JP2801000B2 - Recording / playback device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording / reproducing apparatus used for recording / reproducing signals such as video, audio, and numerical values. [Prior Art] FIG. 3 shows a plan view and a rear view of a conventional video cassette of the VHS system. In the figure, 1 is a cassette tape case, 2 is a portion to which an upper label is attached, and 3 is a back label. Is a tape take-up reel in the case 1. In the above-described video cassette, a paper upper label and a paper back label (not shown) are attached to the upper label attaching portion 2 and the back label attaching portion 3, respectively. The above label usually contains the name of the video cassette manufacturer, the VHS mark,
Information such as product name and video tape length is printed. Then, the user of the video cassette writes information on the recorded contents, ie, a title, a description of the recorded contents, a recording date, a recording time mode, a recording method, a recording start position on the magnetic tape, and the like in a blank portion of the label.
Here, the position on the magnetic tape is indicated by a signal indicating the number of rotations of the tape take-up reel or a recording start position recorded on the tape. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Since the conventional video cassette is configured as described above, the user must write information corresponding to the content recorded on the tape in the margin of the paper label, As a result, label blanks are insufficient, reading errors due to handwritten characters, label rewriting is troublesome, and complicated operations such as counting the number of reel rotations to indicate the position on the magnetic tape and recording a signal of a mark are required. Was needed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recording / reproducing apparatus which does not write information on recorded contents on a paper label and can easily grasp the recorded contents. With the goal. [Means for Solving the Problems] A recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention is capable of mounting a video signal recording medium (such as a magnetic tape) provided with a semiconductor memory capable of writing and reading data, and Means for performing analog / digital conversion of an image signal itself recorded on a signal recording medium, and writing the digitally converted image signal into a semiconductor memory as image information indicating the recorded content itself; and image information written into the semiconductor memory. And a means for reading out the digital-to-analog signal and outputting it as an image signal to an external device (television, VTR, etc.). [Operation] The recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention records / reproduces information recorded in a semiconductor memory by a cassette manufacturer or the like, or directly from a user or the recording / reproducing apparatus on a video signal recording medium (magnetic tape or the like). Information of an image signal itself and information of a position on a video signal recording medium (such as a magnetic tape) are recorded in a semiconductor memory, and can be used for reproduction. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a video signal recording medium mounted on the recording / reproducing apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a plan view of a VHS cassette case 1, for example, and 4 is a tape take-up reel in the case. It is. (B) shows the inside of the lower right corner of the case 1 and 5 shows the space of the corner, and the board 8 on which the semiconductor memory 6 and its backup battery 7 shown in FIG. Is housed.
(C) is a bottom view of the corner portion of the cassette case 1, and 9 is an electrode for writing to and reading from the semiconductor memory 6. The video signal recording medium (video cassette) configured as described above is loaded on a recording / reproducing apparatus.
1 (c) is pressed against the reference surface of the recording / reproducing apparatus. Therefore, by providing an electrode (not shown) facing the electrode 9 of the cassette in the reference plane of the recording / reproducing apparatus, the signal is always written and read to and from the semiconductor memory 6 of the cassette when recording and reproducing the signal on the tape. And the semiconductor memory 6 can be used simply when the cassette is loaded. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a video signal recording medium (cassette tape) used in the present invention and a recording / reproducing apparatus to which the tape is mounted. In the figure, reference numeral 13 denotes an external device such as a television or video serving as a signal source and a display device, 6 denotes a semiconductor memory in a cassette case, 10 denotes a magnetic tape, and 11 denotes a signal input from the external device 13 is recorded on the magnetic tape 10. A signal processing circuit for converting to a signal; 12, a servo mechanism control circuit for controlling a motor and a mechanism (not shown) for driving the magnetic tape 10; 17 an A / D converter for converting an external image signal into digital data D / A converter for converting digital data to external signals, 14
Is an interface unit for writing or reading the digital data to or from the semiconductor memory 6, 15 is a CPU (control unit) for controlling the interface unit 14 for managing data stored in the semiconductor memory 6, and 16 is for inputting character information and the like. It is a keyboard. When recording on a video signal recording medium (cassette tape), an image signal is input to the signal processing circuit 11 from the external device 13 and converted into a signal to be recorded on the magnetic tape 10. The magnetic tape 10 travels under the control of a mechanism controlled by a servo mechanism control circuit 12. A / D, D / A
