Automatic program locator for tape decks

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to tape decks having a detection system responsive to a silence between recorded programs. A key board panel is provided for inputting a desired number to a down counter in order to position a head of a program after skipping a desired number of programs recorded on the tape at the fast movement speed. The count of the down counter is decremented once for every occurence of a detection signal from the detection system representative of the silence between recorded passages. The tape drive is stopped or returned to its normal playback speed when the contents of the down counter become zero.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems comprising: a. a sensing head in physical contact with a tape when the tape reproduction system is in the fast forward or rewind drive mode;   b. recorded passage detection circuit means connected to receive signals from the sensing head for generating a silence detection signal when the sensing head reaches a silence portion between recorded programs;   c. down counter means which counts down one count in response to each occurence of a silence detection signal;   d. key input means for introducing a desired number into the down counter,   e. count output detection circuit means for generating a control signal when the down counter counts from said desired number down to zero; and   f. shifting means for shifting the operational states of the tape reproduction system upon receiving the control signal.   
     
     
       2. The automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems of claim 1 wherein the down counter is a presettable decade down counter and the desired number is introduced by a binary-coded decimal notation through a converter. 
     
     
       3. The automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems of claim 1 wherein the shifting means comprises; a. a plunger for shifting the operational states of the tape reproduction system; and   b. a plunger activating circuit for activating the plunger upon receiving the control signal.   
     
     
       4. The automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems of claim 1 wherein the operational states of the tape reproduction system are shifted to its stop state upon receiving the control signal. 
     
     
       5. The automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems of claim 1 wherein the operational states of the tape reproduction system are shifted to its normal playback state upon receiving the control signal. 
     
     
       6. The automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems of claim 1 further comprising an inhibit gate of which input terminals are connected to receive the silence detection signal and the control signal, and of which an output terminal is connected with the down count input terminal of the down counter, thereby preventing erroneous introduction of a signal to the down counter. 
     
     
       7. The automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems of claim 1 further comprising: a. an indication unit for indicating the contents of the down counter; and   b. a decoder for decoding the contents of the down counter to a suitable form for the indication unit.   
     
     
       8. The automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems of claim 7 wherein the decoder includes a blanking input terminal connected to receive the control signal, thereby extinguishing the indication on the indication unit when the count of the down counter is zero. 
     
     
       9. The automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems of claim 1 further comprising a clear key for resetting the contents of the down counter. 
     
     
       10. The automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems of claim 1 further comprising an auto-clear circuit for resetting the contents of the down counter upon throw of a power switch of the tape reproduction system. .Iadd. 11. An automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems comprising: drive means for moving a tape with recorded material thereon through said reproduction system past a program reproduction head;   detector means for sensing the presence or absence of recorded material on said tape, the presence of said recorded material being indicative of a program on said tape and the absence of said recorded material being indicative of a silence portion between programs, said detector means generating a detection signal for each silence portion of a predetermined length sensed as said tape passes through said reproduction system; and   means for preselecting for reproduction from any given program position that the tape occupies in said reproduction system any specific program including programs which are not adjacent to the program at said given program position as a function of the number of detection signals generated by said detector means counted from said given program position.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.12.  The automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems of claim 11 wherein said means for preselecting includes: control signal producing means for constraining said drive means to position a selected program on said tape into position for reproduction by said reproduction head in response to the occurrence of a presettable number of said detection signals; and   means for presetting said number to any selected one of a plurality of different values. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems of claim 12 wherein said control signal producing means includes counter means for counting each occurrence of a silence detection signal and count output detection circuit means for generating a control signal to said drive means when said counter means counts said presettable number of said detection signals. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The automatic program locating system of claim 13 wherein said means for presetting includes key input means for introducing a desired number into said counter means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The automatic program locating system of claim 13 wherein said drive means moves at a first speed during the generation of said detection signals by said detector means and at a second slower speed during the reproduction of a selected program and there is further provided means for constraining said drive means to move said tape at said second speed in response to the control signal from said count output detection circuit means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. An automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems comprising:   drive means for moving the tape;   control means for controlling the drive means to perform fast forward, fast rewind, or normal playback operation on the tape;   a sensing head for sensing information recorded on a tape at least when the tape reproduction system is in the fast forward or rewind drive mode;   recorded passage detection circuit means connected to receive signals from the sensing head for generating a silence detection signal when the sensing head reaches a silence portion between recorded programs;   counter means which count in response to each occurrence of a silence detection signal;   storage means for storing a desired digital coded number therein;   key input means for introducing said desired number into said storage means;   detection means for generating a control signal when said counter means counts an equal number of said silence detection signals to said desired digital coded number stored in said storage means; and   shifting means for shifting the operational states of the tape reproduction system from said fast forward or fast rewind operation to said normal playback operation upon receiving the control signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. An automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems comprising:   drive means for moving the tape;   control means for controlling the drive means to perform a fast forward, fast rewind, or normal playback operation on the tape;   a reproduction head arranged to sense, during said fast forward or fast rewind operation, information recorded on the tape;   a detector coupled to the output of said reproduction head for producing a detection signal when a portion of tape exceeding a predetermined length on which no information is recorded is sensed;   control signal producing means arranged to produce a control signal when a presettable number of said detection signals have been produced by said detector, said presettable number being equal to the number of detection signals which will be produced between any given program position that the tape occupies in said reproduction system and the program to be located, the control means being responsive to the control signal to discontinue said fast forward or fast rewind operation; and   means for presetting said number to any selected one of a plurality of   
     
