comprising the steps of: designating said storage shelves stored in said memory means successively; instructing said cassette transfer means to transfer a cassette when an operating mode is designated; conducting a process for the operating mode thus designated on said cassette stored on the designated storage shelf.

Claim 23

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus of a type in which a cassette is extracted from a storage unit and transported to a drive unit for playing the cassette, comprising the steps of: repetitively transporting in a designated sequence a plurality of cassettes from said storage unit to said drive unit; and playing each of said cassettes for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 24

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus of a type in which a cassette is extracted from a storage unit and transported to a drive unit for playing the cassette, comprising the steps of: repetitively transporting in a designated sequence a plurality of cassettes from said storage unit to said drive unit; and playing each of said cassettes for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 25

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus of a type in which a cassette is extracted from a storage unit and transported to a drive unit for playing the cassette, comprising the steps of: detecting a tape end of a cassette being played according to a predetermined program; storing in a memory data identifying said cassette; trans­porting the identified cassette again to said drive device after completion of playback of the whole of said cassette; completely rewinding said cassette; and returning said cassette to said storage unit.

Claim 26

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus of a type in which a cassette is extracted from a storage unit and transported to a drive unit for playing the cassette, comprising the steps of: detecting a tape end of a cassette being played according to a predetermined program; storing in a memory data identifying said cassette; trans­porting the identified cassette again to said drive device after completion of playback of the whole of said cassette; completely rewinding said cassette; and returning said cassette to said storage unit.

Claim 27

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus of a type in which a cassette is extracted from a storage unit and transported to a drive unit for recording on the cassette during periods established by a timer, comprising the steps of: designating, to be carried out a plurality of times, recording start and terminating times and an identifying number of cassettes to be played during designated time periods established by said timer; and recording said cassettes in the order of the numbers thus designated.

Claim 28

A method for operating a magnetic recording/playback apparatus of a type in which a cassette is extracted from a storage unit and transported to a drive unit for recording on the cassette during periods established by a timer, comprising the steps of: designating, to be carried out a plurality of times, recording start and terminating times and an identifying number of cassettes to be played during designated time periods established by said timer; and recording said cassettes in the order of the numbers thus designated.