Computer controlled recording and reproducing system

Abstract: A recording and reproducing system has two controllers. One of the controllers compares broadcast schedule list data with the data bases of a plurality of recorder/reproducers to detect which recorder/reproducers have not recorded which material, controls a cart machine to reproduce the video and audio signals of the detected material, and controls the detected recorder/reproducers to record the reproduced video and audio signals. The other controller places the recorder/reproducers in a playback mode based on broadcast control data, and controls them to reproduce and transmit the video and audio signals of materials at corresponding broadcasting times. The recording and reproducing system can automatically carry out a preparatory process to reproduce the same material in a plurality of transmission channels, can easily change the order in which materials are scheduled to be transmitted immediately before they are broadcast, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The recording and reproducing system operates highly efficiently because any missing materials can be recorded while a program material or a live broadcast is being transmitted.

Description: This invention relates to recording and reproducing systems, for example systems for recording and reproducing information in a plurality of channels. Two methods are available, for broadcasting stations having a plurality of transmission channels, to reproduce items of relatively short broadcasting times, such as commercials, among various programs to be broadcast in the transmission channels. According to one method, items such as commercials are recorded on respective tapes such as video tape cassettes in the order in which they are to be transmitted for broadcast in the channels, producing pre-recorded video tape cassettes, and thereafter the items recorded on the video tape cassettes are reproduced by video tape recorders (VTRs) corresponding to the respective channels. The other method employs as many systems (called multicassette systems or cart machines) as the number of channels, and items of recorded material such as commercials are directly reproduced at random by the multicassette systems or cart machines in the order in which they are to be transmitted for broadcast in the channels. European patent application EP 0 482 802 A2 discloses such a cart machine which is controlled for multi channel transmission over a network in accordance with a respective plurality of play lists. Each of the systems called multicassette systems or cart machines comprises a recorder/reproducer for recording video and audio signals supplied from an external source and reproducing recorded video and audio signals, a shelf, a plurality of video tape cassettes stored on the shelf, a controller for retrieving a desired video tape cassette from the shelf based on an external control signal representing transmission information, for example, and controlling the recorder/reproducer to record and reproduce video and audio signals according to an external control signal, and a mechanism controllable by the controller for removing desired video tape cassette from the shelf and loading the removed video tape cassette inot the recorder/reproducer. Generally, a list of broadcasts to be transmitted is generated using a work station, a personal computer, or the like, and the desired materials are reproduced in the order in which they are to be transmitted for broadcast, by the cart machine or multicassette system according to the list of broadcasts. The applicant has previously proposed a cart machine for dubbing a material which has been recorded on a video tape cassette to another video tape cassette when a recorder and a reproducer are not in use (see Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 3-278732). The above methods have posed the following problems: In the former method, the video and audio signals of various commercials are recorded on a single video tape cassette corresponding to a channel, and then reproduced by a VTR corresponding to the channel when the commercials are to be actually transmitted for broadcast. Such a complex process of recording the video and audio signals of various commercials are recorded on a single video tape cassette in the order in which they are to be transmitted for broadcast has to be carried out manually. Since the video and audio signals of various commercials are already recorded on the video tape cassette, they will be useless if the order in which they are to be transmitted for broadcast is changed immediately before they are broadcast. The latter method is required to have a very expensive overall system because each of the channels has to be equipped with a cart machine. Furthermore, if the video and audio signals of one commerial are to be broadcast in a plurality of chanenls, then a lot of preparatory works will be necessary because the video and audio signals of the same commercial have to be recorded in the respective cart machines corresponding to the channels. In an article entitled "Multichannel Applications of Video Cart Machines" by R. Baldock et al, published in the SMPTE Journal 101(1992) March, No. 3, White Plains, NY, US, there is disclosed an arrangement in which a video cart machine is connected by a Local Area Network to a break tape manager for multichannel programming and replay. According to the present invention, there is provided a recording and reproducing system comprising: first control means for supplying control data based on broadcast schedule data; and output means for outputting video and audio information based on the control data output from the control means; characterised by a plurality of recording/reproducing means, having a respective plurality of transmission channels for recording the video and audio information outputted from the output means based on the control data outputted from the first control means and for reproducing the recorded video and audio information for broadcast through the respective transmission channels in response to the control data outputted from the first control means in combination with transmission control data supplied from a second control means