DISPLAY APPARATUS FOR MULTI-CHANNEL PCM RECORDER

Abstract: The display apparatus comprises a display device (10) having a first set of display segments (16a to 16f), each segment (16a to 16f) corresponding to one of a number of channels, a pilot signal reproducing circuit (26) for reproducing a pilot signal superimposed on PCM data recorded on channels of a magnetic tape, a first logic circuit (25) supplied with the reproduced pilot signal and a timing signal for generating indication signals representing pre-recorded channels, and a drive circuit for supplying said indication signals to the first set of display segments (16a to 16f).

Description: This invention relates to a display apparatus for a multi-channel PCM (pulse code modulation) recorder. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to helical-scan-type magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus which can function as a video tape recorder (VTR) or as an audio tape recorder utilizing a common magnetic tape. Our US patent 4 542 419, which issued on 17 September 1985, discloses a helical-scan-type magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus which can operate either as a VTR or as an audio tape recorder, such as a PCM audio signal recorder. In this type of recording and/or reproducing apparatus, a magnetic tape is wrapped around a rotary head drum at an angle relative to the magnetic head path, so as to define video and audio recording areas on the tape. In the normal video recording mode, the recording and/or reproducing apparatus records or reproduces a PCM audio signal on the audio recording area, the PCM audio signal being recorded using time-base compression. On the other hand, in the audio recording mode, the recording and/or reproducing apparatus uses not only the audio recording area but also the video recording area for PCM audio signal recording. In this case, the video recording area is divided into a plurality of segments, each of which corresponds to the audio recording area, and records time-base-compressed PCM audio signals in substantially the same format as they are recorded in the audio recording area. With this arrangement, a plurality of PCM audio signal recording channels are formed on the magnetic tape. In a normal VTR, each recording track is divided into the video recording area and the audio recording area respectively covering 180° and 36° of rotary head drum rotation. When the recording and/or reproducing apparatus is operating in PCM audio recording mode, the video recording area is divided into five segments, each corresponding to 36° of rotary head drum rotation. The segments on the track form a sequence of channels for PCM audio recording. Therefore, in the aforementioned example, six channels are formed on the magnetic tape. Normally, a single channel is used for one cycle of PCM audio signal recording. Therefore, six cycles of PCM audio recording can be recorded on a single magnetic tape. On tapes on which some PCM audio recording has been recorded, the channel available for the next audio recording (blank channel) must be selected for the next cycle of PCM audio recording by the recording and/or reproducing apparatus. On the other hand, when the recorded PCM audio signal is to be reproduced, the channel corresponding to the desired programme must be selected. A difficulty is encountered in prior proposed systems in selecting the channel for the next cycle of audio signal recording, since there is no way to distinguish between pre-recorded channels and unused channels except by reproducing each channel. This is not at all convenient for utilizing the recording and/or reproducing apparatus in the audio recording mode. According to the present invention there is provided a display apparatus for a multi-channel PCM recorder, the apparatus comprising: a display device having a first set of display segments, each segment corresponding to one of a number of channels; characterised by: a pilot signal reproducing circuit for reproducing a pilot signal superimposed on PCM data recorded on channels of a magnetic tape; a first logic circuit supplied with said reproduced pilot signal and a timing signal for generating indication signals representing pre-recorded channels; and a drive circuit for supplying said indication signals to said first set of display segments. Thus, an embodiment of recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to the present invention selectively performs video recording and audio recording on a common magnetic tape. In the audio recording mode, the video recording area used to record video signals in the video recording mode is divided into a plurality of segments serving as audio recording channels. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus is provided with a recorded channel detector and an indicator including a plurality of indicator segments, each of which corresponds to one audio recording channel. The detector produces a detector signal representing that the current channel is pre-recorded. The indicator segments are responsive to the detector signals from the recorded channel detector. This arrangement facilitates channel selection for the audio recorder, since it can be done by simply monitoring the indicator. In order to detect pre-recorded channels, it is most convenient to scan a pilot signal superimposed on the audio signal and recorded on the corresponding channel. Therefore, the recorded channel detector can scan the tape and produce detector signals by referring to the pilot signal. According to the present invention there is also provided a magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a display apparatus which comprises a display device having a first set of display segments each corresponding to one of a plurality of audio recording channels on a