Abstract: A gain control amplifier provides amplitude variation of an input signal that is coupled to the amplifier, by adding or combining a higher frequency signal that overdrives or distorts the amplifier to one or more degree(s), to provide the gain variation of the input signal. A predistortion circuit may be included to further reduce distortion of the input signal at the output of the amplifier.

Abstract: A new copy protection signal includes resistance to certain circumvention devices and includes improved playability. The new copy protection signal causes the certain circumvention devices to pass substantially the copy protection effects to a video recorder or to allow for content control effectiveness on a compliant device. The new copy protection signal also causes the circumvention device to add or enhance copy protection effectiveness, which is contrary to the circumvention device's original intent of removing or reducing copy protection effectiveness. The new copy protection signal is provided by inserting or adding one or more pseudo sync pulses or one or more pseudo sync/AGC pulse pairs immediately after, or one line after, a vertical sync signal in at least one television line.

Abstract: A method and system of providing copy protection of video analog and digital signals and the like, wherein the signals are transmitted via a digital delivery network, and may comprise, for example, pay-per-view (PPV) program materials protected by copyrights of respective program rights holders. The right holders authorize video service providers (3) to apply copy protection to the program material. The copy protection process is supplied to the rights holders or the service providers (3) by a copy protection process licensor. The video service providers (3) supply suitable copy protection control software via respective control and billing (tracking) centers to generate commands which activate, control and reconfigure the copy protection process being applied to the programs being transmitted.

Abstract: A copy protection color stripe process is defeated first by determining the location of the video lines including the color stripe process. Then some or all of the lines including the modified color bursts are modified so as to render the overall video signal recordable. The modification is accomplished in a number of ways, including phase shifting the color stripe burst into the correct phase, replacing, attenuating and or eliminating some of the color stripe bursts or at least a portion of particular color burst envelopes so that they are no longer effective, mixing the color stripe burst with color stripe signals of the correct phase so as to eliminate most or all of the phase error present or modifying the horizontal sync pulse signals immediately preceding the modified color bursts so that the modified color bursts are not detected by a VCR and hence have no effect.

Abstract: A testing method or apparatus utilizes multiple frequencies applied to a device under test for measuring newly discovered frequency modulation effects. An embodiment may include a lower frequency signal with a smaller amplitude higher frequency signal to test a dynamic change in frequency response, gain, and or phase. This dynamic test can reveal frequency modulation effects. Another embodiment may include the use of a multiple frequency signal to dynamically induce a time varying phase or frequency distortion for the device that has differential phase distortion. The device's output is then measured with an FM detector to measure a shift in one of the frequencies used in the test signal or to measure frequency modulation effects of any signals, including distortion products, from the device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for defeating copy protection signals in a video signal, and also for providing copy protection signals for a video signal, is disclosed. The defeat technique generally utilizes a particular pulse position shifting, modulation, etc., of AGC, normal sync and/or pseudo sync pulses to increase the separation between the pulses. Various embodiments are disclosed including selective shifting of the relative positions of either the sync/pseudo sync or AGC pulses, trimming portions of the sync/pseudo sync and/or the AGC pulses and narrowing of either the sync/pseudo sync and/or the AGC pulses, all to provide the selective position separation between the sync/pseudo sync and AGC pulses.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provides a modified color stripe video copy protection signal. Normally, prior color stripe video copy protection signals include a color burst signal in which all cycles of subcarrier have an incorrect (i.e., non-normal) phase, thereby to provide copy protection effects on a video recorder. To improve playability, the present application provides a modified color stripe video copy protection signal which has no effect on a TV set. This modified color stripe signal comprises a color burst envelope that has cycles of normal phase as well as cycles of non-normal phase. On selected video lines, the modified color stripe signal incorporates a color burst signal consisting of two or more segments, with each segment having a predetermined phase. In another embodiment, the modified color stripe signal includes an expanded duration color burst envelope.

