US6091884A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Enhancing operations of video tape cassette players

Assignee: Index Systems LLC

•

Filing: 1996-12-30

•

Granted: 2000-07-18

•

Expires: 2016-12-30

📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Operation of a video cassette player is facilitated by providing a VBI decoder which decodes information, such as title, channel, date, time and length of broadcast programs and utilizing the information in providing directory of the programs as well as control of the VCR. The video cassette player is also provided with a VBI encoder for inserting control as well as directory information into the tape, either in the VBI portions of the video track or in the control track.

Inventors

👤 Henry C. Yuen
👤 Daniel S. Kwoh
👤 Roy J. Mankovitz
👤 Carl Hindman
👤 Hing Y. Ngai
👤 Yee Kong Ng
👤 Elsie Y. Leung

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —

Jurisdiction US

Data Source google_patents

Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 08:25

CPC Classifications

H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/78; H04N5/782; G; G11; G11B; G11B15/00; G11B15/02; G11B15/023; G11B15/026; G11B15/05; G11B15/06; G11B15/07; G11B15/087; G11B15/18; G11B15/1808; G11B15/1816; G11B23/00; G11B23/02; G11B23/04; G11B23/08; G11B23/087; G11B23/08707; G11B23/08714; G11B23/30; G11B23/36; G11B27/00; G11B27/02; G11B27/022; G11B27/029; G11B27/10; G11B27/102; G11B27/107; G11B27/11; G11B27/13; G11B27/19; G11B27/28; G11B27/30; G11B27/3027; G11B27/3036; G11B27/3054; G11B27/309; G11B27/32; G11B27/322; G11B27/324; G11B27/327; G11B27/328; G11B27/34; G11B27/36; G11B31/00; G11B33/00; G11B33/10; G11B5/00; G11B5/86; H04H; H04H60/00; H04H60/09; H04H60/14; H04H60/23; H04N5/765; H04N7/00; H04N7/08; H04N7/087; H04N7/088; H04N7/0887; H04N7/0888; H04N7/16; H04N7/167; H04N7/1675; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/20; G11B2220/40; G11B2220/41; G11B2220/60; G11B2220/65; G11B2220/652; G11B2220/655; G11B2220/80; G11B2220/90; G11B2220/91; G11B27/002; G11B27/024; G11B5/008; G11B5/00813; G11B5/00847; G11B5/0086; H04H20/00; H04H20/28; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/41; H04N21/422; H04N21/42204; H04N21/43; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; H04N21/4316; H04N21/47; H04N5/44; H04N5/445; H04N5/45; H04N5/775; H04N5/7755; H04N5/7824; H04N5/7826; H04N5/78263; H04N5/91; H04N5/92; H04N5/9201; H04N5/9206

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16

Claim 1

Independent Claim 78 words

A method for managing video programs recorded by a VCR, the method comprising the steps of: recording video programs on a plurality of cassette tapes; storing in a RAM index data identifying the cassette tape and the tape location of all the video programs on the plurality of cassette tapes; and backing up the index data in the RAM for the plurality of cassette tapes onto a recording cassette tape as each video program is being recorded thereon.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 78 words

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method of claim 1, in which the video programs recorded on the plurality of cassette tapes have a VBI and the backing up step records the index data in the VBI of the video program being recorded.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of storing the identification of the last cassette tape on which the index data in the RAM was backed up.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 3 additionally comprising after a failure of the RAM the step of retrieving the last cassette tape on which the index data in the RAM was backed up based on the stored identification and downloading the index data from the last cassette tape to the RAM.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1, in which the backing up step backs up the entire file of the RAM data.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 1, in which the recording step turns the VCR on and off to record video programs and the backing up step backs up the index data in the RAM each time that the VCR is turned on to record a video program.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 6, in which the backing up step backs up the index data in the RAM a predetermined number of times and then stops backing up.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 6, in which the backing up step stops backing up the index data in the RAM each time the VCR is turned off.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the step of using the index data in the RAM to position a cassette tape at the start of a selected video program.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 1, in which the storing step stores the index data identifying the cassette tape and the tape location of each video program while it is being recorded.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 1, in which the index data also includes the name of each video program.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the step of displaying a portion of the index data stored in RAM.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the steps of inputting data identifying a particular cassette tape and displaying the portion of the index data stored in RAM that identifies the locations of the video programs recorded on the particular cassette tape.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 13 additionally comprising the steps of inputting data to select one of the displayed video programs and transporting the cassette tape to the location of the selected video program.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 14, additionally comprising the step of playing the selected video program after the transporting step.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2548011A Cited

US3601544A Cited

JPS526406A Cited

US4125844A Cited

JPS5381106A Cited

US4180827A Cited

US4225780A Cited

US4224644A Cited

US4173026A Cited

US4363039A Cited

US4210785A Cited

US4338644A Cited

JPS55146667A Cited

US4426684A Cited

FR2461299A1 Cited

US4357638A Cited

US4390901A Cited

US4573084A Cited

US4577239A Cited

JPS5841472A Cited

US4908713A Cited

JPS58196670A Cited

US4562468A Cited

US4554599A Cited

US4516164A Cited

US4517598A Cited

US4635121A Cited

JPS6098542A Cited

US4587577A Cited

JPS60171685A Cited

US4641205A Cited

JPS60253979A Cited

US4641208A Cited

US4803551A Cited

EP0192445A2 Cited

US4591931A Cited

US4706121A Cited

US4706121B1 Cited

US4703465A Cited

US4866542A Cited

US4841386A Cited

US4734767A Cited

US4755888A Cited

DE3621263A1 Cited

US4989104A Cited

US4908859A Cited

US4723181A Cited

US4814924A Cited

DE3735539A1 Cited

US4951276A Cited

US5148403A Cited

US4890171A Cited

US4965827A Cited

US4894713A Cited

US4873584A Cited

US4908707A Cited

US4982074A Cited

US4922341A Cited

US4880963A Cited

US5121476A Cited

US4894789A Cited

US5010499A Cited

DE3812747A1 Cited

US4977455B1 Cited

US4977455A Cited

US4993003A Cited

US4972260A Cited

DE3932696A1 Cited

EP0363653A2 Cited

US4937844A Cited

US4857999A Cited

US4866434A Cited

US5307173A Cited

US5038231A Cited

US4954892A Cited

US5172363A Cited

US5253066A Cited

US5253066C1 Cited

US5047867A Cited

US5179479A Cited

US5122886A Cited

US5206937A Cited

EP0413288A2 Cited

US5063610A Cited

EP0424656A1 Cited

EP0424653A1 Cited

US5353121A Cited

US5157614A Cited

EP0439282A2 Cited

US5164831A Cited

US5001561A Cited

US5161019A Cited

US5293357A Cited

US5164963A Cited

EP0485740A1 Cited

US5144423A Cited

US5119507A Cited

US5285276A Cited

US5228014A Cited

US5200823A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-07-18	2004-01-17	2004-07-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-07-18	2008-01-17	2008-07-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-07-18	2012-01-17	2012-07-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag

Select Category

Notes (Optional)