Electronic channel selecting system for a quad-stereo tape player

Claim 2

A magnetic tape playing device for playing a selected one of two or more analog programs on a prerecorded multitrack tape, each program comprised of two or more predeterminedly located tracks on the tape comprising support means, a magnetic tape head means having a plurality of pickup areas and being fixedly mounted to the support means for generating output signals representative of information prerecorded on the magnetic tape moved past a pickup area, means for creating a relative motion between a multitrack prerecorded magnetic tape and the magnetic tape head means for sensing the prerecording on the tape, the support means permanently aligning each pickup area with a separate track on the tape, a plurality of output terminals, a plurality of fully electronic switches, each electronic switch capable of being activated for coupling a predetermied one of the pickups to a predetermined output terminal, program selecting means for selecting the program to be played, and control means for automatically determining the number of tracks which comprise a program on the particular tape being played and responding to the program selecting means to activate only those electronic switches which couple a desred pickup to a desired output.

Claim 3

The mangetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the magnetic tape head means is comprised of a single head having eight pickup areas.

Claim 4

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the magnetic tape head means is comprised of a pair of tape heads, each head having four pickup areas.

Claim 5

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for creating relative motion includes means for receiving a tape cartridge housing the tape and means for driving the tape past the tape head means.

Claim 6

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plurality of fully electronic switches comprise: a plurality of voltage controlled amplifiers each operable between a first state and a second state, the output signal from each pickup being coupled to a corresponding one of the voltage controlled amplifiers, output circuit means for selectively matrixing the signals from the amplifiers in a predetermined channel number mode corresponding to the number of tracks comprising a program on the particular tape being played, the output signal from each amplifier being coupled to the output circuit means when the corresponding controlled amplifier is in the first state and being blocked from passing to the output circuit means when the corresponding controlled amplifier is in the second state; and wherein the control means comprises logic circuit means for controlling the operation of each controlled amplifier between the first and second state; and command circuit means for generating a first command signal selecting the predetermined channel number mode and a second command signal sequencing the logic circuit means, the logic circuit means activating to a first state only those amplifiers whose inputs correspond to the signals from the command circuit means, and the output circuit means selecting the predetermined channel number mode in response to one of the command signals, whereby the output of the output circuit means is available for transducing to audibility the exact prerecorded information commanded by the command signals.

Claim 7

The magnetic tape playing device in claim 5 wherein the first command signal activates the output circuit means to select the predetermined channel number mode.

Claim 8

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 5 adapted to receive and play two channel and four channel tape cartridges wherein the means for creating relative motion includes means for receiving a tape cartridge housing, an 8-track pre-recorded tape and means for driving the tape past the tape head means, further comprising two tape heads, each head having four pickup areas, eight voltage controlled amplifier means, the output circuit matrixing means including four input terminals, four output terminals, and four electronic switches, and the logic circuitry means including eight control output terminals.

Claim 9

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 5 adapted to receive and play two channel and four channel tape cartridges wherein the means for creating relative motion includes means for receiving a tape cartridge housing, an 8-track pre-recorded tape and means for driving the tape past the tape head means, further comprising one tape head having eight pickup areas, eight voltage controlled amplifier means, the output circuit matrixing means including four input terminals, four output terminals, and four electronic switches, and the logic circuitry means including eight control output terminals.

Claim 10

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a multiplicity of shaping amplifier means, each shaping means having, an input, an output, and internal circuitry, the internal circuitry coupling the input to the output in a predetermined frequently dependent manner wherein each shaping amplifier series couples one output of the voltage controlled amplifiers to one input of the output matrixing means, the input of each shaping amplifier connected to the respective output of at least one voltage controlled amplifier, the output of each shaping amplifier connected to one of the output matrixing means input terminals, whereby the signals at the output terminals of the voltage controlled amplifiers are predeterminedly shaped prior to output matrixing.

Claim 11

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 5 wherein each voltage controlled amplifier means comprises a differetial amplifier means having a first current branch having a first gate and an output terminal, a second current branch having a second gate, and a current source branch having a voltage controlled current source having an input terminal and being cooupled to the first and second branches and providing in response to a time varying signal applied to the input terminal of the voltage controlled current source, a proportional time, varying current through the current source branch, the current source branch current flowing substantially in the second current branch corresponding to the second gate terminal voltage exceeding the first gate terminal voltage and current flowing substantially in the first branch corresponding to the first gate terminal voltage exceeeding the second gate voltage to thereby provide an output signal at the output terminal representative of the time varying input signal.

Claim 12

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 10 wherein the output terminal of the first current branch is the controlled amplifier output terminal, the input terminal of the voltage controlled current source is the controlled amplifier input terminal, and the first gate is coupled to the controlled terminal of the amplifier whereby signals applied to the first gate by the logic circuit means controls the voltage level at the first gate relative to a reference voltage potential applied to the second gate.