in response to broadcast control data supplied from an external source. The control means may comprise first control means responsive to the broadcast schedule data for supplying control data and order data indicative of the order in which video and audio information is to be recorded and reproduced to the output means and the recording/reproducing means, and second control means responsive to the control data and order data supplied from the first control means and broadcast control data supplied from an external source, for supplying the recording/reproducing means with transmission control data to transmit reproduced video and audio information from the recording/reproducing means. The output means may comprise a multicassette system for recording video and audio information on and reproducing video and audio information from selected ones of a plurality of video tape cassettes based on the control data supplied from the control means. The recording/reproducing means may correspond to a plurality of transmission channels, respectively, and may comprise respective means for recording the video and audio information outputted from the output means based on the control data outputted from the control means and reproducing recorded video and audio information for transmission through the transmission channels, respectively, based on the control data outputted from the control means. According to the present invention, there is also provided an apparatus for recording and reproducing a video signal, comprising: storage means for storing video information; a plurality of temporal memory units for memorizing video information supplied from the storage means; and control means responsive to broadcast schedule data for controlling the storage means to reproduce the video information corresponding to the broadcast schedule data characterised in that control means comprises a first controller which operates to control at least one of the temporal memory units, to record the reproduced video information from the storage means, and a second controller which operates to control the at least one of the temporal memory units to reproduce the recorded video information, based on the broadcast schedule data each of the temporal memory units including an output channel for transmitting the reproduced video information for broadcast therethrough. The control means may comprise a first controller and a second controller, the first controller comprising means for controlling the storage means to reproduce the stored video information in a sequence based on the broadcast schedule data and controlling the temporal memory units to record the reproduced video information, the second controller comprising means for controlling the at least one of the temporal memory units to reproduce the recorded video information in a sequence based on the broadcast schedule data. The storage means may comprise a plurality of video cassette recorder/reproducers, a plurality of tape cassettes, and a transfer mechanism for transferring one of the tape cassettes to one of the video cassette recorder/reproducers. Each of the temporal memory units may include an output channel for transmitting the reproduced video information for broadcast therethrough. According to the present invention, there is further provided an apparatus for recording and reproducing a video signal for broadcast, comprising: means for supplying broadcast schedule data; storage means for storing video information, the storage means comprising a plurality of video tape cassettes and a plurality of video tape cassette recorder/reproducers for reproducing video information recorded in the video tape cassettes; and control means responsive to broadcast schedule data for controlling the storage means to reproduce the stored video information; characterised by a plurality of temporal memory units for recording and reproducing video information, each of said temporal memory units including an output channel for transmitting the reproduced video information for broadcast therethrough; and the control means operates to control the temporal memory means to record the video information reproduced from the storage means, and to control independently the temporal memory means to reproduce the recorded video information and to transmit the reproduced video information for broadcast through the output channels. Each of the temporal memory units may comprise a random-access memory device, a magnetoopical memory device, or a semiconductor memory device. A preferred embodiment of the invention described below provides a recording and reproducing system which is capable of automatically carrying out a preparatory process for the reproduction of the same material for being broadcast in a plurality of channels, which allows the order in which items of material are to be transmitted for broadcast to be simply changed immediately before they are broadcast, and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The invention will now be further described, by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent the same or similar items throughout, and in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a recording and reproducing system embodying the invention; FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an operation sequence of a controller of the system shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an operation sequence of another controller of the system shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing, by way of example, a list of programs to be broadcast which is employed in the system shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, a recording and reproducing system embodying the invention includes a controller 2 in the form of a work station or a personal computer, for example, the controller 2 having a display monitor, a computer itself, and a keyboard (not shown). The controller 2 serves to control recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, .... 