Patent ID: 6519416
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A recording/reproducing system comprising:a first unitary package designed for normally resting on a surface when photorecording is being done by said recording/reproducing system: a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus within said first unitary package, said magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus including recording electronics for receiving a recording input signal and playback electronics for supplying a reproducing output signal; a first video camera for generating a first composite video signal, said first video camera being included within said first unitary package and having an optical lens; means for selectively applying said first composite video signal as the recording input signal to said recording electronics only during first times, included within said first unitary package; a radio receiver included in said first unitary package, said radio receiver being of a type for supplying a second composite video signal in response to a received television signal not originating from said first video camera; means, included in said first unitary package, for selectively applying said second composite video signal as the recording input signal to said recording electronics only during second times other than said first times; and an automatic lens-cover opening/closing device for said first video camera, said automatic lens-cover opening/closing device comprising: a fixed plate at a surface of said first unitary package, said fixed plate having a hole therethrough, formed so as to access the lens of said first video camera; a ring-shaped worm wheel located around the hole through said fixed plate, within which ring-shaped worm wheel an internal gear is formed; a lens cover which is rotatably installed on said fixed plate and has a plurality of component pieces each of which has a gear which engages with the internal gear of the worm wheel at an edge of one side surface of respective component; a worm gear which engages with the worm wheel for opening said lens cover when rotated in a forward direction and for closing said lens cover when rotated in a reverse direction; a drive motor mounted on said fixed plate, for rotating the worm gear in said forward direction responsive to a first control signal and for rotating the worm gear in a reverse direction responsive to a second control signal; and means for determining the use or non-use of said first video camera, to generate said first control signal when said first video camera comes into use and to generate said second control signal when the use of said first video camera is discontinued.