Claim 13

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 5 including the output circuit means comprising matrixing means having four electronic switches, each switch having a first contact, a second contact, a gate contact, an input terminal, and an output terminal the impedance between the first contact and second contact being low corresponding to the voltage at the gate contact at or exceeding a threshold voltage, the impedance therebetween otherwise being high, the first input terminal connected to the first contact of the first switch, the second contact of the second switch, and the first output terminal, the second input terminal connected to the first contact of the second switch, the second contact of the first switch and the second output terminal, the third input terminal connected to the first contact of the third switch, the second contact of the fourth switch, and the third output terminal, the fourth input terminal connected to the first contact of the fourth switch, the second contact of the third switch, and the fourth output terminal, the gate contacts of all switches directly interconnected and being coupled to the first command signal of the command circuit means.

Claim 14

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the logic circuit means comprises a counter having an input terminal, a first output, and a second output, the outputs representative of the binary coded decimal count of the input, the first output corresponding to two to the zero power, the second output corresponding to two to the first power, a binary coded decimal decoder having three inputs, and eight outputs, the inputs accepting binary coded decimal, the first input corresponding to two to the zero power, the second input corresponding to the first power, the third input corresponding to two to the second power, the outputs being the decimal equivalents of the inputs, the first output high representing zero, in sequence to the eighth output high representing seven, and eight OR gates, each gate having three inputs and one output the output high corresponding to at least one input high, the counter input terminal connecting to the command circuit means which generates the second command signal the first counter output connects to the first decoder input, the second counter output connects to the second decoder input, the command circuit means which generates the first command signal connects to the third decoder input, the first decoder output connects to the first input of the first gate and the first input of the fifth gate, the second decoder output connects to the first input of the second gate and the first input of the sixth gate, the third decoder output connects to the first input of the third gate and the first input of the seventh gate, the fourth decoder output connects to the first input of the fourth gate and the first input of the eighth gate, the fifth decoder output connects to the second input of the first gate, the second input of the third gate, the second input of the fifth gate, and the second input of the seventh gate, the sixth decoder output connects to the second input of the second gate, the second input of the fourth gate, the second input of the sixth gate, and the second input of the eighth gate, the seventh decoder output connects to the third input of the first gate, the third input of the third gate, the third input of the fifth gate, and the third input of the seventh gate, the eight decoder output connects to the third input of the second gate, the third input of the fourth gate, the third input of the sixth gate, and the third input of the eighth gate, each gate output is coupled to a corresponding voltage controlled amplifier.

Claim 15

The magnetic tape playing device of claim 5 wherein the command circuit comprises first sense and command means having a switch, the switch having two mechanically ganged but electronically isolated movable center connectors, each movable center connector making contact to either a first pole or a second pole dependent on switch position, each pole electrically isolated from all other poles, the first center connector and its associated first and second poles comprising the first half of the switch, the second center connector and its associated first and second poles comprising the second half of the switch, the center connector of the first half of the switch connecting to the gate terminal of the output matrixing means, the first pole of the first half of the switch being left unconnected, the second pole of the first half of the switch connecting to the DC supply means, the center connector of the second half of the switch connecting to the reference potential, the first pole of the second half of the switch connecting through the resistor to the DC supply means and to the first responding means of the logic circuitry means, the second pole of the second half of the switch being left unconnected.

Claim 16

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the center connector of the second half of the switch connects to the third input of the counter.

Claim 17

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the first sense and command means is responsive to two channel or four channel tape cartridges.

Claim 18

The magnetic tape playing device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the command circuit means comprises a second sense and command means having a momentary pushbutton switch, the switch having two stationary contacts and one spring loaded movable contact, the movable contact connecting the first contact to the second contact on manual depression, the contacts otherwise isolated, a pair of contact sensors, the contacts in spaced relation and physical configuration aligning with a conductive area on the tape causing the contacts to be connected, the contacts otherwise isolated, and a monostable multivibrator having an input terminal, an output terminal, and internal circuitry, the circuitry coupling the input to the output, a trigger signal at the input terminal activating the circuitry, the output terminal thereby assuming a single pulse voltage of duration predetermined dependent on the circuitry, wherein the first switch contact connects to the first contact sensor and is coupled to the input terminal of the monostable multivibrator, the second switch contact connects to the second contact sensor and also connects to the DC supply means, the monostable output connects to the second sense means output, whereby manual activation of the switch or tape conducting area contacting the contact sensors triggers the monostable input thereby causing a defined pulse to appear at the terminal output.