6n, which may primarily comprise magnetooptical discs, and video tape cassettes and a data base of materials in a cart machine 5 based on broadcast schedule list data p1 representative of a list of programs scheduled to be broadcast. The controller 2 also supplies a data base p2 including the broadcast schedule list data p1 to a controller 4, and supplies control data and order list data p3 representative of a list of recorded materials in the order in which they are recorded to the cart machine 5 and the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n. The broadcast schedule list data p1 are prepared for each of available transmission channels, and generated by a program schedule generating apparatus referred to as a traffic system, for example. One list of programs to be broadcast is shown by way of example in FIG. 4. The list of programs to be broadcast, indicated by the reference numeral 11 in FIG. 4, is displayed on a monitor screen 10, for example, of the controller 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the list 11 is composed of a column titled "NUMBER", a column titled "STARTING TIME (HOUR, MINUTE, SECOND)" indicating broadcast starting times, a column titled "IDENTIFICATION NUMBER" indicating identification numbers for identifying materials, a column titled "TITLE" indicating the titles of materials, a column titl ed "CONTINUATION TIME (MINUTE, SECOND)" indicating the periods of time during which the materials are broadcast, a column titled "SHELF NUMBER" indicating shelf numbers (not shown) of the cart machine 5, and a column titled "ch" indicating transmission channels. The monitor screen 10 displays, below the list 11, function keys "F1", "F2", ···, "F8". When any one of corresponding function keys "F1", "F2", ···, "F8" on the keyboard (not shown) is pressed, it outputs a control signal corresponding to one of functions displayed on the monitor screen 10, e.g., a temporary stop "PAUSE", a playback mode "PLAY", etc. The control signal is supplied to the cart machine 5 or the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n for operating cart machine 5 or the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n from the controller 2. The controller 4, similar to the controller 2, is in the form of a work station or a personal computer, for example, the controller 4 having a display monitor, a computer itself, and a keyboard (not shown). The controller 4 serves to supply transmission control data s2 to the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n based on broadcast control data s1 supplied from an input terminal 3 and the data p2 supplied from the controller 2. The broadcast control data sl include transmission order data, i.e., data indicative of the order in which materials are to be transmitted for broadcast, starting times, and starting signals. Based on the broadcast control data s1, the controller 4 controls the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n to control the transmissionof materials in the channels. The broadcast control data sl are outputted by an apparatus referred to as an automation system which enables the transmission of a program when a certain time arrives. The recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n that are controlled by the controllers 2, 4 may comprise VTRs, but more preferably may comprise magnetooptical disc devices, optical disc devices, or recorder/reproducers employing RAMs as mediums, which are accessible more rapidly and controllable more simply than VTRs. The recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n correspond to respective transmission channels c1, c2, ···, cn, and reproduce desired materials from the mediums based on the transmission control data s2 from the controller 4 and transmit the reproduced materials for broadcast in the respective transmission channels c1, c2, ···, cn. Based on the control data including shelf number data and the order list data p3 which are supplied from the controller 2, the cart machine (or multicassette system) 5 automatically removes a video tape cassette which contains a desired recorded material from the shelf, loads the removed video tape cassette into a reproducer or a recorder/reproducer (not shown), and reproduces the material from the video tape cassette or records the video and audio signals of a material supplied from an external source on the video tape cassette. Video and audio signals av of the material reproduced by the card machine 5 are supplied to the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n. Any one of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n records the supplied video and audio signals av if data indicative of recording among the control data and the order list data p3 which are supplied from the controller 2 represents that one of the recorder/reproducers. The sequence of operations by the above various devices is summarized as follows: When the broadcast schedule list data p1 as shown in FIG. 4 are supplied to the controller 2, the controller 2 compares the broadcast schedule list data p1 with the data bases of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n to detect which recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n have not recorded which material. Thereafter, the control data including the shelf number data and the order list data p3 are supplied to the cart machine 5 and the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n to enable the cart machine 5 to reproduce the video and audio signals of a desired material and also to enable desired ones of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n to record the reproduced material. Based on the broadcast control data s1, the controller 4 places the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n in a playback mode to transmit the video and audio signals of commercial materials in multiple channels at corresponding broadcasting times. The period of time in which commercials are reproduced for ordinary broadcasts is about 20 percent of the time of one program. As the rest of the time is consumed by a program material itself, a live broadcast, or the like, the above recording and reproducing system is not used in that period of time. Materials for use as commercials are often used in common between the channels. According to the present system, while a program material or a live broadcast is being transmitted, i.e., while the recording and reproducing system is not in use for broadcasting materials, the controller 2 detects, from the