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Claims  |
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I claim:
1. A system for making customized multiple selection, multiple track
magnetic tape records by recording the playback from an array of
separately playable tape recorded selections, said system comprising in
combination
a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges, each being prerecorded with a
predetermined selection,
a playback array for receiving and selectively playing back said cartridges
in an order selected to provide customization of said records being made
with at least two of said cartridges being played back simultaneously,
at least one multiple track tape recorder connected to said playback array
and loaded with a supply of magnetic tape sufficient to provide at least
one of said custom recorded magnetic tape records, said tape recorder
receiving the simultaneous playback of said selected cartridges of said
array and for recording thereof on plural tracks of said magnetic tape
supply,
control means operatively connected to said array and to said tape recorder
for starting playback operation of said array and recording operation of
said tape recorder and for automatic switching of said tape recorder and
said array to a next cartridge in order in said array after each cartridge
completes playback.
2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein each said selection prerecorded
on a said magnetic tape cartridge is of a standardized time duration.
3. The system set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of multiple track
tape recorders connected to said playback array for making a plurality of
said customized tape records simultaneously.
4. The system set forth in claim 1 further comprising variable-length audio
delay means connected to at least one of said plurality of multiple track
tape recorders for delaying playback by varying times to accommodate in
proper time sequence successive selections of differing duration.
5. The system set forth in claim 1 further comprising label printer means
connected to said control means for printing labels for said customized
tape records, each said label for a said customized tape record being
printed with a listing of selections recorded thereon in order of
recording.
6. The system set forth in claim 1 further comprising tape cutter means
mounted at said tape recorder and connected to said control means, said
tape cutter means for cutting tape threaded on said recorder after a said
customized tape record has been made.
7. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein said playback array includes at
least twelve separately operable playback units, and wherein there are at
least twelve said prerecorded magnetic tape cartridges in said array.
8. The system set forth in claim 7 configured for making customized
eight-track magnetic tape records, wherein said playback array is
connected to play four units back simultaneously, and wherein said control
means automatically advances said array to a succeeding unit upon
completion of playback of each said unit until said customized tape record
is made, whereupon said control means stops said array.
9. The system set forth in claim 7 configured for making customized
four-track cassette magnetic tape records, wherein said playback array is
connected to play two units back simultaneously, and wherein said control
means automatically advances said array to a succeeding unit upon
completion of playback of each said unit until said control means stops
said array.
10. Apparatus for automatic high speed mass recording of custom magnetic
medium records, each custom record having a plurality of customer
preselected entertainment selections in a customer preselected order
comprising:
a multiplicity of playback units, each unit being prerecorded with an
available entertainment selection;
randomly accessible playback matrix means for holding and playing back said
playback units at a high speed much higher than customer equipment
playback speed in an order for each said record corresponding to said
preselected entertainment selections in said preselected order therefor;
high speed recorder means connected to said playback matrix means and
having a supply of magnetic recording media to provide a medium to be
recorded at said high speed with the playback of said customer preselected
plurality of entertainment selections in said preselected order thereby
providing each said custom record;
automatic controller means operatively connected to said high speed
playback matrix means and to said high speed recorder means, for receiving
and storing batches of data for a plurality of said records to be custom
made, said data corresponding to said customer preselected entertainment
selections and sequences for each said record, said controller means
repeatedly automatically selecting and operating said playback matrix
means in accordance with said data for each said record and simultaneously
operating said recorder to make each said record until all said custom
records specified by said data batch have been mass recorded; and
data input means operatively connected to said controller means for
inputting batches of said data from time to time during mass recording
operation of said apparatus to enable it to mass record said custom
records substantially continuously.
11. The apparatus set forth in claim 10, further comprising label printer
means connected to said controller means for printing upon a blank record
label loaded therein a listing of said preselected entertainment
selections in said preselected order to provide a customized label for
each said record, said label being adapted to be affixed to a container
containing said custom record.
12. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein said playback matrix means
plays back a plurality of playback units simultaneously, and further
comprising a plurality of high speed recorder means connected
simultaneously to said playback matrix means and a supply of magnetic
recording media for each said recorder means, said controller means being
operatively connected to each said recorder means so that each is
simultaneously provided with different preselected entertainment
selections in a preselected order for simultaneous mass recording of
custom magnetic medium records.
