Video tape recorder with a joint-recording capability and a video camera having the same

Claim 2

A video tape recorder for recording video signals on a magnetic tape by helical scanning, comprising: recording means including a head cylinder which carries a magnetic head therewith for rotating said head cylinder and applying the video signals to said magnetic head to record the video signals on the magnetic tape by helical scanning; tape transporting means for transporting the magnetic tape while maintaining the magnetic tape in sliding contact with said head cylinder; servo-lock determining means for determining when said recording means is in a servo-locked condition; operating means for entering commands which are associated with recording the video signals on the magnetic tape; and main control means responsive to an operation of said operating means for controlling said recording means and said tape transporting means, said main control means including, first controlling means for controlling, in response to a record command entered on said operating means, said tape transporting means to transport the magnetic tape in a first direction to thereby record the video signals on the magnetic tape, continuing means for continuing, in response to a record stop command entered on said operating means, to record the video signals on the magnetic tape until a predetermined period of time expires after entry of the record stop command, controlling said tape transporting the magnetic tape by a first predetermined length in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and second controlling means for controlling, in response to a next record command entered on said operating means, said tape transporting means to transport the magnetic tape in the first direction while servo-controlling said recording means and, when said servo-lock determining means determines the servo-locked condition, controlling said recording means to record the video signals on the magnetic tape, wherein the predetermined period time is selected such that a position on the magnetic tape where the servo-locked condition has been determined fails to substantially precede a position on the magnetic tape which is associated with an instant when the record stop command has been entered.

Claim 3

A video tape recorder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said main control means is responsive to the record stop command entered on said operating means for returning the magnetic tape by the first predetermined length in the second direction, transporting the magnetic tape in the first direction by a second predetermined length which is shorter than the first predetermined length, and then stopping the magnetic tape.

Claim 4

A video tape recorder in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a video signal input terminal for receiving the video signals and applying the video signals to said recording means.

Claim 5

A video tape recorder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said operating means comprises a non-lock button manually operable to enter the record command, said non-lock button applying the record command to said main control means when pressed and applying the record stop command to said main control means when restored.

Claim 6

A video tape recorder in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: rewritable storing means for constantly receiving and storing the video signals while sequentially updating said rewritable storing means; and selecting means for selectively applying an output of said rewritable storing means and the video signals to said recording means, said selecting means including, feed selecting means for feeding the video signals to said recording means to said rewritable storing means so that said rewritable storing means constantly stores the video signals while being sequentially updated, stop selecting means for stopping, in response to the record stop command entered on said operating means, the video signals from being written in said rewritable storing means and causing said rewritable storing means to hold a last video signal, and read selecting means for reading out, until said predetermined period of time expires after entry of the record stop command, the video signals held in said rewritable storing means and applying the read out video signals to said recording means, whereby the video signals are continuously recorded on the magnetic tape.

Claim 7

A video tape recorder in accordance with claim 5, wherein said rewritable storing means comprises a rewritable digital memory, and said video tape recorder further comprises: analog-to-digital converter means for converting the video signals into digital data and storing the digital data in said digital memory; and digital-to-analog converter means for converting the digital data read out of said digital memory into an analog signal.

Claim 8

A video tape recorder in accordance with claim 5, wherein said operating means comprises a non-lock button for manually entering the record command, said non-lock button applying the record command to said main control means when operated and applying the record stop command to said main control means when restored.

