Title: Digital control system and method for the synchronization of audio-visual equipment

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1. A control system for synchronizing audio-visual equipment which presents a plurality of visual representations coordinated with a like plurality of sound narrations carried by a continuous media comprising: means to generate pulses as the continuous media carrying said sound narration passes through the audio-visual equipment, means providing a sequential address for each consecutive visual representation passing through the audio-visual equipment, means receiving the pulses from said means to generate pulses and providing a pulse identification for each consecutive sound narration, means having consecutive locations for each said sequential address to store said pulse identification and to thereby correlate a said pulse identification with a said seqeuntial address for subsequent selective presentation, and means to selectively present given audio-visual sections on the audio-visual equipment, each said section including a visual representation and corresponding sound narration.

2. A control system, as in claim 1, wherein the continuous media carrying the sound narration is a magnetic tape mounted on a reel and said means to generate pulses includes a deflector affixed to said reel and means directing a beam of light at said deflector.

3. A control system, as in claim 2, wherein said deflector affixed to said reel is square and said means directing a beam of light is positioned in front of said deflector so as to generate one pulse with each 90.degree. rotation of said reel.

4. A control system, as in claim 1, wherein said means providing a sequential address for each consecutive visual representation includes a block number address counter means for counting each consecutive visual representation and wherein said means to store includes a random access memory unit.

5. A control system, as in claim 4, wherein said means providing a pulse identification for each consecutive sound narration comprises: tape address counter means for counting the number of pulses existing in each consecutive sound narration so as to provide a number for each consecutive sound narration, each said number being stored in said memory unit at the location of the corresponding sequential address.

6. A control system, as in claim 5, wherein said number corresponds to the pulse identification indicative of the outset of each consecutive sound narration.

7. A control system, as in claim 5, wherein said means to selectively present given audio-visual sections on the audio-visual equipment includes a first switch for signalling commands to skip a desired number of said sections and a second switch for selecting the direction of said skipping between a forward mode and a reverse mode.

8. A control system, as in claim 7, wherein said means to selectively present given audio-visual sections further includes: first and second counter means to register said desired number of skip commands and first and second clock means to provide pulses to said counter means so that said address counter means enables said memory unit to determine said pulse identification of said given audio-visual section and second clock means to provide pulses at a lower frequency than said first clock means, whereby said first and said second clock means activiate the audio-visual equipment.

9. A method for the synchronization of audio-visual equipment for presenting a plurality of visual representations coordinated with a like plurality of sound narrations carried by a continous media comprising the steps of: generating a series of pulses as the continuous media carrying said sound narration passes through the audio-visual equipment, counting each consecutive visual representation passing through the audio-visual equipment, providing a pulse identification for each consecutive sound narration, and storing, in a means having consecutive locations for each said consecutive visual representation, the pulse identification for each consecutive sound narration thereby correlating each said visual representation with a said pulse identification.

10. A method for the synchronization of audio-visual equipment, as in claim 9, wherein the pulse identification for each said consecutive sound narration is related to a consecutive visual representation.

Other info:

Inventors: Chen, Chun-Fu (North Canton, OH, US)
Hague, Jr., Duane O. (Fairborn, OH, US)

Application Number: 450897
Filing Date: 1974-03-13
Publication_date: 1976-09-07
Assignee: The University of Akron (Akron, OH)
Primary Class(es): 360/80 352/12, 352/15
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

3854010	Dec, 1974	Yoshino et al.	178/69.
3859458	Jan, 1975	Takezawa et al.	178/5.
3865973	Feb, 1975	Masuda et al.	178/69.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Martin, John C.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Hamilton, Renner & Kenner