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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A system for automatically supplying information to an operator
comprising a dynamic storage medium having at least one information track
and a single coded data signal track, said coded data signal track having
indicia for locations of the information in the information track, an
operator station for deriving command signals for controlling movement of
the medium, and means responsive to signals derived from the operator
station and from the location indicia of the single coded data signal
track for: (a) advancing the medium at a normal speed in the forward
direction whereby the information is presented to the operator at a normal
rate, and (b) moving the medium in the forward and reverse directions at
high speeds such that no meaningful information is presented to the
operator, said means for advancing and moving including means for reading
the single coded data signal track while the medium is advanced at normal
speed and moved at high speeds.
2. The system of claim 1 further including a supervisory station for
selectively disabling predetermined command signals from the operator
station to prevent coupling of the predetermined command signals to the
means normally responsive to the command signals.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the signal track includes a relatively
constant frequency carrier while the medium is moving at a substantially
constant speed, said carried having three predetermined envelope levels,
two of said levels being associated with different binary values, and the
third level being associated with clock pulses; said means responsive to
the location indicia including: playback means responsive to the carrier,
said playback means including means for detecting the three amplitude
levels of the carrier, means responsive to the detected amplitude levels
for deriving signals indicative of the magnitude of the binary data and of
the occurrence of the clock pulses to derive a binary signal indicative of
the coded data representing the information track location, means for
deriving a signal indicative of a speed range for the medium, and means
responsive to the speed range indicating signal for controlling response
times of the detecting means.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the detecting means includes means for
deriving pulses having predetermined lengths dependent upon the speed of
the medium and the frequency of the carrier.
5. A system for automatically supplying information to an operator
comprising a dynamic storage medium having at least one information track
and a single coded data signal track, said coded data signal track having
indicia for locations of the information in the information track, an
operator station for deriving command signals for controlling movement of
the medium, and means responsive to signals derived from the operator
station and from the location indicia of the single coded data signal
track for: (a) advancing the medium at a normal speed in the forward
direction whereby the information is presented to the operator at a normal
rate, and (b) moving the medium in the forward and reverse directions at
high speeds such that no meaningful information is presented to the
operator, the data track including multi-bit binary words having first and
second segments, said first segment including a first code indicative of
the second segment having a value commensurate with the medium location
where the word is located and a second code indicative of the second
segment having a value commensurate with a medium location to which the
medium is to be driven, means recognizing the first and second codes and
responsive to the command signals for activating the means for moving so
that the medium is moved at high speed to the location indicated by the
second segment of words having the second code.
6. The system of claim 5 further including means responsive to the segments
of the words indicating the first and second codes for providing a change
in the medium movement in response to the medium reaching or passing the
location indicated by the second segment of the word including the second
code.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the means for providing the change
includes means for disabling the moving and advancing of the medium.
8. The system of claim 6 wherein the means for providing the change
includes means for advancing the medium at the normal speed.
9. The system of claim 5 further including means for activating the moving
means to return the medium to substantially the same location as it had
prior to the medium being advanced to the location indicated by the second
segment of the word including the second code.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein the said means for activating the moving
means to return the medium is responsive to a command signal disassociated
from said same location.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein said command signal is a clear signal.
12. The system of claim 9 wherein said command signal is a predetermined
signal derived by the operator after the medium has been advanced through
the information track immediately after the location indicated by the
second segment of the word having the second code.
13. The system of claim 5 wherein plural command signals can be selectively
coupled to the means for activating, means for deriving an output signal
in response to the magnitude of values associated with the command signals
being the same as successively detected words having the second code, and
the means for activating causes the medium to move at high speed until the
output signal is derived.
14. The system of claim 5 wherein the second segment of certain words
having the first code includes indicia distinguishable from the locations,
and means responsive to the distinguishable indicia and predetermined
command signals for activating the moving means so that the medium is
moved at high speed to substantially the location of the distinguishable
indicia.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein the distinguishable indicia include
command codes indicative of changing the motion of the medium, and means
responsive to detection of a command code indicative of changing the
motion of the medium for (a) deactivating the means for advancing at the
normal speed, and (b) causing the medium to stop.
16. The system of claim 14 wherein the distinguishable indicia include
command codes indicative of changing the motion of the medium, and means
responsive to detection of a command code indicative of changing the
motion of the medium, for (a) deactivating the means for moving at high
speed, and (b) causing the medium to stop.
