System and process for control of recording and reproducing apparatus

A process for controlling a video recording machine, which comprises generating a recording media position indicator graduated as segments corresponding to programs recorded on the recording media with a program title displayed in each segment and graduated linearly within a segment in which said position indicator is located, and displaying the recording media position indicator by both segment and position within the segment as position of a selected one of the recording media in the video recording machine is changed,

• storing indexes, in a form suitable for generation of the recording media position indicator, of video material recorded on the recording media in a system memory separate from the recording media,
• including a title of a program recorded on one of the recording media and a time of recording the program in a data channel on the one of the recording media and comparing the title of the program and the time of recording with the indexes in the system memory and displaying an index for the one of the recording media based on a match between the program title and recording time on the one of the recording media with the indexes in said system memory, and
• generating an index during playback or recording with the one of the recording media and storing the generated index in the system memory in the absence of a match between a title and recording time on the one of the recording media with the indexes in the system memory.

A control system for a video recording machine, which comprises a controller for starting and stopping the video recording machine, for recording video information on recording media, and for playing recorded video information on recording media,

• a system memory separate from the recording media and coupled to said controller,
• a means coupled to said system memory for storing indexes of video material recorded on the recording media in said system memory, the recording media each including a data channel and said control system having a means, coupled to said controller and to said system memory, for including a title of a program recorded on one of the recording media in the video recording machine in the data channel, said control system including a means, coupled to said system memory and adapted for coupling to the video recorder, for comparing the title of the program with indexes in said system memory and displaying an index for the one of the recording media in the video recording machine based on a match between the program title on the one of the recording media in the video recording machine with the indexes in said system memory,
• wherein said system includes a means for generating an index during playback or recording with the one of the recording media in the video recording machine and to store the generated index in said system memory in the absence of a match between a title on the one of the recording media with the indexes in said system memory.

A control system for a video recording machine coupled to a television, which comprises a controller adapted for coupling the video recording machine for starting and stopping the video recording machine, for recording video information on recording media, and for playing recorded video information on recording media, a display generator adapted to provide display image generation signals to the television, means coupled to said display generator for supplying information to said display generator for generation of display images relating to operation of the video recording machine for display on the television, said means for supplying information including means for generating a recording media position indicator graduated as segments corresponding to programs recorded on the recording media with a program title displayed in each segment and graduated linearly within a segment in which said position indicator is located, said display generator and said means for supplying information being configured to display the recording media position indicator by both segment and position within the segment on the television as position of one of the recording media in the video recording machine is changed,

• wherein said control system includes a system memory separate from the recording media, said system memory being coupled to said controller and to said means for supplying information, and a means for storing indexes, in a form suitable for generation of the recording media position indicator, of video material recorded on the recording media in said system memory,
• wherein each of the recording media includes a data channel and said control system has a means adapted for coupling to the video recording machine for including a title of a program recorded on one of the recording media in the video recording machine and a time of recording the program in the data channel of the one of the recording media, said control system including means, coupled to said system memory and adapted for coupling to the video recording machine, for comparing the title of the program and the time of recording with indexes in said system memory and displaying an index for the one of the recording media on the television based on a match between the program title and recording time on the one of the recording media with the indexes in said system memory,
• wherein said system includes a means coupled to said system memory and adapted for coupling to the video recording machine for generating an index during playback or recording with the selected one of the recording media and to store the generated index in said system memory in the absence of a match between a title and recording time on the selected one of the recording media with the indexes in said system memory.

A control system for a video recording machine coupled to a television, which comprises a controller adapted for coupling the video recording machine for starting and stopping the video recording machine, for recording video information on recording media, and for playing recorded video information on recording media, a display generator adapted to provide display image generation signals to the television, means coupled to said display generator for supplying information to said display generator for generation of display images relating to operation of the video recording machine for display on the television, said means for supplying information including means for generating a recording media position indicator graduated as segments corresponding to programs recorded on the recording media with a program title displayed in each segment and graduated linearly within a segment in which said position indicator is located, said display generator and said means for supplying information being configured to display the recording media position indicator by both segment and position within the segment on the television as position of one of the recording media in the video recording machine is changed,

• wherein said means for supplying information is further configured to display a segment within which the recording media is located in the recording media with a different appearance than other segments in the recording media.

A method for displaying an index of programs recorded on a tape loaded into a video cassette recorder (VCR), the index including titles of the recorded programs, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing in an off tape memory a virtual directory of programs recorded on a plurality of tapes including the title and location of each program on the tape;
• storing on each tape the titles of the programs recorded on that tape;
• loading a tape into the VCR;
• reading a title from the tape in the VCR;
• comparing the read title with the titles of the virtual directory stored in the off tape memory;
• and
• if the read title matches a title of the virtual directory, displaying on a monitor the titles of the programs stored on the same tape as the matched title.

A method for displaying an index of programs recorded on a tape loaded into a video cassette recorder (VCR), the index including titles of the recorded programs, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing in an off tape memory a virtual directory of programs recorded on a plurality of tapes including the title and location of each program on the tape;
• storing on each tape the titles of the programs recorded on that tape;
• loading a tape into the VCR;
• reading a title from the tape in the VCR;
• comparing the read title with the titles of the virtual directory stored in the off tape memory;
• if the read title matches a title of the virtual directory, displaying on a monitor the titles of the programs stored on the same tape as the matched title;
• and
• creating a new directory for the tape in the VCR during play back and recording if the read title does not match a title in the virtual directory.

A method for displaying an index of programs recorded on a tape loaded into a video cassette recorder (VCR), the index including titles of the recorded programs, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing in an off tape memory a virtual directory of programs recorded on a plurality of tapes including the title and location of each program on the tape;
• loading a tape into the VCR;
• inputting a title of a recorded program on the tape in the VCR;
• comparing the inputted title with the titles of the virtual directory stored in the off tape memory;
• and
• if the inputted title matches a title of the virtual directory, displaying on a monitor the titles of the programs stored on the same tape as the matched title.

A method for displaying an index of programs recorded on a tape for use in a video cassette recorder (VCR), the index including program identifiers of the recorded programs, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing in an off tape memory a virtual directory of programs recorded on a plurality of tapes including the program identifier and location of each program on the tape;
• inputting into the VCR a program identifier of a recorded program on a tape;
• comparing the inputted program identifier with the program identifiers of the virtual directory stored in the off tape memory;
• and
• if the inputted program identifier matches a program identifier of the virtual directory, displaying on a monitor the program identifier of the programs stored on the same tape as the matched program identifier.