13. The apparatus set forth in claim 12 further comprising variable-length
playback delay means connected between said playback matrix means and at
least one of said plurality of recorder means for delaying playback to
said one recorder means of one entertainment selection from said playback
matrix means by a length sufficient to enable a preceding playback of
another entertainment selection to said one recorder means to be completed
so that a single playback of said one entertainment selection by said
playback matrix means may be recorded at different times by said one
recorder means as well as another of said plurality of recorder means
which first received playback which first received playback of said one
entertainment selection, whereby simultaneous playback of entertainment
selections of differing durations may be recorded by said plurality of
recorder means without overlap of selections and excessive pauses
therebetween in any custom record being mass produced.
14. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 further comprising automatic
magnetic media cutter means in connection with said high speed recorder
means and controlled by said automatic controller means for severing each
recorded magnetic medium record from said supply of magnetic recording
media.
15. A method for mass producing customized multiple selection, multiple
track magnetic records automatically and at high speed by recording
playbacks of entertainment units selected from a bank of available units,
said method comprising the steps of:
prerecording each said entertainment unit on a single, separately
accessible recording,
loading each said recording into a high speed playback matrix,
interconnecting said playback matrix with a magnetic recorder through an
automatic switching network,
loading said recorder with a supply of unrecorded magnetic record media,
presetting said automatic switching network to select automatically between
recordings sequentially to provide for a plurality of said custom records
the particular entertainment units in the particular sequence specified
for each,
starting said recorder and said matrix,
playing back recordings in said playback matrix in present automatic
sequence at high speed much higher than user speed while simultaneously
sequentially recording said entertainment units at high speed onto said
magnetic record media by automatically changing connections between said
playback matrix and said recorder between recordings with said automatic
switching newwork to provide said plurality of mass produced customized
records.
16. The method set forth in claim 15 further comprising the steps of
providing a plurality of recorders interconnected with said matrix,
delaying said playback in a variable length delay connected at one of said
recorders until playback of the preceding recording is completed and
thereupon sending said delayed playback to said delay connected recorder
whereby entertainment units having different time durations may be
playback and simultaneously recorded on said plurality of recorders
without overlap and excessive pause between units included in any custom
record being mass produced.
17. The method in claim 15 further comprising the step of automatically
making a label for each said magnetic tape record which identifies in
sequence the entertainment units custom recorded on said record, said
label being made in accordance with a control signal that selects the
sequence of playback of said matrix.
18. The method in claim 15 further comprising the step of tabulating the
total number of playbacks of each said recording whereby royalties accrued
on account thereof may be known and paid.
19. The method set forth in claim 15 including the steps of
providing a multiplicity of separate prerecorded media, each having
recorded thereon at least one entertainment unit;
loading some of said media into said playback matrix to make some of said
records;
changing some of said media from time to time to make others of said
customized records.
20. A system for the automatic high speed mass production of customized
multiple entertainment selection magnetic media records, comprising:
a plurality of discrete, separately playable magnetic reproduction units,
each unit being prerecorded with a said entertainment selection and
provided with a cue means for signalling a cue at the end of said
selection thereon,
a plurality of high speed player means for receiving said reproduction
units, each said player means for playing back said entertainment
selection and cue on the unit therein at a speed much faster than user
playback speed,
customizing selection means interconnecting each of said plurality of
player means and preset with a batch of customizing playback sequences for
the custom records to be produced, said selection means for automatically
sequentially selecting and connecting each said reproduction unit in
accordance with said preset sequence and for responding to a cue from a
said player means presently operating by automatically starting the
operation of a preselected next player means so that said selections are
played back in accordance with said customizing sequence,
high speed recorder means connected to said plurality of player means and
provided with a supply of unrecorded magnetic media, said recorder means
for receiving playback from each said selected and operating player means
and for recording said playback at said high speed onto said media,
thereby producing said customized multiple selection magnetic media
records.
