Apparatus for reproducing information recorded in a plurality of adjacent tracks

Claim 1

An apparatus for reproducing information signals recorded on a record carrier in the form of a tape in inclined parallel tracks arranged adjacent each other, wherein together with said information signals tracking signals are recorded in said tracks, said tracking signals having a frequency which changes from track to track in a predetermined cyclic sequence, which apparatus comprises at least one rotatable playback head which, for following the tracks, is arranged on an electro-mechanical transducer, which head when scanning each track also reproduces tracking signals produced by cross talk from the two tracks adjacent the track being scanned, a position detector for detecting the rotary position of the head relative to the record carrier, which position detector supplies a position pulse and is connected to a pulse generator for generating control pulses associated with the position pulses, which control pulses are applied to a signal generator whose frequency is variable, which signal generator, depending on said control pulses, consecutively generators track selection signals whose frequency changes in the same cyclic sequence as the recorded tracking signals, a signal processing circuit which derives an actuating signal from said track selection signals and the reproduced crosstalk tracking signals, by means of which actuating signal the transducer carrying the playback head is adjustable between two extreme positions substantially transversely of the tracks, characterized in that there is provided at least one amplitude discriminator, means for supplying to said amplitude discriminator a signal which is proportional to the actuating signal for the transducer, said discriminator having two threshold values corresponding to the two amplitudes of the actuating signal which deflect the transducer to its two extreme positions, which discriminator supplies a switching signal when a threshold value is exceeded, which switching signal controls a further pulse generator which, depending on said switching signal, supplies pulses to said signal generator causing an additional change-over in the track selection signal generation.

Claim 2

An apparatus for reproducing information signals recorded on a record carrier in the form of a tape in inclined parallel tracks arranged adjacent each other, wherein together with said information signals tracking signals are recorded in said tracks, said tracking signals having a frequency which changes from track to track in a predetermined cyclic sequence, which apparatus comprises at least one rotatable playback head which, for following the tracks, is arranged on an electro-mechanical transducer, which head when scanning each track also reproduces tracking signals produced by cross talk from the two tracks adjacent the track being scanned, a position detector for detecting the rotary position of the head relative to the record carrier, which position detector supplies a position pulse and is connected to a pulse generator for generating control pulses associated with the position pulses, which control pulses are applied to a signal generator whose frequency is variable, which signal generator, depending on said control pulses, consecutively generators track selection signals whose frequency changes in the same cyclic sequence as the recorded tracking signals, a signal processing circuit which derives an actuating signal from said track selection signals and the reproduced crosstalk tracking signals, by means of which actuating signal the transducer carrying the playback head is adjustable between two extreme positions substantially transversely of the tracks, characterized in that there is provided at least one amplitude discriminator, means for supplying to said amplitude discriminator a signal which is proportional to the actuating signal for the transducer, said discriminator having two threshold values corresponding to the two amplitudes of the actuating signal which deflect the transducer to its two extreme positions, which discriminator supplies a switching signal when a threshold value is exceeded, which switching signal controls a further pulse generator which, depending on said switching signal, supplies pulses to said signal generator causing an additional change-over in the track selection signal generation.