recorded conditions of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n, those of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n which have not recorded materials as commercials that are scheduled to be transmitted in the channels c1, c2, ···, cn corresponding to the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n, and then records the video and audio signals of those desired materials in the detected ones of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n. The controller 2 then controls the cart machine 5 to reproduce the video and audio signals of the desired materials, and also controls those of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n which have not recorded the materials scheduled to be transmitted to record the video and audio signals of the same materials. Therefore, the same materials as commercials can be transmitted in multiple channels for broadcast. If the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n are magnetooptical disc devices or the like that are randomly reproducible, then required materials are recorded in the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n within predetermined times subsequent to the present time. This is made possible by using and not using the medium in units of blocks. More specifically, if the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n are randomly reproducible, then when broadcasting times arrive, the controller 4 controls the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n to perform the random reproduction function to successively reproduce different materials. In commercial broadcasts, one commercial material is often reproduced repeatedly in a short period of time, and hence it is not necessary to record all materials in the order in which they will be broadcast with time. The controller 2 compares the broadcast schedule list data p1 with the data bases of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n, and may control them to record only those materials which are missing. If the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n use RAMs or magnetooptical discs as their mediums, they can simultaneously record and reproduce materials. Therefore, while materials are being reproduced for broadcast from the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n, video and audio signals from the cart machine 5 can continuously be recorded by the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n. If the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n comprise VTRs, then since they cannot reproduce recorded materials at random, it is the only way for them to record materials in the order in which the materials are to be transmitted for broadcast. Therefore, the recorded conditions of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n corresponding to the respective channels are detected, and materials reproduced by the cart machine 5 are recorded in advance in those of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n which have not recorded the materials to be transmitted, so that the materials can be recorded in the order in which the materials are to be transmitted for broadcast. An operation sequence of the controller 2 shown in FIG. 1 will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2. In a step 100, the controller 2 determines whether there is a material missing from the transmission channel c1 within a predetermined period of time or not. If "YES", then control goes to a step S110, and if "NO", then control jumps to a step S120. Specifically, in the step S100, the controller 2 compares the broadcast schedule list data p1 supplied through the input terminal 1 for the transmission channel c1 with the data base recorded on the medium loaded in the recorder/reproducer 6a to check if there is a material missing from the transmission channel c1 within a predetermined period of time or not. In the step S110, the controller 2 controls the reproduction from the cart machine 5 and the recording in the recorder/reproducer 6a to dub any missing material from the cart machine 5 to the recorder/reproducer 6a. Then, control goes to the step S110. Specifically, in the step S110, the controller 2 supplies the control data and the order list data P3 to the cart machine 5 and the recorder/reproducer 6a, controls the cart machine 5 to reproduce the video and audio signals of the missing material, and also controls the recorder/reproducer 6a to record the reproduced video and audio signals on its medium. In the step S120, the controller 2 determines whether there is a material missing from the transmission channel c2. Similarly, the controller 2 detects and dubs any missing materials successively for the transmission channels. In a step S130, the controller 2 determines whether there is a material missing from the transmission channel cn within a predetermined period of time or not. If "YES", then control goes to a step S140, and if "NO", then control goes back to the step S100. Specifically, in the step S130, the controller 2 compares the broadcast schedule list data p1 supplied through the input terminal 1 for the channel cn with the data base recorded on the medium loaded in the recorder/reproducer 6n to check if there is a material missing from the transmission channel cn within a predetermined period of time or not. In the step S140, the controller 2 controls the reproduction from the cart machine 5 and the recording in the recorder/reproducer 6n to dub any missing material from the cart machine 5 to the recorder/reproducer 6n. Then, control returns to the step S100. Specifically, in the step S140, the controller 2 supplies the control data and the order list data P3 to the cart machine 5 and the recorder/reproducer 6n, controls the cart machine 5 to reproduce the video and audio signals of the missing material, and also controls the recorder/reproducer 6n to record the reproduced video and audio signals on its medium. If the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n comprise recorder/reproducers that are capable of simultaneously recording and reproducing materials, then it may be possible to consider that a block composed of the controller 2, the cart machine 5, and the recording devices of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n