21. The system set forth in claim 20 wherein said customizing selection
means further includes starting and stopping control means for starting a
first said player means and for stopping said system upon end of playback
of a last said player means.
22. The system set forth in claim 20 further comprising label generating
means connected to said customizing selection means, said label generating
means for storing the title of each reproduction unit and the player means
in which it is located, and for automatically printing a label for said
record listing each said title in order of said customizing sequence.
23. The system set forth in claim 20 further comprising media cutter means
at said recorder means and connected to said customizing selection means,
said media cutter means for cutting said media supplied at said recorder
means after said customized record has been produced.
24. A high volume, high speed recording system for recording magnetic media
entertainment records, each record being provided with multiple
entertainment programs selected and recorded in order specified by the
customer, said system comprising:
a multiplicity of discrete self contained, separately playable magnetic
reproduction units, each unit being prerecorded with a said entertainment
program and provided with a cue means for signalling a cue at the end of
playback of said program thereon,
a plurality of high speed player means for said reproduction units, each
said player means for automatically playing back a said entertainment
program and cue means on the reproduction unit leaded therein upon receipt
of a start-playback signal at a speed much faster than user playback
speed, and for manually ejecting played units and receiving unplayed units
in periods of nonplayback during system operation;
customizing selection means interconnecting each of said high speed player
means and preset with a customizing playback sequence, said selection
means for responding to a signalled cue from a said player means presently
operating by automatically generating and sending a said start-playback
signal to a preselected next player means so that said entertainment
programs are played back serially in accordance with each said customer
selection and order for each said custom record being recorded;
high speed recorder means connected to said plurality of player means and
provided with a supply of unrecorded magnetic media, said recorder means
for receiving said serially ordered playbacks from said plurality of
player means and for recording said playbacks at said high speed onto said
media, thereby producing said customer selected and ordered records and,
record separator means for separating each record from said supply of
unrecorded magnetic media following production thereof.
25. The system set forth in claim 24 wherein said customizing selection
means comprises a prearranged pattern of wiring interconnecting said
plurality of high speed player means.
26. The system set forth in claim 24 wherein said customizing selection
means includes:
input terminal means for enabling input of batches of said customizing
sequences for each said record and for other information;
customizing sequence data memory means connected to said input terminal
means and to said plurality of player means, for receiving, storing and
automatically putting out said customizing sequence for each said record
being produced, so as to operate in said sequence each said player means.
27. The system set forth in claim 26, wherein said memory means includes a
program identification and location memory, a program address stack; a
program counter connected to count across said program address stack, a
system control connected to said player means and responsive to said cue
for operating said program counter upon receipt of each said cue, and a
location decoder interconnecting said program identification and location
memory and said plurality of said player means for operating each player
means in said customizing sequence as stored in said program
identification and location memory.
28. The system set forth in claim 27, further comprising a label printer
operatively connected to said program identification and location memory
for printing a label of titles of said programs in said customizing
sequence for each said record.
29. A system for the automatic high speed production of a customized
multiple entertainment selection magnetic media record, comprising:
a plurality of discrete, separately playable magnetic reproduction units,
each unit being prerecorded with said entertainment selection and provided
with a cue means for signalling a cue at the end of said selection
thereon,
a plurality of high speed player means for receiving said reproduction
units, each said player means for playing back said entertainment
selection and cue on the unit therein at a speed much faster than user
playback speed,
customizing selection means interconnecting each of said plurality of
player means and preset with a customizing playback sequence for the
custom record to be produced, said selection means for responding to a cue
from a said player means presently operating by automatically starting the
operation of a preselected next player means so that said selections are
played back in accordance with said customizing sequence,
high speed recorder means connected to said plurality of player means and
provided with a supply of unrecorded magnetic media, said recorder means
for receiving playback from each said selected and operating player means
and for recording said playback at said high speed onto said media,
thereby producing said customized multiple selection magnrtic media
record, and
media cutter means at said recorder means and connected to said customizing
selection means, said media cutter means for cutting said media supplied
at said recorder means after said customized record has been produced.
30. The system set forth in claim 29 wherein said customizing selection
means further includes starting and stopping control means for starting a
first said player means and for stopping said system upon end of playback
of a last said player means.