An image signal from the external device 13 is also input to the converter 17, A / D converted and digital data is output, and stored in the semiconductor memory 6 via the interface unit 14. The storage of the external image signal here is performed, for example, by selecting the first image to be recorded on the tape or the title screen of a movie to be recorded on the tape. That is, the semiconductor memory 6 can store the image information itself recorded on the magnetic tape 10. Character information such as a description of the contents of the magnetic tape, recording date and time, and recording conditions is stored in the semiconductor memory 6 by being input from the keyboard 16. Further, data such as the length, thickness, reel diameter, manufacturer name, production lot, and tape type of the magnetic tape are recorded as fixed information in the semiconductor memory 6. For example, a magnetic tape reel rotation pulse from the servo mechanism control circuit 12 is recorded. By matching the reel diameter and tape thickness data with the above, the position of the magnetic tape 10 can be
Can be calculated. On the other hand, when playing back a tape, first, the interface unit 14 reads the data in the semiconductor memory 6, and if image data (digital data) is stored, A / D, D /
An A converter 17 D / A converts the digital data into a still image signal, and outputs it to an external television or video 13. The user checks the image displayed on the television or the video, and starts reproducing the tape if desired. As described above, when recording / reproducing a signal to / from a tape,
Since signals can be always written to and read from the semiconductor memory 6 of the cassette, image signals can be stored in the semiconductor memory 6 even when signals are reproduced from the tape. In addition, the user can freely use the image information itself stored in the semiconductor memory 6, data such as character information describing the positional relationship of the tape and the recorded contents as the search information when reproducing the magnetic tape. In the above embodiment, the semiconductor memory 6 is stored in the VHS cassette.
Has been described, but a semiconductor memory may be incorporated in a space such as a video cassette or a compact cassette of the β system. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1 (a), a thin semiconductor memory or an electrode 18 having the same shape as the paper label can be provided on the paper label attaching portion 2 of the case. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, an image signal recorded on a video signal recording medium (such as a magnetic tape) or an image signal reproduced from the video signal recording medium can be used as a semiconductor memory as image information itself. The function of recording the recorded contents and recording the recording position can be easily and accurately performed. Further, since the content recorded / reproduced on / from a video signal recording medium (such as a magnetic tape) can be stored in the semiconductor memory as the image information itself, the content stored in the semiconductor memory can also be determined instantaneously. . Further, by outputting the content stored in the semiconductor memory as an image signal to an external device, the recorded content can be searched and reproduced after confirming the content accurately, which is much easier to use than before.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a cassette tape which is a video signal recording medium according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a plan view of a cassette case, and FIG. FIG. 2 (c) is a diagram showing an electrode at the bottom of the case, FIG. 2 (d) is a perspective view of the semiconductor memory, FIG. 2 is a recording medium (cassette tape) according to the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a plan view and a rear view of a conventional VHS cassette. 1 ... cassette case, 2 ... corner space of the case,
6 ... semiconductor memory, 9,18 ... electrode, 10 ... magnetic tape, 11 ... signal processing circuit, 14 ... interface unit,
15 ... CPU, 17 ... A / D, D / A converter. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

   ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page       (56) References JP-A-56-74880 (JP, A)                 JP-A-58-220257 (JP, A)                 JP-A-61-213077 (JP, A)                 JP-A-59-221881 (JP, A)                 JP-A-59-92474 (JP, A)                 Shokai Sho 57-189186 (JP, U)                 61-132600 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a recording / reproducing apparatus for recording / reproducing an image signal on a recording medium for recording a video signal, a video signal recording medium provided with a semiconductor memory capable of writing and reading data can be mounted, Means for converting the image signal itself from analog to digital at the time of recording / reproducing the signal, and writing the digitally converted image signal into the semiconductor memory as image information indicating the recorded content of the video signal recording medium; A recording / reproducing apparatus including means for reading out image information written in a semiconductor memory, converting the read out digital / analog data, and outputting the read out image information to an external device.