Device for automatically switching on and off the recording mode in a video recorder.

The invention relates to a device according to the preamble of claim 1.

To record on a VCR in the absence of the user a selected program contribution, it is known to enter the announced start time, including calendar date and the end time or duration of such a contribution to a storage device. To simplify this input it is also known, this data encoding available in a program announcement media and thereby make easily readable by eg an optically readable bar code printed in a program guide and is sampled by the user with a corresponding sensor. The entered or read data are supplied as desired value a data comparator, which serves as a comparison value, the real time information of a calendar clock. By the time of equality between the nominal and Istinformation the recording operation of the video recorder is switched on and maintained as long as it corresponds to the announced and entered post end time or duration. Such, directly and exclusively timed means always leads but to incorrect records when departing in the broadcast due to program changes time shifts or length overdrafts of the announced program times. As a remedy has therefore already been proposed, encoded along with the television signal - preferably on a data line within the vertical blanking space - called whenever you post a this distinctive identification signal, short label, mitzuübertragen cyclical than static Entry value and thereby enable event recording.

As such a post labeling could, as has already been proposed (German Federal Ministry for Research and Technology, Research Report TK 0054, communications technology, "Digital ID System ZPS", January 1980) a multi-digit number may be used, which are then equally as target information in the program announcement medium as well as a label would encode the television signal and would have no real time reference. The advantage of this proposal would be in a relatively simple automatic recording option also on the announced day also moved posts, because such a system would - from the time of the setpoint input to - the matching TV channel constantly on the occurrence of the equivalent to the setpoint number label number " lurking ". A first substantial disadvantage of this proposal would be that all instrument modules required to lie in wait for a label (tuner, IF amplifier, demodulator, label decoder, comparator) would keep in uninterrupted continuous operation, which is not for reasons of power consumption and especially the fire prevention may be desirable. Second unrealizable become "Lauer orders" would, when announced and programmed to be wholly accounted for, accumulate in the storage device and load the system unnecessarily.

A radio and industry internal proposal for a different kind of contribution identifier asks to provide compatibility between the known timed recording by timer and now targeted event-controlled recording via mitausgesendetem label, in particular so as to allow for a gradual introduction of the label release.

As setpoint information is coded in this case the announced start time contribution including calendar date and associated program source of the bar code of the program magazines, supplemented by the (required only for timing) or end-time contribution period information. This can be in a conventional manner on the one hand, a timed recording mode to reserve. In favor of an alternative event control is also the planned contribution early days including calendar date broadcast encoded with the television program signal as a static Istwertlabel order hereby to identify the specific contribution directly and to make the receiving end identified. (Also a belated program starting contains mitausgestrahlten Label the announced start time, so the necessarily the same code as read from the program guide for the amount concerned, as the setpoint.)

Object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type mentioned that using the internal proposed start time label the Nachteeile known methods, namely the unwanted continuous operation necessary for receiving the labels Assemblies and the accumulation of the setpoint information programmed, but not transmitted program contributions avoids the datastore.

The object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

Advantageous developments of the device according to the invention will be apparent from the dependent claims.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. It shows:<ul><li>Figure 1 The schematic functional processes in an inventive device in the case of broadcasting or not broadcasting an announced contribution.</li><li>Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the erfindungsgemäBen device using a microcomputer, and</li><li>FIG. 3 is a simplified flow diagram for the basic functions of a device according to FIG. 2.</li></ul>

In Fig. 1a the case is assumed that a target for the time point t_should announced and to record with the VCR 7 preprogrammed program contribution either to the announced time (t I≙_should) Or premature (II) within the lead time t₁ or late (III) within the waiting time t₂ goes on air. The requirements by the time tsp-t1 after the end of the peace operation activated Labelempfangs- and -vergleichsbetrieb checks from now on identity between the received label and saved ref. This identity is initially not yet available because the previous post and its associated label still radiated yes in that channel. then setpoint until the beginning of the recorded document and actual label identical. Once and as long as such identity is established, is or remains the VCR 7 in the recording mode, regardless of whether the program contribution in question time (I), too early (II) or too late (III) begins and / or ends (I ', II ', III'). Thus, there is an event-driven recording. After its completion the unhandled setpoint can be deleted from the data memory 3 and re-enter sleep mode.

Fig. 1b shows, in contrast to the case of an advertised and pre-programmed post fails and instead a very different compensation contribution is (with a different label) is sent. (Despite nominally the same start time may for example, be chosen in a code by one minute "later" label for the replacement contribution to make to the inequality erstangekündigten contribution. The same goes for the bar code in the program guide).

The according to Fig. 1b turn in time (t_should - T1) activated Labelempfangs- and -vergleichsbetrieb place now but neither within the lead time t₁ still within the waiting time t₂ an identical the stored reference label and "resigned" finally then at time t_should⁺ t₂, When users notice a mark of that recording contract done before possibly the corresponding setpoint is cleared. As with the sequence according to FIG. 1 after completion of recording, the system is going after "resigned" termination of an unsuccessful recording attempt finally back to idle mode, in which only the function of the calendar 4 and a (possibly intermittently operating) comparator to detect the the next (gg_f, approximate). Einstiegszeitpun^ktes t_should n + 1 ^t₁ is required.