31. The system set forth in claim 29 further comprising label generating
means connected to said customizing selection means, said label generating
means for storing the title of each reproduction unit and the player means
in which it is located, and for automatically printing a label for said
record listing each said title in order of said customizing sequence. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to method and apparatus for automatically
recording a magnetic tape with randomly selected program units such as
musical numbers. More particularly, the present invention enables a
consumer to be provided with a customized tape recording which includes,
for example, a group of program units arranged in an order preselected by
the consumer from a bank of available program units. Some forms of the
present invention will additionally provide a label for the tape recording
which lists the units selected in order of recording.
The commercial recording industry, while it has been highly successful, has
been plagued by a number of herefore unsolved limitations and drawbacks.
For example, the musical tastes of consumers change very rapidly, which
makes it very difficult for recording companies to decide accurately the
type and quantity of entertainment material to provide. At the point of
sale at the retail level, these limitations have resulted in insufficient
availability of desired material and at the same time an overabundance of
material which has not come into popular demand or which has become stale
and may be sold, if at all, only well below cost.
Entertainment numbers are typically initially promoted and popularized by
broadcasts and live performances. Usually the consumer shops for records
with a specific selection in mind. While singles of the selection may be
available in disc record form, they are usually not available in tape
format. Also, many record albums contain only one or several songs which
the consumer truly enjoys and wants, but which include other songs which
the consumer does not wish to purchase but must. This monumental lack of
choice in prerecorded long playing tapes has lead consumers to buy blank
tape in substantial quantities and duplicate illegally vast quantities of
copyrighted material from recordings or from broadcast transmissions. Such
practices of creating custom tape recordings not only deprives artists and
composers of the royalties to which they are entitled, it is a time
consuming and laborious project for the consumer and one which has often
produced less than satisfactory results.
Still this problem has not been solved by any new consumer appliances. A
variety of multiple-cartridge playback units have appeared for consumer
use in the marketplace. They have the same drawbacks and limitations as
record players for LP records: that is, each tape is played through
entirely before the next tape is up for play. Alternatively, juke boxes
are equally unsuited for home and car uses. They are bulky and have to be
loaded and reloaded with single disc recordings periodically. Moreover,
once disc recordings are discarded, they are essentially wasted and have
no practical salvage value or capability of being rerecorded with new
program material.
Several systems have been proposed in the past for providing customized
tape recordings. One example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,906 to
Lightner. Therein a coin operated remote vending machine addressed a
master tape system at a central location via a picture phone wide band
telephone line (a system not widely installed in the United States or
elsewhere). The master tape system played selected tape recorded programs
back to the remote vending unit which thereupon transferred the programs
onto a blank cartridge and delivered the custom cartridge to the consumer
at the end of the recording operation. Such a system was highly
impractical from many aspects. It required all playback to be at a central
location, transmission to remote locations via wideband communications
paths, and recording to be at each remote location. That system required
unique, complex and expensive equipment, that could not easily be
maintained without a fleet of mobile maintenance stations and technicians.
Also, the Lightner system omitted entirely any provision for labelling the
cartridges with a list of the selections recorded thereon in the order of
recording. Without such a label, the customer had to come up with his own
label or simply try to remember from time to time what his custom
selections had been. Thus, those prior systems, such as the one shown in
the Lightner patent, did not provide any practical answer to the
consumer's desire for custom tape recordings.
OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing system for
the automatic production of tape recordings from a bank of available
numbers in ways that overcome the limitations and drawbacks of the prior
art.
Another object of the present invention is to enable a record company to
make available to the consuming public the latest entertainment numbers
while producing an optimum number of recorded tapes, a number closely tied
to actual demand.