and a block composed of the controller 4 and the reproducing devices of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n function independently of each other. An operation sequence of the controller 4 shown in FIG. 1 will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3. In a step S200, the controller 4 determines whether a reproducing command for the transmission channel c1 has come or not. If "YES", then control jumps to a step S220, and if "NO", then control goes to a step S210. Specifically, in the step S200, the controller 4 determines whether the broadcast control data sl supplied through the input terminal 3 have indicated the reproduction of a material for the channel c1. In the step S210, the controller 4 determines whether a starting time for the transmitting channel c1 has been reached or not. If "YES", then control goes to the step S220, and if "NO", then control jumps to a step next to the step S220. Similarly, the above steps are carried out for the other transmission channels up to the transmission channel cn. Specifically, in the step S210, the controller 4 determines whether a starting time for the list for the transmission channel c1 has been reached or not based on the broadcast control data s1 and the data base p2 including the broadcast schedule list data p1 supplied from the controller 2. In the step S220, the controller 4 controls the recorder/reproducer 6a to reproduce a material by supplying the transmission control data s2. The reproduced material is now transmitted through the transmission channel c1. The similar step is carried out for the other transmission channels up to the transmission channel cn. In a step S230, the controller 4 determines whether a reproducing command for the transmission channel cn has come or not. If "YES", then control jumps to a step S250, and if "NO", then control goes to a step S240. Specifically, in the step S230, the controller 4 determines whether the broadcast control data sl supplied through the input terminal 3 have indicated the reproduction of a material for the channel cn. In the step S240, the controller 4 determines whether a starting time for the transmitting channel c1 has been reached or not. If "YES", then control goes to the step S250, and if "NO", then control goes back to the step S200. Specifically, in the step S240, the controller 4 determines whether a starting time for the list for the transmission channel c1 has been reached or not based on the broadcast control data s1 and the data base p2 including the broadcast schedule list data p1 supplied from the controller 2. In the step S250, the controller 4 controls the recorder/reproducer 6n to reproduce a material by supplying the transmission control data s2. The reproduced material is now transmitted through the transmission channel cn. The controller 4 refers to the program list data for each channel supplied from the controller 2, a host system, or the non-illustrated keyboard, and either reproduces recorded materials in a random playback control mode as with the cart machine 5 if the materials are recorded at random, or effects timing control for accessing and reproducing recorded materials if the materials are recorded on mediums in the order in which they are to be transmitted for broadcast. For controlling the transmission of reproduced materials for broadcast, the controller 4 needs information recorded on the mediums in the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n. To obtain such information, the controller 4 may be supplied with the data base p2 of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n, or may be supplied with necessary information from a host machine which is supplied from the data base p2 of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n from the controller 2. The latter process is carried out in a present single-channel system in which materials are recorded on the mediums of recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n. As described above, when the broadcast schedule list data p1 are supplied to the controller 2, the controller 2 compares the broadcast schedule list data p1 with the data bases p2 of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n to detect which recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n have not recorded which material. Thereafter, the controller 2 supplies the control data including the shelf number data and the order list data p3 to the cart machine 5 and the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n to enable the cart machine 5 to reproduce the video and audio signals of a desired material and also to enable desired ones of the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n to record the reproduced video and audio signals of the desired material. In response to the transmission control data s2 obtained based on the broadcast control data s1, the controller 4 places the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n in the playback mode to transmit the video and audio signals of commercial materials in multiple channels at corresponding broadcasting times. Consequently, the recording and reproducing system can automatically carry out a preparatory process to reproduce the same material in a plurality of transmission channels, can easily change the order in which materials are scheduled to be transmitted immediately before they are broadcast, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The recording and reproducing system operates highly efficiently because any missing materials can be recorded while a program material or a live broadcast is being transmitted. While the recorder/reproducers 6a, 6b, ···, 6n have been described as comprising VTRs, magnetooptical disc devices, or the like, they may comprise multimedium loading devices that have recording and reproducing functions and can be controlled on-line from an external source, such as cart machines, for example. The cart machine 5 may be replaced with a large-capacity data storage device insofar as it can record, store, and reproduce the video and audio signals of a large number of materials. The recording and reproducing system has been described with respect to recording and reproducing the video and audio signals of materials