Still picture program video recording composing and playback method and system

A system for recording and playing back video programs formed of still pictures and motion sequences with associated audio comprising

• means for composing a composite video storage medium carrying a plurality of audio program tracks and respectively associated video frames representative of a motion sequence and still pictures for different programs with the program related video frames being identified on the video storage medium, the motion sequence video frames being alternately interlaced with still picture video frames to enable the playback of still pictures requiring display during the motion sequence and related to a different program;
• means for playing back and storing a video frame from the video storage medium to enable continuous display of a program recorded on the video stroage medium;
• means for playing back and selecting the audio on the video storage for projection with associated video frames;
• means responsive to video frame identifying signals from the video storage medium for generating a playback control signal representative of the intervals when video frames related to a selected program are being played back from the composite video storage medium and means actuated by the playback control signal for enabling display of video frames during playback of the video storage medium and recording a video frame on the video frame storing means during said intervals while enabling display of a video frame from the video frame storing means during time periods between said intervals to enable smooth display of a motion sequence compatible with the display of still pictures related to the selected program.

A method for composing a plurality of programs on a video storage medium with the programs being formed of still pictures accompanied by audible information comprising the steps of

• recording a plurality of audio programs of individually determined duration on separate tracks on an audio storage medium;
• recording decodable cue signals individually representative of a still picture on the audio storage medium at locations selected to correspond with desired displays of still pictures for the respective audio programs;
• arranging projectable slides of the still pictures for the programs in a projectable sequence determined by the order of occurrence of the still pictures for all of the audio programs as these are recorded on the audio storage medium;
• playing back the audio programs and cue signals recorded on the audio storage medium;
• projecting the slides in corresponding sequence with the playback of the audio programs and cue signals;
• forming video frames of the projected slides in the order determined by the played back cue signals;
• and
• recording the audio programs, cue signals and video frames on a common video storage medium.

A method for composing a plurality of still picture programs on a video storage medium with the still picture programs being formed of video frames and associated audio information comprising the steps of

• composing an audio magnetic medium with a plurality of audio programs of individually determined durations and decodable cue signals located to determine desired times in the audio programs when a still picture related to a program is to be displayed;
• playing back the audio magnetic medium to record the audio programs onto respectively individual audio tracks on the common video storage medium;
• decoding cue signals from the audio magnetic medium;
• generating video frame signals representative of still pictures for the programs in response to cue signals decoded from the audio magnetic medium;
• and
• simultaneously recording video frame signals with video frame identification on the common video storage medium along with the played back audio programs to compose said plurality of programs thereon whereby the video frames are identifiably located on the video storage medium for display as associated still picture programs may require.

A system for composing a video recording of a plurality of video programs formed of still pictures with associated audio comprising

• audio composing means for producing a magnetic audio recording of a plurality of audio programs of individually determined duration with decodable cue signals located to indicate when still pictures related to the audio programs are to be displayed;
• means for playing back the audio programs and cue signals from the audio recording;
• slide projecting means effectively responsive to the played back cue signals for projecting a plurality of slides respectively representative of the still pictures in the programs and in sequence determined by the recording order of the plurality of audio programs on the audio recording;
• a video tape recorder to form said video recording on a video tape;
• a video camera located to form video frames of the slide projections for recording on said video tape;
• audio recording means for recording the plurality of audio programs on respectively separate tracks on the video tape;
• and
• program control means responsive to the played back cue signals from the audio recording for identifying the video frames on the video recording and initiate sequential slide projection.

A system for composing a plurality of audio narration programs for projection with the display of still pictures on a common multiple track audio tape comprising

• a multiple track audio tape recorder and playback apparatus sized to retain an audio tape capable of recording and playing back a plurality of tracks simultaneously;
• means for playing back selected tracks carrying audio narration and means for operation in response to the played back tracks for generating cue signals representative of still pictures to be displayed for said audio narration programs, said cue signals being decodable to identify the audio narration programs to which the cue signals relate;
• and
• means responsive to the cue signals for recording thereof on the audio tape during playback of the selected tracks to locate the cue signals on the audio tape in the order by which the still pictures of the respective audio narration programs are to be displayed.