     
        different values. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18.  An automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems comprising; a. a sensing head in physical contact with a tape when the tape reproduction system is in the fast forward or rewind drive mode;   b. recorded passage detection circuit means connected to receive signals from the sensing head for generating a silence detection signal when the sensing head reaches a silence portion between recorded programs;   c. counter means which counts one count in response to each occurrence of a silence detection signal;   d. key input means for introducing a desired number into the counter means;   e. count output detection circuit means for generating a control signal when the counter means counts said desired number; and   f. shifting means for shifting the operational states of the tape reproduction system upon receiving the control signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. An automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems comprising;   a sensing head in physical contact with a tape when the tape reproduction system is in a fast forward or rewind drive mode;   recorded passage detection circuit means connected to receive signals from the sensing head for generating a silence detection signal when the sensing head reaches a silence portion between recorded programs;   storage means the contents of which are progressively varied in response to occurrence of a silence detection signal;   key input means for introducing a desired number into the storage means;   detection circuit means for generating a control signal when the contents of the storage means are varied by said desired number; and   shifting means for shifting the operational states of the tape reproduction system upon receiving said control signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. An automatic program locating system for tape reproduction systems comprising:   a sensing head for sensing information recorded on a tape at least when the tape reproduction system is in a fast forward or rewind mode;   recorded passage detection circuit means connected to receive signals from the sensing head for generating a silence detection signal when the sensing head reaches a silence portion between recorded programs;   counter means which count in response to each occurrence of a silence detection signal;   semiconductor storage means for storing a desired digital coded number therein;   a keyboard panel including numeral keys for introducing said desired number into said semiconductor storage means;   converter means connected between said keyboard panel and said semiconductor storage means for converting an output signal from said keyboard panel into the digital coded number;   detection means for generating a control signal when said counter means count an equal number of said silence detection signals to said desired number stored in said semiconductor storage means; and   shifting means for shifting the operational states of the tape reproduction   
     
     
        system upon receiving said control signal. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21.  An automatic program locating system according to claim 16, wherein said desired digital coded number introduced by said key input means is equal to the number of silence portions between any given program position which the tape occupies in the reproduction system and the program to be located. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. An automatic program locating system according to claim 18, wherein said desired number introduced by said key input means is equal to the number of silence portions between any given program position which the tape occupies in said reproduction system and the program to be located. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. An automatic program locating system according to claim 19, wherein said desired number introduced by said key input means is equal to the number of silence portions between any given program position which the tape occupies in said reproduction system and the program to be located. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.     An automatic program locating system according to claim 20, wherein said desired number introduced by said key input means is equal to the number of silence portions between any given program position which the tape occupies in said reproduction system and the program to be located. .Iaddend.