Claim 9

A video camera comprising: a video signal source for applying video signals representative of a scene to a video signal input terminal by shooting the scene with the video camera; and a video tape recorder for recording the video signals from said video source on a magnetic tape by helical scanning, said video tape recorder including, recording means having a head cylinder which carries a magnetic head therewith for rotating said head cylinder and applying the video signals to said magnetic head to record the video signals on the magnetic tape by helical scanning, tape transporting means for transporting the magnetic tape while maintaining the magnetic tape in sliding contact with said head cylinder, servo-lock determining means for determining when said recording means is in a servo-locked condition, operating means for entering commands which are associated with recording the video signals on the magnetic tape, first controlling means for controlling, in response to a record command entered on said operating means, said tape transporting means to transport the magnetic tape in a first direction to thereby record the video signals on the magnetic tape, continuing means for continuing, in response to a record stop command entered on said operating means, to record the video signals on the magnetic tape until a predetermined period of time expires after entry of the record stop command, controlling said tape transporting means to stop transferring the magnetic tape, and then returning the magnetic tape by a first predetermined length in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and second controlling means for controlling, in response to a next record command entered on said operating means, said tape transporting means to transport the magnetic tape in the first direction while servo-controlling said recording means and, when said servo-lock determining means determines the servo-locked condition, controlling said recording means to record the video signals on the magnetic tape, wherein the predetermined period of time is selected such that a position on the magnetic tape where the servo-locked condition has been determined fails to substantially precede a position on the magnetic tape which is associated with an instant when the record stop command has been entered.

Claim 10

A video camera comprising: a video signal source for applying video signals representative of a scene to a video signal input terminal by shooting the scene with the video camera; and a video tape recorder for recording the video signals from said video source on a magnetic tape by helical scanning, said video tape recorder including, recording means having a head cylinder which carries a magnetic head therewith for rotating said head cylinder and applying the video signals to said magnetic head to record the video signals on the magnetic tape by helical scanning, tape transporting means for transporting the magnetic tape while maintaining the magnetic tape in sliding contact with said head cylinder, servo-lock determining means for determining when said recording means is in a servo-locked condition, operating means for entering commands which are associated with recording the video signals on the magnetic tape, first controlling means for controlling, in response to a record command entered on said operating means, said tape transporting means to transport the magnetic tape in a first direction to thereby record the video signals on the magnetic tape, continuing means for continuing, in response to a record stop command entered on said operating means, to record the video signals on the magnetic tape until a predetermined period of time expires after entry of the record stop command, controlling said tape transporting means to stop transferring the magnetic tape, and then returning the magnetic tape by a first predetermined length in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and second controlling means for controlling, in response to a next record command entered on said operating means, said tape transporting means to transport the magnetic tape in the first direction while servo-controlling said recording means and, when said servo-lock determining means determines the servo-locked condition, controlling said recording means to record the video signals on the magnetic tape, wherein the predetermined period of time is selected such that a position on the magnetic tape where the servo-locked condition has been determined fails to substantially precede a position on the magnetic tape which is associated with an instant when the record stop command has been entered.

Claim 11

A video camera in accordance with claim 8, wherein said continuing means is responsive to the record stop command entered on said operating means for returning the magnetic tape by the first predetermined length in the second direction, transporting the magnetic tape in the first direction by a second predetermined length which is shorter than the first predetermined length, and then stopping the magnetic tape.

Claim 12

A video camera in accordance with claim 8, wherein said operating means comprises a non-lock button manually operable to enter the record command to said first controlling means when pressed and applying the record stop command to said continuing means when restored.

Claim 13

A video camera in accordance with claim 8, further comprising: rewritable storing means for constantly receiving and storing the video signals while sequentially updating said rewritable storing means; and selecting means for selectively applying an output of said rewritable storing means and the video signals to said recording means, said selecting means including, feed selecting means for feeding the video signals to said recording means and to said rewritable storing means so that said rewritable storing means constantly stores the video signals while being sequentially updated, stop selecting means for stopping, in response to the record stop command entered on said operating means, the video signals from being written in said rewritable storing means and causing said rewritable storing means to hold a last video signal, and read selecting means for reading out, until said predetermined period of time expires after entry of the record stop command, the video signals held in said rewritable storing means and applying the read out video signals to said recording means, whereby the video signals are continuously recorded on the magnetic tape.

Claim 14

A video camera in accordance with claim 11, wherein said rewritable storing means comprises a rewritable digital memory and said video camera further comprises: analog-to-digital converter means for converting the video signals into digital data and storing the digital data in said digital memory; and digital-to-analog converter means for converting the digital data read out of said digital memory into an analog signal.