Optimized editing system for a servo controlled program recording system

Claim 1

Work performing apparatus having a control system for providing signals that control the movements of a work performing unit wherein said control system includes first and second recording mechanisms each having means for recording and for sensing signals on a respective movable recording medium associated therewith and having means for coupling sensed signals from said first or second mechanisms to said work performing unit thereby to control its movements in response to the sensed signals, and means for operating the recording mechanisms of the apparatus to sense a recorded cycle of signals on a recording medium associated with the first recording mechanism and to record the sensed signals onto the recording medium associated with the second recording mechanism; the improvement in said control system comprising: mode selector means constraining said work performing unit to execute movements corresponding to a playback of said recorded cycle of signals on said first recording medium while transcribing said signals on said second recording medium; and control means for selectively modulating the playback of said recorded cycle of signals on said first recording medium to selectively optimize the movements of said work performing unit and correspondingly modulate said transcribed cycle of signals on said second recording medium to provide a recorded program of said optimized movements of said work performing unit on said second recording medium.

Claim 21

The method of operating a work performing apparatus having a control system for providing signals that control the movements of a work performing unit, wherein the control system includes first and second recording mechanisms each having means for recording and for sensing signals on a movable recording medium associated therewith, and having means for coupling sensed signals from said first or second mechanisms to the work performing unit thereby to control its movements in response to the sensed signals, said method of operating the apparatus comprising: placing a reCording medium having one complete cycle of desired recorded signals thereon in operative association with a first one of the recording mechanisms of the control system, said cycle of recorded signals concluding with an end of cycle signal and followed by an end of medium signal; placing an unrecorded recording medium in operative association with the second one of the recording mediums; establishing electrical connections between the two recording mechanisms; advancing both of said recording mediums from respective starting positions; constraining said work performing unit to execute movements corresponding to said recorded signals on said first recording medium; maintaining a constant selected recording speed of said second recording medium; modulating the playback speed of said first recording medium and thereby modulating the execution of movements by said work performing unit and correspondingly modulating the rate of playback of recorded signals on said first recording medium; transcribing said recorded cycle of signals from the advancing first medium, including said modulated rate of playback thereof, to the advancing second medium; sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said first medium and transcribing same and said second medium while continuing the advance of both mediums; sensing the end of medium signal on said first medium, transcribing same on said second medium; returing both said mediums to a starting position in response to said end of medium signal; advancing both said mediums from said starting position while transcribing said modulated cycle of signals from said advancing second medium on said advancing first medium to replace the cycle of signals initially recorded on said first medium; sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said second medium and stopping both mediums in response thereto; returning said second medium to its starting position in response to the sensed end of cycle signal and producing a starting position signal while maintaining the first medium at its stopped position; advancing said second medium from its starting position and said first medium from its stopped position in response to said starting position signal; transcribing the recorded cycle of signals from the advancing second medium to the advancing first medium; sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said second medium but continuing the advance of both mediums; sensing and transcribing the end of medium signal from the second medium to the first medium and stopping both mediums in response to the sensed end of medium signal; and returning both mediums to their starting positions and maintaining them stopped thereat in response to the end of medium signal sensed on the second medium.

Claim 22

The method of operating a work performing apparatus having a control system for providing signals that control the movements of a work performing unit, wherein the control system includes first and second recording mechanisms each having means for recording and for sensing signals on a movable recording medium associated therewith, and having means for coupling sensed signals from said first or second mechanisms to the work performing unit thereby to control its movements in response to the sensed signals, said method of operating the apparatus comprising: placing a reCording medium having one complete cycle of desired recorded signals thereon in operative association with a first one of the recording mechanisms of the control system, said cycle of recorded signals concluding with an end of cycle signal and followed by an end of medium signal; placing an unrecorded recording medium in operative association with the second one of the recording mediums; establishing electrical connections between the two recording mechanisms; advancing both of said recording mediums from respective starting positions; constraining said work performing unit to execute movements corresponding to said recorded signals on said first recording medium; maintaining a constant selected recording speed of said second recording medium; modulating the playback speed of said first recording medium and thereby modulating the execution of movements by said work performing unit and correspondingly modulating the rate of playback of recorded signals on said first recording medium; transcribing said recorded cycle of signals from the advancing first medium, including said modulated rate of playback thereof, to the advancing second medium; sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said first medium and transcribing same and said second medium while continuing the advance of both mediums; sensing the end of medium signal on said first medium, transcribing same on said second medium; returing both said mediums to a starting position in response to said end of medium signal; advancing both said mediums from said starting position while transcribing said modulated cycle of signals from said advancing second medium on said advancing first medium to replace the cycle of signals initially recorded on said first medium; sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said second medium and stopping both mediums in response thereto; returning said second medium to its starting position in response to the sensed end of cycle signal and producing a starting position signal while maintaining the first medium at its stopped position; advancing said second medium from its starting position and said first medium from its stopped position in response to said starting position signal; transcribing the recorded cycle of signals from the advancing second medium to the advancing first medium; sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said second medium but continuing the advance of both mediums; sensing and transcribing the end of medium signal from the second medium to the first medium and stopping both mediums in response to the sensed end of medium signal; and returning both mediums to their starting positions and maintaining them stopped thereat in response to the end of medium signal sensed on the second medium.