Another object of the present invention is to enable retailers to make
custom tape recordings without having to maintain a large inventory of
prerecorded records and tapes.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide the consumer with
prerecorded entertainment programs of only those selections desired by the
consumer, thereby reducing and even eliminating waste of records and
tapes.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide reproduction
accountability to reduce the problem of illegal copyright infringement of
broadcast and prerecorded material arising from widespread home recording
and thereby return to artists and composers the royalties they rightfully
should receive.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a custom tape
recording of multiple selections that includes a label.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide automatic
selectable-length time delays for synchronizing selection recording
starting times so as to handle selections of differing lengths.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are
accomplished by a system which includes a bank of multiple tape
cartridges, each prerecorded with a different single unit program of
entertainment. The cartridges are installed in a playback matrix which
plays back selected ones of the cartridges in a predetermined sequential
order for multiple track custom tape recordings. The playback matrix plays
back selected cartridges simultaneously so that all tracks are recorded
with one pass. The program units are either timed to be substantially the
same length or a variable length delay may be provided for each program
channel to be recorded. A tape recorder is connected to the playback
matrix and is loaded with a single quantity of magnetic tape which is to
be recorded with the predetermined sequence of unit programs. A container
is also provided for the magnetic tape after it has been recorded. The
container may be a tape cassette or an eight track cartridge or a reel,
etc. Alternatively, the tape recorder could be adapted to receive a
preloaded cassette, eight track cartridge, or reel. A controller is
provided which is connected to control the playback matrix, the tape
recorder and the delay. The controller energizes and connects selected
playback units of the matrix and sends the audio playback signals
therefrom to the recorder in the preselected sequence while the recorder
records the received programs on the tape. The controller may also tally
playbacks for royalty accounting. The system may include an operator
terminal connected to the controller for selecting the identification and
order of the tape cartridges having the different single entertainment
units which are to be placed onto the tape. An output printer may also be
connected to the controller for printing the label for the tape container
which lists the program units in the order selected. The label may then be
affixed to the tape container before or after the tape therein is custom
recorded with the programs listed thereon, and the label printer may also
print a mailing label for automatic affixation to a mailing jacket so that
an automatic production and mailing system is thereby provided. The
printer may also be utilized to print out the playback tally for each
program unit.
The method of the present invention includes the steps of providing each of
a plurality of tape cartridges with a different single unit program of
entertainment, loading the prerecorded tape cartridge into a playback
matrix; loading a supply of unrecorded magnetic tape into a tape recorder;
connecting the tape recorder to the playback matrix; automatically playing
back selected cartridges in a predetermined order and simultaneously
recording the playback therefrom onto multiple tracks of the tape in the
tape recorder. The method may also include automatically typing a label
for the magnetic tape in the tape recorder which identifies in sequence
the program units recorded thereon and affixing the printed label to the
magnetic tape recorded by the recorder.
The method may comprise the additional step of providing a mailing label
for application to a mailing wrapper for a recorded tape so that it may be
delivered through the mail to the consumer ordering it. The method may
comprise the step of tabulating the total member of playbacks of each
cartridge so that royalties may be computed and paid. The method also may
comprise the step of providing one of multiple tape recorders
simultaneously connected to the matrix with a playback delay for delaying
a playback to accomplish simultaneous recording of selections having
different time durations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an overall system block diagram of a large volume random
selection recording and labelling system incorporating the principles of
the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a detailed block and schematic diagram of the system of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in front elevation of a low volume
custom tape recording system incorporating the principles of the present
invention and particularly well suited for point of retail sale custom
tape production.
FIG. 4 is a detail block diagram of the control circuitry of the system of
FIG. 3 configured for production of custom eight-track tape cartridges.
FIG. 5 is a detail block diagram of the control circuitry of the system of
FIG. 3 configured for production of custom cassette tape cartridges.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
High Volume Custom Tape Production and Labeling System 10
A random selection recording and automatic label printing system 10
incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1
and 2. FIG. 1 is a simplified presentation of the system 10 and
illustrates its six major functional elements while FIG. 2 presents the
system 10 in greater detail. The system 10 is preferred for high volume
production of customized tape recordings at a central duplication
facility. A much smaller system 100, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, is preferred
for lower volume point of sale production of customized tape recordings in
retail record shops.
An input terminal 12 is connected to a system control logic element 14 via
a cable 15 and enables an operator to provide the system 10 with the
necessary information for operation. The terminal 12 has an operator
keyboard 16 which preferably follows the layout of a standard typewriter.
