Method and apparatus of automatically tracking a recording medium

A tracking control device for a video tape recorder, comprising:

• a system controller for generating tracking data of an initial one of a plurality of tracking data sets and for sequentially generating tracking data of tracking data sets succeeding said initial one until an instant digital tracking level value corresponding to said tracking data corresponds to a first predetermined one of said plurality of tracking data sets;
• a servo for generating a capstan control signal in response to said tracking data for controlling capstan rotation;
• a pick-up head for reading signals from a tape running in said video tape recorder and controlled by said capstan rotation;
• means for amplifying said signals read by said pick-up head and for selecting a desired tracking control signal from the amplified signals;
• means for integrating the desired tracking control signal selected to generate an instant tracking level;
• an analog-to-digital converter for converting said instant tracking level to said instant digital tracking level value corresponding to said tracking data;
• said system controller for sequentially storing in memory, every first time period after each said tracking data is generated, each said instant digital tracking level value corresponding to each said tracking data and determining whether each said instant digital tracking level value corresponds to said first predetermined one of said plurality of tracking data sets;
• said system controller determining whether each sequentially stored instant digital tracking level value is greater than each preceding stored instant digital tracking level value when one of said stored instant digital tracking level values does correspond to said first predetermined one of said plurality of tracking data sets;
• said system controller sequentially generating tracking data, for controlling said servo, of tracking data sets following said first predetermined one of said plurality of tracking data sets, if each said sequentially stored instant digital tracking level value is greater than each preceding stored instant digital tracking level value, and storing, after each second time period, each corresponding instant digital tracking level value as a result thereof;
• and
• said system controller controlling said servo with the tracking data of the tracking data set having the highest corresponding instant digital tracking level value, said highest corresponding instant digital tracking level value corresponding to one of said tracking data of said first predetermined one of said tracking data sets and said tracking data of one of said tracking data sets succeeding said first predetermined one of said tracking data sets.