An automatic selector unit for repetitively actuating an automatic phonograph to play randomly selected records includes a first timer for measuring the elapsed time since a previous play and a continuously running second timer for generating periodic pulses. The unit actuates the scanning mechanism of the phonograph after a predetermined elapsed time to bring different records successively into position for play and thereafter actuates the player mechanism on the next pulse from the second timer to play the record then in position for play.
A bonus award system for an automatic phonograph offers bonus pricing during bonus time intervals. Optionally operable means are provided for initiating bonus intervals in the absence or presence of record plays during random time intervals, which are determined in part by phonograph customer activity.
A method for playing tunes from a plurality of disks stored in a magazine in random order and without repeating any one tune. Three memories are provided. In the first there are recorded the identities of disks which have already been played, in the second, the identities of already-played tune S on each disk, and, in the third, an incremental count of the number of already-played tunes on each disk. The tunes are selected in terms of random numbers limited by the number of as-yet-unplayed disks derived from the data stored in the first memory.
In a compact disc player with a plurality of compact disc, a random number generator selects the disc to be played and another random number generator selects the part of the disc to be played.
A system for recovering information from a videodisc and performing special functions which enhance the operational character of the system. To increase the reliability of landing at or near a target track, provisions are made to search for a track adjacent a target track whose track identifier has been obliterated. Further, a method and means for stepping forward or reverse one field at a time is disclosed. Another aspect of the invention concerns a capability to respond to a random command instruction resulting in subsequent functioning of the system in a random manner. Yet a further aspect of the invention is related to controlled jumping of one or more tracks during vertical blanking time to produce unique forward or backward motions; multiples of playing speed, both forward and reverse, and visual special effects can be realized using the multiple track jumping feature. Finally, a method and means are described which permit synchronous transmission of video from a videodisc to an external using device. This is a division, of application Ser. No. 569,103, filed Jan. 9, 1984, which is a division of application Ser. No. 368,792, filed Jan. 14, 1982 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,863.
An apparatus and method of scheduling audio tracks on audio compact discs in a CD jukebox to be played at predetermined times is disclosed. The method includes storing, in a CD audio track index location on an audio CD, a value indicating that the audio CD is a sequence CD containing audio tracks that are to be played at predetermined times. The stored value also specifies a predetermined sequence, or schedule to use with the sequence CD. A controller computer, within the CD jukebox and external to the CD player, utilizes CD-DA commands to query the CD player for the CD audio track index on each audio CD. The responses are used to distinguish normal audio CDs from sequence CDs. A periodic interrupt invokes a sequence interrupt handler that determines whether any audio tracks on any sequence CDs are scheduled to be played. If one or more audio tracks are scheduled to be played, the CD slot number and audio track number are inserted at the front of a queue of selections to be played, causing the newly-entered selections to be played after a presently-playing audio track completes.