A video screen 18 may be included in the terminal 12 to enable the
operator to read the information then being sent to the system 10 at the
keyboard 16 as well as to read information being sent from the system
control logic block 14. The terminal 12 is used first to load into the
system control logic block 14 the textual description and playback address
of each musical program selection available for playback in providing a
customized tape recording product. The terminal 12 is thereafter used to
program the system control logic block to select at random some of the
available musical selections for sequential playback during the recording
of the customized tape product. The terminal 12 is also used to program
and control the work flow of the system 10 in making customized tape
records.
There are other devices connected to the system control logic block: a
master playback matrix 20, slave recorders 21 and 22, a status indicator
panel 24, and a label printer 26.
The master playback matrix 20, which is connected to the system control
logic block 14 via a cable 23, comprises an array of individual playback
units arranged by columns and rows. The matrix 20 shown in FIG. 1
accommodates seventy five broadcast style tape cartridges 30 (NAB size A
or B) in five vertical rows with fifteen cartridges 30 per row. The matrix
20 may easily be larger or smaller, depending upon the number of program
selections and the number of playback units to be served simultaneously.
The matrix 20 shown in FIG. 1 is preferably made up of twenty five three
cartridge reproducers, such as the 3D series reproducer manufactured by
International Tapetronics Corporation, 2425 South Main Street,
Bloomington, Ill. 61701, or equivalent. These reproducers are solenoid
controlled and provide a plurality of playback tracks, as well as stop and
control cue signals. Each playback reproducer has its own playback
amplifier and control circuitry. While the bank 20 is described as a five
column, fifteen row cartridge playback matrix, it may alternatively be
assembled from other playback reproduction units, such as eight track
cartridge, cassette, or reel-to-reel reproducers or a combination thereof.
Playback velocities will be much faster than will ordinarily obtain during
playback of a tape by a consumer, with speeds preferably being about sixty
inches per second. These high speeds enable custom tapes to be produced
much faster, and therefore in greater quantities, than if playback
reproductions were at conventional low speed.
Each of the cassettes 30 is prerecorded with an entertainment unit such as
a musical selection. Typically, the selection would be prerecorded
stereophonically on two tracks of the tape in the cassette 30. Other
recording tracks would be available on the cartridges 30 for control
signals such as cue tones, etc. In some circumstances it is desirable to
prerecord an entertainment unit into a cartridge in both forward and
reverse directions. In the production of multiple selection cassette tape
records, simultaneous recording of of all four audio tracks thereof
requires that the program units for two of the tracks be recorded in
reverse. Prerecording the entertainment unit in the cartridge 30 in two
directions thereby enables reverse matrix playback and recording of two
tracks of a customized cassette record simultaneously with forward matrix
playback and recording of the other two tracks of the record. The playback
heads of the matrix 20 may have sufficient tracks to accommodate
simultaneous forward and reverse playback, as well as cue tone, should
that situation be desired in operation.
The slave recorders 21 and 22 are shown as reel-to-reel machines, which are
generally preferred for the production of spliced eight track custom
cartridges. Tape 25 for each cartridge is recorded while in "pancake"
form, i.e., coiled on a hub but without a reel, then loaded into a
suitable cartridge container with its ends then being spliced together. I
prefer to use a high quality machine for the slave recorders 21 and 22; a
Model 280 B transport and electronics manufactured by Scully/Metrotech
division of Dictophone Corporation, 475 Ellis Street, Mountain View,
Calif. 94043 works well. While the Scully machine is preferred as a
reel-to-reel recorder, other forms of recorder units will work
satisfactorily as the slave recorder 22; for example, cassette, cartridge,
floppy disc and video disc type machines will work, if desired.
Audio program material is delivered from the master playback matrix 20 to
the slave recorders 21 and 22 via an interconnecting cable 32. A
bidirectional control bus 34 between the slave recorders 21 and 22 and the
system control logic block 14 enables the control logic to start each
recorder 21, 22 and to inhibit playback by the master playback bank 20 in
the event that the recorders 21 and 22 are not ready to record.
All audio program material being played back is delivered to each recorder
21, 22 via the cable 32. The programs are available to each recorder 21,
22 at the same time so that they may be recorded simultaneously by both
recorders, if that is desired in the making of custom tape records. In
practice, popular musical selections typically have a duration of about
two to three minutes, with variations therebetween.