magnetic tape, a pilot signal reproducing circuit means for reproducing a pilot signal superimposed on audio data recorded in oblique tracks on the magnetic tape, first logic circuit means supplied with said reproduced pilot signal and a timing signal for generating indication signals representing pre­ recorded channels, and drive circuit means for supplying the indication signals to the first set of display segments. Preferably the recording and/or reproducing apparatus is of the helical-scan-type, and the aforementioned plurality of channels are defined as segments of each oblique track. Preferably the display apparatus further comprises a second set of display segments, each corresponding to one of the channels, for displaying a selected one of the channels. The second set of segments are controlled by a second logic circuit means which receives a select signal identifying one of the channels. In a preferred embodiment, the display apparatus further comprises a third logic circuit means which receives tuning information and drives a selected one of the second set of display segments. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which like parts are referred to by like references, and in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of display apparatus in a recording and/or reproducing apparatus and according to the invention, in which are illustrated only those components necessary for PCM audio recording; Figures 2A and 2B are diagrams of the format of the magnetic tape tracks in video recording mode and audio recording mode respectively; Figure 3 is an illustration of an indicator in the embodiment; and Figure 4 is a detailed block diagram of indicator control circuitry in the embodiment. General techniques and circuitry for selectively performing normal VTR operations and PCM audio recording operations have been disclosed in our above-mentioned US patent 4 542 419, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, a rotary magnetic head 1 of the embodiment of recording and/or reproducing apparatus picks up video and/or audio signals recorded on the tracks on a magnetic tape, for example, a VTR tape. As is well known, the PCM audio signal is superimposed on a pilot signal with a fixed frequency, for example, of 228.748 kHz. The PCM audio signal picked up by the magnetic head 1 is amplified by an amplifier 2 and supplied to a separation circuit 3. The separation circuit 3 separates the amplified signal into a PCM signal component and a pilot signal component. The PCM audio signal output from the separation circuit 3 is fed to a PCM decoder 4 which demodulates the PCM audio signal. Although not shown in detail, the demodulated digital signal is converted into analog signals to be reproduced through an amplifier 5 and a loudspeaker 6. On the other hand, the pilot signal component supplied by the separation circuit 3 is fed to a pilot signal detector 7. The pilot signal detector 7 also receives a RF-SW signal through a terminal 9. Based on the RF-SW signal, the pilot signal detector 7 recognizes which channel corresponds to the reproduced PCM audio signal. The pilot signal detector 7 supplies a driver signal to a display 8. As particularly shown in Figure 3, the display 8 has a plurality of indicator segments 8a, each of which corresponds to one channel on the magnetic tape. Each indicator segment 8a is designed to be energised and hence illuminated by the driver signal produced by the pilot signal detector 7 in response to the pilot signal of the corresponding channel. Therefore, each indicator segment 8a is turned on in response to the pilot signal reproduced from the corresponding track on the magnetic tape. Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the relationship between the display 8 employed in the embodiment and the track format of the magnetic tape. As set forth above, since the normal VTR tape has six channels when used for PCM audio recording, the display 8 is composed of six display sections, each corresponding to one of the channels. The sections labelled "1" to "6" correspond to the first to sixth channels respectively on the magnetic tape. The indicator segments 8a are arranged in corresponding sections of the display 8. As will be seen from Figure 2, each indicator segment 8a is an ⨜-shaped light emitting diode (LED) segment which turns on in response to the driver signal from the pilot signal detector 7. Therefore, in the condition shown in Figure 2B, all six channels are already pre-recorded. The display 8 may also include a selected position indicator 8b. In the embodiment shown, the selected position indicator 8b is a triangular LED segment pointing towards the channel being reproduced. In Figure 3, the selected position indicator 8b indicates the fourth channel. The embodiment of channel indication display circuit for the recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and according to the present invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to Figure 4. In this embodiment, the channel indicator display circuit uses the same circuit elements as a tuner display circuit. In the embodiment, a part of a multi-purpose display 10 is mounted on a front panel (not shown) of a VTR housing. The multi-purpose display 10 has mode display sections 11 and 12. The mode display sections 11 and 12 are connected to a logic circuit 18 which controls them according to a mode selection signal from a mode selection terminal 17. The logic circuit 18 decodes the mode selection signal from the mode selection terminal 17. In practice, the mode selection terminal 17 allows selection of either multi-PCM (multi-channel PCM) mode or tuning mode. When the multi­ PCM mode is selected, PCM audio recording and/or reproduction is performed. On the other hand, when the tuning mode is selected, television