17. The system of claim 14 wherein the distinguishable indicia include
command codes indicative of changing the motion of the medium, and means
responsive to detection of a command code indicative of changing the
motion of the medium, for (a) deactivating the means for advancing at
normal speed and moving at high speed, and (b) causing the medium to stop.
18. The system of claim 5 wherein the data track includes command codes
indicative of changing the motion of the medium, and means responsive to
detection of a command code indicative of changing the motion of the
medium, for (a) deactivating the means for advancing at normal speed, and
(b) causing the medium to stop.
19. The system of claim 5 wherein the data track includes command codes
indicative of changing the motion of the medium, and means responsive to
detection of a command code indicative of changing the motion of the
medium, for (a) deactivating the means for moving at high speeds, and (b)
causing the medium to stop.
20. The system of claim 5 wherein the data track includes command codes
indicative of changing the motion of the medium, and means responsive to
detection of a command code indicative of changing the motion of the
medium, for (a) deactivating the means for advancing at normal speed and
moving at high speeds, and (b) causing the medium to stop.
21. The system of claim 5 wherein the data track includes a command code
indicative of identifying the beginning of predetermined portions of the
information track, and means responsive to said command code and a
predetermined command signal for activating the means for moving so the
medium moves at high speed to the predetermined portion of the information
track indicated by the command code.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein the command signals are provided to
repeat and skip certain portions of the information track, and said means
for activating includes means for respectively moving the medium at high
speeds in the reverse and forward directions in response to detection of
the repeat and skip command signals.
23. The system of claim 5 wherein the operator station includes means for
deriving numerical command signals indicative of desired locations for the
medium, and means responsive to the numerical signals and detected
numerical locations from the indicia on the medium for activating the
moving means to move the medium at high speed until the medium is at the
desired location.
24. The system of claim 23 further including means for deriving an output
signal in response to the medium being at the desired location, and means
responsive to the output signal for stopping the medium.
25. The system of claim 23 further including means for deriving an output
signal in response to the medium being at the desired location, and means
responsive to the output signal for activating the means for advancing to
move the medium at the normal speed.
26. The system of claim 23 further including means for deriving an output
signal in response to the medium being at the desired location, and means
responsive to the output signal for selectively, in response to a
supervisory control, stopping the medium and for activating the means for
advancing to move the medium at the normal speed.
27. A system for automatically supplying information to an operator
comprising a dynamic storage medium having at least one information track
and a single coded data signal track, said coded data signal track having
indicia for locations of the information in the information track, an
operator station for deriving command signals for controlling movement of
the medium, and means responsive to signals derived from the operator
station and from the location indicia of the single coded data signal
track for: (a) advancing the medium at a normal speed in the forward
direction whereby the information is presented to the operator at a normal
rate, and (b) moving the medium in the forward and reverse directions at
high speeds such that no meaningful inforrmation is presented to the
operator, the data track including coded numerical indications for a
desired location to which the medium is to be driven, means for detecting
the coded numerical indications, and means responsive to a command signal
disassociated from the numerical indication for the desired location and
the detected coded numerical indication for activating the means for
moving so that the medium is moved at high speeds to the desired location.
28. The system of claim 27 further including means for providing a change
in the medium movement in response to the medium reaching or passing the
desired location.
29. The system of claim 28 wherein the means for providing the change
includes means for disabling the high speed moving and normal speed
advancing of the medium.
30. The system of claim 28 wherein the means for providing the change
includes means for advancing the medium at the normal speed.
31. The system of claim 27 further including means for activating the
moving means to return the medium at high speeds to substantially the same
location as it had prior to the medium being advanced to the desired
location.
32. The system of claim 31 wherein the said means for activating the moving
means to return the medium at high speeds is responsive to a command
signal disassociated with said same location.
33. The system of claim 32 wherein said command signal is a clear signal.
34. The system of claim 31 wherein said command signal is a predetermined
signal derived by the operator after the medium has been advanced through
the information on the medium occurring immediately after the desired
location.
35. A system for automatically supplying information to an operator
comprising a dynamic storage medium having information and coded data
signals recorded thereon, said coded data signals having indicia for
locations of the information, an operator station for deriving command
signals for controlling movement of the medium, and means responsive to
signals derived from the operator station and from the location indicia
for: (a) advancing the medium in the forward direction at a normal speed
whereby the information is presented to the operator at a normal rate, and
(b) moving the medium in the forward and reverse directions at high speeds
such that no meaningful information is presented to the operator, said
data signal including a command code for identifying the beginning of
predetermined portions of the information on the medium, means for
detecting the command code, and means responsive to the detected command
code and a predetermined command signal for activating the means for
moving so the medium moves at high speeds to the portion of the
information track indicated by the detected command code.
