JPH04263152A - Interface apparatus of magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an interface apparatus which facilitates receiving/outputting of a large quantity of data from/to a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus such as a video tape recorder without size enlargement and modification of the magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus and, further, has a function of processing data independently from the magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus. CONSTITUTION:A microcomputer 2 which facilitates data exchange between a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus including peripheral circuits and itself is built in a cassette case 1 which does not incorporate a magnetic tape and has a same shape as a tape cassette case and, further, can be attached/ detached to/from the magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an interface device for a magnetic recording/reproducing device such as a video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as VTR), which is used when controlling the magnetic recording/reproducing device using digital data.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional devices of this type include, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 166086/1986.
By providing a memory element storing reservation information in the tape cassette case, or by providing a timer reservation device in the tape cassette case as shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-177384, the tape cassette case There is a known device that allows recording reservations to be easily made by inserting the camera into a VTR.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] A conventional interface device for a magnetic recording/reproducing device is constructed as described above, and a memory element and a timer reservation device are provided in a tape cassette case containing a magnetic tape, and a memory element and a timer reservation device are provided at the end of these devices. Since it only reads reserved data into the tape cassette case, its functions are limited, and the memory element is also limited to the limited space inside the tape cassette case, so it is not possible to exchange large amounts of data. Ta.

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is possible to exchange a large amount of arbitrary data with a magnetic recording/reproducing device, and in particular, without placing any burden on the magnetic recording/reproducing device. It is an object of the present invention to provide an interface device for a magnetic recording/reproducing device that can process data.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] An interface device for a magnetic recording and reproducing device according to the present invention is constructed in the same shape as a tape cassette case without incorporating a magnetic tape, and is inserted and removed into the magnetic recording and reproducing device. The cassette case has a built-in microcomputer that includes peripheral circuitry and is capable of exchanging data with the magnetic recording/reproducing device.

[0006] Instead of the microcomputer, an IC card that can exchange data with the magnetic recording/reproducing device may be removably inserted into the cassette case.

[0007] Furthermore, it is preferable that the cassette case is provided with a cover that can open and close an opening formed in the cassette case to prohibit writing of data to the cassette case.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the light emitting and light receiving element for detecting the leader tape in the above magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus be used as a means for transferring data between the cassette case side and the magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus.

[0009]

[Operation] In this invention, a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) including peripheral circuits is provided in a cassette case configured in the same manner as the tape cassette case, so that it cannot be identified between the magnetic recording and reproducing device. It is possible to send and receive data, and since the cassette case does not have a built-in magnetic datater, it can accommodate microcontrollers of a scale that is not limited by the space inside the case, and can easily handle increases in the amount of data. Since the cassette case is inserted into the magnetic recording/reproducing device in the same way as a general tape cassette case, there is no need to modify or enlarge the magnetic recording/reproducing device.

In particular, since the microcomputer is housed in the cassette case, the cassette case itself performs operations for processing and exchanging data, without relying on the microcomputer on the magnetic recording/reproducing device. be able to.

Furthermore, if the IC card is held in the cassette case, the magnetic recording/reproducing device can be easily controlled by an external personal computer or the like via the IC card.

Furthermore, if a write-inhibiting cover is provided on the cassette case, writing can be prohibited in a normal tape cassette case with the same specifications.

Furthermore, if the light emitting and light receiving element for detecting the leader tape on the magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus side is used as the data input/output means, the configuration can be simplified.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a cassette case in an example of an interface device for a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the cassette case in a specification state.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a cassette case that does not contain a magnetic tape, and is constructed in the same manner as a tape cassette case used in the VHS system, for example, and contains peripheral circuits inside. Microcomputer 2
is accommodated. 3a, 3b, 3c, . . . , 3n are a plurality of electrodes provided on the cassette case 1 and electrically connected to the microcomputer 2 for data exchange. Reference numeral 4 denotes a magnetic recording/reproducing device, such as a VTR, in which the cassette case 1 is removably inserted into a predetermined insertion slot (not shown). a plurality of electrodes 6a, 6b,
6c..., 6n are provided, and the above cassette case 1
In the charged state, the electrodes are electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes 3a, 3b, 3c, . . . , 3n, respectively.

In such a configuration, when the cassette case 1 is inserted into a predetermined insertion slot of the VTR 4, the plurality of electrodes 3a, 3b, 3c..., 3n on the cassette case 1 side are connected to the VT.
It is electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes 6a, 6b, 6c..., 6n on the R4 side, respectively. If you perform certain operations in this state, you can, for example, store digital data such as images from the VTR 4 in the memory section of the microcomputer 2 on the cassette case 1 side, or save data such as scheduled recording stored in the microcomputer 2 on the cassette case 1. It can also be read into the VTR4 side.

Since the cassette case 1 does not contain a magnetic tape, the microcomputer 2 can be incorporated together with the electrodes 3a, 3b, 3c, . . . , 3n without being restricted by space. In other words, a large amount of data can be exchanged with a large data storage capacity. In addition, since the cassette case 1 is constructed to have the same shape as a general tape cassette case, it can be inserted into the VTR 4 as is, making it possible to exchange a large amount of data by increasing the external size of the VTR or by making special modifications. This can be accomplished without any hassle.

By the way, if a capacity memory element is housed in the cassette case 1 which does not contain the magnetic tape,
Although it is possible to exchange a large amount of data, with this configuration, if data processing is desired, a special data processing program must be installed in the microcomputer 5 on the VTR 4 side. In the above embodiment, the microcomputer 2 is placed in the cassette case 1.
Since this is built-in, there is an advantage that the microcomputer 2 in the cassette case 1 can be used to process data without placing any burden on the microcomputer 5 on the VTR 4 side.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show other embodiments of the invention. In the figure, the cassette case 1
In place of the microcomputer 2 inside, put an IC in this cassette case 1.
An insertion slot 12 into which a card 11 can be inserted is formed, and electrodes 13a, 13b, . . .
Electrodes 14a, 14b,..., 1 electrically connected to 3n
Electrodes 15a and 15b for connecting to 4n and VTR4 side
,...,15n are provided.