channel tuning in normal VTR operation is performed. The mode display section 11 is turned on when the multi-PCM mode is selected, and the mode display section 12 is turned on when the tuning mode is selected. In the multi-PCM mode, all numerical indications 13 and frame segments 14 turn on at the same time when the mode display section 11 is turned on. The multi-purpose display 10 is also provided with triangular selected position indicator segments 15a to 15f and ⨜-shaped channel indicator segments 16a to 16f. The selected position indicator segments 15a to 15f are arranged opposite respective corresponding numerical indicators 13. Also, the channel indicator segments 16a to 16f are arranged opposite respective corresponding numerical indicators 13 on the side opposite to the selected position indicator segments 15a to 15f. In the tuning mode, tuning data from a tuning data input terminal 19 is supplied to a logic circuit 20. The logic circuit 20 derives an output representing a selected television channel band. Specifically, the tuning data contains selected channel data indicating one of the low VHF band, the high VHF band or the UHF band. Therefore, the mode display section 12 includes indicator segments V L , V H and U respectively corresponding to the low VHF band, the high VHF band and ther UHF band. One of these indicator segments turns on in response to the tuning data input from the tuning data input terminal 19. A switching circuit 21 is provided between the logic circuit 20 and the selected position indicator segments 15a to 15f. The switching circuit 21 also receives the output of a logic circuit 23 which receives channel selection data through a channel selection data input terminal 22. The logic circuit 23 supplies a switching signal which is derived on the basis of the channel selection data from the channel selection data input terminal 22. The switching signal of the logic circuit 23 is supplied to the switching circuit 21, which selectively turns on one of the selected position indicator segments 15a to 15f corresponding to the selected channel. In addition, there is provided another logic circuit 25. The logic circuit 25 receives a RF-SW pulse through a terminal 24. The logic circuit 25 also receives the pilot signal through a terminal 26. The output terminals of the logic circuit 25 are connected to the channel indicator segments 16a to 16f. The logic circuit 25 also receives the mode selection data from the mode selection terminal 17. When the mode selection data indicates that the tuning mode has been selected, the logic circuit 25 is disabled. In the multi-PCM mode, the logic circuit 25 is active to compare the timing of occurrences of the pilot signal with the RF-SW pulses. The timing of occurrences of the pilot signal indicates to the logic circuit 25 which channels have been pre-recorded. Each time the pilot signal is detected, the logic circuit 25 supplies a drive signal to the channel indicator segment 16a to 16f corresponding to the current channel, so as to turn on that channel indicator segment 16a to 16f. Thus, the embodiment can provide a visual indication of pre-recorded tracks by detecting the pilot signal superimposed on PCM audio data. This allows the user to find channels available for recording, without having to reproduce acoustic sounds. This also prevents the user from erroneously erasing recorded data by overwriting it with the new PCM audio data. Moreover, when no acoustic sound is being generated during playback, the user can check whether the silence is due to an empty channel or to the muting interval between recorded programmes. In addition, the user can quickly locate a desired song or programme utilizing the picture search function of the VTR.

Claims: 1. A display apparatus for a multi-channel PCM recorder, the apparatus comprising: a display device (10) having a first set of display segments (16a to 16f), each segment (16a to 16f)corresponding to one of a number of channels; characterised by: a pilot signal reproducing circuit (26) for reproducing a pilot signal superimposed on PCM data recorded on channels of a magnetic tape; a first logic circuit (25) supplied with said reproduced pilot signal and a timing signal for generating indication signals representing pre-recorded channels; and a drive circuit for supplying said indication signals to said first set of display segments (16a to 16f). 2. A display apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said channels of the PCM data each comprise one segment of oblique tracks on a helical-scan-­ type magnetic tape. 3. A display apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said display device (10) includes a second set of display segments (15a to 15f) each second segment (15a to 15f) corresponding to one of said channels, said second segments (15a to 15f) being provided for indicating which of said channels is currently selected for recording and reproduction. 4. A display apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said second set of display segments (15a to 15f) is controlled by a second logic circuit (23) which receives a signal indicating which of said channels is currently selected. 5. A display apparatus according to claim 4 which further comprises a third logic circuit (20) which receives tuning information and drives a selected one of a second set of display segments (15a to 15f) according to the received tuning information.

Inventors: FUKUSHIMA, SHINICHI C/O PATENTS DIV. SONY CORPORAT, KAWAKAMI, HAJIME C/O PATENTS DIV. SONY CORPORATIO, MOTOHASHI, SHUNJI C/O PATENTS DIV. SONY CORPORATIO, NAGAMUNE, MASAHIRO C/O PATENTS DIV. SONY CORPORAT, OGURO, MASAKI C/O PATENTS DIV. SONY CORPORATION
Applicants: SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G11B27
IPC codes: G11B5, G11B15, G11B20, G11B27, G11B33