36. The system of claim 35 wherein command signals are provided to repeat
and skip certain portions of the information, and said means for
activating includes means for respectively moving the medium at high
speeds in the reverse and forward directions in response to detection of
the repeat and skip command signals.
37. The system of claim 35 wherein the signal track includes a relatively
constant frequency carrier while the medium is moving at a substantially
constant speed, said carried having three predetermined envelope levels,
two of said levels being associated with different binary values, and the
third level being associated with clock pulses, said means responsive to
the location indicia including: playback means responsive to the carrier,
said playback means including means for detecting the three amplitude
levels of the carrier, means responsive to the detected amplitude levels
for deriving signals indicative of the magnitude of the binary data and of
the occurrence of the clock pulses to derive a binary signal indicative of
the coded data representing the information track location, means for
deriving a signal indicative of a speed range for the medium, and means
responsive to the speed range indicating signal for controlling response
times of the detecting means.
38. A system for automatically supplying information to an operator
comprising a dynamic storage medium having information and coded data
signals recorded thereon, said coded data signals having indicia for
locations of the information, an operator station for deriving command
signals for controlling movement of the medium, means responsive to
signals derived from the operator station and from the location indicia
for: (a) advancing the medium in the forward direction at a normal speed
whereby the information is presented to the operator at a normal rate, and
(b) moving the medium in the forward and reverse directions at high speeds
such that no meaningful information is presented to the operator, the
operator station including means for deriving numerical signals indicative
of desired locations for the medium, means responsive to the numerical
signals and detected numerical locations from the indicia on the medium
for activating the moving means so the medium is moved at high speeds
until the medium is at the desired location, means for deriving an output
signal in response to the medium being at the desired location, and means
responsive to the output signal for selectively, in response to a
supervisory control, stopping the medium and for activating the means for
advancing.
39. The system of claim 38 wherein the signal track includes a relatively
constant frequency carrier while the medium is moving at a substantially
constant speed, said carrier having three predetermined envelope levels,
two of said levels being associated with different binary values, and the
third level being associated with clock pulses, said means responsive to
the location indicia including: playback means responsive to the carrier,
said playback means including means for detecting the three amplitude
levels of the carrier, means responsive to the detected amplitude levels
for deriving signals indicative of the magnitude of the binary data and of
the occurrence of the clock pulses to derive a binary signal indicative of
the coded data representing the information track location, means for
deriving a signal indicative of a speed range for the medium, and means
responsive to the speed range indicating signal for controlling response
times of the detecting means.
40. The system of claim 38 wherein said means for advancing and moving
incluldes means for reading the coded data signal while the medium is
advanced at normal speed and moved at high speeds.
41. A system for automatically supplying information to an operator
comprising a dynamic storage medium having information and coded data
signals recorded thereon, said coded data signals having indicia for
locations of the information, an operator station for deriving command
signals for controlling movement of the medium, means responsive to
signals derived from the operator station and from the location indicia
for: (a) advancing the medium in the forward direction at a normal speed
whereby the information is presented to the operator at a normal rate, and
(b) moving the medium in the forward and reverse directions at high speeds
such that no meaningful information is presented to the operator, said
data indicia including coded numerical indications for a desired location
to which the medium is to be driven, means for detecting the coded
numerical indications, and means responsive to a command signal
disassociated from the numerical indication for the desired location and
the detected coded numerical indications for activating the means for
moving so that the medium is moved at high speeds to the desired location
indicated by the detected indication.
42. The system of claim 41 further including means for providing a change
in the medium movement in response to the medium reaching or passing the
desired location.
43. The system of claim 41 wherein the signal track includes a relatively
constant frequency carrier while the medium is moving at a substantially
constant speed, said carrier having three predetermined envelope levels,
two of said levels being associated with different binary values, and the
third level being associated with clock pulses, said means responsive to
the location indicia including: playback means responsive to the carrier,
said playback means including means for detecting the three amplitude
levels of the carrier, means responsive to the detected amplitude levels
for deriving signals indicative of the magnitude of the binary data and of
the occurrence of the clock pulses to derive a binary signal indicative of
the coded data representing the information track location, means for
deriving a signal indicative of a speed range for the medium, and means
responsive to the speed range indicating signal for controlling response
times of the detecting means.