A composer for recording a plurality of different video programs formed with still pictures on a common magnetic medium comprising

• a video camera for producing video frame signals of pictures;
• a plurality of slide projectors which are selectively aligned to enable to project slides onto the video camera;
• video signal recording means for recording video frames of still pictures projected onto the video camera by the slide projectors;
• means for producing a cue signal to identify a slide projector;
• means for selectively directing the projected slide of any one of the projectors onto the video camera;
• and
• means responsive to the cue signals for controlling said slide projection means to determine which slide is to be recorded as a video frame by the video signal recording means.

A method for combining a plurality of still picture programs formed of audio narration of individually determined durations and related to still pictures on a common video storage medium comprising the steps of

• recording audio narrations for a plurality of still picture programs on an audio magnetic medium;
• recording cue signals which are individually representative of a still picture for the plurality of programs on the audio magnetic medium;
• playing back the cue signals from the audio magnetic medium to obtain a determination of the order sequence of still pictures called for by the plurality of still picture program audio narrations as recorded on the audio magnetic medium;
• arranging slides representative of the still pictures in a projector in the order sequence as determined by the playback of the cue signals;
• playing back the audio magnetic medium to generate audio narration signals respectively representative of the still picture programs and said cue signals;
• recording the audio narration signals on the common video storage medium;
• recording, in response to played back cue signals, video frames of the projected slides on the common video storage medium and projecting successive slides for recording on the common storage medium.

A system for playing back a video program formed of still pictures and motion sequence from a composite video storage medium on which is recorded a plurality of different audio programs with respectively associated video frames including at least one motion sequence and a plurality of still pictures for different programs, said video frames being identified on the video storage medium to relate to particular programs, the motion sequence video frames being alternately interlaced with still picture video frames to enable the playback of still pictures requiring display during the motion sequence and related to a different program comprising

• means for playing back and storing a video frame from the video storage medium to enable continuous display of a program recorded on the video storage medium;
• means for playing back and selecting the audio for a program recorded on the video storage medium for projection with associated video frames;
• means responsive to video frame identifying signals from the video storage medium for generating a playback control signal representative of the intervals when video frames related to a selected program are being played back from the composite video storage medium;
• means actuated by the playback control signal for enabling display of video frames during playback of the video storage medium and enabling the recording of a video frame on the video frame storing means during said intervals;
• and
• means actuated by the playback control signal for enabling display of a video frame from the video frame storing means during time periods between said intervals to provide a smooth display of a motion sequence compatible with the display of still pictures relates to the selected programs.

A method for playing back a video program formed of still pictures and motion sequence from a composite video storage medium on which is recorded a plurality of different audio programs with respectively associated video frames including at least one motion sequence and a plurality of still pictures for different programs, said video frames being identified on the video storage medium to relate to particular programs, the motion sequence video frames being alternately interlaced with still picture video frames to enable the playback of still pictures requiring display during the motion sequence and related to a different program comprising the steps of

• storing and playing back a video frame from the video storage medium on a frame storage device to enable continuous display of a program recorded on the video storage medium;
• playing back a selected audio program recorded on the video storage medium for projection with associated video frames;
• playing back video frames from the composite video storage medium;
• deriving video frame identifying signals from the video storage medium for generating a playback control signal representative of the intervals when video frames related to the selected program are being played back from the composite video storage medium;
• recording in the sequence determined by the playback control signal each played back video frame related to the motion sequence on the frame storage device while simultaneously displaying the played back video frame;
• and
• playing back each motion sequence video frame recorded on the frame storage device for a single frame period occurring between the intervals determined by the playback control signal for a repeat display of the motion video frame, whereby a smooth display of a motion sequence is obtained compatible with the display of still picture programs recorded on the composite video storage medium.