Claim 19

A cartridge type tape player adapted to receive and play multi-channel tape cartridges comprising in combination: a tape head means having a multiplicity of pickup areas, a multiplicity of voltage controlled amplifier means including an input terminal, an output terminal, and a controlled terminal, the input terminal coupled to the output terminal corresponding to the controlled terminal assuming a first state, the input terminal decoupled from the output terminal corresponding to the controlled terminal assuming a second state, an output matrixing means including a multiplicity of input terminals, a multiplicity of output terminals, a gate terminal, a multiplicity of electronic switches having a first pole, a second pole, and a gate pole, a low impedance between the first and second poles corresponding to the gate pole assuming a command signal state, the impedance otherwise high therebetween, interconnecting means coupling in parallel all gate poles, connecting the poles to the gate terminal, connecting the matrix input terminals, the matrix output terminals, the first poles, and the second poles in a predetermined configuration, a logic circuitry means including a multiplicity of control output terminals, the terminals developing a first state or a second state, a first responding means input terminal coupled to a first responding means producing predetermined control terminal states dependent on received channel number command signals, a second responding means input terminal coupled to a second responding means producing predetermined control terminal output states dependent on received program sequence command signals a first sense and command means producing a channel number command signal at its output corresponding to the number of channels per program sensed on the tape received by the player, a second sense and command means including a manually activated switch, an automatic sensor switch, producing a program sequence command at its output corresponding to activation of one of the switches wherein the improvement comprises the head means of predeterminedly fixed position aligning the pickup areas with selected tracks on the tape, each pickup area coupled to one of the input terminals of the amplifier means, the output terminal of each of the amplifier means coupled to one of the input terminals of the matrixing means, each of the controlled terminals of the amplifier means connected to one of the control output terminals of the logic means, the first responding means input terminal connected to the output of the first sense and command means, the second responding means input terminal connected to the output of the second sense and command means, the gate terminal of the matrixing means connected to the first sense and command means, whereby in response to the number of channels per program sensed by the first sense and command means and the sequence activation commanded by the second sense and command means, the logic circuitry develops a first state at selected control outputs causing selected input signals to pass from the input terminal to the output terminal of the voltage controlled amplifiers, these selected signals then isolated or combined in the output matrixing means, the means also responding to the first sense and command means, the output of the matrixing means available for transducing to audibility the exact channels and programs as commanded by the first and second sense and command means.

Claim 20

A cartridge type tape player adapted to receive and play multi-channel tape cartridges comprising in combination: a tape head means having a multiplicity of pickup areas, a multiplicity of voltage controlled amplifier means including an input terminal, an output terminal, and a controlled terminal, the input terminal coupled to the output terminal corresponding to the controlled terminal assuming a first state, the input terminal decoupled from the output terminal corresponding to the controlled terminal assuming a second state, an output matrixing means including a multiplicity of input terminals, a multiplicity of output terminals, a gate terminal, a multiplicity of electronic switches having a first pole, a second pole, and a gate pole, a low impedance between the first and second poles corresponding to the gate pole assuming a command signal state, the impedance otherwise high therebetween, interconnecting means coupling in parallel all gate poles, connecting the poles to the gate terminal, connecting the matrix input terminals, the matrix output terminals, the first poles, and the second poles in a predetermined configuration, a logic circuitry means including a multiplicity of control output terminals, the terminals developing a first state or a second state, a first responding means input terminal coupled to a first responding means producing predetermined control terminal states dependent on received channel number command signals, a second responding means input terminal coupled to a second responding means producing predetermined control terminal output states dependent on received program sequence command signals a first sense and command means producing a channel number command signal at its output corresponding to the number of channels per program sensed on the tape received by the player, a second sense and command means including a manually activated switch, an automatic sensor switch, producing a program sequence command at its output corresponding to activation of one of the switches wherein the improvement comprises the head means of predeterminedly fixed position aligning the pickup areas with selected tracks on the tape, each pickup area coupled to one of the input terminals of the amplifier means, the output terminal of each of the amplifier means coupled to one of the input terminals of the matrixing means, each of the controlled terminals of the amplifier means connected to one of the control output terminals of the logic means, the first responding means input terminal connected to the output of the first sense and command means, the second responding means input terminal connected to the output of the second sense and command means, the gate terminal of the matrixing means connected to the first sense and command means, whereby in response to the number of channels per program sensed by the first sense and command means and the sequence activation commanded by the second sense and command means, the logic circuitry develops a first state at selected control outputs causing selected input signals to pass from the input terminal to the output terminal of the voltage controlled amplifiers, these selected signals then isolated or combined in the output matrixing means, the means also responding to the first sense and command means, the output of the matrixing means available for transducing to audibility the exact channels and programs as commanded by the first and second sense and command means.