In making customized tape records with the system 10, differing durations
of selections would result in overlaps of selections or undesirable pauses
between selections on the final customized tape record product.
Consequently, either the selections prerecorded on the cartridges 30 will
all be arranged or edited to uniform duration or variable delays will have
to be provided at one of the recorders 21 or 22. A suitable delay 27 is
indicated in conjunction with the tape recorder 22. The delay 27 is shown
as four blocks 27a, 27b, 27c, 27d, with each block 27a-d accommodating one
of four audio channels (each being a two track stereo channel) supplied to
the recorder 22 from the audio cable 32. A control line from the control
block 14 to each unit 27a, 27b, 27c, 27d is included within the
bidirectional control bus 34.
Each delay unit 27a, 27b, 27c, 27d, is implemented as a variable duration
delay whose duration is controlled by the system control logic block 14.
The length of the delay for each unit will be a direct function of the
timing and duration of the immediately preceding selection sent through
its channel and recorded by the recorder 22. The physical implementation
of each unit of the delay 27 may be with solid state analog memory or
digital conversion and memory devices, or may be separate record and
playback tape mechanisms threaded with a common tape, with the length of
tape between the mechanisms varying in accordance with the delay required.
Audio switches 28 and 29 at each recorder 21, 22 are operated by the system
control 14 to select the correct program material for their respective
recorders 21 and 22 from all of the playback channels available on the
interconnecting cable 32 from time to time. While the system 10 is
illustrated in the figures with two slave recorders 21 and 22, it is to be
understood that more slave recorders may be accommodated simultaneously,
preferably about twenty. Each recorder of an expanded system would be
provided with an audio delay, if the available selections are not of the
same playback duration.
The system 10 may include the status indicator panel 24, or this may be
omitted: it provides an operator with visual indicators which relate
operating status of the system 10 from time to time. The panel 24 may be a
part of the input terminal 12, a part of the system control logic block
14, a part of the master playback matrix 20, or an entirely separate
panel, etc. Moreover, some of the indicators may be a part of the input
terminal 12 while others may be part of the playback matrix 20, and so
forth. As shown in FIG. 1, the status indicator panel 24 is connected to
the system control logic block 14 via a cable 36. While not essential to
functionality, the indicator panel 24 conveniently provides the operator
with valuable information, such as which playback units are playing back
at any given time, which programs are being recorded by the recorders 21
and 22, or in the event of a failure, at which locations the failure has
occurred.
The label printer 26 is an electromechanical printing unit which is
connected to the system control logic block 14 by a line 38. The printer
26 is loaded with, e.g., a roll of continuous paper label forms 40 in
conventional fashion, and it automatically prints each label with the
names of the musical selections in the order in which they are being
recorded to provide the customized tape product. Preferably, the labels 40
are coated on the backside with a pressure sensitive adhesive and carried
on a continuous waxed paper backing sheet while in the printer.
Thereafter, each label is easily peeled away from the backing sheet and
adhered by application to the cartridge or tape container of the
customized tape product to which it corresponds. Identifying code numbers
may appear on the labels and the cartridges or containers for match up by
operators, so that each customized tape record receives the correct custom
label.
FIG. 2 illustrates diagrammatically one architecture for the system control
logic block 14. Although other operating elements and interconnections may
be utilized, the functional requirements of the system control logic block
14 remain essentially the same: to receive from the terminal 12 and store
the list of musical selections to be custom recorded, to select and
control in the proper sequence and playback units carrying the musical
selections as well as the slave recorders 21 and 22 and their audio
switches 28 and 29, to operate the label printer 26 to list on the label
the names of the musical selections being custom recorded by the slave
recorder 22, and to provide suitable status signals to the indicator panel
24.
In an expanded system 10, the system control logic block 14 may
additionally analyze all of the lists of customized tape records to be
made during a production interval such as one day and determine the most
efficient order of production. Loading and reloading directions of the
playback matrix 20 would be specified at the screen 18 of the operator
terminal 12 during the production interval so that the system 10 would be
able to provide many more selection offerings beyond the number of units
of the playback matrix 20.
