Video cassette recorder which stores signal during tape replacement and records stored signal with next signal in picture-in-picture format

Claim 2

A video cassette recorder comprising: recording means for recording a video signal on a recording medium of a video cassette; first detector means for detecting an end portion of a recording medium of a video cassette operatively inserted in said recorder; memory means for storing video signals therein; image mixing means for mixing first and second image signals and outputting a mixed image signal which contains said first and second image; second detector means for detecting a beginning or an operational portion of a recording medium of a video cassette operatively inserted in said recorder; and control means operative to store for a time interval an input video signal in said memory means when said first detector means detects at a first time point an end portion of a first recording medium during recording of the input video signal thereon; and to record subsequently on a second recording medium for said time interval a mixed image signal output by said image mixing means when said second detector means detects at a second time point a beginning or an operational portion of said second recording medium: the first and second images of said mixed image signal comprising respectively the current input video signal and the video signal stored in the memory means, and said time interval comprising the interval between said first and second time points.

Claim 3

A video cassette recorder according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium is a magnetic tape.

Claim 4

A video cassette recorder according to claim 1, wherein said first and second detector means are provided by a common device.

Claim 5

A video cassette recorder according to claim 1, wherein said image mixing means comprises a picture-in-picture signal generator.

Claim 6

A video cassette recorder according to claim 1, wherein said first and second image are respectively a main picture and a sub-picture of the picture-in-picture signal.

Claim 7

A video cassette recorder according to claim 1, wherein said memory means comprises a solid state memory device.

Claim 8

A video cassette recorder comprising: a single deck for driving a video tape in a predetermined operation mode selected by a user; first detector means for detecting an end portion of a tape of a video cassette operatively inserted in said recorder; second detector means for detecting a beginning or an operational portion of a tape of a video cassette operatively inserted in said recorder; a tuner circuit for tuning a desired one of a plurality of television broadcasting signals received by an antenna; an audio processing unit for processing and recording the audio signal from the television signal supplied by the tuner circuit on an audio track of the video tape, and for reproducing the same through a loudspeaker; a video processing unit for processing and recording the composite video signal selected by the tuner circuit on a video track of the video tape, and reproducing the same; a key matrix circuit for selecting various functions to control the video cassette recorder; an analog-digital converter for converting the composite video signal supplied from the tuner circuit into a digital signal; a solid state memory device for storing sequentially the digital signal output from the analog-digital converter at a predetermined address which is allowed by a system control circuit, and reading out the same under a control operation of the system control circuit; a digital-analog converter for converting the digital signal output from the solid state memory device into an analog signal; a picture-in-picture processing unit for processing the stored signal supplied from the solid state memory device through the digital-analog converter as a sub-picture and a television broadcasting signal supplied directly from the tuner circuit as the main picture, and combining both in a picture-in-picture fashion; a switching unit having a first input contact to receive the television signal from the tuner circuit and a second input contact to receive the picture-in-picture signal from the picture-in-picture processing unit, and for producing one of the two input contact signals selectively at an output terminal thereof in response to the control of the system control circuit; and a system control circuit connected with at least the deck, the audio processing unit, the key matrix circuit, the memory device, the picture-in-picture processing unit and the switching unit, for controlling the same in accordance with a predetermined operation mode selected by a user and a detecting signal given by said first or second detector means, whereby the video processing unit will work in such a manner that: when the video cassette recorder is set into a normal recording mode, the television signal selected by the switching unit is recorded onto the current-loaded cassette tape, when the video cassette recorder is shifted into a stop mode in response to the detection of a tape end of a current cassette tape by said first detector means, until replaced by a new cassette tape, the television signal from the tuner circuit is stored sequentially into the solid state memory device; and when a beginning of the new cassette loaded inside the video cassette recorder is detected by said second detection means and the video cassette recorder is again set into a normal recording mode, the combined signal of the main picture and the sub-picture from the picture-in-picture processing unit is selected by the switching unit and is recorded onto the new cassette tape.

Claim 9

A video cassette recorder comprising: a single deck for driving a video tape in a predetermined operation mode selected by a user; first detector means for detecting an end portion of a tape of a video cassette operatively inserted in said recorder; second detector means for detecting a beginning or an operational portion of a tape of a video cassette operatively inserted in said recorder; a tuner circuit for tuning a desired one of a plurality of television broadcasting signals received by an antenna; an audio processing unit for processing and recording the audio signal from the television signal supplied by the tuner circuit on an audio track of the video tape, and for reproducing the same through a loudspeaker; a video processing unit for processing and recording the composite video signal selected by the tuner circuit on a video track of the video tape, and reproducing the same; a key matrix circuit for selecting various functions to control the video cassette recorder; an analog-digital converter for converting the composite video signal supplied from the tuner circuit into a digital signal; a solid state memory device for storing sequentially the digital signal output from the analog-digital converter at a predetermined address which is allowed by a system control circuit, and reading out the same under a control operation of the system control circuit; a digital-analog converter for converting the digital signal output from the solid state memory device into an analog signal; a picture-in-picture processing unit for processing the stored signal supplied from the solid state memory device through the digital-analog converter as a sub-picture and a television broadcasting signal supplied directly from the tuner circuit as the main picture, and combining both in a picture-in-picture fashion; a switching unit having a first input contact to receive the television signal from the tuner circuit and a second input contact to receive the picture-in-picture signal from the picture-in-picture processing unit, and for producing one of the two input contact signals selectively at an output terminal thereof in response to the control of the system control circuit; and a system control circuit connected with at least the deck, the audio processing unit, the key matrix circuit, the memory device, the picture-in-picture processing unit and the switching unit, for controlling the same in accordance with a predetermined operation mode selected by a user and a detecting signal given by said first or second detector means, whereby the video processing unit will work in such a manner that: when the video cassette recorder is set into a normal recording mode, the television signal selected by the switching unit is recorded onto the current-loaded cassette tape, when the video cassette recorder is shifted into a stop mode in response to the detection of a tape end of a current cassette tape by said first detector means, until replaced by a new cassette tape, the television signal from the tuner circuit is stored sequentially into the solid state memory device; and when a beginning of the new cassette loaded inside the video cassette recorder is detected by said second detection means and the video cassette recorder is again set into a normal recording mode, the combined signal of the main picture and the sub-picture from the picture-in-picture processing unit is selected by the switching unit and is recorded onto the new cassette tape.