such as commercials for broadcast. However, the recording and reproducing system may be used as a multichannel information distribution system which can distribute not only video and audio signals but also various data with a large-capacity data storage device such as a data recorder or the like and a plurality of recorder/reproducers. Having described a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment and that various changes and modifications could be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims: A recording and reproducing system comprising: first control means (2, 4) for supplying control data based on broadcast schedule data (p1, p2, p3); and output means (5) for outputting video and audio information (av) based on said control data (p1) output from said control means (2, 4); characterised by a plurality of recording/reproducing means, (6a, 6b, 6n) having a respective plurality of transmission channels (c1, c2, cn), for recording the video and audio information outputted from said output means (5) based on said control data (p1) outputted from said first control means (2, 4) and for reproducing the recorded video and audio information for broadcast through said respective transmission channels (c1, c2, cn) in response to said control data (p2) outputted from said first control means (2, 4) in combination with transmission control data supplied from a second control means (4) in response to broadcast control data (s1) supplied from an external source. A recording and reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein said first control means (2) is responsive to said broadcast schedule data (p1) for supplying said control data (p1, p2) and order data (p3) indicative of the order in which video and audio information is to be recorded and reproduced to said output means (3) and said recording/reproducing means; and said second control means (4) is responsive to said control data (p2) and said order data (p3) supplied from said first control means (2) and said broadcast control data (s1) supplied from said external source (13), for supplying said recording/reproducing means (6a, 6b, 6n) with said transmission control data (52) to transmit reproduced video and audio information from the recording/reproducing means (6a, 6b, 6n). A recording and reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein said output means (5) comprises: a multicassette system for recording video and audio information on and reproducing video and audio information from selected ones of a plurality of video tape cassettes based on the control data supplied from said control means. An apparatus for recording and reproducing a video signal, comprising: storage means (5) for storing video information; a plurality of temporal memory units (6a, 6b, 6n) for memorizing video information supplied from said storage means (5); and control means (2) responsive to broadcast schedule data (p1) for controlling said storage means (5) to reproduce the video information corresponding to said broadcast schedule data characterised in that control means comprises a first controller (4) which operates to control at least one of said temporal memory units (6a, 6b, 6n), to record the reproduced video information from said storage means (5), and a second controller (4) which operates to control said at least one of said temporal memory units to reproduce the recorded video information, based on said broadcast schedule data (p1) each of said temporal memory units including an output channel for transmitting the reproduced video information for broadcast therethrough. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first controller (2) comprises means for controlling said storage means (5) to reproduce the stored video information in a sequence based on said broadcast schedule data (p1) and controlling said temporal memory units (6a, 6b, 6n) to record the reproduced video information, and said second controller (4) comprises means for controlling said at least one of said temporal memory units (6a, 6b, 6n) to reproduce the recorded video information in a sequence based on said broadcast schedule data (p1). An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said storage means (5) comprises a plurality of video cassette recorder/reproducers, a plurality of tape cassettes, and a transfer mechanism for transferring one of said tape cassettes to one of said video cassette recorder/reproducers. An apparatus for recording and reproducing a video signal for broadcast, comprising: means for supplying broadcast schedule data (p1) ; storage means (5) for storing video information, said storage means comprising a plurality of video tape cassettes and a plurality of video tape cassette recorder/reproducers for reproducing video information recorded in said video tape cassettes; and control means (2, 4) responsive to broadcast schedule data (p1) for controlling said storage means (5) to reproduce the stored video information; characterised by a plurality of temporal memory units (6a, 6b, 6n) for recording and reproducing video information, each of said temporal memory units (6a, 6b, 6n) including an output channel (c1, c2, cn) for transmitting the reproduced video information for broadcast therethrough; and said control means (2, 4) operates to control said temporal memory means (6a, 6b, 6n) to record the video information reproduced from said storage means (5), and to control independently said temporal memory means (6a, 6b, 6n) to reproduce the recorded video information and to transmit the reproduced video information for broadcast through said output channels (c1, c2, cn). An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of said temporal memory units (6a, 6b, 6n) comprises a random-access memory device. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of said temporal memory units (6a, 6b, 6n) comprises a magnetooptical memory device. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each of said temporal memory units (6a, 6b, 6n) comprises a semiconductor memory device.

Inventors: TAKEUCHI HAJIME, TAKEUCHI, HAJIME, Takeuchi, Hajime, c/o Intellectual Property Div.
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1993
Main classification: H04H7
IPC codes: H04H7, G11B27, G11B15