Time selective information dissemination system for use in sleep teaching

Claim 2

A time selective information dissemination system adapted for use in sleep teaching for selectively recovering information recorded on a recording medium having a predetermined rate of medium travel, said dissemination system comprising information sensing means responsive to information recorded on a recording medium and providing electrical output signals indicative thereof; signal transmitting means connected with said information sensing means for receiving said output signals therefrom, said signal transmitting means producing an output when in an enabled state and producing no output while in an inhibited state; utilization means adapted for use with a sleeping person, said utilization means being connected with said signal transmitting means for reproducing recorded information sensed by said information sensing means while said signal transmitting means is in said enabled state; indexing means on said recording medium coextensive with the information recorded thereon; means for producing pulses in response to said indexing means at a rate correlated to the medium travel rate of the recording medium; means responsive to said pulse producing means for generating a control pulse of a predetermined time period; and dissemination control means for receiving said control pulse, said dissemination control means being connected with said signal transmitting means to enable the same automatically in response to the presence of said control pulse and for inhibiting an output from said signal transmitting means in the absence of said control pulse.

Claim 3

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 1 wherein said signal transmitting means includes amplifying means enabled by said dissemination control means, and wherein said utilization means includes a speaker positionable near the ear of a sleeping person for reproducing in audible form recorded information coupled through said amplifying means.

Claim 4

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 1 for use with a magnetic tape recording medium which has detectable movement indicating indicia thereon, said pulse producing means including means sensing the medium indicia for producing pulses in response thereto, and said information sensing means is a pick-up head for picking up information recorded on a magnetic tape.

Claim 5

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 3 wherein said control pulse generating means includes a counting circuit for counting received output indications from said indicia sensing means and producing said control pulse only during predetermined counts.

Claim 6

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 4 wherein said system includes a pulse-shaping circuit connected between said counting circuit and said indicia sensing means.

Claim 7

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 5 wherein said system includes a delay circuit connected with said pulse-shaping circuit to prevent false indicia sensing indications.

Claim 8

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 4 which further includes a second counting circuit for counting pulses from said pulse producing means, and gate circuit means responsive to the presence of predetermined counts in said second counting circuit for enabling the recording medium drive motor.

Claim 9

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 7 which further includes means for preselecting the counts in said second counter which enable the recording medium drive motor so as to vary the total cycle time of the system.

Claim 10

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 8 wherein said preselecting means include means for presetting counts into said second counting circuit prior to initiation of the system.

Claim 11

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 1 wherein said system includes a second information sensing means for selectively recovering information recorded on a recording medium and producing electrical output signals indicative thereof, and second signal transmitting means connected with said second information sensing means for receiving said output signals therefrom with said second information sensing means producing an output while in an enabled state and producing no output while in an inhibited state, and wherein said dissemination control means is also connected with said second signal transmitting means to enable the same during a second predetermined time interval and inhibiting an output from said second signal transmitting means during time intervals other than during said second time interval.

Claim 12

A time selective information dissemination system adapted for use in sleep teaching for selectively recovering information recorded on a multi-track endless magnetic tape having tape traveling indicia thereon, said dissemination system comprising a first pick-up head responsive to information recorded on one track of a multi-track endless magnetic tape and providing first electrical output signals indicative thereof; first amplifying means connected with said first pick-up head for receiving said first output signals therefrom, said first amplifying means producing an output when in a conductive state; a second pick-up head responsive to information recorded on a second track of said multi-track endless magnetic tape and providing second electrical output signals indicative thereof; second amplifying means connected with said second pick-up head for recovering said second output signals therefrom, said second amplifying means producing an output when in a conductive state and precluding an output when in a non-conductive state; speaker means adapted to be positionable near the ear of a person, said speaker means being connected with said first and second amplifying means for reproducing in audible form outputs received from said first and second amplifying means; indicia sensing means for sensing travel of said endless magnetic tape and producing output indications thereof; dissemination control means for receiving said output indications from said indicia sensing means, said dissemination control means being connected with said first and second amplifying means to individually control the conductive state of each so that each of said first and second amplifying means is in a conductive state only during a predetermined time interval different from that of the other said amplifying means; and pick-up head control means connected with said pick-up heads for determining the track to be picked up by each said head.

Claim 13

A time selective information dissemination system adapted for use in sleep teaching for selectively recovering information recorded on a multi-track endless magnetic tape having tape traveling indicia thereon, said dissemination system comprising a first pick-up head responsive to information recorded on one track of a multi-track endless magnetic tape and providing first electrical output signals indicative thereof; first amplifying means connected with said first pick-up head for receiving said first output signals therefrom, said first amplifying means producing an output when in a conductive state; a second pick-up head responsive to information recorded on a second track of said multi-track endless magnetic tape and providing second electrical output signals indicative thereof; second amplifying means connected with said second pick-up head for recovering said second output signals therefrom, said second amplifying means producing an output when in a conductive state and precluding an output when in a non-conductive state; speaker means adapted to be positionable near the ear of a person, said speaker means being connected with said first and second amplifying means for reproducing in audible form outputs received from said first and second amplifying means; indicia sensing means for sensing travel of said endless magnetic tape and producing output indications thereof; dissemination control means for receiving said output indications from said indicia sensing means, said dissemination control means being connected with said first and second amplifying means to individually control the conductive state of each so that each of said first and second amplifying means is in a conductive state only during a predetermined time interval different from that of the other said amplifying means; and pick-up head control means connected with said pick-up heads for determining the track to be picked up by each said head.