Abstract: In record or content control management systems, various selected reference, record control, copy protection or control information signals, or other signifiers, are used to identify control signals, for example, bits, to provide control of subsequent use of data, audio and video signals in the analog and digital domain. Method and apparatus are disclosed for modifying the effects of a content control system as well as for modifying an effect of a copy protection signal. To this end, the reference, record control, copy protection signals, or other control information signals, e.g., content control signals, may be modified to cause an erroneous or unintended reading subsequently of the reference or control signals which in turn correspondingly alters the control command of the record or content control system.

Abstract: A modified Colorstripe™ copy protection process utilizes a basic anti-copy protection (ACP) signal that causes attenuation of a video signal, wherein, in one embodiment, the process modifies (lowers) the level of a front porch portion and adds an incorrect color signal (color burst) in the region of the sync tip. When an illegal copy is made, a pre-blanked end of line portion causes a TV set to trigger the color burst sample pulse ahead of time and cause the incorrect color signal in the sync tip region to be sampled. Thus, since the sync tip region has incorrect color phase or frequency, the resulting illegal copy will have enhanced color distortions. In other embodiments, other portions of the horizontal blanking interval are lowered in level and incorrect color bursts are added to a portion or portions of the back porch and/or a portion of the front porch.

Abstract: In the known color stripe process for preventing recording of video signals, the color burst present on each line of active video is modified so that any subsequent video tape recording of the video signal shows variations in the color fidelity that appear as undesirable bands or stripes of color error. This color stripe process is improved by a combination of modifying the phase of the color burst on only part of the color burst. Additional improvements were obtained by incorporating techniques of widening the normal color burst envelope towards the trailing edge of horizontal sync and towards the beginning of active video. These techniques are useful in improving the performance of the color stripe process in both the NTSC and PAL color systems. However, additional improvements are described in the PAL system whereby the phase modifications are controlled so as to avoid disturbing the so-called PAL ID pulse.

Abstract: A testing method or apparatus utilizes multiple frequencies applied to a device under test for measuring newly discovered frequency modulation effects. An embodiment may include a lower frequency signal with a smaller amplitude higher frequency signal to test a dynamic change in frequency response, gain, and or phase. This dynamic test can reveal frequency modulation effects. Another embodiment may include the use of a multiple frequency signal to dynamically induce a time varying phase or frequency distortion for the device that has differential phase distortion. The device's output is then measured with an FM detector to measure a shift in one of the frequencies used in the test signal or to measure frequency modulation effects of any signals, including distortion products, from the device.

Abstract: A method and system of providing copy protection of video analog and digital signals and the like, wherein the signals are transmitted via a digital delivery network, and may comprise, for example, pay-per-view (PPV) program materials protected by copyrights of respective program rights holders. The right holders authorize video service providers (3) to apply copy protection to the program material. The copy protection process is supplied to the rights holders or the service providers (3) by a copy protection process licensor. The video service providers (3) supply suitable copy protection control software via respective control and billing (tracking) centers to generate commands which activate, control and reconfigure the copy protection process being applied to the programs being transmitted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed which reduces or removes the effectiveness of commercial skip systems such as presently found in VCRs, PVRs, etc. which are designed to delete commercials from signal material upon playback of a previously recorded version of the signal material. In an embodiment, the effectiveness of the commercial skip system is reduced or removed by adding a flat field of selected signal level to active line portions of video lines of the signal material. Other embodiments modify the normal fade to black signal indicative of a commercial to provide a fade to non-black signal. In further embodiments, a fade to non-black signal is inserted in an overscan area of the signal picture. Still further embodiments modify audio signals or selected signals in the horizontal blanking interval which may be used in commercial skip systems to detect the presence of commercials.

