Method and Apparatus for Previewing Recorded Information

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

The present invention relates to the field of audio and video display. More specifically, in one embodiment the invention provides a method and apparatus for presenting a variety of audio and video selections from which a consumer may select and preview one or more of the selections.

Upon entry to a retail store such as a music or video store, a typical consumer is frequently unable to recognize even a small portion of the music or video selections available for purchase or lease. Further, the consumer is often unable to associate particular music or video selections with a particular tape, album, or disc and, consequently, will often purchase a selection which is not the desired selection. In other cases, the consumer will avoid purchasing anything because of the confusion arising from the vast array of available materials.

Various solutions have been proposed to overcome the above problems. For example, a system called the "music sampler" has been used in various music stores. The music sampler provides a computer touch screen which presents one or more menus from which the user selects, for example, the type of music desired. After selection of the desired type of music the user is presented serially with a variety of album selections. For each selection, the user is presented with the choice of continuing to browse or listening to a portion of the album. Presentation of an associated full motion video is not provided.

A variety of problems arise with systems such as the music sampler and other related systems. For example, the systems do not provide simultaneous display of both music and associated "MTV" or other full motion video type presentations. Further, the systems are sometimes slow in presenting a preview to the user. Other systems, particularly those which provide selections serially to the user, require the user to browse through many unwanted selections before reaching a desired selection and, therefore, require the user to invest a great deal of time before previewing a selection in which the user has an interest.

Accordingly, it is seen that an improved method and apparatus for previewing audio and video selections is desired.

A method and apparatus for previewing music and video selections is provided. The apparatus provides for the simultaneous presentation of an audio selection and an associated full motion video selection. "Full motion video" is intended to mean herein a moving video presentation of actual events, characters, or locations as opposed to still photo presentations or computer generated displays.

A user chooses from a variety of selections by pressing a back-lit switch. The back-lit switches are provided with illustrations of, for example, album covers, which are preferably arranged according to music type. Upon selection by a user, a laser video disc or portion thereof is selected and played back for the user via a video monitor and stereo speakers.

Accordingly, in one embodiment the invention comprises means for storing and playing selected portions of a plurality of audio selections and associated full motion video presentations; display means for indicating to a user the plurality of audio selections; means, connected to the means for indicating, for inputing a first selection from the user and; means connected to the means for inputing for displaying at least a portion of the first selection in audio form while concurrently displaying an associated full motion video presentation from the means for storing and playing. The display means preferably presents a wide variety (e.g. 50 or more) of selections to the user simultaneously.

In another embodiment the invention comprises a backlit translucent keypad array, the keypad array comprising an array of images relating to musical presentations; means for scanning the keypad array to determine when a key is pressed; first and second optical disc players with first and second optical discs, the first optical disc including a first portion of audio selections and video presentations, the second optical disc including a second portion of the audio selections and video presentations; display means for presenting the audio selections and video presentations and; logic means for selecting between the optical disc players and connecting the display means to a selected optical disc player.

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the inventions herein may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the attached drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 7 illustrate the preview system in isometric, top, front, right side, left side, back, and bottom views respectively;

FIG. 8 is ,an overall electrical block diagram of the preview system;

FIG. 9 is a top view of a keyboard used according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 10a to 10c illustrate in greater detail an electronic control system according to one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of the computer software used in a personal computer according to one embodiment of the invention.

I. Overall Description

II. Description of Electronics

III. Description of Software

IV. Conclusion

I. Overall Description

FIG. 1 illustrates a music/video preview display system 2 in an isometric view. The invention herein is illustrated primarily with regard to the presentation of previews of music albums and associated "MTV" type video displays, but it will be understood that the invention is not so limited. For example, the invention herein could be used to present video previews of movies available in home video stores or other retail sales locations. Further, instead of presenting only a preview of the selection, it may be desired in some embodiments to present the entire selection. Still further, the device may be used in, for example, a travel agency to preview various travel destinations. Other variations in operation will be apparent to those in the art.

The preview system is mounted in a cabinet 4. The cabinet may be conveniently constructed of a wide variety of materials including, for example, plastic, wood, metal, fiberboard or the like. The cabinet is provided with a keyboard area 6 and a video display area 8. Recessed into the cabinet or provided in a separate unit and not shown in FIG. 1 will also be speaker grills for presentation of the audio portion of a selected preview.

The keyboard 6 is preferably a partially transparent or translucent sheet or sheets of back-lit plastic. The keyboard is divided into an array of selection illustration regions 10 which may contain, for example, photographic reproductions of album covers or the like. In FIG. 1, the device is illustrated with reference to an array of 80 selections, but it will be apparent that the invention is not so limited as any desired number of selections may be presented to the user, although it will generally be desirable to provide about 50 or more selections. The illustration region may also be backed by a light or lights which are preferably consistently illuminated but which may be flashed when a selection is in play.