Claim 24

The method of operating a work performing apparatus having a control system for providing signals that control the movements of a work performing unit, wherein the control system includes first and second recording mechanisms each having means for recording and for sensing signals on a movable recording medium associated therewith, and having means for coupling sensed signals from said first or second mechanisms to the work performing unit thereby to control its movements in response to the sensed signals, said method of operating the apparatus comprising: moving the work performing unit through one desired work cycle under control of an operator, producing a cycle of electrical signals in response to and corresponding to the movement of said unit through said cycle, advancing from a starting position a first recording medium associated with the first recording mechanism of the control systems, recording said cycle of electrical signals on the advancing first recording medium, successively recording an end of cycle signal and an end of medium signal on said first recording medium subsequently to recording said recorded cycle of signals, returning said first recording medium to its starting position and producing a first starting position signal when the starting position is reached, advancing said first recording medium from its starting position and advancing a second recording medium associated with the second recording mechanism of the control system from its starting position, constraining said work performing unit to execute movements corresponding to said recorded signals on said first recording medium; maintaining a constant selected speed of said second recording medium; modulating the playback speed of said first recording medium and thereby modulating the execution of movements by said work performing unit and correspondingly modulating the rate of playback of recorded signals on said first recording medium; transcribing said recorded cycle of signals from the advancing first medium, including said modulated rate of playback thereof, to the advancing second medium; sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said first medium and transcribing same on said second medium while continuing the advance of both mediums; sensing the end of medium signal on said first medium, transcribing same on said second medium; returning both said mediums to a starting position in response to said end of medium signal; advancing both said mediums from said starting position while transcribing said modulated cycle of signals from said advancing second medium on said advancing first medium to replace the cycle of signals initially recorded on said first medium; sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said second medium and stopping both mediums in response thereto, returning said second medium to its starting position in response to the sensed end of cycle signal and producing another starting position signal while maintaining the first medium at its stopped position, advancing both of said mediums in response to said another starting position signal, transcribing the recorded cycle of signals and the end of cycle signal from the advancing second medium to the advancing first medium, sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said second medium but continuing the advance of both mediums, sensing and transcribing to the first medium the recorded end of medium signal on said second medium and stopping both mediums in response thereto, returning both mediums to their starting positions and terminating the transcription in response to said end of medium signal, preparing a third recording medium to have successively recorded cycles of signals, end of cycle signals and an end of medium signal thereon substantially identical to said first medium, placing said first and third mediums in operative association with said first and second recording mechanisms in the control system, advancing one of said first or third mediums and sensing the entire content of recorded signals thereon while maintaining the other one of the first or third mediums stopped, controlling the movement of the work performing unit with sensed signals from the advancing one of the first or third mediums, sensing the end of tape signal from the advancing one medium and in response thereto returning the advancing one of the first or third mediums to its starting position and advancing the other one of said first or third mediums, sensing recorded signals on the advancing other medium, and cOntrolling the movement of the work performing unit with sensed signals from said other medium.

Claim 25

The method of operating a work performing apparatus having a control system for providing signals that control the movements of a work performing unit, wherein the control system includes first and second recording mechanisms each having means for recording and for sensing signals on a movable recording medium associated therewith, and having means for coupling sensed signals from said first or second mechanisms to the work performing unit thereby to control its movements in response to the sensed signals, said method of operating the apparatus comprising: moving the work performing unit through one desired work cycle under control of an operator, producing a cycle of electrical signals in response to and corresponding to the movement of said unit through said cycle, advancing from a starting position a first recording medium associated with the first recording mechanism of the control systems, recording said cycle of electrical signals on the advancing first recording medium, successively recording an end of cycle signal and an end of medium signal on said first recording medium subsequently to recording said recorded cycle of signals, returning said first recording medium to its starting position and producing a first starting position signal when the starting position is reached, advancing said first recording medium from its starting position and advancing a second recording medium associated with the second recording mechanism of the control system from its starting position, constraining said work performing unit to execute movements corresponding to said recorded signals on said first recording medium; maintaining a constant selected speed of said second recording medium; modulating the playback speed of said first recording medium and thereby modulating the execution of movements by said work performing unit and correspondingly modulating the rate of playback of recorded signals on said first recording medium; transcribing said recorded cycle of signals from the advancing first medium, including said modulated rate of playback thereof, to the advancing second medium; sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said first medium and transcribing same on said second medium while continuing the advance of both mediums; sensing the end of medium signal on said first medium, transcribing same on said second medium; returning both said mediums to a starting position in response to said end of medium signal; advancing both said mediums from said starting position while transcribing said modulated cycle of signals from said advancing second medium on said advancing first medium to replace the cycle of signals initially recorded on said first medium; sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said second medium and stopping both mediums in response thereto, returning said second medium to its starting position in response to the sensed end of cycle signal and producing another starting position signal while maintaining the first medium at its stopped position, advancing both of said mediums in response to said another starting position signal, transcribing the recorded cycle of signals and the end of cycle signal from the advancing second medium to the advancing first medium, sensing the recorded end of cycle signal on said second medium but continuing the advance of both mediums, sensing and transcribing to the first medium the recorded end of medium signal on said second medium and stopping both mediums in response thereto, returning both mediums to their starting positions and terminating the transcription in response to said end of medium signal, preparing a third recording medium to have successively recorded cycles of signals, end of cycle signals and an end of medium signal thereon substantially identical to said first medium, placing said first and third mediums in operative association with said first and second recording mechanisms in the control system, advancing one of said first or third mediums and sensing the entire content of recorded signals thereon while maintaining the other one of the first or third mediums stopped, controlling the movement of the work performing unit with sensed signals from the advancing one of the first or third mediums, sensing the end of tape signal from the advancing one medium and in response thereto returning the advancing one of the first or third mediums to its starting position and advancing the other one of said first or third mediums, sensing recorded signals on the advancing other medium, and cOntrolling the movement of the work performing unit with sensed signals from said other medium.