Fig. 2 shows the block diagram of a device according to the invention in a preferred embodiment in which all the logical functions are combined in one microcomputer 2. In the latter in particular also a presupposed according to the prior art comparator and memory means are contained. However For a clearer illustration is shown in FIG. 2, a separate accepted, miteinbezogender an address and control line connection 24/32 set-value memory 3, but just as well as part of the microcomputer 2 could have been verausgesetzt. The other essential components are: a television receiving device 1, which in addition to the recorded program signals for image 16 and clay 72 also provides the being broadcast actual label, means (52, 53) to take over the setpoints, and finally to be controlled VCR. 7

. More specifically, the relationships shown in Figure 2 as follows represent:<ul><li>As an information support for the nominal value of a post announcement in a TV magazine 5 every post associated bar code 51 is shown in Fig. 2 was adopted. Its content is at a premium programming via a sensor device 52 and the microcomputer 2 in not specifically illustrated manner "mitbetreutes" Interface 53 to the target value memory 3 is fed via its input 31st Such a memory 3 is usually designed for the storage of a plurality of set values ​​(= recording desires). As already mentioned in the introduction, contains such a target value for the here solely to be viewed event-driven mode in addition to the announced contribution beginning (time and calendar date), which is assigned to the memory area 34, even the source code in the memory area 35. From the sources code, the microcomputer 2 "appropriate time" and close due to an input thereto on the channel table of the tuner 10 on which the contribution in question can be expected.</li></ul>

The real-time reference, he needs to "lurk" only to certain specifically promising times must, receives the microcomputer 2 from a calendar 4 about his _Realzeitdateneingang 22. The respective setpoint information supplied to it by the setpoint memory output 33 at its setpoint input data 23 and finally the contributory value label information about its actual value data input 21 Releases Decoder 12th

The television receiving device 1 is activated or deactivated via a control input 15 of the microcomputer output 27, the channel selection of the tuner 10 is accomplished by the microcomputer 26 via the output control input tuner fourteenth

Via the control line between microcomputer output 25 and recorder input 71 of the recording operation of the recorder 7 is finally switched on and off.

Functional sequence:

The under in the memory 3 chronologically stored setpoints "mature" as the next target value contains the memory area 34 the corresponding forecasted contribution beginning; that date is not yet reached at the moment. The entire device is in idle mode according to FIG. 1, ie, excluding the calendar 4 and a permanent or only intermittently running time comparison in the microcomputer 2 is always in operation (or alternatively outsourced in the calendar 4, not shown time comparators) are disabled all functional groups. The said time comparison between t_should from the memory 3 minus lead time t₁ and real-time notes due course equality between two values. Then, the microcomputer 2 will be effective for continuous operation and the television receiving device 1 via line 27/15 if necessary. via line 26/14 and based on the table input thereto, the microcomputer 2 corresponding to the source code in memory area 35 that channel position in the tuner 10 a, on which the article in question is expected. The tuner 10 receives now over its antenna input 13, the corresponding modulated television signal. The downstream IF amplifier and demodulator 11 provides an.seinem output in the baseband, the program video signal 16 with the actual label information contained therein in a row of data. In Label Decoder 12 this information is sorted out and provided to the microcomputer input 21 available. As already explained in connection with FIG. 1, a comparison of identity will be initiated between the current target value and the received label and as soon and as long as there is identity causes over the line 25/71, the recording operation of the recorder.

If, at the transmitting end, for example because of a film tear, an interruption of the program contribution, as a prearranged pseudo-label (eg day 0, month 15 hour 29 minute 63) is sent instead of the actual value labels for the duration. The microcomputer 2 then interrupts for the duration of this pseudo labels the recording process and leads him away again as soon as the the current setpoint value corresponding label is received again. With the definitive disappearance of this label (it can be seen that no pseudo-label, but a "normal" label follows him) the Stock is then drawing completed, the current setpoint deleted from the memory 3 and added peace operation.

1b already described in connection with FIG. Case of non-transmission of an expected contribution needs with reference to Fig. 2, not to be described again, since the analogies to the above process procedure are readily apparent. Only after the conclusion of such a recording resignierendem attempt be some extra features arise. The fact that a desired Post was not sent is displayed from the microcomputer either in the storage area 36, ​​or held in another, internal memory, and an indication to the user either via the output line 28 on a display panel 6 or per screen.

As an additional illustration of the above functional descriptions serving the flowchart of FIG. 3. It starts with A, includes the processing of a single, predetermined desired value, ending at E with completion of exchange or because of contribution of omitted first recording and requires no further explanation.

In the previous descriptions of the setpoint / label comparison was always assumed that an expected result of comparison makes instantly connected to them function effectively or ineffective. With the relatively high transmission rate in a data line (25 Ubertragungszyklen per second) but can be implemented in a very simple manner and at the expense of a slightly tolerable increase in the response time of the system, an error protection against faulty transmission of individual labels. This can be done that is not already responded to a single expected label, but only when this has been received n times consecutively identical. Is treated similarly functions that depend on the disappearance of a label: only if a different from the current Label Label was received m times successively identical, a random transmission error is excluded and derived function is executed. . In the flow chart of Figure 3 is for this purpose, for example, the question in the second branch diamond from above to complete as follows: "War n times one after the gaps_{other TLabel}= t_should? "