US5066046A — Method and apparatus for allocating and recording…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 149 words

An apparatus for visual logging of programs recorded on videocassettes, the apparatus comprising in combination: (a) a log sheet including a plurality of adjacent identical recording time areas, dimensions of which represent consecutive recording time intervals on a videocassette, respectively; (b) a plurality of markable program description labels each having an area corresponding to a preselected recording time interval, information about various recorded programs being marked on individual ones of the program description labels, receptively, that correspond in size to the durations of the recorded programs; (c) means for attaching the program description labels on the recording time areas of the log sheet corresponding to portions of the videocassette on which programs identified on the program description labels are recorded, respectively, where the log sheet provides a visual representation of the portions of the videocassette on which the identified programs are pre-recorded and portions avaialbe for recording other programs.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 149 words

An apparatus for visual logging of programs recorded on videocassettes, the apparatus comprising in combination: (a) a log sheet including a plurality of adjacent identical recording time areas, dimensions of which represent consecutive recording time intervals on a videocassette, respectively; (b) a plurality of markable program description labels each having an area corresponding to a preselected recording time interval, information about various recorded programs being marked on individual ones of the program description labels, receptively, that correspond in size to the durations of the recorded programs; (c) means for attaching the program description labels on the recording time areas of the log sheet corresponding to portions of the videocassette on which programs identified on the program description labels are recorded, respectively, where the log sheet provides a visual representation of the portions of the videocassette on which the identified programs are pre-recorded and portions avaialbe for recording other programs.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 12 words

The apparatus of claim 1 including a plurality of the log sheets.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each log sheet includes a plurality of groups of recording time areas, each group corresponding to a different videocassette.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 12 words

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the recording time areas are rectangular.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of the groups includes six of the recording time areas, each recording time area corresponding to one hour of program recording time on a videocassette.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 12 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the program description labels are rectangular.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 89 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein some of the program description labels each have the same width and one-half the height of the recording time areas and represent a one-half hour program recording interval, others of the program description labels each have the same width and height as the recording time areas and represent one hour of program recording time, and others of the program description labels each have the same width and twice the height of the recording time areas and represent a two hour program recording interval

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 142 words

The apparatus of claim 7 including a plurality of rectangular long play masks for use at a standard long play speed of a videocassette player each having the same width and twice the height of the recording time ares for covering the last two recording time areas of a group to indicate that said last two recording time areas are not useable when recording is being performed at the long play speed, and also including a plurality of rectangular slow play masks for use at a standard slow play speed of a videocassette player each having the same width and four times the height of the recording time areas for covering the last four recording time ares of a group to indicate that said last four recording time areas are not useable when recording ti being performed at the slow play speed.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 8 including a counter scale for indicating VCR counter values at half-hour intervals on a group of adjacent recording time areas.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the attaching means includes clear plastic film adherent on contact to a surface of the log sheet to hold the program description labels thereon.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 161 words

A method for visual logging of programs recorded on videocassettes using a log sheet including a plurality of adjacent identical recording time areas, dimensions of which represent consecutive recording time intervals on a videocassette, and a plurality of different-sized markable program description labels each having an area corresponding to a preselected recording time interval, comprising the steps of: (a) entering information about a recorded program on one of the labels corresponding in size to a duration of the recorded program; (b) attaching the program description label on one of the recording time areas of the log sheet corresponding to a portion of a videocassette on which the program entered on the recording time area is recorded; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for a different program and a different program description label, whereby the log sheet provides a visual representation of portions of the videocassette on which identified programs are pre-recorded and portions of the videocassette available for recording other programs.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 161 words

A method for visual logging of programs recorded on videocassettes using a log sheet including a plurality of adjacent identical recording time areas, dimensions of which represent consecutive recording time intervals on a videocassette, and a plurality of different-sized markable program description labels each having an area corresponding to a preselected recording time interval, comprising the steps of: (a) entering information about a recorded program on one of the labels corresponding in size to a duration of the recorded program; (b) attaching the program description label on one of the recording time areas of the log sheet corresponding to a portion of a videocassette on which the program entered on the recording time area is recorded; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for a different program and a different program description label, whereby the log sheet provides a visual representation of portions of the videocassette on which identified programs are pre-recorded and portions of the videocassette available for recording other programs.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 89 words

The method of claim 11 wherein the log sheet includes a plurality of groups of recording time areas, each group corresponding to a different videocassette, wherein the recording time areas are rectangular, each of the groups includes six of the recording time areas, each recording time area corresponding to one hour of program recording time on a videocassette, the method including attaching the program description labels to the log sheet by means of a sheet of clear plastic film adherent on contact to the surface of the log sheets.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 120 words

The method of claim 12 wherein the program description labels are rectangular, some of the program description labels each have the same width and one-half the height of the recording time areas and represent a one-half hour program recording interval, others of the program description labels each have the same width and height as the recording time areas and represent one hour of program recording time, and others of the program description labels each have the same width and twice the height of the recording time areas and represent a two hour program recording interval, the method including selecting one of the program description labels the height of which corresponds to the length of the program to be recorded next.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 70 words

The method of claim 13 including using a rectangular long play mask for sue at a standard long play speed of a videocassette player having the same width and twice the height of the recording time areas to cover the last two recording time areas of a group to indicate that said last two recording time areas are not useable when recording is being performed at the long play speed.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 74 words

The method of claim 13 including using a plurality of rectangular slow play masks for use at a standard slow play speed of a videocassette player each having the same width and four times the height of the recording time areas to cover the last four recording time areas of a group to indicate that said last four recording time areas are not useable when recording is being performed at the slow play speed.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 153 words

An apparatus for visual logging of progress recorded on videocassettes, the apparatus comprising in combination: (a) a log sheet including first and second parallel line, the distance between the first and second lines representing the total amount of tape of a videocassette; (b) a plurality of markable program description labels each having an area corresponding to a preselected recording time interval, information about recorded programs being marked on individual ones of the program description labels that correspond in size to the durations of the recorded programs, receptively; (c) means for attaching the program description labels on portion of the log sheet between the first and second lines corresponding to portions of the videocassette on which programs identified on the program description labels are recorded, respectively, whereby the log sheet provides a visual representation of the portions of the videocassette on which the identified programs are pre-recorded and portions avaialbe for recording other programs.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 153 words

An apparatus for visual logging of progress recorded on videocassettes, the apparatus comprising in combination: (a) a log sheet including first and second parallel line, the distance between the first and second lines representing the total amount of tape of a videocassette; (b) a plurality of markable program description labels each having an area corresponding to a preselected recording time interval, information about recorded programs being marked on individual ones of the program description labels that correspond in size to the durations of the recorded programs, receptively; (c) means for attaching the program description labels on portion of the log sheet between the first and second lines corresponding to portions of the videocassette on which programs identified on the program description labels are recorded, respectively, whereby the log sheet provides a visual representation of the portions of the videocassette on which the identified programs are pre-recorded and portions avaialbe for recording other programs.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-11-18	1995-05-20	1995-11-19	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-11-18	1999-05-20	1999-11-19	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-11-18	2003-05-20	2003-11-19	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for allocating and recording time blocks on VCR tapes

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