Stop-in-frame method and apparatus for film video player

Claim 2

In a method of converting information in information segments of an information bearing medium into electrical signals for reproduction of the information, an improved method of changing from a first mode of operation wherein the medium may be continuously moved during production of the electrical signals representative of the moving information segments and wherein the momentum imparted to the medium through its continuous movement is variable, into a second mode of operation wherein an information segment may be selectively located in a predetermined stationary position for production of electrical signals representative of the information content of the stationary information segment, said method comprising the steps of: a. initiating a first stopping operation of said continuously moving medium; b. when the medium is stopped and the variable momentum of the medium is dissipated, reinstituting the movement of said medium in a first direction; c. after reinstitution of such movement, detecting an information segment of said medium moving into said predetermined position; and d. instituting a second stopping operation of said medium following the detection of the information segment for halting the movement of the detected information segment in said predetermined stationary position.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said medium is continuously moved in the first or second direction opposite to said first direction in said first mode of operation.

Claim 4

In transducer apparatus for converting information in information segments of an information bearing medium into electrical signals for reproduction of the information including transporting means operable in a first mode for continuously moving said medium past a transducer to produce the electrical signals, wherein the momentum imparted to the medium through its movement by the transport means is variable; the improvement comprising means for operating said transport means in a second mode of operation for selectively locating an information segment in a predetermined stationary relationship with said transducer to enable the production of electrical signals representative of the information content of the stationary information segment, said improvement comprising: a. means for halting the continuous movement of said medium; b. means for producing an advance signal after continuous movement of the medium is halted and the variable momentum of the medium is dissipated; c. means responsive to the advance signal for resuming movement of said medium in a first direction; d. means for detecting an information segment of said medium moving into said predetermined stationary relationship with said transducer; and e. means conjointly responsive to the advance signal and the operation of said detecting means for halting the movement of the detected information segment in said predetermined stationary relationship with said transducer.

Claim 5

In transducer apparatus for converting information in information segments of an information bearing medium into electrical signals for reproduction of the information including transporting means operable in a first mode for continuously moving said medium past a transducer to produce the electrical signals, wherein the momentum imparted to the medium through its movement by the transport means is variable; the improvement comprising means for operating said transport means in a second mode of operation for selectively locating an information segment in a predetermined stationary relationship with said transducer to enable the production of electrical signals representative of the information content of the stationary information segment, said improvement comprising: a. means for halting the continuous movement of said medium; b. means for producing an advance signal after continuous movement of the medium is halted and the variable momentum of the medium is dissipated; c. means responsive to the advance signal for resuming movement of said medium in a first direction; d. means for detecting an information segment of said medium moving into said predetermined stationary relationship with said transducer; and e. means conjointly responsive to the advance signal and the operation of said detecting means for halting the movement of the detected information segment in said predetermined stationary relationship with said transducer.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said transporting means is operable in said first mode for continuously moving said medium past said transducer in a first or a second direction opposite to said first direction.

Claim 7

The improvement in the apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for halting the movement of the detected information segment responds to the detection of the information segment during the production of the advance signal to terminate the advance signal and further comprises brake means for braking movement of said medium at said predetermined stationary relationship with said transducer.

Claim 8

In an electronic video player for converting pictorial information in image frames on motion picture film into video signals for reproduction of the pictorial information as a video display including film transport apparatus operable in a play mode for continuously moving said motion picture film past a scanning gate in a forward direction and operable in a rewind mode for continuously moVing said motion picture film past said scanning gate in a reverse direction, detecting means for detecting each image frame of said film moving in said forward direction into a predetermined position of said scanning gate, scanning means for producing a moving spot of light in a raster having a horizontal-to-vertical aspect ratio and vertical position with respect to said scanning gate related to the aspect ratio of the image frames, and modified by the detection of each image frame, and for scanning the image frames of the film moving past said scanning gate with said spot of light, and optical-to-electrical signal transducer means responsive to the moving spot of light modulated in intensity by the pictorial information content of the scanned image frames for producing video signals representative thereof, wherein the momentum imparted to the film during its continuous movement past said scanning gate in said forward and reverse directions is variable; the improvement comprising apparatus for operating said film transport apparatus and said scanning means in a still mode of operation for selectively locating a stationary image frame in said predetermined position in said scanning gate for scanning the stationary image frame, said improvement comprising in combination: a. means selectively operable for halting the continuous movement of said film past said scanning gate by said film transport apparatus and for producing a single frame advance signal after the variable momentum of the film is dissipated and film advancement is halted; b. means responsive to the single frame advance signal for operating said film transport apparatus in said play mode to move said film past said scanning gate in said forward direction; and c. means conjointly responsive to the single frame advance signal and the operation of said detecting means for halting the play mode of operation of said film transport apparatus to stop a detected image frame in said predetermined position for still frame scanning, whereby a stationary video display of the pictorial information in the stationary image frame may be produced.