Claim 14

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 11 wherein said endless magnetic tape has a metallic tape travel indicia thereon, and wherein said indicia sensing means includes a pair of spaced contacts that are brought into simultaneous contact with said metallic tape travel indicia to establish a closed circuit between said contacts each time that said tape travel indicia passes by said indicia sensing means.

Claim 15

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 11 wherein said dissemination control means includes a counting circuit different outputs of which are connected with said first and second amplifying means, wherein said dissemination control means includes a pulse-shaping circuit connected between said counting circuit and said indicia sensing means; and wherein said dissemination control means also includes a delay circuit to prevent erroneous indicia sensing indications.

Claim 16

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 13 wherein each of said amplifying means is caused by said counting circuit to be in a conductive state for a predetermined short period of time relative to the time that each said amplifying means is in a non-conductive state with said amplifying means being initially precluded from assuming a conductive state for a predetermined time.

Claim 17

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 14 wherein said system is adapted for use in sleep teaching and wherein said counting circuit prevents said amplifying means from assuming a conductive state for a predetermined period of time sufficient to allow the onset of deep sleep, said counting circuit thereafter allowing each said amplifying means to assume a conductive state at different times to permit a program output from said speaker for a selected time period each time that one of said amplifying means is caused to assume said conductive state, with said speaker being silent for another selected time period before the program output is repeated at the speaker when said amplifying means are successively caused to assume a conductive state.

Claim 18

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 11 wherein said recording head control means includes a track change solenoid for controlling said pick-up head positioning and a manual switch for energizing said solenoid.

Claim 19

The time selective information dissemination system of claim 16 wherein said system includes means connected with said manual switch for resetting said dissemination control means each time that said pick-up heads are shifted to pick up a different track by energization of said track change solenoid.

Claim 20

A time selective information dissemination system adapted for use in sleep teaching for selectively recovering information contained on a recording medium which is motivated by a drive motor comprising, means for generating pulses correlated to the time rate of movement of the recording medium, first and second counter circuits coupled for counting pulses from said generating means, at least one transducer means arranged for detecting the information on the recording medium, amplifier means for receiving the output of said transducer means, means responsive to at least one preselected count in said first counter circuit for controlling the conductivity of said amplifier means, speaker means coupled for receiving the output of said amplifier means, and gate circuit means responsive to the presence of preselected counts in said second counter circuit for enabling the recording medium drive motor from initiation of system operation until a predetermined time thereafter so as to define a system operating cycle, the counts in said first counter circuit for permitting conductivity of said amplifier means being selected for actuating said speaker means for providing a sequence of at least a silent interval followed by an interval of output from said speaker means during said operating cycle.

Claim 21

A time selective information dissemination system adapted for use in sleep teaching for selectively recovering information contained on a recording medium which is motivated by a drive motor comprising, means for generating pulses correlated to the time rate of movement of the recording medium, first and second counter circuits coupled for counting pulses from said generating means, at least one transducer means arranged for detecting the information on the recording medium, amplifier means for receiving the output of said transducer means, means responsive to at least one preselected count in said first counter circuit for controlling the conductivity of said amplifier means, speaker means coupled for receiving the output of said amplifier means, and gate circuit means responsive to the presence of preselected counts in said second counter circuit for enabling the recording medium drive motor from initiation of system operation until a predetermined time thereafter so as to define a system operating cycle, the counts in said first counter circuit for permitting conductivity of said amplifier means being selected for actuating said speaker means for providing a sequence of at least a silent interval followed by an interval of output from said speaker means during said operating cycle.

Claim 22

A time selective information dissemination system in accordance with claim 18 which further includes means for presetting counts into said second counter circuit for selecting the length of the system operating cycle between at least a short time cycle and a long time cycle, said speaker means disseminating information for one interval during said short cycle and for a plurality of intervals during said cycle.

Claim 23

A time selective information dissemination system in accordance with claim 18 for use with a magnetic tape recording medium which has movement reflecting detectable indicia thereon, said pulse generating means including sensor means for providing an output pulse in response to detection of the medium indicia for introduction to the input of said first counter circuit, said second counter circuit pulse input being provided by a preselected count in said first counter circuit, said gate circuit means including an OR circuit for providing a medium drive enabling output in the presence of said preselected count of said first counter circuit or said preselected counts in said second counter circuit.

Claim 24

A time selective information dissemination system in accordance with claim 20 for use with a multitrack magnetic tape recording medium, said system further including a plurality of said transducer means positioned for detecting the information contained on a respective medium track, a plurality of said amplifier means coupled for receiving the outputs of respective said transducer means, and means selecting one of said amplifier means for conductive enabling by said preselected count responsive means.

Claim 25

A time selective information dissemination system in accordance with claim 21 which further includes means for shifting said transducer means between the tracks of the medium.

Claim 28

The method for disseminating information in accordance with claim 23 wherein said method includes automatically replaying said disseminated information as a repeat thereof after the said longer period of time has elapsed.