Automatic cassette reproducing apparatus

An automatic cassette reproducing apparatus for use with a cassette tape with an audio program and a control signal thereon comprising:

• a housing adapted to receive said cassette;
• cassette tape transport means within said housing for engagement with and transportation of said tape;
• said transport means in a first mode adapted to advance the tape at a normal speed at which the audio program thereon can be transmitted to a listener and adapted to be shifted to a second mode to advance the tape at a faster speed to a later portion of the audio program while permitting continuous advancement of the tape by the transport means;
• lock means on the housing to automatically retain the transport means in one of said modes for a predetermined length of time;
• control means in the housing to automatically activate and deactivate the lock means in response to the control signal on the tape without affecting continuous advancement of the tape;
• the lock means retaining the transport means in the first mode for a designated portion of the audio program;
• and
• the control signal being inaudible and appearing intermittently on the tape to activate the lock means and retain the transport means in the first mode for predetermined periods of time during which the transport means cannot be shifted from the first mode.

A method of inhibiting the presentation of an audio program on a tape cassette utilized on automatic cassette reproducing apparatus comprising:

• providing the tape with an audio program and a control signal thereon at designated intervals corresponding to particular portions of the audio program;
• automatically locking the reproducing apparatus at a normal play speed in response to location of the control signal and preventing advancement at a faster speed during a period of time the reproducing apparatus is locked while permitting the continuous advancement of the tape;
• permitting the rapid advancement of the program as desired by the reproducing apparatus when the apparatus is not locked until the location of the control signal again causes the apparatus to be locked at the normal play speed;
• providing an inaudible control signal corresponding to designated intervals of particular portions of the audio program;
• automatically locking the apparatus at the normal play speed during the designated intervals of the program and not permitting the apparatus to advance at a faster speed while the inaudible control system is present without affecting continuous advancement of the tape;
• and
• permitting the remaining portions of the program to be advanced at normal play speed or at a faster speed as desired in the absence of a control signal.