Claim 9

In an electronic video player for converting pictorial information in image frames on motion picture film into video signals for reproduction of the pictorial information as a video display including film transport apparatus operable in a play mode for continuously moving said motion picture film past a scanning gate in a forward direction and operable in a rewind mode for continuously moVing said motion picture film past said scanning gate in a reverse direction, detecting means for detecting each image frame of said film moving in said forward direction into a predetermined position of said scanning gate, scanning means for producing a moving spot of light in a raster having a horizontal-to-vertical aspect ratio and vertical position with respect to said scanning gate related to the aspect ratio of the image frames, and modified by the detection of each image frame, and for scanning the image frames of the film moving past said scanning gate with said spot of light, and optical-to-electrical signal transducer means responsive to the moving spot of light modulated in intensity by the pictorial information content of the scanned image frames for producing video signals representative thereof, wherein the momentum imparted to the film during its continuous movement past said scanning gate in said forward and reverse directions is variable; the improvement comprising apparatus for operating said film transport apparatus and said scanning means in a still mode of operation for selectively locating a stationary image frame in said predetermined position in said scanning gate for scanning the stationary image frame, said improvement comprising in combination: a. means selectively operable for halting the continuous movement of said film past said scanning gate by said film transport apparatus and for producing a single frame advance signal after the variable momentum of the film is dissipated and film advancement is halted; b. means responsive to the single frame advance signal for operating said film transport apparatus in said play mode to move said film past said scanning gate in said forward direction; and c. means conjointly responsive to the single frame advance signal and the operation of said detecting means for halting the play mode of operation of said film transport apparatus to stop a detected image frame in said predetermined position for still frame scanning, whereby a stationary video display of the pictorial information in the stationary image frame may be produced.

Claim 10

The improvement in the video player of claim 6 further comprising means for extinguishing said scanning spot of light in response to said selectively operable means and for restoring the scanning spot of light in response to the operation of the detected image frame halting means.

Claim 11

The improvement in the video player of claim 6 further comprising means responsive to the operation of the detected image frame halting means for controlling the horizontal-to-vertical aspect ratio of said raster in direct relation to the aspect ratio of the detected image frame in said predetermined position during still frame scanning thereof.

Claim 12

The electronic video player of claim 6 further comprising means selectively operable to produce a forward drive signal for operating said film transport apparatus in said play mode and a reverse drive signal for operating said film transport apparatus in said rewind mode, and wherein the improvement in said video player further comprises: a. in said selectively operable means, means for producing a still command signal and means responsive to the still command signal for terminating the forward and reverse drive signals and for producing the single frame advance signal after a predetermined time period; and b. said detected image frame halting means further comprises means responsive to the detection of an image frame by said detecting means during the production of the single frame advance signal for terminating the single frame advance signal and for braking the movement of said film at said predetermined position of said scanning gate.

Claim 13

The improvement in the video player of claim 9 further comprising: a. means for extinguishing said scanning spot of light in response to the operation of said selectively operable means and for restoring the scanning spot of light in response to the operation of said detected imaGe frame halting means; and b. means responsive to the operation of said image frame halting means for controlling the horizontal-to-vertical aspect ratio of said raster in direct relation to the aspect ratio of the detected image frame in said predetermined position during still frame scanning thereof.