44. The system of claim 41 wherein said means for advancing and moving
includes means for reading the coded data signal while the medium is
advanced at normal speed and moved at high speeds.
45. An audio-visual presentation system comprising a magnetic tape having
diagonal video tracks thereon and an audio track extending longitudinally
of the tape, said audio track having recorded thereon a single serial
coded signal having indicia for locations of the video tracks, an operator
station for deriving command signals for controlling longitudinal movement
of the tape, means responsive to signals derived from the operator station
and from the location indicia for: (a) longitudinally advancing the tape
in the forward direction at a normal speed, and (b) moving the tape in the
forward and reverse directions at high speeds, said means for advancing
and moving including means for reading the single coded signal while the
tape is advanced at normal speed and moved at high speeds, and means
responsive to the video tracks and the tape being driven at the normal
speed for deriving a video output signal susceptible to activate a
television receiver.
46. The system of claim 45 wherein the coded signal audio track includes a
relatively constant frequency audio carrier while the tape is moving at a
substantially constant speed, said carrier having three predetermined
envelope levels, two of said levels being associated with different binary
values, and the third level being associated with clock pulses, said means
responsive to the location indicia including: playback means responsive to
the audio carrier, said playback means including means for detecting the
three amplitude levels of the carrier, means responsive to the detected
amplitude levels for deriving signals indicative of the magnitude of the
binary data and of the occurrence of the clock pulses to derive a binary
signal indicative of the coded data representing the information track
location, means for deriving a signal indicative of a speed range for the
tape, and means responsive to the speed range indicating signal for
controlling response times of the detecting means.
47. A system for automatically supplying information to an operator
comprising a dynamic storage medium having at least one information track
and a single coded data signal track, said coded data signal track having
indicia for locations of the information in the information track, means
for deriving command signals for controlling movement of the medium, and
means responsive to the command signals and the location indicia of the
single coded data signal track for: (a) advancing the medium at a normal
speed in the forward direction whereby the information is presented to the
operator at a normal rate, and (b) moving the medium in the forward and
reverse directions at high speeds such that no meaningful information is
presented to the operator, said means for advancing and moving including
means for reading the single coded data signal track while the medium is
advanced at normal speed and moved at high speeds.
48. A system for automatically supplying information to an operator
comprising a dynamic storage medium having recorded thereon information
and coded data signals, said coded data signals having indicia for
locations of the information recorded on the medium, means for deriving
command signals for controlling movement of the medium, means responsive
to the command signals and thee location indicia recorded on the medium
for: (a) advancing the medium at a normal speed in the forward direction
whereby the information is presented to the operator at a normal rate, and
(b) moving the medium in the forward and reverse directions at high speeds
such that no meaningful information is presented to the operator, said
means for advancing and moving including means for reading the coded
indicia while the medium is advanced at normal speed and moved at high
speeds.
49. The system of claim 48 wherein the recorded coded data signal includes
multi-bit binary words having first and second segments, said first
segment including a first code indicative of the second code having a
value commensurate with the medium location where the word is located and
a second code indicative of the second segment having a value commensurate
with a medium location to which the medium is to be driven, means
recognizing the first and second codes and responsive to the command
signals for activating the means for moving so that the medium is moved at
high speed to the location indicated by the second segment of words having
the second code.
50. The system of claim 49 further including means responsive to the
segments of the words indicating the first and second codes for providing
a change in the medium movement in response to the medium reaching or
passing the location indicated by the second segment of the word including
the second code.
51. The system of claim 49 further including means for activating the
moving means to return the medium to substantially the same location as it
had prior to the medium being advanced to the location indicated by the
second segment of the word including the second code.
52. The system of claim 51 wherein the means for deriving the command
signals includes an operator station, and wherein the means for activating
the moving means to return the medium is responsive to a command signal
disassociated from said same location.
53. The system of claim 52 wherein said command signal is a clear signal.
54. The system of claim 51 wherein said means for deriving command signals
includes an operator station, and wherein said command signal is a
predetermined signal derived from the operator station after the medium
has been advanced through the information track immediately after the
information indicated by the second segment of the word having the second
code.
55. The system of claim 49 wherein said means for deriving command signals
includes an operator station and plural command signals can be selectively
coupled to the means for activating, means for deriving an output signal
in response to the magnitude of values associated with a command signal
being the same as successively detected words having the second code, and
the means for activating causes the medium to move at high speed until the
output signal is derived.
