US4766505A — Method and apparatus for recording video and audi…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 319 words

Apparatus for recording an information signal formed of a video signal and an audio signal in a plurality of successive tracks on a record medium, each track being divided into at least two sections, the apparatus comprising: means for converting the audio signal into a coded digital audio signal; means for time base compressing the digital audio signal; and means for recording the compressed digital audio signal and said video signal in said plurality of tracks such that in each track one section has said compressed digital audio signal recorded therein and another section has the video signal recorded therein, characterized in that control means are provided so that one field of a selected video signal is recorded in one of said sections of each track, said one of said sections of each track being formed of a leading portion of one video field and a trailing portion of the same video field, and a portion of said compressed digital audio signal having a length in real time base equivalent to one video field interval of said video signal that is prior to the selected video signal on a real time base axis is recorded in another section of each track, said compressed digital audio signal corresponds to the video signal formed of a trailing portion of one video field and a leading portion of a next successive video field, and said recorded audio signal is separated from the recorded video signal portions to which it corresponds by a predetermined interval including a digital coding duration imparted by said means for converting, such that said compressed digital audio signal recorded in said another section of each track corresponds on a real time base axis to a prior video signal recorded in a trailing portion of the next but one preceding successive track and to a prior video signal recorded in a leading portion of the next preceding successive track.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 319 words

Apparatus for recording an information signal formed of a video signal and an audio signal in a plurality of successive tracks on a record medium, each track being divided into at least two sections, the apparatus comprising: means for converting the audio signal into a coded digital audio signal; means for time base compressing the digital audio signal; and means for recording the compressed digital audio signal and said video signal in said plurality of tracks such that in each track one section has said compressed digital audio signal recorded therein and another section has the video signal recorded therein, characterized in that control means are provided so that one field of a selected video signal is recorded in one of said sections of each track, said one of said sections of each track being formed of a leading portion of one video field and a trailing portion of the same video field, and a portion of said compressed digital audio signal having a length in real time base equivalent to one video field interval of said video signal that is prior to the selected video signal on a real time base axis is recorded in another section of each track, said compressed digital audio signal corresponds to the video signal formed of a trailing portion of one video field and a leading portion of a next successive video field, and said recorded audio signal is separated from the recorded video signal portions to which it corresponds by a predetermined interval including a digital coding duration imparted by said means for converting, such that said compressed digital audio signal recorded in said another section of each track corresponds on a real time base axis to a prior video signal recorded in a trailing portion of the next but one preceding successive track and to a prior video signal recorded in a leading portion of the next preceding successive track.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 61 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said means for compressing includes memory means for storing said digitized audio signal and said control means is connected for controlling said memory means to write said digitized audio signal therein at a first rate and to read such digitized audio signal therefrom at a second, faster rate, thereby compressing said digitized audio signal.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 107 words

Apparatus according to claim 2, in which said video signal includes a vertical synchronizing signal and said memory means includes a first memory device and a second memory device and in which said control means includes a field counter receiving said vertical synchronizing signals of said video signal for producing an output therefrom, and a decoder circuit receiving said output from said field counter and producing a decode signal therefrom for controlling said first memory device and said second memory device to alternately write and read one block of said audio signal corresponding to a real time length equivalent to one field interval of the video signal.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 35 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising FSK modulation means for frequency modulating said compressed digital audio signal to produce a frequency modulated, compressed, digital audio signal and supplying same to said means for recording.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 87 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said means for recording includes at least one recording head and in which said video signal includes a vertical synchronization signal; and said apparatus further includes counter means for producing a reference signal in response to said vertical synchronization signal, and switch means for switching said compressed digital audio signal and said video signal to said at least one recording head and switch control means for controlling operation of said switch means in response to said reference signal applied thereto.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 47 words

Apparatus according to claim 5, in which said means for recording further includes first and second recording heads and said switch means includes first and second switch devices for switching said compressed digital audio signal and said video signal to said first and second recording heads, respectively.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 100 words

Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said switch control means includes first and second multivibrator means for controlling operation of said first and second switch means, respectively, in response to said reference signal, whereby said compressed digital audio signal, corresponding on a real time base axis to one field interval of said video signal, and one field interval of said video signal are switched by said first switch means to said first recording head during alternate field intervals and are switched by said second switch means to said second recording head during remaining ones of said alternate field intervals.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 34 words

Apparatus according to claim 7, in which said video signal includes a vertical synchronizing signal, and said apparatus further includes counter means for producing said reference signal in response to said vertical synchronizing signal.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 318 words

A method for recording an information signal formed of a video signal and an audio signal in a plurality of successive tracks on a record medium, each track being divided into at least two sections, comprising the steps of: converting the audio signal into a coded digital audio signal; time base compressing the coded, digital audio signal; and recording the compressed digital audio signal and said video signal in said plurality of successive tracks, such that in each track one section has said compressed digital audio signal recorded therein and another section has the video signal recorded therein, the step of recording being characterized by recording one field of a selected video signal having a length equivalent to one video field interval in one of said sections of each track and recording a selected portion of said compressed digital audio signal having a length in real time base equivalent to one field interval of the video signal that is prior to the selected video signal on a real time base axis in another section of the track and in which said step of recording said audio signal includes the step of selecting said audio portion to correspond to the video signal recorded in a leading portion of a next preceding track and recorded in a trailing portion of a next but one preceding track, such that a beginning of said audio portion is delayed from the beginning of the selected video signal to which it corresponds by a predetermined interval including a digital coding interval imparted during the step of converting, such that the compressed digital audio signal recorded in said another section in each track corresponds on a real time base axis to the prior video signal recorded in the trailing portion of the next but one preceding successive track and to the prior video signal recorded in the leading portion of the next preceding successive track.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 318 words

A method for recording an information signal formed of a video signal and an audio signal in a plurality of successive tracks on a record medium, each track being divided into at least two sections, comprising the steps of: converting the audio signal into a coded digital audio signal; time base compressing the coded, digital audio signal; and recording the compressed digital audio signal and said video signal in said plurality of successive tracks, such that in each track one section has said compressed digital audio signal recorded therein and another section has the video signal recorded therein, the step of recording being characterized by recording one field of a selected video signal having a length equivalent to one video field interval in one of said sections of each track and recording a selected portion of said compressed digital audio signal having a length in real time base equivalent to one field interval of the video signal that is prior to the selected video signal on a real time base axis in another section of the track and in which said step of recording said audio signal includes the step of selecting said audio portion to correspond to the video signal recorded in a leading portion of a next preceding track and recorded in a trailing portion of a next but one preceding track, such that a beginning of said audio portion is delayed from the beginning of the selected video signal to which it corresponds by a predetermined interval including a digital coding interval imparted during the step of converting, such that the compressed digital audio signal recorded in said another section in each track corresponds on a real time base axis to the prior video signal recorded in the trailing portion of the next but one preceding successive track and to the prior video signal recorded in the leading portion of the next preceding successive track.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 44 words

A method according to claim 9, in which said step of time base compressing includes the steps of writing said digitized audio signal into a memory at a first rate and reading said digitized audio signal from said memory at a second, faster rate.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 105 words

A method according to claim 10, in which said step of writing includes the step of writing said digital audio signal corresponding to one field interval of said video signal into a first memory device at said first rate during alternate field intervals and writing into a second memory device at said first rate during the remaining field intervals; and in which step of reading includes the step of reading said digital audio signal from said first memory device at said second, faster rate during said remaining field intervals and from said second memory device at said second, faster rate during said alternate field intervals.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 28 words

A method according to claim 9, further including the step of frequency modulating said compressed digital audio signal prior to recording same in said plurality of successive tracks.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-08-23	1992-02-22	1992-08-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-08-23	1996-02-22	1996-08-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-08-23	2000-02-22	2000-08-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for recording video and audio signals in successive tracks on a record medium

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