The various selections are preferably divided according to music type. Separation of music types may be provided with, for example, different background colors, division lines, or the like. The selections may be provided into, for example, country, rock, classical, video, and other categories.

In operation, a user previews a selection by choosing the selection from the keypad array and pressing the keypad at the location of the selection. Within a few seconds, the preview system plays a portion of the selection in audio form while simultaneously presenting a full motion video segment on the video display 8 via a laser disc player(s).

Variations in the selections presented to the user may be easily provided on, for example, a monthly basis. Music video selections from a wide variety of music labels are collected periodically and segments of such music videos are recorded serially on magnetic tape. Such segments may, for example, be 30 seconds to one minute in length. Identifying text containing, for example, the artist's name, the title of the selection, the recording company, and the like may be imposed on the video image. In addition, a miniature color representation of the product being previewed (e.g., an album cover) may also be imposed on the video image. The tape is then transferred to one or preferably two optical discs for playback. Since this process is relatively straightforward and inexpensive, updated preview discs may be provided at frequent intervals.

II. Description of Electronics

FIG. 8 provides an overall block diagram of the electronic components of the preview system 2. The system is managed and controlled by a digital computer 14 which may be, for example, and IBM PC, PC-XT, PC-AT or compatible computer, preferably equipped with a CGA card of the type known to those of skill in the art. While the invention is illustrated herein by way of reference to the use of a personal computer for management of the system it will be apparent that a wide variety of digital processing devices could be used without departing from the scope of the invention herein. For example, a microprocessor or discrete logic could perform many or all of the functions disclosed herein.

PC 14 is connected to and polls the keypad 6 for input from a user via, for example, a 25 pin M/F connection 16. The system may alternatively scan the keyboard using a separate scanned keyboard controller of the type well known to those of skill in the art (such as those found in conventional personal computers) Such scanned keyboard controllers would provide information to the PC indicating which, if any, of the keypads is depressed at a given time.

The PC is connected to a PC interface 18 via a 9 pin M/M connector 20 and RCA connection 22. The connector 20 is used to transmit control information to and receive control information from the PC while the connection 22 is used as a CGA connection from the PC. The CGA connection from the PC is used to display graphics on a monitor to attract users, and the like.

The PC is also connected to a first video disc player 24 and a second video disc player 26 via 25 pin M/F connectors 28 and 30, respectively. The connections 28 and 30 transmit control information to and from the players 24 and 26 to the PC. Players 24 and 26 provide audio and video output to the interface 18 via RCA's 32a to 32f. Players 24 and 26 may be, for example, a laser disc player such as those manufactured by Sony Corporation and having model no. LDP-1200. Through the use of two players, half of the selections may be place on a first optical disc, while the remaining half may be placed on a second optical disc. This greatly enhances the retrieval time of selections. In some embodiments (in which, for example, 80 selections are provided), the use of two video disc players reduces the time for retrieval of a selection from about 3 to 5 seconds to less than one second.

Video and audio outputs are provided to a monitor 34 via RCA connections 36 and 38, respectively. Monitor 34 may be selected from a wide variety of monitors available in the marketplace including, for example, a 25 inch monitor from Wells Gardner Inc.

Optionally, a product display 37 is provided. The product display includes a plurality of product slots 39. Preferably, one slot is provided for each selection displayed on the keypad. When the user presses the keypad, the corresponding slot in the product display is illuminated while the preview is played via logic in the PC 14 and the electronics shown in FIGS. 10b and 10c.

FIG. 9 illustrates in top view a keypad according to one embodiment of the invention. Although not shown, the keypad is overlain by a removable sheet of plastic, Mylar or the like containing illustrations of record albums or video tapes available for selection. Row's 40 and columns 42 of translucent materials are laid in a checkerboard pattern on the keypad. Each row and column is connected via a wire or metallic trace 43 to a central connection 44 which may be, for example, a 20 pin berg connector. When a pad is depressed, a voltage increase is provided on the wires of the metallic trace of both the row and the column associated with the pad. By sequentially polling each row and column of the keypad for a voltage increase, it is possible to determine which of the pads has been depressed.

FIGS. 10a to 10c illustrate the components of the interface 18 in greater detail. In particular, in FIG. 10a an audio/video switch 45 is illustrated for regulating output from each of the video disc players and the PC CGA card to the video display. The audio/video switch regulates output of the various video inputs based on inputs 46 from the PC. The switch regulates video line 32a from the first video disc player, video line 32d from the second video disc player, and CGA input line 22 from the PC. The switch additionally regulates audio input lines 32b, 32c, 32e, and 32f from the laser disc players. Additionally, a tone may be provided by the PC to, for example, the left speaker at the direction of the PC software via line 50.