56. The system of claim 49 wherein the second segment of certain words
having the first code includes indicia distinguishable from the locations,
and means responsive to the distinguishable indicia and predetermined
command signals for activating the moving means so that the medium is
moved at high speed to substantially the location of the distinguishable
indicia.
57. The system of claim 56 wherein the distinguishable indicia include
command codes indicative of changing the motion of the medium, and means
responsive to detection of a command code indicative of changing the
motion of the medium for (a) deactivating the means for advancing at the
normal speed, and (b) causing the medium to stop.
58. The system of claim 56 wherein the distinguishable indicia include
command codes indicative of changing the motion of the medium, and means
responsive to detection of a command code indicative of changing the
motion of the medium, for (a) deactivating the means for moving at high
speed, and (b) causing the medium to stop.
59. The system of claim 56 wherein the distinguishable indicia include
command codes indicative of changing the motion of the medium, and means
responsive to detection of a command code indicative of changing the
motion of the medium for (a) deactivating the means for advancing at
normal speed and moving at high speed, and (b) causing the medium to stop.
60. The system of claim 48 wherein the recorded data signal includes
command codes indicative of changing the motion of the medium, and means
responsive to detection of a command code indicative of changing the
motion of the medium for (a) deactivating the means for advancing at
normal speed, and (b) causing the medium to stop.
61. The system of claim 48 wherein the recorded data signal includes
command codes indicative of changing the motion of the medium and means
responsive to detection of a command code indicative of changing the
motion of the medium for (a) deactivating the means for moving at high
speeds, and (b) causing the medium to stop.
62. The system of claim 48 wherein the recorded data signal includes
command codes indicative of changing the motion of the medium and means
responsive to detection of a command code indicative of changing the
motion of the medium for (a) deactivating the means for advancing at
normal speed and moving at high speeds, and (b) causing the medium to
stop.
63. The system of claim 48 wherein the recorded data signal includes a
command code indicative of identifying the beginning of predetermined
portions of the recorded information signal, and means responsive to said
command code and a predetermined command signal for activating the means
for moving so the medium moves at high speed to the predetermined portion
of the recorded information signal indicated by the command code.
64. The system of claim 63 wherein the means for deriving command signals
includes an operator station, the command signals derived from the
operator station being indicative of repeating and skipping certain
portions of the recorded information signal, and said means for activating
includes means for respectively moving the medium at high speeds in the
reverse and forward directions in response to detection of the repeat and
skip command signals.
65. The system of claim 48 wherein the recorded coded data signal includes
coded numerical indications for a desired location to which the medium is
to be driven, and means responsive to a command signal disassociated from
the numerical indication for the desired location and one of the coded
numerical indications being detected for activating the means for moving
so that the medium is moved at high speeds to the desired location.
66. The system of claim 65 further including means for activating the
moving means to return the medium at high speeds to substantially the same
location as it had prior to the medium being advanced to the desired
location.
67. The system of claim 66 wherein said means for activating the moving
means to return the medium at high speeds is responsive to a command
signal disassociated from said same location.
68. The system of claim 67 wherein the means for deriving the command
signal includes an operator station, said operator station including means
for deriving a clear signal.
69. The system of claim 66 wherein the means for deriving the command
signal includes an operator station, said operator station including means
for deriving a predetermined signal after the medium has been advanced
through the information on the medium occurring immediately after the
desired location. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to systems for automatically
supplying selected pertinent information to operators, and more
particularly to a system wherein a dynamic storage medium having
information stored thereon for presentation to the operator is selectively
driven at a speed enabling the operator to be provided with the
information or at higher speeds wherein the medium moves quickly in either
direction and is stopped accurately at a location designated by the medium
itself or at a specific location designated by the operator.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Numerous systems have been designed and proposed for automatically
presenting information to an operator, such systems are often employed for
educational purposes to teach a student. Certain of these systems have
employed combined audio and visual presentations that are selectively
presented under the control of the student. However, the prior art systems
have either generally been extremely complex, with considerable
flexibility or relatively simple with little flexibility and limited
utility. The complex systems have frequently employed a general purpose
digital computer at a remote location or shared with a number of student
or operator stations. Such systems, therefore, are restricted and not
adaptable for use by an individual user at a remote location. While
relatively uncomplicated systems have been devised with a fair degree of
flexibility, these systems generally use storage mediums having unusual
visual medium and track configurations, not readily available on a
commercial basis and compatible with existing record playback systems.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a new and improved programmed
display system, particularly adaptable for educational and instructive
purposes, is provided by utilizing a generally available dynamic storage
medium, such as a video magnetic tape. The tape includes the usual audio
and video information tracks, in the form of a longitudinal audio track
for aural presentation, a longitudinal video control track and diagonal
video tracks, as well as a program track which extends the length of the
tape, parallel to the audio track used for the aural information. Such
tapes and appropriate playback systems are available on a commercial
basis.