Abstract: The horizontal blanking interval (HBI) of a normal video signal is modified to enhance the playability of the applied copy protected video signal while maintaining the copy protection effectiveness. As generally known, a copy protected video signal with positive-going pulses in a back porch region causes possible black level depression. The addition of a negative-going pulse and/or negative-going and positive-going pulse pair immediately prior to the H sync signal in the front porch region causes a reduction in such black level depression while resulting in enhanced playability. In other embodiments, an amplitude extending pulse is added to a latter portion of the H sync pulse or to a latter portion of a pseudo sync pulse, to increase the negative-going amplitude of the respective pulse. Various combinations of the added pulses also are possible.

Abstract: Techniques for modifying the characteristic signals of the Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI) are disclosed for the generation of an incorrect or unreliable vertical or frame rate signal, via particular characteristics and/or peculiarities of the signals in the VBI. The incorrect or unreliable vertical rate or frame signal is utilized to modify an anti-copy protection signal or a normal video signal.

Abstract: A modified Colorstripe™ copy protection process utilizes a basic anti-copy protection (ACP) signal that causes attenuation of a video signal, wherein, in one embodiment, the process modifies (lowers) the level of a front porch portion and adds an incorrect color signal (color burst) in the region of the sync tip. When an illegal copy is made, a pre-blanked end of line portion causes a TV set to trigger the color burst sample pulse ahead of time and cause the incorrect color signal in the sync tip region to be sampled. Thus, since the sync tip region has incorrect color phase or frequency, the resulting illegal copy will have enhanced color distortions. In other embodiments, other portions of the horizontal blanking interval are lowered in level and incorrect color bursts are added to a portion or portions of the back porch and/or a portion of the front porch.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed which minimizes the visual artifacts normally generated when images are compressed for transfer through very narrow band channels such as, for example, the Internet. To this end, the images are pre-filtered and then scaled down prior to compression using a two dimensional spatial impulse filter with good pulse fidelity rather than flat pass bands, rapid cutoff at high frequency and minimal impulse response width. The impulse filter preferably is operated at the 6 db point down about 0.6 to 0.9 of the output image spatial band edge, thereby removing visible aliases in the images while compromising between subjective sharpness and total picture entropy.

Abstract: An easily installed inter-row transfer unit is disclosed employing a movable cartridge bin assembly suspended via linkage from a pair of bearing blocks, wherein the resulting bin assembly carriage travels horizontally along a support housing extending between front-to-back arrangements of rows of library systems, to enable expansion of the library systems into very large mass storage systems. The pair of bearing blocks of the bin assembly carriage are spread or closed to respectively raise or lower the bin assembly from or into a respective library system. Thus, vertical as well as horizontal motions of the bearing blocks are controlled by a motor/cable drum drive device secured to the support housing. In a preferred embodiment, a trapdoor mechanism and a cooperating roller support mechanism are used to enable reversing the direction of horizontal translation of the bin assembly carriage with a single motor/cable drum drive device. Various other embodiments and modifications are illustrated.

Abstract: The present application discloses an electronic switching device in combination with a low noise, low input impedance preamplifier circuit. The resulting electronic preamp assembly is specifically configured so that it can be directly interchanged with existing mechanical relay/preamplifier assemblies such as those presently in use in recorder/reproducer apparatus having dual function record/playback heads, without disturbing the associated operating parameters of the record or playback channels. The electronic preamp assembly includes a balun transformer and a solid state switch coupled from a record amplifier to the record/playback head via a rotary transformer to define the record channel. The playback channel includes a diode bridge switch and a preamp circuit also coupled to the rotary transformer and head.

Abstract: A read/write magnetic head includes a step offset formed in the gap of the head which accordingly generates recorded transitions in a recording medium which also contain a step offset in each successively recorded transition along the length of a track. On subsequent playback of the track by the same or similar step gap head, fine transverse mistracking of the head as it follows the track results in a corresponding echo signal being generated along with the main readout signal. The amplitude of the echo signal is indicative of the degree of fine mistracking while the location of the echo signal relative to the main signal is indicative of the direction of mistracking. Fine mistracking correction is provided by circuits which detect the amount and direction of mistracking and supply an error signal to a tracking servo to correct the mistracking.