The audio lines are regulated by way of an audio multiplexer 48. Based on the input signals BSEL1, BMUTE, and BSEL 2, the multiplexer chooses the left, right, or no inputs for output to the speaker. Similarly, the video inputs are regulated with video multiplexer 52 by way of the BSEL1 and BSEL2 signals from the PC so as to choose the first or second video disc player or the CGA card of the PC.

FIGS. 10b and 10c illustrate a light controller 54 according to one embodiment of the invention. The light controller lights selected lights on an optional product display. The product display includes an array of slots into which the previewable products are placed. Each slot is separately illuminated based on input from header 56 and communication link 58. Lights are selectively illuminated by control of microcontroller 60 with data provided from EPROM 62 based on the specific button which is pressed on the keypad and via the transistor array 64 as shown in FIG. 10c. As will be apparent to those of skill in the art, scanning of the keyboard as well as many other functions could be handled by the microcontroller 60.

III. Description of Software

Appendix 1 (.COPYRGT., 1989, Tallon Foods Corporation d/b/a PICS Previews) is a source code listing in "C" of a program used in the PC 2 according to one embodiment of the invention. While a "C" program is used for the purposes of illustration herein it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that a variety of programming languages could be used without departing from the scope of the invention. Appendix 2 (.COPYRGT., copyright 1989, Tallon Foods Corporation d/b/a PICS Previews is an assembly language program for the 8051 (80C31) microcontroller illustrated in FIG. 10b.

Specifically, Appendix 1 includes the main PC program, a display which is displayed while the system is booting up, the PC light drivers for the 8051 chip, and the definition file for the PC program. Appendix 2 contains 8051 code for driving the lights in the product display and the like.

FIG. 11 is an overall flow chart of the program provided in Appendix 1.

After an initialization step 100, the program circulates through four major functions including a keypad reading function 102, a searching function 104, a play function 106, and a file update function 108.

In the keypad reading function 102 the program first tests to determine if a keypad is depressed at step 110 and, if so the number of the depressed key is read from the scanned keypad controller. The number of a depressed keypad is tested to determine if it is greater than, for example, 40 at step 112 (in the case of a 10x8 keypad) and, if so, player number 1 is selected at step 114. If, however, the number of the keypad is less than 40, the second player is selected at step 116. Regardless of which player is selected, at step 118 the PC begins a search mode in the selected player and, in the meantime, the video display is provided with an appropriate indication that the selection will be played momentarily at step 120.

The program then enters search mode 104 during which time the appropriate selection is located on the optical disc using means well know to those of skill in the art. A test is conducted at step 122 to determine if the device is in the search mode. If not, the program proceeds on to the play mode. If the program is in the search mode, a test 124 is conducted to determine if the device has been in the search mode for a selected period of time and, if so, the search mode is restarted at step 125 (by re-circulating through the relay, file update and read keyboard steps, each of which will be by passed). If the search mode has not been conducted for a significant period of time the player is tested at step 126 to determine if the search is done. If not, the program goes to the play function. If the search is done, the display is set to an active mode at step 128 and the program goes on to the play mode 106.

In the play function 106, a test 130 is first conducted to determine if the program is in the play mode. If not, the program proceeds to the file update function 108. If the device is in the play mode a test is performed at step 132 to determine if an acknowledge has been received from the LDP (Laser Disc Player). If not, at step 134 a reply from the laser disc player is collected. If so, at step 136 the frame number is obtained from the optical disc and a test is conducted at step 138 to determine if the program is still in the play mode. If so, the frame number is requested from LDP at step 140 and the program recycles to the beginning of the program.

If the program is no longer in the play mode a test is made at step 142 to determine if the program is in the attract mode, i.e. in a mode to display an appropriate video and/or audio selection to attract potential users. If not, the attract mode is initiated at step 144 and the program returns to the beginning. If the program was previously in the attract mode, the program initiates one of the players to display selections at random at step 146 and tests to determine if the number of random plays has been greater than 3. If the number of random plays has been less than 3, another random play is made at step 148. When 3 random plays have been made, the program returns to the attract mode.

IV. Conclusion

The present invention provides a greatly improved method and apparatus for displaying audio and associated video previews. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many variations of the invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon review of this disclosure. Merely by way of example, the invention has been illustrated primarily with regard to the presentation of record albums and associated video, but the invention is not so limited. For example, the invention could readily find application in the presentation of movie previews at video stores and the like. By way of further example, the invention could be used as a "travel locator" in which a user is presented with a variety of travel destinations and wherein the audio and video presentations depict audio and video highlights of the travel destination. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents. ##SPC1##