The program track is provided with messages to indicate the position of the
tape and to enable the tape to be advanced or returned to predetermined
positions for branching on a selected basis in response to operator inputs
to questions or situations presented to him by the aural or visual
information. After a branching operation has been completed and in
response to the operator activating a numerical input or clear control,
the tape is automatically indexed to a designated location in the
presentation medium.
The operator has the ability to index the tape to any desired location, in
accordance with a directory with which he is provided, or to provide a
temporary stop (pause) in the presentation of the material. The operator
also may cause the tape to repeat segments of the most recently presented
material relating to a particular subject, or to skip designated portions
of the presented material.
To achieve the skip, repeat, indexing and branching operations and to reach
the designated location in a minimum of time, the tape is selectively
driven in the forward or reverse directions at speeds considerably in
excess of the normal forward (play) speed and automatically pause upon
arrival at those locations. Also, the tape can be driven, at will, at high
speed in either direction in response to commands from the operator.
The program track is also provided with special codes for enabling special
control functions to be performed. The special codes are identified by
signals having magnitudes which cannot represent tape locations and
thereby can be ignored by electronic processing circuitry responsive to
the indicia location code. The electronic circuitry responds to values of
the special codes to automatically generate pauses at designated points in
the audio-visual information; for example, at the completion of an
information segment or to terminate a repeat or skip operation. A special
code is also employed to enable the skip mode to be entered in response to
commands by the operator.
As a further feature of the invention, inputs from the operator can be
controlled so that they cannot initiate the skip, repeat, pause, index,
fast forward or rewind modes of operation. Thereby, supervisory control
can be provided if it is desired to force the user to proceed through the
material in a disciplined manner. Supervisory control is also provided so
that the tape automatically goes to either the play or pause mode upon the
completion of a skip or repeat operations. Supervisory control can also be
selectively provided to inhibit the play mode as an alternative in a
branch selection process.
Because the tape can be driven at widely varying speeds, over at least a
10:1 speed ratio, the detection of tape location information from the
program track presents certain problems, relating, for example, to the
variable frequency of the program track signals, tape jitter (f.m.), and
frequency response of pick-up heads and playback circuits. In addition, to
enable the system to be utilized with commercially available systems, only
one program track can be employed.
As a result of these limitations, the program track utilizes a trilevel,
audio carrier envelope. Binary bits which provide the data on the program
track are represented by envelopes having zero and a predetermined,
maximum envelope, while clock pulses, associated with each binary bit, are
represented by an envelope having an amplitude one-half of that of the
predetermined maximum. Detection of the envelope amplitude is provided by
a network including threshold detectors and retriggerable one shot
multivibrators, which preclude response time problems of conventional
audio detectors employing low pass filters and rectifiers.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a new and
improved programmed information presentation system.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved integral
programmed information system employing a conventional dynamic recording
medium, which system is particularly adapted for educational and
instructional purposes, and provides mobility and great flexibility of
utilization.
A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved
programmed, information presentation system wherein an operator can, at
will, cause pauses in the presentation or can cause certain portions of
the information to be repeated or skipped, or can cause a certain portion
of the information to be reached (indexed) at will.
A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved
programmed, information presentation system wherein complex branching is
performed in a relatively simple machine utilizing a conventional dynamic
storage medium that carries instructions for alternative branching
operations.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improved
programmed information system wherein branching is performed in response
to alternative inputs from an operator and wherein an automatic feature is
provided to allow return to the branch selection point if an incorrect
branching operation is recognized by the operator.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved programmed
information presentation system wherein operator input functions can be
inhibited from a supervisory station for disciplined applications.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and
improved system for deriving binary signals from a magnetic tape track
capable of being driven at widely variable speeds.
The above and still further objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following
detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof, especially when
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is an illustration of an operator station for use in conjunction
with the system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a video magnetic tape employed in
the system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a front view of a tape playback unit, with modifications
incorporated in accordance with certain aspects of the present invention;
FIGS. 5A-5B is a block diagram of a portion of the electronics network
incl | | |