In this embodiment as well, a large amount of data can be exchanged between the VTR 4 side and the IC card 11 inserted into the cassette case 1, as in the above embodiment, and the IC card 11 can also be connected to an external control device, such as a personal computer. (not shown), it becomes possible to control the VTR 4 via this IC card 11. Furthermore, in this case, in the cassette case 1, the electrodes 14a, 14b,..., 14n and the electrode 15a
, 15b, . . . , 15n, data processing can also be performed by inserting and connecting the microcomputer 16 between them.

In each of the above embodiments, when it is desired to prohibit writing to the microcomputer 2 or IC card 11 on the cassette case 1 side, as shown in FIGS. What is necessary is to form an opening 21 and close this opening 21 with a sliding write-protection cover 22 that can be opened and closed. In this case, the VTR 4 side is provided with a switch 23 that is set to a writing permission mode and a writing prohibition mode when the cover 22 is open and closed, respectively, that is, a normally closed switch 23 is provided that is set to a writing prohibition mode when the cover 22 is open and closed. That is,
If the opening 21 is left open with the cover 22, the switch 2
3 is turned off, and the microcomputer 5 determines that writing is permitted (
Judgment step 24 in FIG. 7), it becomes possible to write data to the cassette case 1 side (processing step 25 in FIG.
), and if the opening 21 is closed with the cover 22, the microcomputer 5 determines that writing is prohibited and the data cannot be written to the cassette case 1 side while the switch 23 remains on.

By the way, generally in the VTR 4, the magnetic tape 33 from the supply reel 32 is transferred to the rotating drum 34 with the tape cassette case 31 inserted, as shown in FIG.
and is wound onto the take-up reel 35 at a constant speed,
The start and end of winding of the magnetic tape 33 are determined by optically detecting the leader tape (not shown) at the start and end using a light emitting element 36 and light receiving elements 37 and 38. There is. It is also possible to use this optical means as a means for transferring data between the cassette case 1 side and the VTR 4 side.

An example is shown in FIG. In the same figure, 3
A phototransistor 9 is provided on the side of the cassette case 1 and receives light from the light emitting diode 36 as the light emitting element, and its output is sent to the microcomputer 2 via the amplifier 40.
It is now possible to input 41 is a light emitting diode controlled by the microcomputer 2; On the other hand, on the VTR 4 side, an output from a phototransistor 37 which receives the light from the light emitting diode 41 at the muzzle is inputted to the microcomputer 5. That is, data can be transferred between the cassette case 1 side and the VTR 4 side using the optical parts 36 and 37 for detecting the leader tape provided on the VTR 4 side, and electrodes etc. are not required. , the structure becomes simpler.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, a microcomputer including peripheral circuits is built into a cassette case configured in the same shape as a tape cassette case, without incorporating a magnetic tape. A large amount of data can be exchanged with the magnetic recording and reproducing device without being limited by the space inside the case or requiring any special modifications to the magnetic recording and reproducing device. Data can be replaced and data processed on the case itself.

Further, according to claim 2, since the cassette case can hold an IC card, control data from an external personal computer etc. can be transferred to the IC card.
You can control the magnetic recording and reproducing device by receiving the card directly.

Furthermore, according to claim 3, it is possible to select whether or not writing to the microcomputer or the like on the cassette case side is prohibited by a cover that opens and closes the opening provided in the cassette case.

According to claim 4, the light emitting and light receiving element for detecting the leader tape on the magnetic recording and reproducing device side is used as means for transferring data between the cassette case side and the magnetic recording and reproducing device side. , the structure can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a cassette case in an example of an interface device for a magnetic recording/reproducing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a state in which a cassette case is inserted into a magnetic recording/reproducing device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a cassette case and an IC card in another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing the cassette case of FIG. 3 inserted into a magnetic recording/reproducing device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing an example in which a write-inhibiting cover is provided on the cassette case.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an example of use of the device shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart when writing is prohibited by the coverr of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a leader tape detection portion in a general video tape recorder.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing an example in which a light emitting and light receiving element for detecting a leader tape is used to transfer data between the cassette case side and the magnetic recording/reproducing device side.

[Explanation of symbols] 1　Cassette case 2 Microcomputer 4 Magnetic recording and reproducing device 11 IC card 21 Opening 22 Write-protection cover 36 Light emitting element 37, 38 Photo receiving element

Claims (4)

[Claims] Claim 1: A cassette case that does not contain a magnetic tape but has the same shape as a tape cassette case and is removably inserted into a magnetic recording/reproducing device, includes a peripheral circuit and is connected to the magnetic recording/reproducing device side. An interface device for a magnetic recording/reproducing device, characterized by having a built-in microcomputer that can exchange data between the devices. Claim 2: In place of the microcomputer,
An IC that can exchange data with the magnetic recording/reproducing device
An interface device for a magnetic recording/reproducing device, characterized in that a card is removably inserted into a cassette case. 3. The cassette case according to claim 1, wherein the cassette case is provided with a cover that can be opened and closed to prevent data from being written to the cassette case. Interface device for magnetic recording and reproducing devices. 4. The magnetic recording and reproducing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the light emitting and light receiving element for detecting the leader tape in the magnetic recording and reproducing device is used as a data loading/unloading means between the cassette case side and the magnetic recording and reproducing device. Equipment interface equipment.