The system control logic block 14 shown in FIG. 2 includes a program
identification and location memory 42 which stores data providing
identification and location for each musical selection available for
playback in the system 10. The memory 42 may be a random access read/write
memory (RAM) having sufficient capacity to store all of the data needed to
identify the name, e.g., by song title, and location of each musical
selection for one custom tape product. Preferably the memory 42 will have
sufficient capacity to hold the data for many custom tape products. The
memory 42 is initially loaded with data directly from the input terminal
12 via a bidirectional data and address bus 43.
Also connected to the terminal is a program address stack 44 which is made
up of interconnected registers. The stack is directly accessed by the
terminal 12 via a bidirectional address data bus 45. The program address
stack 44 is loaded with the addresses of the identification and location
data for the musical selections to be assembled into each custom tape
recording. The program address stack will have capacity for holding the
addresses of the selections for at least one custom tape product, and
preferably it will hold addresses for a number of such custom products.
The program address stack 44 is connected to the program identification
and location memory 42 via an address bus 46.
The system control logic block 14 also includes a system control circuit 48
which is connected to the terminal 12 via a bidirectional bus 49. Control
signals, such as start playback/record, are sent from the terminal
keyboard 16 to the control circuit 48 via the bus 49. Read/write control
lines 50 extend from the system control circuit 48 to the program address
stack and also to the program memory 42. These lines 50 send control
signals received from the terminal 12 to the stack 44 and memory 42 to
switch from read to write to read, etc., operational modes. A reset/clear
line 51 interconnects the system control 48 and the program address stack
44, and enables the stack 44 to be cleared or reset.
The system control 48 is connected to a program counter 52 via a bus 53.
The program counter 52 is in turn connected to the program address stack
44 by a stack count bus 54. During playback/custom tape recording
operations, the program counter 52 counts down the program address stack
and sends each address stored therein to the memory 42 where the address
controls the memory and locates the musical selection identification and
location data stored therein. The reset line 51 is also connected to the
program counter 52 to clear and reset it.
The memory 42 may be provided with additional storage capacity so that
other data may be placed therein. For example, the name and address of the
purchaser of the custom tape may be stored in the memory 42 via the input
terminal 12. This information would be sent to the label printer where the
name and address may be placed on the cartridge label to provide a
personalized custom tape product and may also be typed on a separate label
for affixation to a suitable mailing or shipping container.
There are at least two data outputs from the program identification and
location memory 42, a location data bus 55 which is connected to a
location decoder 56, and an identification data bus 57 which is connected
to the label printer 26. A bidirectional label print control bus 58
interconnects the printer 26 and the system control 48 and operates the
printer when identification data is being sent from the memory 42 via the
identification bus 57.
The location decoder 56 is electrically connected to each of the seventy
five separate playback units of the master playback bank 20. In FIG. 2,
although only seven of the units 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f, and 20bw
are shown, it is to be understood that the decoder 56 has a separate
output line for each playback unit. Thus a line 56a connects to a playback
unit 20a, a line 56b connects to a playback unit 20b, a line 56c connects
to a playback unit 20c, a line 56d connects to a playback unit 20d, a line
56e connects to a playback unit 20e, a line 56f connects to a playback
unit 20f, and other lines connect to other units down to the last line
56bw which connects to the seventy fifth playback unit 20bw. The lines
56a-56bw operate solenoids in the playback units which automatically
enable them to start, operate, and stop in the playback mode. An audio
output from each playback unit 20a-20bw is passed through an audio gate,
there being a gate 59a, 59b, 59c, 59d, 59e, 59f . . . 59bw for each
playback unit. A control line for each gate 59a-59bw may be connected to
the decoder output line for the particular playback unit. In this way an
enabling signal from the decoder 56 not only actuates the tape transport
solenoid of a selected playback unit, it also enables the audio gate
connected at the audio output of the playback electronics of the selected
playback unit.
Each audio gate 59 has an audio output line 60; thus the gate 59a has a
line 60a, the gate 59b has a line 60b, 59c has a line 60c, the gate 59d
has a line 60d, the gat | | |
